Stay Close To The Festival!

Where do you put 27,000 Film Festival Attendees?

Our newest sponsors, Affinity Travel Benefits, (see press release here) offer great rates and terms to film festival attendees. Book a hotel with guaranteed lodging, while rooms last, so you can stay close to the action and immerse yourself in the cinema culture.

Did you know the average person visits more than 5 travel websites to research their hotel, and up to 6 hours sifting through information! You could have watched, and discussed, 3 films from our lineup with that time instead!

BOOK YOUR HOTEL NOW

Now you can go back to your hotel and do a quick change before all of the after parties - worry free.  After all, the Atlanta Film Festival was called ‘Top 25 coolest festivals in the world’ by Moviemaker Magazine, so you’re not going to want to miss a thing!

A few extra notes:

• Hotel room blocks are guaranteed until a couple of weeks before the event, so be sure to reserve your accommodations soon
• There are Trip Advisor reviews are right on the site to help you decide where to stay 

BADGE HOLDER ONLY PRICING

Let's all get a great nights sleep, at a great price, so we can have the energy to keep going all 10 days of the festival. 

Happy Booking! 

Ask an Alum: Danielle Deadwyler, a.k.a. Elevate ATL's Didi Xio

Continuing our Ask an Alum series, we talked with ATLFF-selected filmmaker and actress Danielle Deadwyler about what makes Atlanta home, what she has coming up (hint: go to Elevate ATL!) and why she submitted to the festival. Currently showcased in the International Terminal in the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport as part of the Atlanta Film Society's Airport Shorts Program version 3.0 with her short film Su:Per:He:Ro:In:Uh, Deadwyler is the first recipient of the Living Walls Laura Patricia Calle Grant with her project BUST IT OPEN—a multimedia arts installation that champions black feminism.

Q: ATLFF knows you primarily as an actress and narrative short filmmaker. What other genres do you like to work with?
A: I work in dance, experimental video/film, theatre, voiceover, poetry and hiphop (I go by didi xio too)...as well as film and TV. I'm willing and open and invested in being malleable and collaborative. I invite myself to play in all fields.

Q: What sets Atlanta apart for you as a creative home?
A: Atlanta is home first. That's what sets it apart. You know something, or a place, inside out, then it shifts as Atlanta is right now, and you have to relearn it, or learn as you go. And yet that place still holds history, memory all over you...that is a creative flux right there. It's a place still morphing...other cities are fixed...Atlanta is creatively taking shape, and can be shaped by artists who are present.

Q: Why did you submit your films to ATLFF? 
A: I submitted to ATLFF to gain connection. To reveal work at home. To be a part of a significant festival that could support me with access to information, education, and like minds.

Q: What part of Atlanta (or place in Atlanta) serves as your most reliable or impactful arts incubator?
A: I can't say one place or one part of Atlanta has been most reliable for incubating my arts growth. There have always been multiple hoods and places serving my growth simultaneously. Whether I'm in Little five doing theatre or experimental work, or on Broad St of late performing with Dux or showing performance art work, or downtown learning at C4, or performing at the Southwest Arts Center, or being nurtured as an emerging artist at Spelman's Museum...Atlanta as a whole has invested in the present form of art that I am producing or collaborating to create.

Q: Okay, everyone's favorite question—what are you working on now?
A: I'm currently preparing to present a public performance art multimedia work at ELEVATE ATLANTA Friday October 14. Come check it out! I'm traveling 3.8 miles from the old Club Nikki on Metropolitan Pkwy (old Stewart Ave) to Broad St and Mitchell St, where the ELEVATE event will be held.

Q: If you were an Atlanta neighborhood. which would you be?
A: I'd have to be Capital View...its the neighborhood that birthed me.

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We love our filmmakers. We love Atlanta. And there's no such thing as too much of either. Submit your work(s) in any of twelve categories before prices rise with the late deadline—October 28th. Catch Danielle and her work this weekend at Elevate ATL! You'll also find ATLFS-supported works from Josephine Figueroa and the Digital Good Times crew.

HBO and the Atlanta Film Society invite you to the Ultimate "Game of Thrones" Experience, Sunday, April 24th

Pinewood Atlanta Presents A Conversation with William H. Macy and Production Panel on Sunday, April 10th

Pinewood Atlanta Studios Presents the Production Panel and A Conversation with William H. Macy at the 40th Anniversary Atlanta Film Festival

The 40th Anniversary Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is pleased to announce a partnership with Pinewood Atlanta Studios (Pinewood) that will bring key educational Creative Conference programming to the 2016 event. On Sunday, April 10, 2016, ATLFF and Pinewood will host A Conversation with William H. Macy. Immediately following, Pinewood Atlanta Presents the Production Panel will feature four established filmmakers with previous or current productions on the Pinewood lot. Pinewood Atlanta Studios is a full service film and entertainment studio complex comprised of 11 sound stages on 700 acres in Fayetteville, Georgia USA, just south of Atlanta.

“It is an incredibly exciting time for the Atlanta film industry as we experience rapid growth in both independent and big-budget studio production. With four decades of experience, the continued mission and responsibility of the Atlanta Film Festival is to provide enriching programming that will support our film community in sustaining this growth,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “We are pleased to have the support of esteemed community partners like Pinewood Atlanta Studios to share in this goal. Our partnership with Pinewood will bring two distinctive educational opportunities to the 2016 Creative Conference that provide exclusive glimpses into filmmaking at the prestigious studio complex.”

“We are proud to support the Atlanta Film Festival and thrilled to be supporting the growth of the film industry in Georgia. There has never been a better time to film in Atlanta” said Kevin Bar, Sales Executive for Pinewood Atlanta Studios.

ATLFF and Pinewood will present A Conversation with William H. Macy at 10:00AM on Sunday, April 10 at 7 Stages Theatre, located at 1105 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307. Pinewood Atlanta Presents the Production Panel will also take place on Sunday at 7 Stages at 11:00AM. ATLFF 2016 festival badges (prices range) and individual tickets to both Creative Conference events ($10) are available now.

Pinewood Atlanta Studios is part of the Pinewood Studios Group, one of the leading providers of studio and related services to the worldwide film and television industries. Synonymous with world class British and international productions, Pinewood’s studios have an impressive heritage and have been home to some of the most successful features films and TV shows ever made.

In 2014, Marvel’s Ant-Man was the first production to shoot on the newly constructed Atlanta lot. The film went on to open at #1 at the box office and grossed more than $519 million worldwide the following year. On May 6, 2016, the second Marvel production made at Pinewood Atlanta, Captain America: Civil War, will be released in theaters around the world. Sony’s Passengers, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, wrapped up production at Pinewood Atlanta in early 2016; making way for production of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which is currently underway.

The Atlanta Film Festival kicked off 10 days of events on Friday, April 1, 2016 that will continue through Sunday, April 10, 2016. In addition to more than 150 film screenings and over a dozen special events, the 40th Anniversary event will feature nearly 40 Creative Conference educational events. Previously announced Creative Conference programming includes the Master Class Series featuring discussions with Oscar-winning documentary producer James Moll (Foo Fighters: Back and Forth, ATLFF 2016’s Mully), Broadway vet Shuler Hensley, director Victor Nunez (Ulee’s Gold, Ruby in Paradise) and director James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now, The End of the Tour).

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Pinewood Atlanta presents: A Conversation with William H. Macy

Sunday, April 10, 2016, 10:00AM — 7 Stages Theater

William H. Macy is an Oscar® and Golden Globe nominee, a SAG and Emmy Award–winning actor, and a director and writer in theater, film and television. He currently stars in the Showtime series “Shameless”. His many film credits include Seabiscuit, The Cooler, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Jurassic Park III and Fargo. Macy is currently prepping for production of his 3rd directorial project, Krystal, on the Pinewood Atlanta lot.

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Pinewood Atlanta presents: The Production Panel

Sunday, April 10, 2016, 11:00AM — 7 Stages Theater

Join a panel of filmmakers assembled by Pinewood Atlanta Studios for an educational discussion on filming at the Atlanta studios in Fayetteville, Georgia. Expected participants include:

• Camille Friend – Hair Designer ("The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 & 2," "Miles Ahead," "Captain America: Civil War")

• Simon Hatt – Associate Producer (Marvel’s "Guardians of the Galaxy," Marvel’s "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2")

• Christopher Townsend – Visual Effects Supervisor (Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Iron Man 3," "Captain America: The First Avenger") 

• Will Greenfield – Producer/Production Manager ("Krystal," "Loving," "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea") 

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Tickets on Sale Now for the 4th Annual Georgia Entertainment Gala

With nearly 1,500 attendees, The Georgia Entertainment Gala is a one of a kind award show honoring and celebrating individuals who have made an impact in Georgia’s entertainment industry.  From indie to feature film to music and television, the gala brings together the industry’s most influential individuals both on and off the screen. The gala highlights and features many of Georgia's own talented artists and musicians and in the process allows them the opportunity to share the stage with world-class celebrities.

Saturday, February 6th
5:30PM

Check out Paris On Ponce's Cirque du Freak Halloween Extravaganza!

If you've been to the Atlanta Film Festival's opening night party in recent years, then you already know about the amazing space that is Paris on Ponce. And you also know how good of a party space it is. And you also know it opens up onto the beltline. Now can you imagine Atlanta's best Halloween party there?

The theme is 1920's French Circus Sideshow. The Haunted House is already scaring us with 200 meters of terror, the locally made short horror/gore films are coming in (Top prize is a private party for the winner in Le Maison Rouge!), "Nosferatu" will be showing in the beltline area. A costume contest and a DJ will take us into the night, and generous bartenders will take care of the rest. So bring your best, lovelies, tickets are limited!

Don't miss this one! Get your tickets now!

Friday, October 30th
9PM - 1AM

This Weekend! Michael Lucker is Here to Guide You and Your Screenplay

A word, a sentence, a paragraph, a story; how does one turn it into a screenplay? At this weekend's Screenwriter School, the talented Michael Lucker— in association with the Atlanta Film Society and Emory University—shapes talent in a two-day workshop, covering all aspects of the craft of screenwriting.

From the shortest 30-second commercials to narrative feature films, the seasoned Lucker—known for his work with Paramount, Disney, Dreamworks, Fox, and Universal—teaches students what is needed to make it in the film industry. Lucker's titles include “Vampire in Brooklyn,” “Home on the Range,” and Academy Award-nominated “Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron.”

Through the two 7-hour workshops, Lucker starts students off with the initial idea, taking them step-by-step through to the first sale, aided with his own personal experience. Not only will participants learn how to generate screenplays in a professional environment, Lucker promises a weekend of creativity and fun, providing an outlet for questions and discussion.

ATLFF/ATLFS members get 10% off registration! Not a member? Become one today!

Cinemás Series Tracks Current Events

Our first ever Cinemás Film Series has been planned for months, but Georgia headlines confirm that this weekend's Latin American Heritage Month cinema celebration has its finger on the pulse.

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Click for more information.

“Vandals struck the Atlanta Streetcars overnight, spray painting them with giant graffiti tags. According to a report from CBS46, three of the streetcars were vandalized as they sat in the maintenance barn on Auburn Avenue underneath the Downtown Connector.”

— Atlanta INtown Paper

Watch the trailer for "Los Hongos," a drama about two young street artists in Cali, Colombia playing Saturday, October 10th at 5pm:

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Click for more information.

“On Monday, Here to Serve Restaurants (Noche, Twist, Coast, Prime, Shucks, Smash) made a brief announcement via its website confirming reports that its multiple Atlanta concepts were closing en masse.”

— Atlanta Journal Constitution

Watch the trailer for "Finding Gaston"—a documentary about the Chef who created and popularized Peruvian cuisine, playing Saturday, October 10th at 7:30pm:

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Click for more information.

“After more than a thousand performances by a total of more than 40 musicians, Cuba’s legendary Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® is bidding the road farewell. One of the Rialto’s all-time most popular groups will fill the venue with their native Havana’s joyful, rhythmic, brassy Latin jazz sounds – son montunos, danzon, cha cha cha, and boleros – once again, one last time.”

— Atlanta Downtown

Watch the trailer for "Buena Vista Social Club"—a documentary about the conception of a renowned Cuban musician collective, playing Sunday, October 11th at 5:30pm:

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And there you have it! Georgia State University's Rialto Center for the Arts has all these and more this weekend—and tickets are only $6.50. 

The Rialto Helps Us Present The Cinemás Film Series THIS Weekend!

Next Saturday and Sunday, October 10th and 11th, the Atlanta Film Festival is pleased to announce the first ever Cinemás Film Series at Georgia State University’s Rialto Center for the Arts. Featuring films from Colombia, Cuba, Peru and Venezuela, Cinemás will showcase cultural and cinematic diversity within the Latin American community during National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th through October 15th).

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Saturday October 10, 2015 - 5:00PM

LOS HONGOS

directed by Oscar Ruiz Navia
Colombia, 2014, Spanish, 103 minutes
Every night after work, Roberto makes graffiti on different walls of his neighborhood on the east of Cali. One day he loses his job because he steals several cans of paint, using them to create a large mural on the lot next to his house. Without a dime to help his mother, he crosses the city looking for Eduardo, another young graffiti artist, who studies fine arts and is having a difficult time since his parents divorced and his grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. Both penniless, the boys move aimlessly through the city, expressing themselves with through their art, creating images on walls along the way, making statements, while sharing memories and experiences.

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Saturday October 10, 2015 - 7:30PM

FINDING GASTON

directed by Julia Patricia Perez
Peru, 2014, Spanish, 80 minutes
Can a cook change his country through his food? FINDING GASTON follows acclaimed chef Gaston Acurio, largely credited with creating and popularizing Peruvian cuisine, to discover the stories, the inspirations and the dreams behind the man who has taken his cuisine outside the kitchen on a mission to change his country with his food. Join this culinary journey into the world of Peruvian cuisine and discover the power of food in Peru—and around the world.

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Sunday October 11, 2015 - 3:00PM

PELO MALO

directed by Mariana Rondón
Venezuela, 2013, Spanish, 93 mintues
A nine-year-old boy’s preening obsession with straightening his hair elicits a tidal wave of homophobic panic in his hard-working mother.

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Sunday October 11, 2015 - 5:30PM

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB

directed by Wim Wenders
Cuba/Germany, 1999, Spanish/English, 105 minutes
This documentary by lauded German filmmaker Wim Wenders follows renowned guitarist Ry Cooder and his son, Joachim, as they travel to Cuba and assemble a group of the country’s finest musicians to record an album. Among the artists included in the project are singer Ibrahim Ferrer and pianist Rubén González, who are both interviewed and featured in studio footage. Eventually the ensemble travels to the United States to perform in front of rapt audiences.

A limited number of free tickets for each film are available for ATLFF members (check your inboxes for directions). Click here for more information on the film series or the Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club's farewell concert at the Rialto.

Monsterama Starts Tomorrow!

What's Monsterama, you ask?

"Monsterama is an Atlanta convention that celebrates the fantastic in film, literature, and art. It takes place at the Marriott Perimeter Center, from October 2-4, 2015. The convention will feature celebrity, artist, and author guests, screenings, programming on film, literature, and art, as well as other fan related events and panels."

Sounds good to us! And guess what? ATLFF Members get a discount! Check your inboxes for the code, or become a member, quick! Still not convinced? Well...

Have fun out there, monsters. You deserve it!