were cancelled. IML returned in May 2022. IML contest criteria Preliminary round Contest finalists are selected following: A preliminary interview with each of the nine judges, up to 8 minutes in length, are held in private (60% of the preliminary score). Stage presence and personality at a Saturday "Pecs and Personality" event (40% of the preliminary score). The judge's highest and lowest scores for each contestant on each criterion are dropped, and the contestant's remaining seven scores are tallied to determine the 20 contestants with the highest combined scores to proceed as finalists at the Sunday IML contest event. The only time that the dropped scores are included in the tally is when there is a tie for the 20th place; the contestants in question have their dropped scores included in the tally but if the stalemate continues then each of the nine judges must vote for only one of the two contestants. Preliminary judging scores are not carried forward. There are also two tally masters. Final round Each of the 20 finalists is judged at the Sunday IML contest on a scale from 0 to 100 in the following order: Leather image (up to 40 points). Presentation skills that include a contestant speech (up to 40 points). Physical appearance (up to 20 points). The highest and lowest scores for each finalist are dropped, the remaining seven scores are added together, and the top three scores designate the second runner-up, first runner-up, and winner, International Mr. Leather. A tie for the title is resolved by adding to the tally the dropped scores of the two contestants; if the stalemate continues then each of the nine judges must vote for only one of the contestants in question. IML contest winners The following is a table of IML contest winners: International Mr. Bootblack Competition The International Mr. Bootblack (IMrBB) Competition runs throughout the IML weekend. Contestants are given a location in the IML Leather Market at which they perform bootblacking services. Weekend ticket package holders (as well as judges, contestants, and vendors) are each provided with a bootblack ballot which is redeemable for one shine by the bootblack of the voter's choice. Bootblacks are free to shine the boots of any person, regardless of whether that person has a ballot, although it is made clear that the ballots are the means by which the winner will be determined. Tipping is not required,