Guest User 10/1/24 Guest User 10/1/24

ATLFF Alumni Spotlight: Landon Ashworth

When you meet Landon Ashworth, you know quickly that you won’t forget him. ATLFS Community Engagement Lead, Keith Hannigan, sits down with the actor, writer, director to discuss their upcoming project and their journey leading up to the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival to now.

When you meet Landon Ashworth, you know quickly that you won’t forget him. I met Landon at ATLFF’23. He was introduced to me as the winner of that year’s screenplay competition in the TV Pilot category. In the very same category I submitted my script but was disqualified because I took a job with the Atlanta Film Society shortly after submitting. I understood why, but of course, I hated him. I’m kidding. Why? When I met this tall, handsome man wearing a cowboy hat, I could tell there was something quite special about him.

What was it? I didn’t find out until I sat down with Landon for our next edition of ATLFF Alumni Spotlight a couple of weeks ago. And boy, was I right…

Oh, and when you get to the end, I’ll tell you a story that didn’t make the interview.

Keith Hannigan

Hey, folks. I am Keith Hannigan from the Atlanta Film Society and the Atlanta Film Festival. I’m here for another episode of ATLFF Alumni Spotlight. Today, the spotlight shines on the man who won the ATLFF’23 Screenplay Award. By the way, that is the award over his shoulder he won for his pilot script, The Space Suit.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Randy Ashworth. Hello, Landon.

Landon waves appreciatively to the crowd to his adoring fans

Landon Ashworth

Hi. Sorry for all of the fans.

It's all good and understood. If you haven't, you should definitely check out Landon's IMDB because he has a lot going on in his world, including one that is slated to start tomorrow. Landon, what is starting tomorrow for you, my friend?

I'm heading out to New Mexico to direct a feature that I wrote after basically 20 years of being told no by Hollywood.

What's the name of the feature?

GO ON.

Where in New Mexico?

Near Las Vegas, New Mexico. As the crow flies, it's about to 50 miles east of Santa Fe.

Outstanding. We’ll talk more about that in a second because I need to mention that beautiful Phoneix beside you. Which, of course, is the ATLFF’23 Screenplay Award you won for your pilot script, SPACE SUITS. What was that script about, and how did it come about?

It is about the female bra makers of Playtex who won the contract to make the Apollo spacesuits. And they weren't even invited to compete. They just kind of showed up against the military-industrial complex. They were fighting for the contract against a bunch of military people, and they weren't invited to join.

But they learned about the competition a couple of weeks before it happened. All the other teams had six months to a year to prepare their prototypes. Not only did they win the contract after just making bras for a living, but they destroyed the competition.

I wrote the story for several reasons. Number one, I spent my young adult life trying to become an astronaut.

I was a pilot—a civilian test pilot. But then they decided they would only hire military test pilots, even though I had all my hours to apply. So, that degree ended up becoming useless. Then, they said they would slate a mission to Mars and send somebody from the arts community because NASA is a boondoggle, and they must raise public funds.

I'm autistic, and I had therapists who encouraged me to get into acting classes to learn how to mask my autism because I was bullied really, really, really, really bad growing up. So I had already been an actor basically since I was a young kid. And so I applied to conservatories, and I got into one. Then I got my MFA in filmmaking, and they scrapped the Mars mission.

So now I have two useless degrees. Then my academic advisor from undergrad said, "Well, now you got to go back and get your Ph.D. or your M.D.” But medical school was too long. So I got my Ph.D. in astrophysics, and on my dissertation defense day, Obama put a ten-year hiring freeze on astronauts, which made all three degrees useless.

So I sat in my car and cried for a bunch of hours. And then I thought, okay, well, I got to pivot. What am I going to do? I could go back to being a test pilot. Too dangerous. I didn't want to do that. I knew I didn't want to teach physics at university, so I was like, I'm going to try to use this MFA and make a career as a filmmaker. So I packed up my car and drove straight to L.A.

I knew one person out there, a buddy from undergrad who owned a 22-foot sailboat, Marina Del Rey, and moved on to his sailboat because no one was on it. And the person on the sailboat next to mine was the casting director. And the casting director happened to be casting a big commercial. So, my very first commercial audition was for American Airlines. Funny enough, I got the part, and then they aired that commercial for about two years, and it paid a lot.

That was back when commercials paid a lot of money. And so I made a gargantuan amount of money for that. I didn't have to have any side jobs, which was lucky. And then, after I booked a commercial, she said, "You know, there are no A-list actors who don't have their own production companies, so you need to start making your own stuff now that you're kind of set financially."

I wasn't rich, but I took 80% of my earnings and bought film equipment: camera lenses, lights, and sound equipment. Every time I got cast as a costar on a TV show, I would talk to the department heads to learn how to do sound really well.

I would be with the crew asking every single question while the other actors were hanging out and bullshitting with each other. I'd go to the cinematographer and say, I just bought these lights. What do I do? How do I set it up?

This is all stuff I learned during my filmmaking degree. But like, I want to learn because you're on set. I treated it as a master class to be around professionals, doing it for a living, to learn how to do it myself. What I wish the casting director would have told me was,” You need to learn how to network and make things with other like-minded people..” But being artistic and taking things very literally.

Instead, I started making my own stuff and only my stuff. I started writing and directing comedy sketches because comedy kind of comes naturally to me. I don't think that I'm funny, but other people do kind of unintentionally. So I just started writing comedy sketches and then shooting comedy sketches, and that's what I spent all of my free time doing, shooting.

Then I met some actors and then I put them in my comedy sketches and then basically I was not getting ahead from my comedy sketches because they were like, really weird, esoteric, autistic kind of what I consider smart. Smart humor. And smart humor is not made for social media. It's made for BBC. But I am not the BBC.

So basically at the end of of having 200, 300 comedy sketches filmed, I finally was like, screw it. I need some advice. So the next show that I was on, I went up to the showrunner and I said, I've shot all of these things, but nobody's hiring me to direct or write. What would your advice be?

They advised me, and I followed it to the Nth degree. No success. So then the next costar I booked, I'd go up to the showrunner and say, I need help. I followed this advice, and they said, “That showrunner is an idiot. This is what you should do.” So I did that and got no success.

The next costar, go up to that showrunner; “Those guys are idiots. This is what you should do.” So basically, after five or six times of doing every single thing that these showrunners told me to do and getting no success from it whatsoever, I was like, alright, well, advice is really not helping me.

The very last bit of advice that I got was, “You need to do a topical comedy sketch that goes viral.” So I did that. It went viral, but nothing happened for my career. The next bit of advice was, “You need to make a short.” So then I made a short. The next person asked, “Did you put it short in film festivals?” And it was like, no, so I put it in film festivals.

I put it in film festivals, and it was a really weird short that was smart but not something that normal people would like. Then the next advice was, "Well, you got to make it topical. It's got to be something that people want to watch, and it's got to win awards." So then I made something that I thought was smart that people would want to watch, and then it won about a dozen Oscar-qualifying film festivals.

But I didn't go to any of the film festivals because I have crippling social anxiety, so I didn't network at all. So then the next bit of advice that I got was you need to write a pilot and put that into festivals and win awards. And then when I got into the Atlanta Film Festival, I told when I won the award I was like, can you just mail me the award?

And they're like, “You need to come here and network, and we'll protect you and kind of put you under our wing.” And so that's what happened with the Atlanta Film Festival. I wrote the SPACE SUITS. I sat down and wrote it in one day. It was my first draft, and I sent it out to film festivals. Then, it won five or six film festivals for best unproduced and best pilot screenplay, which kind of led me to where I am today.

So, what happened after you won the Atlanta Film Festival?

After I won the Atlanta Film Festival, I met people from several different producers who were part of the festival and several lit agents. The Lit agents told me, “ Nobody's buying historical dramas. Congratulations on your win.” For the producers that I met said, “We can sell this. Let's stay in touch.” I stayed in touch with them. They never emailed me back.

The next TV show I booked was THE RESIDENT, and the showrunner said,” You need to build a really big social media following based on topical stuff. Once you have a big following, there's nothing that you can't do because people want to put butts in seats. If you have a million followers, you're good to go.”

So then I started writing topical sketch comedy, which is the bane of my existence. I hate topical stuff. I like stuff that nobody else likes. So then I started writing topical stuff. In six months, I gained a following of 2 million followers, and then the next bit of advice I got was write a feature and try to get it made, crowdfund it.

And I was like, no, that's the one thing that I will not do. I have friends that have crowdfunded their features, and they have these awful, awful features for 25 grand and I'm not going to put out crap. I'm not going to make a feature if I'm the only one that believes in it.

I'm not going to crowdfund. I'm going to do it the Hollywood way because I've done it the Hollywood way for 20 straight years. And I really believed in the Hollywood way. I believed in you write a script, a producer that does this for a living says, “I like your script. I know how to make movies. I've made movies. I believe in the economic viability of your project. I'm going to make it.”

So I let pride get in my way for a very, very long time because I was never going to make a TV show or a movie that I was the only one who believed in. In one year, I sent about 1100 emails to producers, agents, directors, showrunners, developmental executives, whatever.

I got three responses back in that year. I went back and counted them all, and all three were, “We do not take unsolicited submissions.” So the best answer I got was no. The rest of the 1097 people just ignored it. So finally, I'm like, well, my career is never going to move forward.

And so in January of this year, I was going to quit. I was going to be done with the industry. I won Best Pilot and a dozen other Oscar-qualifying film festivals for Best Short. And I'm like, I'm never going to make it. And that's fine and I'm done.

So I woke up on January 1st, and the first thought in my mind was, "You've done it everybody else's way your entire career. Why don't you try your own way?"

You know, casting directors during casting director workshops were like, “Don't go up to A-list stars and bother them on set. It'll make you look bad. Don't talk to producers and ask them for anything. Just show up, do a good job, and go home.

”I was like, you know what? I'm going to do it my way this year, and if I don't make it, who gives a shit? I've already not made it. I've spent an entire career not making it.

Yeah, I've done a bunch of costars on TV shows, but that's not making it. That's going from job to job where you don't go from costar to guest star to series regular.

That's just, you know, I spent one to four days on set saying my lines, being polite, going home, doing a good job. Every time I would go up to the showrunner at the end of the show, they’d say, “You're great, you're great. We'll keep you in mind in the future.”

They did not keep me in mind in the future. They got the one to five lines out of me, and they would never see me again. People don't keep you in mind unless you're friends with them. And I never networked. So, I said I would do it my way this year. So, I started doing it my way, and I decided the very first thing that I was going to do was stop masking my autism.

I was going to be me, unapologetically me. And by doing that, I gained an even bigger social media following. And I'm like, okay, cool. And then somebody said, “You know what? Now is the time for you to raise money for a movie.” And I was like, well, I've never written a movie that would cost less than 10 million bucks.

And they're like, “Well, then you need to sit down and write a movie you can make for half a million.” And I was like, I don't know anybody with a half a million bucks. That's a movie producer. And they're like,” Just write a movie.” So I sat down and I wrote a movie in two days. I didn't change a single word of it.

I sent it to ten people who had no reason to be nice to me, and all ten of them were like, “Go make this movie right now.” And I was like, well, I don't know any producers. They're like, “Crowdfund, dude, you have 2 million social media followers.” So I was like, okay, this makes me sick to my stomach, but I'll do it.

So I raised $170,000 in donations, just straight up donations in a month. And I was like, okay, I'm going to have to give all of this money back because this is not even close to enough money to get my movie made. And then when I was asking all of the people at the fund raising things, how do I give this money back?

And they're like, but you have enough to make something. I was like, no. I'm going to make this movie or I'm not going to make anything. I'm very passionate about this project for numerous reasons. And they said, “Well, this this is the process that you go through to return all the money.” So I was researching that, and on the same day three weeks ago, I got two emails from two very wealthy individuals and they said, “We believe in you.”

“You've raised this much money so other people believe in you too. We're writing you a blank check, whatever you need, go make your movie.” That was three weeks ago. And now tomorrow, I start to head out to New Mexico to make this feature. So for the past three weeks, it's been a firehose. I hired two producers because I had a budget for the movie, and we've just put it together. We're going to make this movie out in the mountains.

I've got Vincent Kartheiser, a series regular on Mad Men, and Laura Slade Wiggins, a series regular on Shameless, to be in It, and off we go.

So, first of all, congratulations, man. And I'm not talking about all the awards from your entire life. You have pivoted, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt how resilient you are. So everybody watching at home, please grasp one thing from this: Landon has given you a masterclass of listening to people and having that not come true and saying, alright, I'm either going to go this, I’m doing it my way. And if I'm done after that, I know I did everything within myself to do it.

And thank you more than anything for being vulnerable and sharing that you’re autistic.

I told you I was in New Mexico a couple of weeks ago at a writer's retreat, and I had the honor of speaking to some very acclaimed writers, showrunners, and other such people.

One question I love to ask is simply stating that I, like you, have this in common: that we're dreamers. We dream differently, but we dream, and we don't want to let go of those dreams because we keep chasing them with the understanding that our dreams are not going to chase us. So, ultimately, what has been your dream?

Is it standing in front of an audience receiving an Academy Award or an Emmy or anything like that? Is it saying thank you to your mom for everything she's done for you? What is the dream for?

I've only had five dreams, and I had one, which was to be an astronaut, and that door was slammed in my face. And then when I started this career in Hollywood, I set four goals:

One be a series regular on a TV show, which has not happened yet.
Second was to sell a TV pilot that gets made, not to sell a pilot because a lot of people saw pilots and they never went into production.
Third was to get a musical that I wrote about the space race to Broadway.
The last was to write a feature, get it funded, and direct it. That journey starts tomorrow.

God bless you, man. Thank you for achieving your dreams. Because unless people out there knowing right now watching can see you achieve yours, then I can achieve mine… If I work my ass off.

Yeah, you got it. You got to scrape it out of pure marble with your fingernails. I moved to Hollywood knowing no one in the industry. And I mean no one in the industry. I didn't know a P.A. No one has helped me. No one has had my back other than the people at the Atlanta Film Festival. Literally, they're the first people who were like, "We will protect you."

We're going to help you collect your award and help you start conversations. They're literally the only organization that's ever helped me. So I'll do anything for the Atlanta Film Festival. But thank you God. You know, I appreciate you more than you'll ever know. But realize this out there if you want it, it's out there in the fucking dirt.

Go dig it up.

Love it. And speaking of that, before you go out into the dirt and direct your movie, what is it about, man? Was this the story you're going to tell us?

So the logline—I have to go to IMDB because I wrote it—is better than anything I'm ever going to, just like improv. The logline is that two people are forced to confront their past on a remote forest fire-burned mountain. So that's the logline the film is about. I had a cousin, and I went to visit his family out in Texas, and he had two twin boys.

They were on the spectrum, and one of them I really, really resonated with. He's going through some heavy stuff, and I felt like I was one of the only people who really could help other people recognize it. But I felt that I could help. So I invited him to come to my home here in Georgia because I was like, anytime you want to come, just come, and we'll do whatever you want.

Literally, if you want to rob a bank, we'll rob a bank. You want to go steal a car? We'll go steal a car. You want to eat sushi every single meal for a week straight will do that. And I knew that he was going to say no. And I flew back home and then I got a call from his mom and she was like, “So he hasn't stopped talking about him coming out here. Were you serious?”

I was like, my God, please send him. So it blew my mind. The 16-year-old kid said yes. So I got him at the airport, and it was just a week of saying yes to anything he wanted to do. We did. And we talked about literally everything in life. And fame was very important to him at the end of the week. Becoming famous.

And at the very end of the week, he would not tell me why fame was so important to him. And as I was dropping him off at the airport, he turned to me and said,” I just want to matter.” And then he got out of the car, and I was like, okay, I have made an impact. I know how to help him.

Then, a few days later, I got a call from his mom that he had died by suicide. And so I sat down and I wrote this movie in two days. I had no idea where the movie was going. I just went on a journey with these characters. I sent it to ten friends and asked them what they thought.

All ten of them said, “If you don't go make this movie right now, we're going to steal, and you can just deal with suing me. But this movie needs to be made.” And so that's when the fundraising campaign started. So it's in my cousin Landon Bellingham's honor. I just imagine the story is about him being stuck somewhere, or in real life, being stuck somewhere.

He had no way out. And it's two characters at war, trying to help each other where neither wants to give nor wants to take. So that's what the film's about.

So, I think I can speak for everybody watching when I say there isn't a soul out there who isn't rooting for you. Thank you for being you.

Well, everyone else was taken.

I'm never going to forget this conversation. That's the highest compliment I can give.

Please keep telling your stories. Have a wonderful, safe, amazing, life-changing experience, my brother. We can't wait to see what happens, and we can't wait to see what happens next.

So I hope it comes to the Atlanta Film Festival and wins Best Picture.

There we go, brother. There we go. So, I want in to wrap things up. Just keep. How can we keep in touch with you? Can we follow you on any social media?

So, my handle on Instagram is @LandonAshworthdirects. I have a million followers on Instagram and a million followers on TikTok. I check every day and write back to every single one.

It's a compulsion I have got. God bless you, autism. But yeah, so I've got I got a million followers, but I'll still still write you back.

You may have a million followers, but you're one in a billion, my friend. And I have to tell this story about Landon before I take off.

I met Landon at the Atlanta Film Festival in 2023. We had an after-party. I don't know if it was an after-party or a hangout. I can't remember what it was. It was basically something away from the film festival itself in that it was in a building. The building that we were at was called the Illuminarium, and they had a presentation devoted to outer space.

And I saw Landon walk in, and I, I, I'll tear up thinking about it because knowing what you've been through and what dreams you had. I saw a look in this man's eyes like, my God, I'm here. It was wonderful.

Afterward, I reached out to him and said, "I've got a Space Race musical. We should partner." This was another cold email that went unanswered.

I love that, though, you may have apprehensions, but you have a fearlessness about you. You just say, fuck it, I'm going to put it out there. And the worst thing you can ever say to me is no. And trust me, that ain't the worst thing that's ever happened to me.

So, Landon, thank you so very much. If you're watching this and would like to participate, please email me at keith@atlantafilmfestival.com. You can also follow us at the Atlanta Film Society on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

This interview will be posted on the Atlanta Film Festival YouTube page. You can also follow us on our Atlanta Film Festival, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or X, or whatever you want to call it. So, thank you again, Landon. I wish you the best.

I really do. And please, my brother, stay in touch with me. Stay in touch with us. We want to celebrate. Even though you don't believe in many celebrations, we will take care of that for you and we will celebrate everything you do because you are a part of the family and we love you. And thank you for everything.

God bless you, man. Al right, brother. Take care, and I will talk to you soon.

A right. Thank you for your time. I appreciate you.

Landon reminded me of the shitty parts of your best friend that only your best friend can be. The person who will fire tomahawk truth missiles to your sternum. Not because they suck. But because they care. And Landon truthfully cares about people not having to go through what he’s been through and he will tell you exactly why.

Speaking of hard truths, I have to tell you that you only got half of our conversation. I only had about an hour with him, and we were going back and forth for about half an hour before the call dropped. This was only a few days after I ordered high-speed internet from a company that rhymes with AT&T. I was white hot.

However, during that first half, we discussed how he would do it his way and not listen to any more advice. “Keith, if Denzel Washington was across the street, I’m going up to him!” I instantly asked him what he would say. Landon said, “I would go up to him and say I have a fucking script that will change your life!”

I believe in my bones Landon would do just that. And I have to tell you, meeting him has undoubtedly changed mine.

-k.

Watch the full interview on our Youtube channel and checkout our interview with Don-Dimitri Joseph from ATLFF ‘24

Kevon Pryce 5/12/23 Kevon Pryce 5/12/23

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2023 AWARD WINNERS AND EVENT RESULTS

ATLANTA, GA (May 12, 2023) — The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) is proud to announce the award winners for the 2023 festival, which took place from Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Today’s announcement recognizes filmmakers in 12 categories for their achievements and cinematic excellence. Winners of the Narrative Short, Animated Short and Documentary Short Jury Awards not only proudly took home their awards, but now also qualify for the 2023 Academy Awards®. ATLFF is one of less than twenty U.S. film festivals that is Academy Award®-qualifying in all three shorts categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short.

Most award winners were chosen by distinguished jurors from all backgrounds across the film industry. They include sibling filmmaker duo Soda Jerk for “Hello Dankness” which premiered at this year’s Berlin Film Festival; Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz for “Scotty’s Vag.” Caconne is a writer on Amazon Freevee’s 'Cruel Intentions', and previously wrote for Amazon’s 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' Cinematographer Petter Ringbom for “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” who’s films have screened at SXSW, Tribeca, IDFA, and Hot Docs; among over a dozen other winners. The Audience Awards were determined by both virtual and in-person attendees.

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

Best Documentary Feature:

Winner: DUSTY & STONES, Jesse Rudoy

Jury Special Mention: JESSZILLA, Emily Sheskin

Best Narrative Feature:

Winner: HELLO DANKNESS, Soda Jerk

Jury Special Mention: THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER, Bomani J. Story

Best Animated Short:

Winner: REST IN PIECE, Antoine Antabi

Jury Special Mention: ROSEMARY, A.D. (AFTER DAD), Ethan Barrett

Best Documentary Short:

Winner: BREAKING SILENCE, Amy Bench & Annie Silverstein

Best Narrative Short:

Winner: SCOTTY’S VAG, Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz

Jury Special Mention: NO OTHER GODS BUT ME, Alex Spott

Best Cinematography (Presented by Panavision and Light Iron):

Winner: THIS WORLD IS NOT MY OWN, Petter Ringbom

Jury Special Mention: RED EARTH, Georg Koszulinski & Kate E. Hinshaw

Georgia Feature Film Award:

Winner: FENOM, Kayla Johnson

Jury Special Mention: THE ONLY DOCTOR, Matthew Hashiguchi

Georgia Short Film Award:

Winner: YOUNG KINGS, Jonathan Banks

Jury Special Mention: CONTENT: THE LO-FI MAN, Brian Lonano & Blake Myers

Audience Award Winners:

Feature Winner: LITTLE BROTHERS, Sheridan O'Donnell

Short Winner: SOUND TO SEA, Ryan Craver

Previously announced winners of the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition are below. The following 5 Winning Scripts were chosen from 1,921 total submissions.

Feature Screenplay Winners:

CHANCE BY UNFATHOMABLE FATE by Dmani Williams

FREAKNIK by Jon Vaude

THE SHIMMERS by Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin

Pilot Screenplay Winner:

THE SPACE SUITS by Landon Ashworth

Short Screenplay Winner:

I SEE YOU by Faith Dismuke

From a record-breaking nearly 10,000 submissions, ATLFF selected 155 works, a mix of narrative and documentary feature-length films, short films and creative media, for the 2023 festival. Of the selected works, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 47% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). In addition to the selected programming, ATLFF held 17 Marquee screenings and 24 Creative Conference events.

Continuing with a hybrid model of in-person screenings and digital screenings, the 2023 event drew in approximately 20,000 total attendees. Over 12,000 people attended 137 indoor screenings, panels, and events held at The Plaza Theatre, Tara Theatre, Rialto, Dad’s Garage, and other venues during the 10-day festival. An additional 8,000 people streamed screenings from ATLFF’s virtual catalog of over 150 films and 9 Creative Conference workshops, panels, or Masterclasses.

With many of the in-person screenings selling out, the virtual presentation of the film catalog also proved to be a success. More than three months’ worth of content was streamed during the festival, with viewers in 41 U.S. states, and 27 countries across six inhabited continents.

This year marks a considerable increase in both in-person attendance & the reach of virtual content, with more than double the in-person attendance and nearly double the number of countries that had people viewing virtual content from 2022.

A full list of jury members with brief biographies is included below, as well as film information for all award winners and honorable mentions.

Meet the Jury

The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference took place from April 25 - April 28, 2023. ATLFF is currently accepting submissions for the 2024 festival, which is confirmed to take place April 25 - May 5, 2024. More information can be found at https://www.atlantafilmfestival.com/submit.

Kevon Pryce 4/7/23 Kevon Pryce 4/7/23

2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners

With great pride, we, the Atlanta Film Society, formally declare the Winners of the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition. The following 5 Winning Scripts were chosen from 1,921 total submissions.

Feature Screenplay Winners

CHANCE BY UNFATHOMABLE FATE by Dmani Williams
FREAKNIK by Jon Vaude
THE SHIMMERS by Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin

Pilot Screenplay Winner

THE SPACE SUITS by Landon Ashworth

Short Screenplay Winner

I SEE YOU by Faith Dismuke

Kevon Pryce 4/4/23 Kevon Pryce 4/4/23

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CREATIVE CONFERENCE PROGRAMMING FOR 47TH ANNUAL EVENT

The educational workshops, panels, and conversations taking place virtually and in person from April 25 - April 28 will feature industry experts from across the country

ATLANTA, GA (April 4, 2023) — Today, the 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) announced its lineup of Creative Conference panels, workshops, and conversations that will take place from April 25 - April 28, 2023, from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm each day. This will be the 13th year that ATLFF has curated a robust lineup of educational programming, known as the Creative Conference, as part of the annual film festival. This year, the Creative Conference will offer more than 25 in-person panel discussions, as well as 8 virtual panels and in-depth conversations with industry experts from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

The Creative Conference serves to educate, entertain, engage, and enlighten festival-goers by pulling back the curtain on film and television production, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at how projects get made. While covering a wide range of topics, this year’s programming will focus on community, craft, and the future of filmmaking.

“We are so excited to bring the Creative Conference 100% back in person after 3 years primarily on Zoom,” said Linda Burns, a 30-year industry veteran and Creative Conference Director. “Although we loved the intimacy of Zoom conversations on the craft of filmmaking, we’ve really missed the connections made in person between our panelists and audience, and between audience members. We look forward to continuing to build community and craft, offer networking and educational events, and push forward the future of filmmaking together with our amazing panelists, filmmakers, and film lovers.”

Panels will feature revealing conversations with some of the most admired and sought-after artists in their respective fields. Most notably, two-time Emmy® winning, Oscar® nominated producer Lydia Dean Pilcher joins producer Suzanne Satterfield (“Mega Dens”) in an in person conversation focused on global culture and multicultural storytelling. Pilcher has produced over 40 feature films for auteur directors including “Queen of Katwe,” “Cutie & The Boxer,” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Highlights for the virtual panels include a discussion between Emmy® nominated director, writer, and producer Craig Zobel (“Mare of Easttown,” “The Hunt”) and cinematographer Darran Tiernan (“The Hunt,” “Perry Mason”) on the working relationship between director and cinematographer, how they met and built trust, and their current collaboration on HBO’s “The Penguin,” starring Colin Farrell. Additionally, President and CEO of BobbCat Films and former EVP of Tyler Perry Studios Roger Bobb joins director Rob Hardy for a 1-on-1 conversation about his career in producing and directing that spans nearly two decades.

As with the lineup of 155 selected works and Marquee screenings, the 2023 Creative Conference programming will highlight underrepresented filmmakers and stories. Panel topics that will explore Development and Pitching, Building an Audience and a Community, Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, Producing Using AI, Shooting in Virtual Worlds, Improv for Creatives, The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion, Tips & Resources for Emerging Filmmakers, Post-Production, Crowdfunding, and Roundtable Discussions with Georgia Filmmakers and Screenwriters in Competition.

TV and Film credits for additional Creative Conference speakers include: “Atlanta,” “A Jazzman’s Blues,” “Naomi,” “The Underground Railroad,” “Pitch Perfect 3,” “The Devil to Pay,” “Archer,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “The Walking Dead,” “Stranger Things,” “Black Lightning,” “Greenleaf,” “Hightown,” “Inside Man,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Father of the Bride,” “Ozark,” “Boss Level,” “Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War,” “Baby Driver,” “Stargirl,” “Doom Patrol,” “Power,” “The Leftovers,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Star Trek: Picard and Discovery,” “Blindspotting,” “Teenage Bounty Hunters,” “For Colored Girls,” “Mythic Quest,” “Why Did I Get Married II,” “The Blacklist,” “Chicago Med,” “Chicago PD,” “Chicago Fire,” “Valor,” “Being Mary Jane,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Queen Sugar,” “MacGyver,” “Solace,” “I,Tonya,” “Coming 2 America,” “Cobra Kai,” “Legacies,” “Halt and Catch Fire,” “The Right Stuff,” “P-Valley,” “Rise,” “Gotham Knights,” and “This is Us,” among others.

All Creative Conference content, other than in-person panels, will be available for streaming worldwide during the entire 10 days of the festival. In-person panels will not be offered virtually. Festival badges are on sale now at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com. Creative Conference individual virtual and in-person event tickets are currently $12-$15 or $85 for unlimited virtual access. Badge prices will increase on April 18, 2023.

The full list of programming for this year’s Creative Conference can be found below. As previously announced, ATLFF’s 2023 lineup of 155 selected works, presented in person or virtually, can be found on the festival’s website here.

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2023 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

2023 Creative Conference Lineup

IN PERSON PANELS

Building Your Own Industry with the Three C's: Craft, Community and Conversations - a Discussion with The Heartbeat Film Podcast
What are the 3 C's to help a community grow and build your industry along with it?

Craft: Developing your own unique voice through intentional, artistic practice.
Community: The art of cultivating your tribe of collaborators and supporters.
Conversation: Creating your own grassroots platforms for sharing and exhibiting your work while generating meaningful and continuous conversation within your community.

Whether you don’t know where to begin or are trying to decide the next move, the answer always comes back to leaning on your own industry. Sit down with writers, directors and producers Chris Anthony Hamilton, Janlatae' Mullins and Harim Leon as they discuss a topic near and dear to their heart - building your own table and cultivating a community to do it with.

Panelists:
Writer, Director, DP Chris Anthony Hamilton
Writer, Producer, Director Janlatae' Mullins
Executive Producer Harim Leon - Red Baron Digital LLC

Pilots and Shorts from Georgia in the Screenwriting Competition Finals
Join the Georgia shorts and pilots screenwriting finalists to learn about their projects, what drove them to tell these stories, their process as screenwriters, and what it means to be a finalist in the competition.

Moderator: Screenwriter & Atlanta Film Chat Podcast Producer Chuck Thomas
Panelists:
Screenwriter Faith Dismuke - I See You - Short
Screenwriter Michael Mau - Left & Leaving - Short
Screenwriter Jon Carr - Black Nerd - Pilot
Screenwriter Landon Ashworth - The Space Suits - Pilot

Sex, Guns, and Kids: How Not to Get Shut Down - Sponsored by SAGIndie.org and IATSE 479
Indie filmmakers using SAG-AFTRA talent for the first time or for the first time with sex, guns, or kids may not know all the rules, and then get themselves into trouble with the unions. Learn how intimacy coordinators can help your sex scenes stay steamy while keeping everyone safe, the importance of armorers and the rules around gun safety on set, and the hours children of all ages are allowed to work, take breaks, and get an education.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Actress, Intimacy Coordinator Kristina Arjona - SAG-AFTRA
Armorer, Special Effects Coordinator Lisa Reynolds - IATSE 479 & Bob Shelleys' Special Effects
Susan Moss - SAG-AFTRA Sr. Regional Set Relations Representative

Features from Georgia in the Screenwriting Competition Finals
Join the Georgia feature screenwriting finalists to learn about their projects, what drove them to tell these stories, their process as screenwriters, and what it means to be a finalist in the competition.

Moderator: Writer, Producer, Director Carrie Schrader
Panelists:
Screenwriters Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin - The Shimmers
Screenwriter Dmani Williams - Chance by Unfathomable Fate
Screenwriter Jon Vaude - Freaknik
Screenwriter Nathan Cabaniss - Shooting

Development, the Pitch, and the Package with Crazy Legs Productions
Executives at Crazy Legs Productions dive into the development process and pitch packages for projects at networks, studios, and streamers. Whether you’re pitching reality TV, docu-series, or feature films, this discussion will educate you on the process of developing your ideas into the perfect pitch, what to expect when pitching your ideas, and how to pivot when your pitch doesn’t land.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
CEO & Executive Producer Tom Cappello
VP of Development Alana Goldstein
Director of Feature Development Marie Halliday

Georgia Narrative and Documentary Shorts Roundtable - 1 of 3
First of three short film panels featuring the directors of these Georgia-tied short films playing in the festival. See their trailers, hear their production stories, what led them to tell this story, and their journeys as filmmakers.

Moderator: Writer, Director, Actor Robyn Hicks
Panelists:
Director Ivan Rome - TikTok Challenged - Narrative
Director Juanita Umaña - One Yes the Other No - Narrative
Director Hannah Patterson - Late to the Party - Narrative
Director Evelyn Lorena - Gabriela - Narrative
Director Shaun Maclean - Chipper - Narrative

The Virtual Production Pipeline & the Future of Content Production
Virtual production from start to finish. Nick, Joshua, and Justin provide a comprehensive overview of the virtual production pipeline: From creating 3D virtual locations to technical components involved to capturing live-action footage on an LED Volume - in this talk, you’ll learn about the best ways of incorporating this innovative technology into your filmmaking toolkit.

Panelists:
Co-Founder Nick Rivero - Meptik
Senior Interactive Designer Joshua Eason - Meptik
Technical Director Justin Wylie - Arc Studios

On Screenwriting
Whether you’re writing shorts, features, or TV shows, on spec as indie filmmakers, paid screenwriters, or in a writer’s rooms, this panel will share their expertise and passion for screenwriting, along with tips for emerging filmmakers.

Moderator: Writer, Producer, Director Carrie Schrader
Panelists:
Screenwriter, Producer, Director Lane Skye
Screenwriter, Producer, Director Ruckus Skye
And more!

Improv Reshapes Your Creativity
Improv is not just about funny shows or jokes in the moment. It can completely reshape your approach to your creative projects. This panel discussion brings together incredible film and television actors to talk about how their improv background has translated to the professional projects they are currently working on. Applying the principles of improv at the beginning of any creative project or using it as the foundation for how your creative team works together will allow you to develop truly unique work that feels like something your entire team has created together. This is the perfect panel for anyone looking to find a new approach to writing, acting, and directing.

Moderator: Jon Carr - Vaguely Specific Productions
Panelists:
Actress, Producer Amber Nash
Actress, Producer, Writer Karen Ceesay
Actor, Producer Atkins Estimond

AI for Producing
The rise of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry is not just a story about technological progress – it's a story about power. Artificial Intelligence is the single biggest thing to happen to the entertainment industry since the invention of the camera. No, it will not take your job, but the people who know how to use it will. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the filmmaking process, those who hold the keys to its operation will have an unparalleled advantage in creating movies that capture audiences' imaginations. Producer Harim Leon will explore the implications of this power shift - the future of filmmaking - showing how professional and aspiring filmmakers can leverage AI to bring their visions to life and how AI will reshape the way we create and consume movies.

Panelist:
Executive Producer Harim Leon - Red Baron Digital LLC

Streamlining Post: What Indie Filmmakers Need to Know
Join different members of a post production process to learn what indie filmmakers need to know as they move from editing their own projects to needing an editor, sound editor, post sup, music, and more.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Partner & Post Producer Drew Sawyer - Moonshine Post Production
Composer Evan Hodges
And more!

Jumpstarting Your Career: Tips and Resources for Emerging Filmmakers
Join us for an in-depth conversation with RE:IMAGINE, student filmmakers, and industry partners about the many opportunities to jumpstart an early filmmakers' journey and career and how you can prepare while still in high school or as a recent graduate. We will discuss finding and getting connected to local artist opportunities, preparing for future film production experiences, understanding the industry at large for minors, networking and more.

RE:IMAGINE trains, equips, and inspires Generation Z (ages 11 - 24) to build careers in the creative and digital media industries.

Moderator: Coming Soon!
Panelists: Coming Soon!

Georgia Narrative and Documentary Shorts Roundtable - 2 of 3
Second of the three short film panels featuring the directors of these Georgia-tied short films. See their trailers, hear their production stories, what led them to tell this story, and their journeys as filmmakers.

Moderator: Actress & Producer Viviana Chavez
Panelists:
Director Adam Rioux - Roaming Dawn - Narrative
Director David Nixon Jr. - Lumps - Narrative
Director Rozalyn Mattocks - Kid Free Weekend - Narrative
Director Brandi Stevens - Impression - Narrative
Director Kelvin Summerhill - Black Butterfly - Narrative

The Business Side of Filmmaking
The terminology of the business side of filmmaking can be confusing and misleading. Join us for a conversation about the process and definitions involved with debt financing, development and creative services, and post and distribution. Learn what Buffalo 8 and their parent company offer, and why they opened shop in Georgia.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelist:
Head of Production & Services - Adam Harris Englehard - Buffalo 8

Georgia Narrative and Documentary Shorts Roundtable - 3 of 3
Third of the three short film panels featuring the directors/producers of these Georgia-tied short films. See their trailers, hear their production stories, what led them to tell this story, and their journeys as filmmakers.

Moderator: Director, Writer, Producer Jen West
Panelists:
Co-Directors Jonathan Banks & Dr. Arshley Emile - Young Kings - Documentary
Writer/Producer Alex - Would You Still Love Me - Narrative (Director Ramsey Telhami not in attendance)
Tri-Directors Sean Famoso, Dennis Williams & Gladimir Gelin - RACE - Narrative
Co-Directors Linnea Frye & Adam Pinney - Lily's Mirror - Narrative
Director Brian Lonano CONTENT: The Lo-Fi Man - Narrative (Co-Director Blake Myers not in attendance)

On Directing - Sponsored by the MPAA
Directors from three different career paths share their experiences directing indies, documentary and narrative features, and television shows, and how the experiences differ. They’ll share their knowledge and expertise working in the different mediums, providing tips for surviving working with studios, networks, and streamers.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Director, Writer, Producer Angela Barnes
Director, Writer, Producer Takashi Doscher
Director, Writer, Producer Carrie Schrader

Making It and Keepin’ It Real with Ideas United
An in-depth conversation with filmmakers who have “made it”, and the foundational lessons they’ve learned along the way through pivotal career-changing decisions. From learning to take advantage of opportunities when they come, making authentic connections, and staying humble as you grow. Audience members will be tasked with making their own “next big decision”: share that script, increase your rates, call that person. Whatever that next big move is in their career, attendees will leave this session invigorated.

Moderator: Community Lead at Ideas United, Vi Andrews
Panelists:
Writer, Director, Set Dresser Sedrick Lakpa
Editor Kristina Kromer - Moonshine Post-Production
Director & CEO Valerie Hinkle - Prominence Films
VP of Production Abe Mohammadione - Ideas United

Film Impact Georgia’s Filmmaker Grant Winners
Recipients talk about their projects, winning the filmmaker grant, and how that propelled their projects forward. Since 2019, Film Impact Georgia has awarded $35,000 in grants across 7 cycles. Working with partners and board members, FIG has connected the winning filmmakers with mentors that could assist with film festival strategy, marketing, post-production, securing locations and more.

Moderator: Melissa Simpson
Panelists:
Ines Michelena - ANGIE - Fall 2019
Lev Omelchenko - A Song for Echo - Spring 2020
Andrew J. Lee - A Sparrow Cries At Night - Fall 2020
Jeremy Thao - Woman - Spring 2021
Shandrea Evans - Bloom - Fall 2021
Hannah Patterson - Late to the Party - Spring 2022
Erika Miranda - Trailer Trash Magic - Fall 2022

Development, the Pitch and the Package with Pictures Window Productions and Doghouse Pictures
Executives at Picture Window Productions and Doghouse Pictures dive into the development process and pitch packages for projects at networks, studios, and podcasting companies. From environmental docuseries and podcasts to feature films and television shows, this discussion will educate you on the process of developing your ideas into the perfect pitch, and how to think outside the box when your IP falls into development hell.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Producer, Director, Writer Suzan Satterfield
Producer, Writer Jeff Keating

Creating Opportunities for Creators in Georgia - Sponsored by People Store
For years, the only representation you could get in Georgia was for actors. But things are finally starting to change…meet literary and crew talent agency reps who will break down what they look for, how to find representation, what you need to bring to the table, what you can expect, and what agents do for you.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Coming Soon!

Seed&Spark - Crowdfunding to Build Independence
Seed&Spark has the highest crowdfunding campaign success rate of any funding platform in the world, and they will share 100% of the information you need to build a successful campaign, as well as a career-long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. You’ll learn how to find and activate your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign and pitch video, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more beyond marketing the campaign itself. Because after all, it isn’t just about crowdfunding: it’s about career building. Your career starts here!

Panelist:
Founder & CEO - Emily Best - Seed&Spark

Feature Filmmakers from Georgia-tied Films in the ATLFF - Sponsored by Popflick
Lead Programmer Jon Kieran sits down with the directors of the Georgia-tied feature films playing in the festival to discuss their process, their stories, and their journey to directing.

Moderator: Programming Director Jon Kieran
Panelist:
Director Kayla Johnson - Fenom
Director Lev Omelchenko - Twenty
Director Bryan Tan - She Watches Blindly
Co-Directors Jordan Bellamy & Josh Gilligan - Ship Happens
Director Matthew Hashiguchi - The Only Doctor
Director Geoff Marslett - Quantum Cowboys

Changing the Climate: How to Weave Cultural, Social, and Environmental Narratives into Your Storytelling: A Conversation with Lydia Dean Pilcher
Lydia is a two time Emmy® winning, Oscar® nominated producer and founder of NYC production company Cine Mosaic. Focusing on global culture and multicultural storytelling, Pilcher has produced over 40 feature films for auteur directors including “Queen of Katwe,” “Cutie & The Boxer,” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Her director credits include WWII spy thriller, A CALL TO SPY, and the climate narratives RADIUM GIRLS and science fiction film, HOMING INSTINCT. As Co-founder of Producers Guild of America’s, PGA Green and GreenProductionGuide.com, she has been an ambassador for sustainability in entertainment for more than 15 years. She co-leads the WGA/PGA Interguild Climate Storytelling Initiative and Co-Chairs the Directors Guild of America Sustainable Future Committee.

Moderator: Producer, Director, Writer - Suzan Satterfield
Panelist:
Producer, Director, Writer - Lydia Dean Pilcher

Meet the Atlanta Film Festival Programmers - Sponsored by Popflick
Meet our Programming Director Jon Kieran, Programmers Astin Rocks and Jennica Carmona, and Senior Programmer for the Screenplay Competition Brian Grady. They’ll share the process for entry, their process for choosing films, what they love about their jobs, and tips for filmmakers looking to submit next year.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelist:
Programming Director Jon Kieran
Programmers Astin Rocks and Jennica Carmona
Senior Programmer for the Screenplay Competition Brian Grady

Building a Thriving Georgia Film Community
Artists and activists discuss how we can work together across disciplines to build sustainable and lasting careers individually and collectively.

Moderator: Founder & CEO Emily Best - Seed&Spark
Panelists:
Culture Curator & Co-Founder Bem Joiner - Atlanta Influences Everything
Actress Bethany Ann Lind - SAG-AFTRA
Executive Director Charles Judson - Film Impact Georgia
Producer Terrence Battle

VIRTUAL PANELS

On Producing & Directing - A Conversation with Roger Bobb
Roger Bobb is the President and CEO of BobbCat Films, a film and television production company based in Atlanta. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President of Tyler Perry Studios for 8 years. He's a former DGA trainee, was the youngest African-American 1st AD in New York, has won 8 NAACP Image Awards and is the only 2 time Best Picture winner at the ABFF (American Black Film Festival). His producing credits include “For Colored Girls”, “Why Did I Get Married II’,

“Madea’s Big Happy Family” and seven other Tyler Perry films for a combined gross of over half a billion dollars. His television films include “Same Time Next Christmas” (ABC), “Life Size-2” (Freeform), “Bad Dad Rehab (TV One)”, “Let The Church Say Amen” (BET) to name a few. Bobb also works as a director, with over 15 television movie credits in the last 3 years.

Moderator: Director, Producer Rob Hardy
Panelist: Producer, Director Roger Bobb

The Director - Cinematographer Relationship
Writer, Producer, Director Craig Zobel discusses the relationship between the Director and Director of Photography with his long-time collaborator Cinematographer Darran Tiernan. They’re currently in pre-production for The Penguin starring Colin Farrell for HBO, but worked together on The Hunt, One Dollar, and Westworld, after meeting on American Gods.

Moderator: Writer, Producer, Director Craig Zobel
Panelist: Director of Photography Darran Tiernan

Directing for Television

This panel features directors with credits on Atlanta, Blindspotting, Teenage Bounty Hunters, Loot, Killing It, Mythic Quest, So Help Me Todd, The Blacklist, The Watchful Eye, Big Shot, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Gray’s Anatomy, Queen Sugar, Solace, Cherish the Day, The Recruit, The Midnight Club, In the Dark, and This is Us. That’s a lot of experience and knowledge to share. Don’t miss out on this engaging conversation on all things directing for television.

Moderator: Director, Writer, Producer Angela Barnes
Panelists:
Director, Writer, Producer Daniel Willis
Director, Producer Tchaiko Omawale
Director, Writer, Producer Kay Oyegun
Director, Writer, Editor Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour

Creating Character Driven Stories - A Conversation with Screenwriter Scott Myers
A member of the Writers’ Guild of America West since 1987, Scott Myers has written over 30 movie and TV projects at every major Hollywood studio and broadcast network. He was an executive producer at Trailblazer Studios, overseeing the company’s original content development for TV including the Scripps and Discovery networks. He has taught in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, receiving its Outstanding Instructor Award in 2005, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and since 2008 has hosted GoIntoTheStory.com, the official screenwriting blog of the Black List. He joined the faculty at DePaul’s School of Cinematic Arts in the fall 2016. Scott graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree (with Honors) in Religious Studies and Yale University, where he received a Masters of Divinity degree cum laude.

Moderators: Co-Writers Lane Skye and Ruckus Skye
Panelist:
Screenwriter and Assistant Professor of Screenwriting Scott Myers

Cinematography and Zeiss Lenses
Join Zeiss rep Tony Wisniewski as he discussed all things lenses with working professionals in the camera department from Photographers to Steadi-cam Ops to Directors of Photography for commercials, television, and film.

Moderator: Tony Wisniewski - Zeiss
Panelist:
Photographer Tracy Page
Cinematographer Cliff Charles
Cinematographer Hilda Mercado
Cinematographer, Steadi-Cam Op Alfeo Dixon
Cinematographer Jose Alejandro Acosta

Representation in the Latinx Community
Join Latinas in Media Atlanta for a panel discussion on the importance of representation in media - where inclusion stands now, what we can do to improve it, and what the future holds.

Moderator: Producer, Actress Denise Santos
Panelists:
Producer, Actress Mahalia Latortue-Pridgett
Producer, Actress Erika Miranda
Writer, Director, Producer Erik Francisco Medina
Producer, Director, Actress Caitlin Hargraves

Screenwriting, The Writers Room, and the Script Doctor
From the writers room to crafting a feature to working with a script doctor, this conversation will cover a range of topics to help aspiring screenwriters understand the process as well as the collaborative nature of writing a screenplay.

Panelists:
CEO & Head Consultant Shannon E Johnson - The Professional Pen
Producer, Actor, Writer Mavro Diamonti
Producer, Director, Actor, Writer Harrison Chandler

Prepping Your Project
Tune into this powerhouse panel to learn how much work is involved to get a job as a department head. And once you get the job, what each department does in prep and why, along with how proper preparation translates to a better production. And yes, it’s really 2.5 hours long. There was a lot to discuss!

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
1st AD Jerry Pece - DGA
Location Manager David Luse - IATSE
Cinematographer, Camera Operator Angelica Perez-Castro - IATSE 600
Production Designer Ina Mayhew - Production Designers Guild
Director Lauren Petzke - DGA

Kevon Pryce 3/27/23 Kevon Pryce 3/27/23

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 47TH ANNUAL EVENT, INCLUDING 39 WORLD PREMIERES

ATLANTA, GA (March 27, 2023) — The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) today revealed key programming highlights, including the opening night presentation and the full lineup of selected works from nearly 10,000 submissions. Highlighted by the Opening Night presentation of “Polite Society”, 17 Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. The 155 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. The film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 30, 2023 at multiple venues in Atlanta and virtually.

“We are thrilled to return for our 47th annual festival with both an in-person and virtual format, allowing our films and content to be more accessible than ever,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “This year’s lineup is once again full of unique programming from a variety of diverse voices from the local Atlanta community and around the world. We can’t wait to welcome audiences back this April.”

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 10-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of Focus Features’ “Polite Society” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 21. Starring Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya, the film follows a martial artist-in-training who enlists her friends to help save her older sister from her impending marriage in the name of independence and sisterhood.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “This World Is Not My Own,” a documentary film that traces the lifespan of artist Nellie Mae Rowe through motion capture technology to replicate human expressions and movement performed by Uzo Aduba, “It's Only Life After All,” a documentary that follows the lives and careers of one of the most iconic folk-rock bands in America, the Indigo Girls, and “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” starring Laya DeLeon Hayes and Chad Coleman, is poignant story of grief and hope, in which a teenage anti-hero goes on a desperate quest to cure death.

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by the final lineup of 40 feature-length films, 84 short films, and 27 creative media selections. Of these selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 47% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Five specialty tracks will return to the 2023 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers, Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters, and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia.

For five years in a row, the festival received a record-breaking number of creative works and screenplay submissions. Works from more than 204 countries were submitted to the festival, and 30 countries are represented among the final lineup of chosen selections. Over 20% of this year’s selections have ties to the state of Georgia.

The 13th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns with in-person panel discussions, as well as virtual panels and one-on-one, in-depth virtual conversations with industry experts from Georgia to New York and Los Angeles. The entire Creative Conference lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. This year’s programming will focus on community, craft and the future of filmmaking. Additional topics will include screenwriting, directing, producing, development and pitching, using AI, and much more.

ATLFF 2023 will be more accessible than ever, offering a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE), Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE), The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway), and The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University (80 Forsyth St NW). All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.

The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2023 app. Festival passes are on sale now on the site. Tickets for individual events will be available at the beginning of April. In-person screening tickets range from $12-15; virtual access is $9.99 per film/panel with an unlimited virtual all-access pass for $85 for both films and Creative Conference.

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2023 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

Polite Society
directed by Nida Manzoor
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 103 min
Ria Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends' help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists, in the name of independence and sisterhood.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

*TBA

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

Divinity
directed by Eddie Alcazar
United States // 2023 // English // 88 min
Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and starring Stephen Dorff, DIVINITY is set in an otherworldly human existence, where the creation of a ground-breaking immortality serum named “Divinity” is wreaking havoc. Jaxxon Pierce, the creator’s son (Dorff), now controls and manufactures his father’s once-benevolent dream, and society on the barren planet has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug. When two mysterious brothers arrive with a plan to abduct Pierce with the help of a seductive woman named Nikita, they will all be set hurtling toward true immortality.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Final Cut
directed by Michel Hazanavicius
France // 2022 // French // 111 min
Final Cut follows a director (Duris) making a live, single-take, low-budget zombie movie in which the cast and crew, one by one, actually turn into zombies. More blood-soaked high farce than horror, the film revels in its affectionate embrace of goofy genre fun. Academy Award-winning director Michael Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST) pulls off the improbable, a French-language remake of Shin’ichirô Ueda’s cult hit One Cut of the Dead that milks the film’s hilarious and meta-to-the-max premise for all it’s worth, while also crafting a sly love letter to the art of filmmaking.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Little Brother
directed by Sheridan O'Donnell
United States // 2023 // English // 94 min
Jake and his brother Pete pile into a busted-up van, headed from Albuquerque to Seattle. Pete has just attempted suicide for the umpteenth time and his concerned parents have recruited Jake to drive Pete home for a family intervention. The brothers are at once uneasy friends and sworn rivals; they're not just oil and water, they're fire and gasoline. And now they've got 1,400 miles to go and nowhere to hide.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Master Gardener
directed by Paul Schrader
United States // 2022 // English // 107 min
Narvel Roth is the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens, a beautiful estate owned by wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she orders Roth to take on her troubled great-niece Maya as his apprentice, his life is thrown into chaos and dark secrets from his past emerge. A new film by master writer & director Paul Schrader (FIRST REFORMED, TAXI DRIVER).
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Medusa Deluxe
directed by Thomas Hardiman
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 101 min
MEDUSA DELUXE is a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition. Extravagance and excess collide, as the death of one of their own sows seeds of division in a community whose passion for hair verges on obsession.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Party Girl
directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer
United States // 1995 // English // 94 min
Plazadrome is a monthly film screening partnership between the Plaza Theatre and Videodrome, Atlanta’s last video store, where Videodrome employees bring store favorites and cinematic curiosities to the big screen. This month’s selection is the Atlanta premiere screening of a brand-new restoration of PARTY GIRL, director Daisey von Scherler Mayer’s 1995 Manhattan cult comedy starring the sublime Parker Posey. Co-hosted by Fun City Editions, who commissioned and oversaw the restoration, this event will feature a Q&A with Fun City founder Jonathan Hertzberg and Millie De Chirico, local film programmer, writer, historian, and host of the weekly film podcast I Saw What You Did.
#Narrative Feature

Passages
directed by Ira Sachs
France // 2023 // English, French // 91 min
In contemporary Paris, German filmmaker Tomas (Franz Rogowski, A HIDDEN LIFE, I WAS AT HOME, BUT...) embraces his sexuality through a torrid love affair with a young woman named Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos, MANDIBLES, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR), an impulse that blurs the lines which define his relationship with his husband, Martin (Ben Whishaw, THE LOBSTER, WOMEN TALKING). When Martin begins an extramarital affair of his own, he successfully gains back his husband’s attention while simultaneously unearthing Tomas’ jealousy. Grappling with contradicting emotions, Tomas must either embrace the confines of his marriage or come to terms with the relationship having run its course. A new film by indie mainstay Ira Sachs (LITTLE MEN, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON)
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Sanctuary
directed by Zachary Wigon
United States // 2022 // English // 96 min
Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire (Christopher Abbott, POSSESSOR, GIRLS) and the dominatrix who has primed him for success (Margaret Qualley, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD) become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Scarlet
directed by Pietro Marcello
France, Italy, Germany, Russia // 2022 // French // 100 min
Pietro Marcello, one of contemporary cinema’s most versatile talents, follows his dramatic breakthrough Martin Eden with an enchanting period fable based on a beloved 1923 novel by Russian writer Alexander Grin. Beginning as the tale of a sensitive brute (Räphael Terry) who returns home from World War I to his rural French village to discover his wife has died and that he must take care of their baby daughter, Juliette, the film blossoms into a pastoral portrait of Juliette as a young woman (Juliette Jouan) reckoning with a local witch’s prophecy for her future and falling for the modern man (Louis Garrel) who literally drops from the sky. In his first film made in France, Marcello proves again he is as comfortable in the realm of folklore as he is in creative nonfiction, delicately interweaving realist drama, ethereal romance, and musical flights of fancy.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Showing Up
directed by Kelly Reichardt
United States // 2022 // English // 108 min
A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt's vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft. Stars Academy Award nominee Hong Chau (THE WHALE, THE MENU), André "André 3000" Benjamin of Outkast, and five-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams.

#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

The Cow Who Sang a Song Into The Future
directed by Francisca Alegria
Chile // 2022 // Spanish // 98 min
A choir of creatures introduces a world delicately constructed by fantasy, mystery, and magical realism in Francisca Alegría’s poignant and stunning debut feature. It begins in a river in the south of Chile where fish are dying due to pollution from a nearby factory. Amid their floating bodies, long-deceased Magdalena (Mia Maestro, Frida, The Motorcycle Diaries) bubbles up to the surface gasping for air, bringing with her old wounds and a wave of family secrets. This shocking return sends her widowed husband into turmoil and prompts their daughter Cecilia to return home to the family’s dairy farm with her own children. Magdalena’s presence reverberates among her family, instigating fits of laughter and despair in equal measure with all but Cecilia’s eldest child, who finds much-needed comfort in their grandmother’s love and unconditional understanding during a time of transition. A lyrical rumination on family, nature, renewal, and resurrection, The Cow Who Sang A Song Into The Future is an ambitious proposal for acceptance and healing, suggesting that the dead return when they are most needed.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Being Mary Tyler Moore
directed by James Adolphus
United States // 2023 // English // 119 min
With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

Judy Blume Forever
directed by Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchok
United States // 2023 // English // 97 min
Judy Blume and the generations of readers who have sparked to her work. It will examine her impact on pop culture and the occasional controversies over her frankness about puberty and sex.
#Marquee, #Documentary Feature

Kokomo City
directed by D. Smith
United States // 2023 // English // 73 min
A raw depiction of the lives of four black trans sex workers as they confront the dichotomy between the black community and themselves.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

My Last Nerve
directed by Adam LaBrie
USA // 2023 // English // 90 min
Fueled by his fathers torturous disease, a son stakes his scientific career on a new cure that could change how we treat pain.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
directed by Davis Guggenheim
United States // 2023 // English // 95 min
Incorporating documentary, archival and scripted elements, STILL recounts Michael J. Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, STILL chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Everybody Wants To Be Loved
directed by Katharina Woll
Germany // 2022 // German // 80 min
On a blistering summer day, psychotherapist Ina notices something is wrong. But she doesn't have time to worry about it: Patients are waiting at the practice, her daughter is threatening to move in with her father, her boyfriend wants to emigrate to Finland, and her self-centered mother is celebrating her 70th birthday. Ina tries to please everyone, until suddenly everything changes.
#Narrative Feature, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Hello Dankness
directed by Soda Jerk
Australia // 2022 // English // 70 min
Comprised entirely of hundreds of film samples, HELLO DANKNESS bears witness to the psychotropic spectacle of American politics from 2016 to 2021, and the mythologies and lore that took root around it. Taking form as a suburban stoner musical, the film follows a neighborhood through these years as consensus reality disintegrates into conspiracy and other contagions.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature

Hundreds of Beavers
directed by Mike Cheslik
United States // 2023 // English // 108 min
In this 19th century, slapstick winter epic, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.
#Narrative Feature, #Cinematography Competition

Jasmine is a Star
directed by Jo Rochelle
United States // 2023 // English // 58 min
Jasmine, a determined 16-year-old with albinism makes it her mission to become a professional model in her hometown of Minneapolis, while attempting to go unnoticed in every other aspect of her teenage life. Against the backdrop of fall in the Twin Cities, Jasmine explores what independence - and more importantly, what self-acceptance - looks like for someone like her.
#Noire, #Family Friendly, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Miss Viborg
directed by Marianne Blicher
Denmark // 2022 // Danish // 99 min
Former beauty queen and senior citizen Solvej lives alone with her dog in a social housing area on the outskirts of a Danish provincial town. Every day, she performs the same routine of rolling around on her scooter, dealing her prescription drugs, and dreaming of a world outside Viborg. When her neighbor’s rebellious 17-year-old daughter crashes into Solvej's life, an unlikely friendship forms.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Our Father, the Devil
directed by Ellie Foumbi
United States, Cameroon // 2022 // French // 108 min
Marie is an African refugee working as the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France. Her quiet existence is upended by the arrival of Father Patrick. a charismatic priest with whom she’s convinced she shares a heavy past in her homeland. Marie must now confirm his identity and decide if settling an old score is worth sacrificing the new life she’s built.
#Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Quantum Cowboys
directed by Geoff Marslett
United States // 2022 // English // 99 min
Mixing live action film, paper cut outs, hand drawn animation, oil paintings, 8k video, collages and digital animation, and featuring live musical performances by Neko Case, John Doe, Howe Gelb and Xixa, Quantum Cowboys is an old fashioned western about a trio of hapless drifters in search of an elusive frontier musician. There’s gun fights, horses, cacti and time travel, too!
#In Competition, #GA Features Competition, #Georgia Film

Red Earth
directed by Georg Koszulinski
United States // 2023 // English // 64 min
Explore the landscape of the late Anthropocene age, where large parts of Earth have become inhospitable to life. The story follows three generations of Martians, from the first colonists to the first expedition to return to an Earth decimated by interplanetary war.
#Narrative Feature, #Cinematography Competition

She Watches Blindly
directed by Bryan Tan
United States // 2023 // English // 86 min
Beth Abrams believes she has a unique ability: she can know the thoughts of others. Only it is not a gift, it is an illness, and it is destroying her life and relationships. After a night of nightmares, a mysterious doctor arrives to investigate the circumstances and help Beth piece together what remains of her life, but doing so may cost her everything.
#Narrative Feature, #GA Features Competition, #Georgia Film

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
directed by Bomani J. Story
United States // 2023 // English // 91 min
Death surrounds everything in Vicaria's world. All around her are the fatal outcomes of chronic gang violence, drugs, and police brutality. After watching her mother and brother succumb, Vicaria decides to put an end to all this death...by curing it. Drawing deeply from Black cinema of the 90s , THE ANGRY BLCK GIRL AND HER MONSTER wraps systemic terrors up inside thrilling scares and suspense.
#Narrative Feature, #In Competition, #Noire

Wilder Than Her
directed by Jessica Kozak
United States // 2023 // English // 89 min
When Bea, the glue of their friend group, dies tragically, Emilia, Finn, and Lucey suffer in solitude until Emilia convinces them to go on their annual camping trip, where they can honor Bea and reconnect. Once they’re alone in the forest, however, Emilia begins to feel gaslit and taunted by Finn, the only person who witnessed Bea’s death. As tensions escalate and old wounds are brought to the surface, the trio of women begin to suspect each other of terrible things, calling into question their friendship and their own morality.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Black Mothers Love & Resist
directed by Débora Souza Silva
United States // 2022 // English // 102 min
Wanda Johnson and Angela Williams, mothers of young Black men victimized by police brutality, come together and build a network of community-led support, mutual aid, and healing in this documentary spanning Oakland’s Fruitvale to the American South. Radical empathy fuels this timely exposé.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Noire, #New Mavericks

Dusty & Stones
directed by Jesse Rudoy
United States // 2022 // English, SiSwati // 83 min
Dusty and Stones struggle to sustain a country music career in their tiny African Kingdom of Swaziland and yearn for greater recognition. When they are unexpectedly nominated to compete in a Texas battle of the bands, the two cousins journey to the heart of American country music, determined to win big and turn their careers around.But things do not exactly go as planned.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Talent Anticipated

Eat Bitter
directed by Pascale Appora-Gnekindy and Ningyi Sun
Central African Republic, United States // 2023 // Sango, Chinese, French // 95 min
EAT BITTER is a vérité film set in the Central African Republic . As in other African countries, skilled migrant workers from China are a strong presence here. Through the parallel stories of Chinese immigrants and local residents, the film captures the journeys of two opposed communities.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Noire

Fenom
directed by Kayla Johnson
United States // 2022 // English // 66 min
Fenom follows basketball and music’s next big star -Flau’Jae Johnson, one of the nation’s top recruits and the daughter of the late rapper, Camouflage. Building her brand and balancing life as a student-athlete comes with hard work, sacrifice, and triumph. This is a story of legacy, victory and the pursuit of greatness.
#In Competition, #Georgia Film, #Noire, #New Mavericks, #Documentary Feature

Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13
directed by Engeli Broberg
Sweden, Denmark, Norway // 2021 // Swedish // 76 min
GABI: Between 8 and 13 follows the remarkable Gabi over the course of five formative years as she wrestles with society’s stereotypes about boys and girls. As puberty kicks in, Gabi must decide whether she wants to fit in with the crowd or chart her own path. A landmark portrait of early adolescence, GABI: From 8 to 13 is ultimately about the journey to be true to yourself.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks

It's Only Life After All
directed by Alexandria Bombach
United States // 2023 // English // 123 min
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, better known as The Indigo Girls, have made their mark as musicians, songwriters, and dedicated activists. Still, Amy and Emily battled misogyny, homophobia, and a harsh cultural climate chastising them for not fitting into a female pop star mold. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Pink Peach, #Talent Anticipated

JessZilla
directed by Emily Sheskin
United States // 2023 // English // 90 min
Jesselyn Silva, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, is a 3x national boxing champion who has her sights set on becoming the best in boxing. As she is on the cusp of making the Olympic team, she faces her toughest battle yet, a cancer diagnosis. JessZilla is a coming-of-age story about what it means to be a champion.
#Documentary Feature, #Cinemás, #New Mavericks, #In Competition

No Time To Fail
directed by Sara Archambault, Margo Guernsey
United States // 2022 // English // 91 min
Despite the desperate attempts to disrupt the 2020 election, election administrators pulled off the most secure election in our history. Rather than receiving a hero’s welcome, they have become the focus of a coordinated campaign of disinformation.No Time To Fail gives voice to the experiences of this largely invisible, yet completely indispensable workforce.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Path of the Panther
directed by Eric Bendick
United States // 2022 // English // 89 min
The Florida panther's habitat has become an island. Its lush territory transformed into subdivisions.Perched on the edge of extinction, the panther is an emblem of our once connected world. Against all odds, wild panthers have been stunningly captured in their native ecosystem, as they've never been filmed before.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Savage Waters
directed by Mikey Corker
France // 2022 // English // 93 min
A treasure-hunter’s journal inspires a captivating journey to seek out a mythical, never-ridden wave in some of the most remote and dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean. With family and friends, Matt Knight boards the beautiful catamaran Hecate and follows clues to find this ‘perfect wave’, but not everything goes to plan.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature

Ship Happens
directed by Jordan Bellamy, Josh Gilligan
United States // 2023 // English // 81 min
On Sept 8, 2019, The Golden Ray, a 656 foot cargo ship loaded with 4200 vehicles capsized in the Saint Simons Sound. Concerned locals work hard to undo the environmental damage and hold authorities accountable, but the attempts to remove the ship suffers every possible setback.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Silent Beauty
directed by Jasmín Mara López
United States // 2022 // English, Spanish // 87 min
When director Jasmin Mara López sees an old family photo, she is flooded by painful memories of sexual abuse at the hands of her grandfather. In this poetic documentary, López bravely films her story through archival family footage and intimate moments with her family. López has created a film about confronting painful truths and the beauty one can feel when they reach the other side of grief.
#New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #Documentary Feature

The Only Doctor
directed by Matthew Hashiguchi
United States // 2023 // English // 80 min
For the past 15 years, Dr. Karen Kinsell, a compassionate, yet no-nonsense physician, has been the only doctor in Clay County, Georgia-one of the poorest counties in the nation. Knowing all too well that she’s the only healthcare for many residents, she begins a journey of twists and turns towards a solution so that she can continue serving her patients,
#Preview Screening, #Documentary Feature, #New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Georgia Film

This World is Not My Own
directed by Petter Ringbom, Marquise Stillwell
United States, Sweden // 2023 // English // 97 min
This World is Not My Own traces the lifespan of Nellie Mae Rowe, an artist who struggled to dedicate her life to art while exploring the personal and political events that shaped her singular body of work. In detailed film sets that recreate Nellie’s home, the actress Uzo Aduba embodies an animated version of the subject. Her recorded dialogue, movement and song make Nellie come to life.
#In Competition, #Georgia Film, #Noire, #Documentary Feature

Twenty
directed by Lev Omelchenko
United States // 2023 // English, Portuguese // 65 min
Amid the tumultuous events of 2020, a mysterious speak-easy in Atlanta becomes a home for a group of young people to share their stories of loss, resilience, and hope. “Twenty” is an observational film, set in a dreamy underground world, witnessing a group’s unique yet universal vulnerabilities—shown through scenes shot in intimate black-and-white.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Feature, #In Competition

ᏓᏗᏬᏂᏏ (We Will Speak)
directed by Schon Duncan, Michael McDermit
United States // 2023 // Cherokee, English // 95 min
While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge to help save the language from extinction.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Black Butterfly
directed by Kelvin Summerhill
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
On the day of his long-awaited corporate promotion, an ambitious Black man starts to see cracks in his carefully constructed persona.
#Noire, #GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Bowling 4 Eva
directed by Aelfie Oudghiri
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
A troubled teen girl spends her time trolling men online and bowling with her grandfather while becoming increasingly medicated by her psychiatrist.
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

CATCHING SPIRITS
directed by Vanessa Beletic
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
Destiny has been told since childhood she has seizures when she dances. An unexplained phenomena that’s resulted in deep fear and her refusal to dance- despite being drawn to it.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Chipper
directed by Shaun Maclean
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
After receiving a mysterious letter, a wayward son returns to his childhood home to wrestle with a dark family secret.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Civic
directed by Dwayne LeBlanc
United States // 2022 // English // 20 min
A young man returns to South Central L.A. after several years away. Confined to the interior of his car, we watch as he interacts with the people and places he once knew.
#Noire, #Narrative Short

CONTENT: The Lo-Fi Man
directed by Brian Lonano, Blake Myers
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
"Filmmaker" Brian Lonano tries to talk about a beloved cult film. What happens next will shock you!
#Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Dandelion
directed by Lorena R. Valencia
Mexico, United States // 2022 // Spanish // 17 min
A teenage girl who lives in a small town in Mexico, is helped by her best friend in her search for home remedies to stop an unwanted pregnancy, undeterred by the health risks that she may face.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

Demon Box
directed by Sean Wainsteim
Canada // 2023 // English // 14 min
After festival rejections, a director revises his intensely personal short film about trauma, suicide, and the Holocaust, and transforms it into a painful, blunt and funny dissection of the film and his life. Ten years in the making.
#Narrative Short

Fragments
directed by Jakey Lutsko
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
Bedridden and broken, Emma, a young woman in her early twenties, faces the horrors manifested from her recent car crash.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Gabriela
directed by Evelyn Lorena
United States // 2023 // Spanish, English // 18 min
It's the summer after high-school graduation in North Carolina and Gabriela, a young undocumented Guatemalan woman, pursues her dream of swimming with an illustrious Country Club swim team. However, she is soon confronted with her over-protective mother’s fears, limitations on her legal and socio-economic status, and her own self-judgment.
#Cinemás, #Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Give It To Me
directed by Courtney Hope Therond
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
In a bid to finally process a traumatic sexual experience, Max hires Lucy, a sex worker, to recreate the scene - but things instead take a steamy turn.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Good Man !?!
directed by Marshall Wayne Cooper
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
A young man grapples with conflicting beliefs about masculinity after a video of him backing down from a fight goes viral.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Goose Egg
directed by Madeline Leshner and Zach Stone
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
When a lonely suburban mom begins experiencing hallucinatory migraines, she sends her son Tim to retrieve her medication. While on the road, he is tailed by a menacing truck and taken hostage by a pair of vengeful vagrants. In a case of mistaken identity, they believe Tim is the mayor, who has begun euthanizing local geese and feeding the tainted meat to the community.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Hangtime
directed by Chester Vincent Toye
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
An eager young artist receives a disturbing introduction to the art world during the delivery of a
controversial sculpture.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Homesick
directed by Valeria Contreras
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
“Homesick” is a modern-day tale of two star-crossed lovers, separated by a global pandemic and the U.S.-Mexico Border. This film focuses on the love and bond that unites people and communities across borders—and the heartbreak that exists when that unity is broken.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

I Seek Your Help to Bury a Man
directed by Anderson Bardot
Brazil // 2023 // Portuguese, Nheegatu, Calon // 20 min
Gita is a transgender woman doomed to die or suffer the consequences of her traditions. The half-breed soldier is fated to uphold and serve the unjust laws of his country. The old woman in black needs to save her indigenous son from the claws of the Brazilian Empire. The child claims that the purpose of love, the greatest universal law, is the breaking of the cycle of all tragedies.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

Impression
directed by Brandi Stevens
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
Set in the late 90’s Texas, Impression follows a young perfectionist art graduate student, Mia, and her internal struggle over her looming marriage to her doctor fiancé, Derek. She is soon surprised at her developing feelings from a day spent with a mysterious, free-spirited young woman, Vivian.
#Noire, #New Mavericks, #GA Shorts Competition, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Kid Free Weekend
directed by Rozalyn Mattocks
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
Vivian finally has a weekend all to herself, she won't let anything eat up her free time.
#GA Features Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Late to the Party
directed by Hannah Patterson
United States // 2023 // English // 16 min
During his 25th birthday party, a Trans man runs into his ex-best friend who ghosted him after he confessed his feelings for her before college, but she doesn't recognize him post-transition.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Lily's Mirror
directed by Linnea Frye, Adam Pinney
United States // 2022 // English // 17 min
Lily is out on a dinner date with her boyfriend Bart, expecting a proposal, when he unexpectedly chops off her hand. As Lily works on recovering, she begins to feel phantom pains where her hand used to be, so her doctor gives her a therapeutic mirror box to help with the discomfort. However, as she begins to use the box, she realizes there's a side effect: she can see real phantoms in the mirror.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Look Back At It
directed by Felicia Pride
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
A forty-something single mother gets her groove back with a little assistance from her teenage daughter
#In Competition, #Noire, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Lumps
directed by David Nixon Jr.
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
After the sudden incarceration of his mother, thirteen-year-old Jaylen is forced to move to a new city where he struggles to learn the ropes of his new school, city, and family life.
#Noire, #Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Murmur
directed by Simon Smith
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 19 min
Murmur is a contemporary fairytale short film, about the relationship between a mother and her autistic daughter, and their fascination with the murmurations. Evie doesn't talk very much, but we learn she is communicating with everything.
#New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

No Other Gods But Me
directed by Alex Spott
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
In the midst of a sexual awakening, a religious teen finally musters up the courage to kiss her crush, but will lust will send her straight to h-e-double-hockey-sticks?
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

One Yes the Other No
directed by Juanita Umaña
United States // 2022 // Spanish // 11 min
In the mountains of Bogota, a woman ages before our eyes experiencing small moments in her life that shape her understanding of sisterhood, beauty, and death. The story follows two sisters in three different
stages of their life—one of them falls ill, the other doesn’t.
#New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

OURIKA!
directed by Xenia Matthews
United States // 2022 // English, French // 18 min
After being dead for over 200 years, Ourika’s soul awakes inside of a barren purgatory while her body incubates in a fleshy blob. In the void, she encounters ghosts from her past life and depictions of her likeness that taunt her. Meanwhile, two sister scientists, Velinda and Ronnell, been searching for all the pieces of Ourika in hopes to bring her back to life.
#Noire, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Over the Causeway
directed by Pablo Mejía
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 16 min
Over the Causeway is the coming-of-age story of Victoria, a twenty-year-old jazz musician born and raised in Galveston TX. As she ties up loose ends around town, she is confronted by doubtful neighbors, childhood friends, and dependent family members who question her decision to chase her dreams beyond the Gulf.
#Cinemás, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Petalos
directed by Nicole Mejia
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 14 min
A Mexican flower vendor spreads hope and love through the streets of Los Angeles while reminiscing on the life that led her there.
#Cinemás, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

RACE
directed by Sean Famoso, Dennis Williams, Gladimir Gelin
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
An overly confident cop’s first day on the job gets interesting as he navigates unfamiliar territories and people.
#Georgia Film, #Noire, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Rage
directed by Youngjae Lee
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Mr. Nice Guy has a change of heart after a neighbor flips him off.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Roaming Dawn
directed by Adam Rioux
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
A man takes a road trip with his pet fish.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Scotty's Vag
directed by Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
A college freshman goes outside her comfort zone to impress the older girl she wants as her sorority "big."
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Slice
directed by Kelsey Scult
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
A young Black woman grieves her grandfather while trying to love her mortician girlfriend, after a tumultuous relationship Chilean abuse victim.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #Noire, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Sound to Sea
directed by Ryan Craver
United States // 2022 // English // 26 min
Leo, a shy eighth grader at the cusp of understanding their trans identity, pursues a crush on a boy sharing his dorm, but is plagued by a frog. Meanwhile, Leo's eager, gay teacher-in-training Brad tries to connect with his students, but oversteps boundaries in the eyes of a coworker. It is only in nature, among marshes and maritime forests, that Leo and Brad find an unspoken connection.
#Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

The Jennifer Meyers Story
directed by Caroline Symons
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
A mock true-crime episode covers the 1988 disappearance of a fictional teenager named Jennifer Meyers, but the reenactments are acted out with crudely-made mini models. As the episode progresses, we learn more about the woman constructing and operating the reenactment mini models and the danger lurking in her one bedroom apartment.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

The Vacation
directed by Jarreau Carrillo
United States // 2022 // English // 9 min
In Flatbush, Brooklyn, four friends are stuck in their car after it breaks down on the way to the beach on the last day of the summer.
#Noire, #Narrative Short

TikTok Challenged
directed by Ivan Rome
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Claretha, a soap opera-loving grandmother, has always dreamed of being a star - and she's finally got her chance: TIKTOK. To go viral though, she needs a little help from her grandson, Daryl, who didn't exactly plan spending the day teaching her how to do the newest TikTok dance.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Noire, #Georgia Film, #Family Friendly, #Narrative Short

Troy
directed by Mike Donahue
United States // 2022 // English // 16 min
Troy has loud sex 24-7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives... or is he saving them? A darkly comedic tale of New York neighbors, the ways in which we become interwoven with the lives of strangers, and the unexpected consequences of unasked-for intimacy.
#New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

True Love Waits
directed by Erin Doyle Cooper
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
When freshman art students Viv and Cameron sneak into a studio classroom to practice figure drawing on one another, they must grapple with their budding sexuality and whether they can stick to the "True Love Waits" pledges they signed in their youth.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Would You Still Love Me?
directed by Ramsey Telhami
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A romantic picnic takes an unexpected turn after she pops the magic question: "Would you love me if I was a ___?"
#Georgia Film, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Yarayah
directed by Bernardo De Jeurissen
France // 2023 // Arab French // 20 min
Yarayah is the story of Yasmina, a Algerian and French female bodybuilder who goes back home after winning the world championship at the Arnold classic. This story depicts the moment in which Yasmina has to face her father's closed doors.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

#BlackBoyJoyGone
directed by Ashley Karrell and Isaac Ouro-Gnao
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 25 min
Blending interviews, poetry, dance and storytelling, BlackBoyJoyGone captures the lives of men who experienced sexual trauma but who find strength through brotherhood.
#In Competition, #Documentary Short, #Noire

Access Point
directed by Alexander glustrom
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
Riley Kirkpatrick, a trans man living in rural Georgia, advocates for the safety and rights of drug users after founding the only harm reduction center in the area.
#In Competition, #GA Shorts Competition, #Documentary Short

Black Strings
directed by Marquise Mays
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
A string orchestra in Milwaukee, WI redefines what it means to be a first responder.
#Noire, #Documentary Short, #In Competition

Blue
directed by Guénola Bally
Mexico // 2022 // Spanish // 11 min
BLUE follows the Contreras family as they harvest the jiquilite plant to produce a deep blue dye.
#Documentary Short, #Cinemás, #New Mavericks

Breaking Silence
directed by Amy Bench, Annie Silverstein
United States // 2023 // English, ASL // 18 min
BLUE follows the Contreras family as they harvest the jiquilite plant to produce a deep blue dye.
#Documentary Short, #New Mavericks

Cristo Negro
directed by Brendan Mills, Paul Stavropoulos
Panama // 2023 // Spanish // 18 min
A spiritual portrait of the devout inhabitants of an Afro-Caribbean coastal town that worships a black Jesus Christ.
#Noire, #Cinemás, #Family Friendly, #In Competition, #Documentary Short

Eco-Hack!
directed by Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty
United States // 2022 // English // 17 min
Biologist Tim Shields is waging an all-out technological war against ravens in a last ditch effort to save the Mojave desert tortoise from extinction.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Family Friendly

Exit 238
directed by Henry Davis
United States // 2022 // English // 12 min
Every year in Austin Texas, hundreds of people gather together to marvel at the sight of thousands of Purple Martins as they journey along their migratory path to Brazil.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Family Friendly

From Dreams to Dust
directed by Stephanie Tangkilisan, Muhammad Fadli
Indonesia, United States // 2022 // Indonesia // 10 min
Dreams to Dust tells the story of Pola, a nickel miner and family man from Indonesia. Through Pola’s eyes we see the dark side of green technology.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

I Don't Know If You Remember This
directed by Katelyn Rebelo
United States // 2022 // english // 16 min
A group of former highschool classmates explore the memory of unspoken sexual assault, following the rhythms of the seventeen year cicada emergence in Virginia.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

In The Light
directed by Ruoyu Wang
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
A young man comes to terms with his gender identity while exploring themes of faith and nature.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Our memory
directed by Johanna Makabi
France // 2022 // French // 12 min
Mbissine Therese Diop, who played the starring role in the 1966 film, “Black Girl”, looks back on her experience as a Black actress in the 1960s.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Radio Bingo
directed by Shelby Mitchell Adams
Canada // 2023 // English, Mohawk // 8 min
To help revitalize the Mohawk language, a local reservation radio station incorporates the Mohawk language into a game of Radio Bingo.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition

Still Waters
directed by Aurora Brachman
United States // 2022 // English // 12 min
A mother and daughter find connection and peace through intimate conversations about their past.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Cinemás

Strictly Two Wheel
directed by Ania Freer
Jamaica // 2022 // English // 10 min
An intimate portrait on a family owned mechanic shop in rural Jamaica and a father’s love for his children and community.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Noire

The Blake
directed by Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
This cinematic memoir explores how the filmmaker’s childhood experience with a replica of the
Challenger space shuttle helped her cope with a devastating loss.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

The Boston Photograph
directed by Clennon L. King
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
LaVerne Eagleson, a 91-year-old woman from Berlin, MD, tells the story of how she dated Martin Luther King Jr.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Short, #GA Shorts Competition, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Wild Magnolias
directed by Alexandra Kern
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
A New Orleans based barber teaches his protégés the virtues of being a Mardi Gras Indian, a centuries-old tradition that shapes the minds of the local youth.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Year One
directed by Cai Ning
Belgium, Portugal, Hungary // 2023 // English, Chinese, Dutch // 21 min
A sensitive group portrait of the first-time mothers.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Young Kings
directed by Jonathan Banks & Dr. Arshley Emile
United States // 2022 // English // 23 min
From Ponce De Leon to Ralph David Abernathy, this film explores the exciting world of bike culture in the heart of Atlanta.
#Documentary Short, #GA Shorts Competition, #Noire

ANIMATED SHORTS

Clicker
directed by Charles Kugler
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Two boyfriends take a tour of their dysfunctional relationship through the magic of television.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #Pink Peach

Curiosa
directed by Tessa Moult-Milewska
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 10 min
Overly curious Mary climbs into her boyfriend's head in search of answers.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Fury
directed by Julia Siuda
Poland // 2021 // // 5 min
Organic, fleshy masks become icons of living rage.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Hospes
directed by Stephanie J Williams
United States // 2022 // // 12 min
A film about appearing "racially ambiguous". Performing a choreography of resistance, an amalgam of body pieces tries to remain whole in an environment programmed to disassemble it.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #Noire, #New Mavericks

In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-Weeny Pocket
directed by Yoko Yuki
Japan // 2022 // Japanese // 6 min
When it shrinks, it expands. It floats and it sinks. It separates but connects. When I think I’m watching them, they're actually watching me.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Family Friendly

Me and me
directed by ChiuLing Chen
Taiwan // 2022 // Mandarin // 10 min
A pencil hand-drawn animated short film, depicting the life of solitude into a short, light, black and white song .
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Pills! Pills! Pills!
directed by Kate Saltel
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
During Lobster Lobster's first day as an unpaid intern at a snazzy pharmaceutical company, an abrasively hardworking coworker makes their one assigned task impossible,
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Rest in piece
directed by Antoine Antabi
France, Germany // 2022 // // 9 min
A starving migrant man starving and resorts to eating the objects he has packed for the journey. The monstrous effects give him the strength to carry on through a scorching desert.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Rosemary A.D. (After Dad)
directed by Ethan Barrett
United States // 2022 // English // 10 min
As he cradles his newborn, a father wonders if his daughter would be better off without him and imagines her life once he is gone. Completely drawn with crayons.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Shelf Life
directed by Erin Zhang
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
Mealtime and aging intersect in this stop-motion short about female shelf life.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Sprout
directed by Zora Kovac
United States // 2023 // // 8 min
An agoraphobic scientist accidentally creates a baby-like plant creature, and their connection threatens to upend his reclusive way of life.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Tavla
directed by Zoe Bysal
United States // 2023 // // 8 min
A stray cat must rescue her friend from the depths of the Aegian Sea.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

The Law of the Jungle Gym
directed by Yoon Hei Cho
United States, Korea // 2022 // // 6 min
A dog-eat-dog survival game takes place in the seemingly innocent environment of a school at lunchtime.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Maverick

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

An Example of Lee-Roth Fog Isolated Under Laboratory Conditions
directed by Ryan Betschart
United States // 2022 // English // 3 min
Spiritual mists are a stand in for the nuts and bolts details surrounding the life of enigmatic Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth.
#Experimental Short

Arrest in Flight
directed by Adrian Flury
Switzerland // 2021 // // 8 min
An experiment in film sets the stage for a hitherto unseen magical life form.
#Experimental Short

as time passes
directed by Jamil McGinnis
United States, Turkey // 2022 // English, Turkish, Persian // 15 min
Through journal entries, a mother’s words, neighborhood stories, and existential inquiries; one still searches for meaning beyond the walls of one's mind.
#Experimental Short, #Noire

Boys Clap, Girls dance
directed by Dena Springer
United States // 2022 // English // 10 min
A short meditation on becoming and being.
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

ELE OF THE DARK
directed by Yace Sula
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
A nonbinary visual artist contemplates their relationship with darkness and its hold on their complexion, trauma and queerness.
#Experimental Short, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks, #Talent Anticipated, #Noire

I was born in 1988
directed by Yasaman Baghban
United States // 2022 // Persian, English // 9 min
An experimental documentary based on the executions of Iranian political prisoners that began in thesummer of 1988.
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

Only If You Could See a View Above the Clouds
directed by Zhuoyun (Yun) Chen
United States // 2022 // English // 4 min
A ghost, a face, lucid minerals, vague landscapes... What do you see when my words fall?
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

Stinger
directed by Brian Zahm
United States // 2021 // English // 5 min
A filmmaker documents his own subtropical parasitic disease...
#Experimental Short

Sun Coming and Casting a Shadow
directed by Daniel Robin
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
A film about time, memory, fear, and the challenges of holding onto joy.
#Experimental Short, #Georgia Film

What I Imagined the Dying Fly, with the Broken Leg, was Feeling
directed by Hugh Clegg
United Kingdom // 2022 // English, Italian // 5 min
A short film about a dying fly's last words, and an Italian voice over artist.
#Experimental Short

MUSIC VIDEO

American Football - "Fade Into You"
directed by David M. Helman
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
A narrative music video for the band American Football.
#Music Video

Arssalendo - "Quattro Paredi"
directed by Giada Bossi
Italy // 2022 // Italian // 6 min
When the family of a kid hides from him his dog’s death, the older brother takes the kid on a brutal journey towards the grieving process.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks

Astral Summer - "Lucia (Love Yourself)"
directed by Elli Maven
United States // 2022 // English // 6 min
I can't wait to see where you'll go!
#Music Video, #New Mavericks, #Georgia Film

Duffle Bag Buru - "What's Crakin"
directed by Tanaseth (Pong) Tulyathan
United States // 2022 // English // 2 min
A man trapped in the multi reality, has to overcome his consequences.
#Music Video, #Noire

Indigo De Souza - "Kill Me"
directed by Jordan Alexander
United States // 2021 // English // 5 min Indigo de Souza's music video for the lead single entitled "Kill Me" features amateur wrestlers and the growing sport of cake sitting.
#Music Video, #Noire

Linqua Franqa - "The Whole Bank"
directed by Nolan Huber-Rhoades
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
Linqua Franqa and a group of indebted workers must find a way to fight for their own liberation and the liberation of everyone who is held hostage by debt.
#Music Video, #Pink Peach, #Georgia Film

Mermaid
directed by Haonan Huang
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A moody music video about a mysterious mermaid.
#Music Video, #Georgia Film

Sadé Awele - "Intuition"
directed by Bruna Arbex
Canada // 2023 // English // 5 min
Two adventurous souls stumble upon an abandoned house and transform it into their very own haven, a powerful representation of their love blossoming.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás

Säye Skye - "ADHD"
directed by Sina Dolati
Canada // 2022 // Farsi, English // 5 min
A Persian music video that celebrates Attention Hyperactivity Disorder as a superpower through a lens of comedy and science fiction.
#Music Video

Tianna Esperanza - "Princess Slit and the Raincoat Prince"
directed by Peter Collins Campbell
United States // 2022 // English // 2 min
A queer, punk rollercoaster - smashing through walls, sets and reality.
#Music Video, #Cinemás, #Pink Peach

Tosya Chaikina - "Arrows Have Struck In The Heart"
directed by Yulya Litinskaya
Russia // 2022 // Russian // 4 min
In a surreal world, the Main Character falls from the sky and becomes an observer to chaos as people flee from the Dark-soul people.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks

Wim Tapley - "Gut Punch"
directed by Connor DiVita
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
It's all about the moped.
#Music Video, #Cinemás, #Pink Peach

EPISODIC

A Version
directed by Asad Farooqui
United States // 2023 // English, Urdu // 10 min
When a newly married Muslim-American couple visit a therapist to hash out their differences, we, the audience, get to see exactly what they’re complaining about.
#Episodic, #Georgia Film

Brownsville Bred
directed by Elaine Del Valle
United States // 2022 // English, Spanish // 22 min
A spunky Latina must find her own path as she faces the grim realities of the musician father she once idolized and the deteriorating neighborhood she calls home
#Episodic, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás

Don't Let Kyle Sit Down
directed by Joel Jay Blacker
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
When a couple attempts to depart from a fading party, their desperate friend suggests throwing one
more log on the fire, summoning a charred, shirtless stranger looking for warmth.
#Episodic

Good Boy
directed by William Yu
United States // 2022 // English, Korean // 16 min
A young Korean American with dreams of launching his own streetwear brand struggles with
dysfunctional relationships and conflicting family values.
#Episodic

Harbor Island
directed by Calvin Lee Reeder
United States // 2023 // English // 17 min
A dad-joke comic wanders the industrial zone at night.
#Episodic

How To Be A Person: How To Get An Abortion
directed by SINDHA AGHA
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 6 min
After booty calling Jawad from Sunday school, Sanam’s found herself pregnant with no one reliable to accompany her as her “abortion plus one.”
#Episodic, #New Mavericks

Off Fairfax
directed by Erica Eng
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
After a tumultuous night trying to solve a murder, three friends are led to a local diner where the answer may be staring them right in the face.
#Episodic, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Phlophouse: Patton's Theory
directed by Grant Hollingshed Jackson
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
A young man turns his friend's home into a motel while he's out of town.
#Episodic, #Noire, #Georgia Film

Sheltered
directed by Ben Evory
United States // 2023 // English // 45 min
His first year of college complete, Nathan returns home to the Appalachian foothills. With his dad’s help he reintegrates back into his progressive protestant community and prepares for a mission trip to Honduras. But what once seemed normal now feels foreign, and Nathan must build his own relationship to his father’s faith.
#Episodic, #Pink Peach

Sorry I am late i was masturbating
directed by Alena Shevchenko
Germany // 2022 // English // 6 min
A young woman discovers her own sexuality through wild fantasies.
#Episodic, #New Mavericks

VIRTUAL REALITY

Caves
directed by Carlos Isabel Garcia
Switzerland // 2021 // English // 19 min
Mankind has landed on the moon and flies around in space. But under our feet there are about a million kilometers of cave systems—only one per cent of which has been explored.
#Virtual Reality

Cycle of Violence
directed by Felicia Bergström
Germany // 2022 // English // 8 min
So sweet, so painful - a love trapped by violence and fears, animated with stop motion, puppets and clay.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

Musalem: from (selm); who lives in peace
directed by Mariam Al-Dhubhani
Yemen, United States, Jordan // 2022 // Arabic, English // 10 min
Amat Al-Lateef and Mohammed try to keep Yemeni honey available locally and abroad, despite the obstacles and destructions infused by seven years of war.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

Surfacing
directed by Rossella Schillaci
Italy, Portugal // 2022 // Italian // 20 min
A 360 immersive fairy tale, set amongst mothers and children who live in prison.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

The Choice
directed by Joanne Popinska
Canada, Poland // 2021 // English // 25 min
A Virtual Reality documentary about maternal health and reproductive rights.
#Virtual Reality, #New Maverick

Kevon Pryce 3/15/23 Kevon Pryce 3/15/23

2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Finalists

The Atlanta Film Society is thrilled to announce the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Finalists. From 1,921 total submissions, there now remain only 18 feature film screenplays, 11 pilots, and 8 shorts. To call these 37 wonderful screenplays the lucky few still in competition would be a disservice to the amazing talent on the page, but we do hope you join us in wishing their authors nothing but luck and fortune with the rest of the competition and with their screenwriting careers!

Feature Screenplay Finalists

THE APPLICANTS by Justin Ballheim
ARACHNIFABULOUS by Brian "Crusty" Horgan
(A)SEXUAL AWAKENING by Henry Jarvis
CAPTAIN BLOOD by Kate Imy
CHANCE BY UNFATHOMABLE FATE by Dmani Williams
CUFFING SEASON by Jon Bershad
DEEP BLUE II: KASPAROV'S REVENGE by Ben Gottlieb
EASTERN SKIES by Andrew Liou
FRANK'S HEART by Marilynn Loveless
FREAKNIK by Jon Vaude
GOOD CHANCE by Tricia Lee
GOODBYE EVERYBODY by Benjamin Lewis
GRIEF LEECH by Shayna Hack
ORDINARY LIFE by Charlotte Alexander
THE PURPOSE OF A LIGHTHOUSE by Gabe Berry
SHADOWBOXING by Tsoanelo Rantsho & Logan Mitev
THE SHIMMERS by Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin
SHOOTING by Nathan Cabaniss

Pilot Screenplay Finalists

ARTHUR & LANCELOT by Victoria Zeutzius
BLACK NERD by Jon Carr
BUFORD HIGHWAY by Jordan Watland & Bahar Atvur
BUTCH by Rae Binstock
DOWNTOWN by Brian Stone
MOSTLY VIRGIN by Baldvin Kari & Ana Lazarevic
MR. DIY by Michael Johnston
THE PARC by Morgan Grice
THE PIRATE QUEEN by Nora-Jane Noone
THE SPACE SUITS by Landon Ashworth
YOUNGBLOODS by Stacey Russell

Short Screenplay Finalists

BREATHE by Mark Labella
I SEE YOU by Faith Dismuke
LEFT & LEAVING by Michael Mau
MAN UP FAIRY DUST by Christopher Schwartz
ONOURA by Chigozie Onyeaka
R.E.G.G.I.N by A. D. Smith
TODD KNOWS by Michael Buonocore
WALL by Erin Cantelo

Kevon Pryce 2/24/23 Kevon Pryce 2/24/23

2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinalists

The Atlanta Film Society is happy to share the 193 screenplays advancing into the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinals. The following 97 feature film scripts, 55 pilots, and 41 shorts represent the top 10% of the 1,921 total submissions. In addition to a cash prize, their authors are competing for an invaluable mentorship opportunity. Please help us celebrate the amazing accomplishment achieved, and wish these skilled scribes well as they continue to compete for the honor of being named Finalists and Winners!

Feature Screenplay Semifinalists

ACTAEON by Dustin Quinteros
ADA by Nora Jaenicke
(AM I) GAY FOR AMY? by Meghan Lennox
AMERICAN DREAMS by Tricia Lee & Corey Brown
APACHE by Adam Seidel
THE APPLICANTS by Justin Ballheim
ARACHNIFABULOUS by Brian "Crusty" Horgan
(A)SEXUAL AWAKENING by Henry Jarvis
AUGUST BEAUTY by Elisa Greenberg
BAD ROMANCE by Chad Wellinger
THE BANNER by Ernestina Juarez
BEETLE BABY by Asya Segalovich
BILL, GOD OF WAR by Caleb Dillon
BLACK IVORY by Adisa Septuri
BLOOD THIEF by Winnie Soldi
THE BODY OF CHRIS by Erin Brown Thomas
BOUNDARIES by Asad Farooqui
BURN PATTERN by Laura M. Kemp
BURY THE LEDE by Brianna Naderpour
CAPTAIN BLOOD by Kate Imy
CAVEAT EMPTOR by Ray Goldberg
CHANCE BY UNFATHOMABLE FATE by Dmani Williams
CHESTER HOUSE by Elvira Ibragimova
CHUM by John Cicco & Nathan Krieger
CONTINUED CARE by Gretchen Hopkirk
THE CRICKET by Gabe Berry
CUFFING SEASON by Jon Bershad
DEEP BLUE II: KASPAROV'S REVENGE by Ben Gottlieb
THE DEMON JOB by Robert Husted
DIAL IT BACK by Erin Elizabeth Keefer
DIVINE GIFTS by Hamidreza Rafatnejad
DO OVER by Sari Earl
DOG DAYS by Ryan Nielsen
DOPE FRIEND by Matt Ferrucci
EASTERN SKIES by Andrew Liou
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL by Suzie Bohannon
THE FINAL CUT by Chaseedaw Giles
FIND ME IN YOUR SMILE by Guilherme Viegas
FOR PHILLIP by Rob Seyk
FORGETTING JUPITER by Jeff Hindenach
FRANK'S HEART by Marilynn Loveless
FREAKNIK by Jon Vaude
FROM ABOVE by Ben Tedesco
THE GAME CHANGER by Jerry Reedy
GOOD CHANCE by Tricia Lee
GOODBYE EVERYBODY by Benjamin Lewis
GRIEF LEECH by Shayna Hack
GROW HOME by Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan
HOUSE ON FIRE by Donald Mitchell, Robert Goldberg, & James Goldberg
HUNGRY LITTLE CUBS by William Winston
I AM THE DRAGON KING by Storm Choi
IBU (MOTHER) by Kanya Iwana
IF THESE WALLS COULD SHUT UP by Gina DeAngelis
INTERBLOOM by Ari Dassa
THE ITCH by Jeremy Bradford
A JERSEY CHRISTMAS MOVIE by Laura Napoli & Brian Gene White
KEEPER by R.L. Hooker
KEESHA GOES TO CAMP by Rebecca Jordan Smith
KILLER CROSSOVER by Brandon Burkhart
LADY INTO FOX by R. H. Farrell
THE LAST INDIAN WAR by Michael Graf
THE LION MAKOI by Chad Mathews
THE LOCK - IN by Maalik Evans
MINISTER SPEER by Sven Anarki
MISCHIEF NIGHT by Peter Macaluso
MISS ME WHEN I’M GONE by Matthew Gomez
NOT HAUNTED by Katie Ennis
ODE TO ORANGE by Catherine Delaloye
OLD MAIDEN'S PRAYER by Grace Gao
ORDINARY LIFE by Charlotte Alexander
OUR LADY OF SORROWS by Karen Conley
THE PRECIPITATING EVENT by EmmaC.
THE PURPOSE OF A LIGHTHOUSE by Gabe Berry
RAISED BY DOGS by Christin Finch
REASONABLE by Jeremy Lloyd-Styles
REDACTED by Alexandra Redwood
REDEEMER'S LIGHT by Toyi Elizabeth
THE ROCK N' ROLL BROTHERS by Guil Parreiras
RUT by David Zaccaria
THE SECRET OF THE SMILE by Robin Russin
SHADOWBOXING by Tsoanelo Rantsho & Logan Mitev
THE SHIMMERS by Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin
SHOOTING by Nathan Cabaniss
SMALL TOWN by Gemma Addy
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER by William Schreiber
STEPH by Oksana Prysiazhniuk
SUCKERS by Elena Welles
TAKE MY HAND by Sam Pavich
TARNISHED by Matthew Walker
TARO: LEGEND OF JAPAN by Blue Spruell
THE TEJANO by Derek C. Block
THIS LIGHT OF MINE by Quinn Martin
TRICE by Matt Foss & Carlos Washington
(TRUE) NORTH by HF Crum
THE WHISKEY FOUR by Menna Dosal
THE WORTH OF WOMAN$ WORK by EmmaC.
WYATT by Stephanie Gaston

Pilot Screenplay Semifinalists

THE ACADEMY by Brit Cowan
ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID by Cynthia Mersten
ARTHUR & LANCELOT by Victoria Zeutzius
BACK FIRES by Alex Blumberg
THE BARBERS OF NEW ENGLAND by Nicholas Fowler & Scott Fowler
THE BIG HOUSE by Kristofer Mikal
BLACK NERD by Jon Carr
BUFORD HIGHWAY by Jordan Watland & Bahar Atvur
BUTCH by Rae Binstock
CHERRY PARK by Joseph Hooten
CRICKET CLUB OF CANON HIGH by Priya Mohanty
DOWNTOWN by Brian Stone
DREAM BOY by Hannah Melissa Scott & Jordan Watson
EAT WHAT YOU KILL by Leslie Lyshkov
EMERGENT by Alan Mah Baxter
FAST BREAK by Kathryn Elise Drexler
FERALS by M.R. Fitzgerald
THE GALLERY by Will Downs
THE HAPPIEST PLACE by Jon Davis
HARPOON by Ria Tobaccowala
HIRADO by Jennifer Wilton
KANDLESTICK MEN by Frank Monteleone
KEITH SWEATS by Lexx Truss
THE KING OF THE CANNIBALS by Sam Watson
LADY OF THE LAKE by Estella Gabriel
LAST OF THE COWBOYS by Brent Minderler
LIFE DURING WARTIME by Mark Bowes
MAN-MADE by Ryan Cunningham
THE MATCH by Justin Ballheim
MOSTLY VIRGIN by Baldvin Kari & Ana Lazarevic
MR. DIY by Michael Johnston
MR. PLEASURE by Nicole Kemper
MY HAPPY PLACE by Angel Hilson
NIGHT DOGS by Linhan Zhang
THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Thomas Gaunt
THE PARC by Morgan Grice
THE PIRATE QUEEN by Nora-Jane Noone
PRICELESS by Betsy Nagler
THE QUARTER QUEEN by Kayla Hardy
QUEEN OF WARDS by Shanice Williamson
RENEGADE by Logan Porter
THE REPEATERS by Patrice Williams Marks
REVERSE by Benjamin Lewis
SEABROOK by Alex Hanno
SINGLE PERSON by Matt Foss
THE SPACE SUITS by Landon Ashworth
SPRINGTIME by Danny Newell
STALKY & CO. by Nicole Lynn Cohen
TAURED by Christian Maxwell
TEMPERANCE (AND OTHER VIRTUES) by Alexandra Hayes
TRENCH TOWN by Ricardo Sean Thompson
WHEN MANGOES START TO TURN YELLOW by Harika Ganeshni Bommana
WOMAN'S WORK by Erin Beute
YOU ARE NOT A HERO by Josh Jacobs
YOUNGBLOODS by Stacey Russell

Short Screenplay Semifinalists

APPARATCHIK by Morgane Ciot
ARC by Stephen Evans
THE ART OF ETERNAL LOVE by Dawn Reavis
BABY LOVE by Kate Kelsen
BE MY BOY by Ethan Homen
BONESEED by Brett Brooks & Joshua David Matthews
BREATHE by Mark Labella
CHOICE by Bernhard Riedhammer
THE DOOR IN THE MIRROR by Geoff Murillo
FIGHT LIKE A GIRL by Melody Herr
THE FUTURE REPORT by Elisabeth Hayward
GATSBY by Alec Seymour
GENERATION SERVICE by Kiwana Rose
THE GHOSTODIANS by Leila Murton Poole
HAVE A MINT by Taylor McTague
HEARTSTRINGS by J.D. Zelman & Matthew Dushkes
HOT TORTILLAS by Nicolas Jara
HOUSE OF WOLVES by Andrew Yeremeyev
I LOVE NANCY MEYERS by Narineh Tahmasebian
I SEE YOU by Faith Dismuke
KOUKLA by Jamie-Michelle Whalen
THE LAST CREATION by Brad Cooper
LASTING MARK by Shaun Radecki
LEFT & LEAVING by Michael Mau
MAN UP FAIRY DUST by Christopher Schwartz
MOON EYES by Alston Jones
MY WAY by Afton Quast Saler
ONOURA by Chigozie Onyeaka
PAL by Michael Mau
PIETRA FREDDA by Matthew Nicholson
R.E.G.G.I.N by A. D. Smith
SAY YES by Gabe Berry
THERE'S A FROG ON MARS (IT'S TRUE!) by Shaun Radecki
TO THE MOON by Michael Dukakis
TODD KNOWS by Michael Buonocore
THE UNTAMED by Olga Holtz
WALL by Erin Cantelo
WEEPING WALL by Mark Dollard
WHO ARE YOU, NANU? by Anjini Taneja Azhar
YA GHALBI by Yasmeen Albrahim
ZEPHYR by Amy Allen

Kevon Pryce 2/3/23 Kevon Pryce 2/3/23

2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalists

The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalists. Chosen from 1,921 total submissions, the following 193 feature film screenplays, 110 pilots, and 82 shorts represent the top twenty percent of all entries. Their authors are competing for invaluable mentorship opportunities to help hone their craft and plan the next steps in their careers in addition to cash prizes. Please join us in congratulating these impressive authors, and wish them well as the programming team continues to narrow this list down to the Semifinalists, Finalists, and eventually to 5 Winning Scripts!

Feature Screenplay Quarterfinalists

93% CHANCE OF HAPPINESS by Jeff Bower
ACTAEON by Dustin Quinteros
ADA by Nora Jaenicke
(AM I) GAY FOR AMY? by Meghan Lennox
AMERICAN DREAMS by by Tricia Lee & Corey Brown
AN UNFAMILIAR LIFE by Toni D'Antonio
ANALYTICA by Paul Ingoldsby
APACHE by Adam Seidel
THE APPLICANTS by Justin Ballheim
ARACHNIFABULOUS by Brian "Crusty" Horgan
ARMSTRONG IN HANOI by Bryerly Long
ARROW OF HONOR by Robin Woldorf & Rik Center
(A)SEXUAL AWAKENING by Henry Jarvis
AUGUST BEAUTY by Elisa Greenberg
BAD ROMANCE by Chad Wellinger
THE BANNER by Ernestina Juarez
BEETLE BABY by Asya Segalovich
THE BELL WITCH IS JUST A LESBIAN by Cieara West
BILL, GOD OF WAR by Caleb Dillon
BLACK COMEDY by Matt Foss & James Dickerson
BLACK IVORY by Adisa Septuri
BLOOD by Aashish Gadhvi
BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN by Emett Casey
BLOOD TATTOO by Bruce Hickey
BLOOD THIEF by Winnie Soldi
THE BODY OF CHRIS by Erin Brown Thomas
BOUNDARIES by Asad Farooqui
BRAIN GAMES by Alan Schwarz
BREEDER by Alex Goyette
A BULLET FOR A BASTARD by Chris Allen Helton & Waleed Hassan
BURN PATTERN by Laura M. Kemp
BURY THE LEDE by Brianna Naderpour
CAGE LIFE by Keri Lee
CAPTAIN BLOOD by Kate Imy
CAVEAT EMPTOR by Ray Goldberg
THE CELESTIAL HIGHWAY by Kevin J. Howard
CHANCE BY UNFATHOMABLE FATE by Dmani Williams
THE CHANCER by Fiona Graham
THE CHANS & SCHWARTZBAUMS SAVE CHRISTMAS! by Tricia Lee & Corey Brown
CHESTER HOUSE by Elvira Ibragimova
CHUM by John Cicco & Nathan Krieger
CLOSE by Kristen Wade
CONTINUED CARE by Gretchen Hopkirk
THE CRICKET by Gabe Berry
CUFFING SEASON by Jon Bershad
THE DEADHEAD by Justin Ballheim
DEAD MOM FRIEND SUMMERTIME FUN CLUB by Alex Walker
DEEP BLUE II: KASPAROV'S REVENGE by Ben Gottlieb
THE DEMON JOB by Robert Husted
DETH KNELL by Merida Quinlan
DIAL IT BACK by Erin Elizabeth Keefer
DIMINUENDO by Paul Gross
DIVINE GIFTS by Hamidreza Rafatnejad
DO OVER by Sari Earl
DOG DAYS by Ryan Nielsen
DOPE FRIEND by Matt Ferrucci
DOWN IN THE HOLLER by Paul Rowe
EASTERN SKIES by Andrew Liou
EMERGENCY CONTACT by Erin Brown Thomas & Kelly Vrooman
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL by Suzie Bohannon
ENSIGN by Stephanie Maura Sanchez
THE EVERYTHING GAME by Ryan Gielen
EXODUSTER by Gunnar Garrett
A FAMILY AFFAIR by Tim Bartell
THE FATHERS by Kristina Zill
THE FINAL CUT by Chaseedaw Giles
FIND ME IN YOUR SMILE by Guilherme Viegas
FIREFLIES by Amanda Keener
FIRST BLOODED by Kenya Collins
FLAT PENNIES by Robert Ward
FOR PHILLIP by Rob Seyk
FORGETTING JUPITER by Jeff Hindenach
FOX HOLLOWS by Joe Osborne
FRAGMENTED SCARS by Yanatha Desouvre
FRANK'S HEART by Marilynn Loveless
FREAKNIK by Jon Vaude
FROM ABOVE by Ben Tedesco
THE GAME CHANGER by Jerry Reedy
GOOD CHANCE by Tricia Lee
GOODBYE EVERYBODY by Benjamin Lewis
GREEN BLOODS by Kevin Percival
GRIEF LEECH by Shayna Hack
GROW HOME by Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan
HAVE MERCY by Jason Ruscio
THE HAWK AND THE SUN by Edward Gadrix
HOMECOMING by Aadrise Johnson
HOUSE ON FIRE by Donald Mitchell, Robert Goldberg, & James Goldberg
HUNGRY LITTLE CUBS by William Winston
HURRICANE by Chris Willis
I AM THE DRAGON KING by Storm Choi
IBU (MOTHER) by Kanya Iwana
IF THESE WALLS COULD SHUT UP by Gina DeAngelis
IMPROV by Genet Hughes
INTERBLOOM by Ari Dassa
THE IRON LEECH by Neal O'Bryan & Chad Thurman
THE ITCH by Jeremy Bradford
THE JANITOR by Woting Cai
A JERSEY CHRISTMAS MOVIE by Laura Napoli & Brian Gene White
KABUL, TOKYO by Lila Wakili
KALI ON THE ROPES by Ali Choucri
KEEPER by R.L. Hooker
KEESHA GOES TO CAMP by Rebecca Jordan Smith
KILLER CROSSOVER by Brandon Burkhart
KISS OF DARKNESS by MICHAEL MCCLUNG
A LABOUR OF LOVE by Olga Holtz
LADY INTO FOX by R. H. Farrell
THE LAST INDIAN WAR by Michael Graf
LAZY DAZY by Rudy Jansen
LEGGY by Sierra Smith
THE LION MAKOI by Chad Mathews
THE LOCK - IN by Maalik Evans
MAKE BELIEVE by Brit Cowan
MEAN STREAK by Janette Danielson & Giovana Frediani
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S PLAY by Eric Johnson
MILES TO GO by Ken Viteri-Lynn
MINISTER SPEER by Sven Anarki
MISCHIEF NIGHT by Peter Macaluso
MISS ME WHEN I’M GONE by Matthew Gomez
MOJO by Joanne Bellew
NEEDLES by Bobby Sacher
NOT HAUNTED by Katie Ennis
ODE TO ORANGE by Catherine Delaloye
OFFSHORE REVENGE by Marie Etzler
OLD MA by Jonathan Maxwell Shander
OLD MAIDEN'S PRAYER by Grace Gao
ONE WAY by Meital Cohen Navarro
ORANGEBURG 68' by Calhoun Cornwell
ORDINARY LIFE by Charlotte Alexander
OUR LADY OF SORROWS by Karen Conley
THE PAINTING by Stefan Alexander
THE PEPPER by Christine Garver
PHILLY BOYS by Kevin Giles
POPCORN PROPHETS by Reynaldo Leal
THE PRECIPITATING EVENT by EmmaC.
PRISONER OF DECEIT by Gretchen Klein
THE PROSECUTION by Vir Srinivas
THE PURPOSE OF A LIGHTHOUSE by Gabe Berry
RAISED BY DOGS by Christin Finch
THE REAL PROM QUEENS OF WESTFIELD HIGH by Laurie Ann Crompton
REASONABLE by Jeremy Lloyd-Styles
REDACTED by Alexandra Redwood
REDEEMER'S LIGHT by Toyi Elizabeth
THE ROCK N' ROLL BROTHERS by Guil Parreiras
ROSEBUD by Kayla Hardy
RUMSPRINGA by Finnegan Haid & Jake Haddock
RUNAWAY BOB by Victoria Spencer Smith
RUSH by Lauren Wright & Chelsea Murphy
RUT by David Zaccaria
SAINTS AND SINNERS by Brit Cowan
THE SCORCHED FACE by Pauline McAlonan
SCRAPS by Ryan Nordin
SEA LEGS by Ariel Mahler
THE SECRET OF THE SMILE by Robin Russin
SECURITY THEATER by Daniel Sole
SENIOR LIVING by Kaitlin Larson & Kyle Boynton
SHADOWBOXING by Tsoanelo Rantsho & Logan Mitev
THE SHIMMERS by Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin
SHOOTING by Nathan Cabaniss
SIMULATION by Peter Jang
SKI WEEK by Mike Gallagher & Holly Martinez
SMALL TOWN by Gemma Addy
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER by William Schreiber
SON OF THE OPEN ROAD by Winn Smith
SOUTH WIND COME by Ernestina Juarez
STACY, GOD OF PAIN by Benjamin Drew Thompson
STEPH by Oksana Prysiazhniuk
SUCKERS by Elena Welles
SWASHBUCKLE by William Moon
SWOOSH by Al Titkemeyer
TAKE MY HAND by Sam Pavich
TAKEDOWN by Mark Cooper
TARNISHED by Matthew Walker
TARO: LEGEND OF JAPAN by Blue Spruell
TASTE THE ROAD, JACK by Stefan Alexander & Eric Williford
THE TEJANO by Derek C. Block
TESSTOSTERONE by Erin Elizabeth Keefer
THAT TRIFLIN’ S.O.B. CARTWRIGHT JENKINS by Christine Burright
THIS LIGHT OF MINE by Quinn Martin
THREE HUSBANDS, PLEASE! by Mack Ogden
TRICE by Matt Foss & Carlos Washington
(TRUE) NORTH by HF Crum
THE VAIROCANA by Jason Jacobson & Michelle Trantina
THE VIBE by Jill Czarnowski
VIBRANT by Toni Cunningham
THE VICIOUSES by Homeless
VIENNA CALLING by Renate Grassmugg
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS OFF by Al Sophianopoulos
WHAT'S LEFT OF US by Rae Jones
THE WHISKEY FOUR by Menna Dosal
WHO LET THE WALLFLOWERS OUT? by Virginia Austin
THE WORTH OF WOMAN$ WORK by EmmaC.
WYATT by Stephanie Gaston
A Z-AXIS SUNSET by Pete Gomori

Pilot Screenplay Quarterfinalists

THE ACADEMY by Brit Cowan
THE AFFECTED by Shane Harbinson
AFFIRMATIVE by Andrew Quailes
ALL BI MYSELF by Adam Patla
ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID by Cynthia Mersten
ARTHUR & LANCELOT by Victoria Zeutzius
BACK FIRES by Alex Blumberg
THE BARBERS OF NEW ENGLAND by Nicholas Fowler & Scott Fowler
BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ADULTING by Joenique Rose
THE BIG HOUSE by Kristofer Mikal
BLACK NERD by Jon Carr
BROWN COUNTRY by Asad Farooqui
BUFORD HIGHWAY by Jordan Watland & Bahar Atvur
BUTCH by Rae Binstock
CHERRY PARK by Joseph Hooten
CITIZEN DETECTIVE by Hillary Stringer & Matthew Davis
CRICKET CLUB OF CANON HIGH by Priya Mohanty
DEEP RIVER by Peter Forbes
DISGRACEFUL by Rachael S. Morgan
DOWNTOWN by Brian Stone
DREAM BOY by Hannah Melissa Scott & Jordan Watson
EAT WHAT YOU KILL by Leslie Lyshkov
EMERGENT by Alan Mah Baxter
ESSIE ROSENBAUM MUST DIE by Miles Kahn
EVERYTHING IS FINE by Mike Devore
FAIRVIEW by Mia Volta
FAST BREAK by Kathryn Elise Drexler
FERALS by M.R. Fitzgerald
THE GALLERY by Will Downs
THE GREAT DESIRE by Cassandra Rose
GREETINGS FROM THE FLOODGATES by Mary von Aue
THE HAPPIEST PLACE by Jon Davis
HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN by Dayton Swanson & Colton Smith
HARDY'S TRADE by Greg Beck
HARPOON by Ria Tobaccowala
HIRADO by Jennifer Wilton
HIT LIST by Faye Treacy
HONEY + LEMON by Kenny Mulfort
HONEY'S UNICORN by D. A. Jolivette
HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN by Nicola Pittam
INTO THE ETHER by Steve Brown & Robert Rogers
JOOK by Mugs Cahill
JOYCE by Alexandra Comeaux
KANDLESTICK MEN by Frank Monteleone
KEITH SWEATS by Lexx Truss
THE KING OF THE CANNIBALS by Sam Watson
LADY OF THE LAKE by Estella Gabriel
LAST OF THE COWBOYS by Brent Minderler
LIFE DURING WARTIME by Mark Bowes
LINE OF SCRIMMAGE by Rachel Thundat
THE LIST: A SINGLE LADY'S GUIDE TO FINDING THE PERFECT BABY DADDY by Brit Cowan
LITTLE LEAGUE by Manuel Victoria
LOTS BREWING by Kenneth Daniels
MAN-MADE by Ryan Cunningham
MASS APPEAL by Del Potter
THE MATCH by Justin Ballheim
MIXED FEELINGS by Danny Rogers
MORASA POLO by Meital Cohen-Navarro
A MORE PERFECT UNION by Jonathan Weisbrod
MOSTLY VIRGIN by Baldvin Kari & Ana Lazarevic
MR. DIY by Michael Johnston
MR. PLEASURE by Nicole Kemper
MT. CLEMENT by Randy Hines
MURDER SHOW by Rosalind Grush
MY HAPPY PLACE by Angel Hilson
NIGHT DOGS by Linhan Zhang
THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Thomas Gaunt
NOT SUPER LEGAL by Carrie Fishbane
ORAC ELLE by Frank Monteleone
PACT ARCANUM by Arshad Ahsanuddin & Toby Osborne
THE PARC by Morgan Grice
PATROL by Rick Rowley
PHANTOM BLACK by Tyler Pagan & Ben Engebretson
THE PIRATE QUEEN by Nora-Jane Noone
THE POD by Diogo Beltran
PRICELESS by Betsy Nagler
THE QUARTER QUEEN by Kayla Hardy
QUEEN OF WARDS by Shanice Williamson
QUEENS VILLAGE by Samantha Lavin
REALITY BITES by Jack Mayer
REBOOTED by Jamaal Pittman
RENEGADE by Logan Porter
THE REPEATERS by Patrice Williams Marks
REVERSE by Benjamin Lewis
RISE OF THE PROPHECY by Antoine Bonner
SADIST by Jennifer Anderson
THE SAINT by Kenya Collins
SCOUNDREL by Amy Quick Parrish
SEABROOK by Alex Hanno
THE SEAWARD by Benjamin Lewis
SECOND UNIT by Ankush Khemani
SINGLE PERSON by Matt Foss
SLIM & NUN by Brandon Burkhart
SOUTH OF NORMAL by Jake Thomas
THE SPACE SUITS by Landon Ashworth
SPEEDWAY by Jane Kelly Kosek
SPRINGTIME by Danny Newell
STALKY & CO. by Nicole Lynn Cohen
STORM by Kristy Thomas
SWEAT by Xavier Burgin
TAPPED OUT by Melody Herr
TAURED by Christian Maxwell
TEMPERANCE (AND OTHER VIRTUES) by Alexandra Hayes
TRENCH TOWN by Ricardo Sean Thompson
UNDER THE BRIDGE by Richie Lee Cunningham
WHEN MANGOES START TO TURN YELLOW by Harika Ganeshni Bommana
WOMAN'S WORK by Erin Beute
YOU ARE NOT A HERO by Josh Jacobs
YOUNG AMERICANS by Grace E. Ward
YOUNGBLOODS by Stacey Russell

Short Screenplay Quarterfinalists

2 - 3 YEARS by Sarah Polhaus
83 HUNT ROAD by Kimani Key
AFTER WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LIBRARY by Kyle Casey Chu & Roisin Isner
AL'Z PILLOW by Daniel Taylor
ALWAYS by Sasha Das
APPARATCHIK by Morgane Ciot
APPOINTMENT FOR: by Kanya Iwana
ARC by Stephen Evans
THE ART OF ETERNAL LOVE by Dawn Reavis
AT NIGHT by Michael Wells
BABY LOVE by Kate Kelsen
BE MY BOY by Ethan Homen
THE BLOUSE by Ksenia Naughton
BLUE DREAM by Fray Forde & Catherine Dee Holly
BONESEED by Brett Brooks & Joshua David Matthews
BREATHE by Mark Labella
BRIEF ENCOUNTER by Ankush Khemani
CHOICE by Bernhard Riedhammer
THE DAY HE BLINKED THE WORLD AWAY (BLINK) by Joseph Vranas
THE DEADLINE by Mike Gallagher
DEVIL'S INSTRUMENT by Frederik Ehrhardt
THE DOOR IN THE MIRROR by Geoff Murillo
ESE DÍA (THAT DAY) by Alycya Magana
FIGHT LIKE A GIRL by Melody Herr
FIND ME by Li Lin
THE FUTURE REPORT by Elisabeth Hayward
GATSBY by Alec Seymour
GENERATION SERVICE by Kiwana Rose
THE GHOST OF PEMBROKE LODGE by Olga Holtz
THE GHOSTODIANS by Leila Murton Poole
THE GOOD SAMARITAN by Phil Vengrinovich
GOODNIGHT, GRACIE by Ryan Montanti
HAVE A MINT by Taylor McTague
HEARTSTRINGS by J.D. Zelman & Matthew Dushkes
HOLO by Alexander Maxwell & Ash Brandon
HOLY-DAYS by Laurel Gans
HOT TORTILLAS by Nicolas Jara
HOUSE OF WOLVES by Andrew Yeremeyev
I LOVE NANCY MEYERS by Narineh Tahmasebian
I SEE YOU by Faith Dismuke
IF YOU LEAVE by Emily Bingham
KILLING CHERRY JANE by Cassidy Rose Layton
KOUKLA by Jamie-Michelle Whalen
THE LAST CREATION by Brad Cooper
LASTING MARK by Shaun Radecki
LEAVE US WHERE WE LEFT IT by Krista Gallagher
LEFT & LEAVING by Michael Mau
LOVELY BIG BUFFALO (BUFALA GRANDE BELLA) by Tiffani Davis & Michelangelo Missoni
THE MAN IN THE CABIN by Robbie Lemieux
MAN UP FAIRY DUST by Christopher Schwartz
METAL BOX by Brayden Dalmazzone
MONSTROUS by Maya Ricol
MOON EYES by Alston Jones
MY FEET ARE STILL BLUE! by Shaun Radecki
MY WAY by Afton Quast Saler
NO VACANCY by Jay Sherer & Nathan Scheck
NO, DOUGHN'T! by Nicole Lynn Cohen
ONOURA by Chigozie Onyeaka
PAL by Michael Mau
THE PAPERS by Suzan Battah
PERIOD by Katherine Olson
PIETRA FREDDA by Matthew Nicholson
R.E.G.G.I.N by A. D. Smith
SAINT EZEKIEL by Michael Tannenbaum
SAY YES by Gabe Berry
SILENCE THE DEADLY by E.M.P.
SNAPSHOT by Jake Thomas
THERE'S A FROG ON MARS (IT'S TRUE!) by Shaun Radecki
THIS LIFE by Larry J. Allen, Jr.
TO THE MOON by Michael Dukakis
TODD KNOWS by Michael Buonocore
TROPHY by Ben Gottlieb
THE UNTAMED by Olga Holtz
VINYL TAPED MARY JANE by Angel Hilson
WALL by Erin Cantelo
WEEPING WALL by Mark Dollard
THE WELCOMERS by Matt O'Connor
WHO ARE YOU, NANU? by Anjini Taneja Azhar
THE WORTH OF THINGS by Jane Ballentyne
YA GHALBI by Yasmeen Albrahim
YOU DON'T EVEN SAY CUCKOO! by Shaun Radecki
ZEPHYR by Amy Allen