The 45th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) is proud to announce the award winners for the 2021 festival, running from April 22-May 2, 2021.

Winners of the Narrative Short, Animated Short and Documentary Short Jury Awards not only took home their awards, but now also qualify for the 2022 Academy Awards®. The Atlanta Film Festival is one of less than twenty US film festivals that is Academy Award®-qualifying in all three shorts categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short. 

Audience Awards will be announced following the conclusion of the festival. For information on the 2021 Jurors (and the competition films), please visit www.atlantafilmfestival.com/2021/jury.

2021 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
CARTERLAND – directed by Jim Pattiz & Will Pattiz

SPECIAL JURY AWARD FOR ARTISTIC SPIRIT AND INGENUITY (DOCUMENTARY FEATURE)
SOCKS ON FIRE – directed by Bo McGuire

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
CULPA – directed by Ulrike Grote

SPECIAL JURY AWARD FOR RISING DIRECTOR AND LEAD ACTOR (NARRATIVE FEATURE)
LUDI – directed by Edson Jean, starring Shein Mompremier

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
UN DIABLE DANS LA POCHE – directed by Antoine Bonnet & Mathilde Loubes

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
SEAHORSE – directed by Nele Dehnenkamp 

HONORABLE MENTION (DOCUMENTARY SHORT)
SCARLET MEDUSA – directed by Spencer MacDonald

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT
THE DRESS – directed by Tadeusz Łysiak

HONORABLE MENTION (NARRATIVE SHORT)
ANITA – directed by Sushma Khadepaun

HONORABLE MENTION (NARRATIVE SHORT)
BORN AGAIN – directed by Candice Onyeama

HONORABLE MENTION (NARRATIVE SHORT)
GEORGIA – directed by Jayil Pak

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (SPONSORED BY PANAVISION AND LIGHT IRON)
OFF THE ROAD – cinematography by Ernesto Trujillo

HONORABLE MENTION (CINEMATOGRAPHY)
SOCKS ON FIRE – cinematography by Matt Clegg

GEORGIA FILM AWARD
bustitOpen – directed by Danielle Deadwyler

FILMMAKER-TO-WATCH
Justice Jamal Jones – director of HOW TO RAISE A BLACK BOY

SOUTHERN DOCUMENTARY FUND FILMMAKER AWARD (PRESENTED BY THE SDF)
Recognizing excellence in documentary storytelling through a Southern lens.
SOCKS ON FIRE – directed by Bo McGuire
TEN LEAVES DILATED – directed by Kate E. Hinshaw, co-directed by Ebony Blanding