2025 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
The 49th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will return in-person and virtually with a lineup of 132 selected works, including 24 World Premieres.
ATLANTA, GA (March 24, 2025) — The 49th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) revealed key programming highlights, including the full lineup of selected works from over 6,000 submissions. The 11-day film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 24 through Sunday, May 4, 2025, with screenings primarily held at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta.
"In its 49th year, the Atlanta Film Festival is not only a global celebration of storytelling with 35 countries of origin represented in selections but also a powerful showcase of Atlanta's growing impact on the film industry. This year, we're especially excited to spotlight 40 films with ties to Georgia, including our Opening Night presentation of “Color Book,” which was shot entirely with a local Atlanta crew—demonstrating the incredible talent and creativity thriving right here in our city,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “It’s a thrilling time to be part of this vibrant, artistic community, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences back to the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre and further solidify Georgia as a hub for film and innovation.”
On Opening Night, Thursday, April 24, Atlanta's own film scene shines as “Color Book,” directed by Atlanta native David Fortune, kicks off the Marquee programming for the festival at the Plaza Theatre. This heartwarming story follows a father and his son with Down syndrome on their journey to an Atlanta Braves game. Recognized as one of Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch, Fortune is expected to attend along with cast members Will Catlett and Jeremiah Alexander Daniels, who received an NAACP Image Award nomination for his work in the film.
In a Special Presentation, the documentary “The Games in Black & White” will debut at the festival on Saturday, April 26 at the Rialto Center for the Arts. It tells the story of University of Georgia football hero-turned Atlanta real estate attorney Billy Payne, who proposed bidding for the 1996 Olympics, and Mayor Andrew Young, the civil rights icon who supported the vision. Both are expected to attend the screening event. The documentary features over 40 prominent figures from Atlanta and beyond, including Olympians, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Martin Luther King III.
“We’re thrilled to present another edition of the Atlanta Film Festival, filled with bold, thought-provoking, and truly entertaining films. As always, our selection process is guided by a passion for discovering what’s next in cinema—films that will shape the future of storytelling,” said Jon Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF, “This year’s lineup promises to leave audiences inspired, with a renewed sense of excitement for where the medium is headed.”
The 15th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday, April 29 - Friday, May 2, at the Tara Theatre. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for up-and-coming filmmakers and performers, festival goers and film lovers, and members of the greater community at large to learn from industry experts. There are approximately 36 in-person events and 10 virtual panels, for a total of 46 unique educational offerings, planned during the festival. The Creative Conference lineup announcement is forthcoming.
Atlanta Film Festival is presented by Rendezvous and will again offer a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be primarily held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and The Tara Theatre (2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324), with additional screenings at events held at The Rialto, The Supermarket, and Scout Atlanta. Most official selections will be available to watch virtually following the in-person events; the virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.
The full lineup of selected films is available for preview here. The schedule is expected to be released on Monday, March 24, and will be available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2025 app. Festival badges are on sale now, and individual screening tickets will be available starting Wednesday, March 26 here.
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 2025 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.
OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION
Color Book
directed by David Fortune
United States // 2025 // English // 98 mins
#NarrativeFeature, #SpecialPresentation, #GeorgiaFilm
*Will Catlett, Jeremiah Alexander Daniels, and David Fortune expected to attend
MARQUEE SCREENINGS
The Games in Black & White
co-directed by George Hirthler and Bob Judson
United States // 2025 // 100 mins
Centered around the inspirational friendship of icons Andrew Young and Billy Payne—the most successful Black and White partnership in the American South in the civil rights era—“The Games in Black & White” presents the first comprehensive look at Atlanta’s Olympics from bid to legacy and the city’s transformation that followed.
#DocumentaryFeature, #SpecialPresentation
*Ambassador Andrew Young and Billy Payne expected to attend
Magic Farm
directed by Amalia Ulman
United States, Argentina // 2025 // English, Spanish, French // 93 mins
A media crew mistakenly ends up in the wrong country while trying to profile a musician. As they collaborate with locals to create a viral trend, relationships form amid an unfolding health crisis.
#NarrativeFeature, #Marquee
Diciannove (Nineteen)
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
Italy // 2024 // Italian, English // 108 mins
A curious student embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning that the path, no matter how unfamiliar or daunting, is worthwhile.
#NarrativeFeature, #Marquee
OBEX
directed by Albert Birney
United States // 2025 // English // 90 mins
Conor Marsh's secluded life disrupted when he plays OBEX game. His dog Sandy disappears, blurring reality and game. Conor enters OBEX world to rescue Sandy, navigating its strange realms.
#NarrativeFeature, #Marquee
The Kingdom
directed by Julien Colonna
France // 2024 // French // 108 mins
Lesia, a teenager, is taken by a man to a villa where her fugitive father and his men are hiding. A war erupts, leading to death and a chase where father and daughter bond.
#NarrativeFeature, #Marquee
To a Land Unknown
directed by Mahdi Fleifel
United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark, Netherlands, Palestine, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Qatar // 2024 // Arabic, English, Greek // 105 mins
A Palestinian refugee living on the fringes of society in Athens gets ripped off by a smuggler and sets out to seek revenge.
#NarrativeFeature, #Marquee
Vulcanizadora
directed by Joel Potrykus
United States // 2024 // English // 85 mins
Two friends take a trip through a Michigan forest, intent on carrying out a disturbing pact.
#NarrativeFeature, #Marquee
Speak.
directed by Jennifer TiexieraGuy Mossman
United States // 2025 // English // 104 mins
Ambitious teen orators hone their craft, vying for glory in a prestigious global speech contest. Through dedication and artistry, they prepare to showcase their talents on the ultimate stage.
#DocumentaryFeature, #Marquee
Additional Marquee and Special Presentation programming forthcoming.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
A Place Far From Home
directed by Diana Mashanova
Russia // 2025 // Russian // 70 mins
In a rural Russian orphanage, a perilous bond is formed between a 9-year-old boy, a protective older girl, and the facility's sinister matron.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
Coherence
directed by James Ward Byrkit
United States, United Kingdom // 2013 // English // 99 mins
Strange things begin to happen when a group of friends gather for a dinner party on an evening when a comet is passing overhead.
#NarrativeFeature, #SpecialPresentation
Desperately Seeking Susan
directed by Susan Seidelman
United States // 1985 // English // 104 mins
A bored New Jersey suburban housewife's fascination with a free-spirited woman she has read about in the personal columns leads to her being mistaken for the woman herself.
#NarrativeFeature, #SpecialPresentation
Giant's Kettle
directed by Markku Hakala & Mari Käki
Finland // 2023 // // 71 mins
In a mechanistic world composed of strict duty and bureaucratic inertia, a man and woman struggle to relate until a family trip takes them beyond their stifling world and toward the edge of reality.
#NarrativeFeature
Interaction
directed by Dallas Richard Hallam
United States // 2025 // English // 118 mins
The voyeuristic obsession of a lonely housekeeper, who records the lives of her clients, leads to a violent connection with a troubled man.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
It Ends
directed by Alexander Ullom
United States // 2025 // English // 87 mins
Four friends' post-college plans are derailed when a wrong turn traps them on an infinite backroad.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
Lockjaw
directed by Sabrina Greco
United States // 2025 // English // 77 mins
Six weeks after a drunk-driving accident that left her jaw wired shut, Rayna tries to have a fun first night out at a magic show with her friends. Over the course of a wild night, she strains existing relationships and makes new enemies.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
META TAKE ONE
directed by Ryan Dutter / John Dierre
United States // 2025 // English // 95 mins
An obsessive young director & his crew plunge into a frantic night long odyssey of desperation to finish his film no matter the cost.
#NarrativeFeature, #GeorgiaFilm
Metropolitan
directed by Whit Stillman
United States, Spain // 1989 // English // 98 mins
A group of young upper-class Manhattanites are blithely passing through the gala debutante season, when an unusual outsider joins them and stirs them up.
#NarrativeFeature, #Special Presentation
Mongrels
directed by Jerome Yoo
Canada // 2025 // English, Korean // 110 mins
In rural Canada in the 1990s, a Korean family – a widower, his teenage son, and young daughter – attempt to find their way in a new land while navigating the darkness of their grief
#NarrativeFeature
MORE BEAUTIFUL PERVERSIONS
directed by Pavli Serenetsky
United States // 2025 // English // 69 mins
A rejected city teenager follows a stranger to the woods, and ends up learning about plants, their queerness, and a more beautiful purpose.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
Removal of the Eye
directed by Artemis Shaw, Prashanth Kamalakanthan
United States // 2024 // English // 92 mins
New parents Ram and Kallia are at their wits' end with their sleepless baby Niko. When Kallia's father suffers a freak accident, they become primary caretakers for her ailing mother, Katerina, who is convinced that the family's misfortunes have been caused by the evil eye.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
Tadur
directed by Jad Andari
Lebanon // 2024 // Arabic // 50 mins
In the midst of a lush pine forest in Lebanon lies a world where criminals, impoverished farmers, and monastic sages are immersed in both beauty and brutality.
#NarrativeFeature, #InCompetition
The Pastor's Daughter
directed by Timothy Hall
United States // 2025 // English // 89 mins
After the death of a Southern preacher, his ne'er-do-well daughter returns home to collect her inheritance.
#NarrativeFeature, #GeorgiaFilm
The Summer Book
directed by Charlie McDowell
Finland // 2024 // English // 90 mins
As her family grieves the loss of the mother who bound them together, Sophia spends a transformative summer on the rugged shores of tiny unspoiled island in the Gulf of Finland.
#NarrativeFeature
The World Drops Dead + When the Moon Returns
directed by Brandon Colvin
United States // 2024 // English // 86 mins
Claire struggles to cope as the shock of her father's death ripples through her small Quaker community.
#NarrativeFeature
Withdrawal
directed by Aaron Strand
United States // 2025 // English // 93 mins
#NarrativeFeature, #SpecialPresentation, #GeorgiaFilm
Xibalba Monster
directed by Manuela Irene
Mexico // 2024 // Spanish, Mayan, English // 76 mins
Rogelio wants to know what happens when we die. Forced to spend holidays with his nanny in Yucatán, he aims to unravel this mystery.
#NarrativeFeature
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Acts of Reparation
directed by Selina Lewis Davidson & Macky Alston
United States // 2024 // English // 113 mins
Two friends travel South to their ancestral lands to explore what reparations mean to them.
#DocumentaryFeature, #GeorgiaFilm
DANDELIONS
directed by Basil Mironer
United States // 2024 // English, Russian // 96 mins
A mysterious Facebook message sends American filmmaker Basil Mironer and his brother on a journey to Russia, where they grapple with a shocking truth about their father's past.
#DocumentaryFeature
DRIVER
directed by Nesa Azimi
United States // 2024 // English // 92 mins
After losing everything, Desiree Wood takes a second lease on life as a long-haul truck driver, and becomes an advocate for those who have chosen a life on the road.
#DocumentaryFeature
Eponymous
directed by Caroline Rumley
United States // 2024 // English // 65 mins
A father invented the automatic machine gun. His son created the gun silencer, shot reams of 16 mm footage, and wanted to change his name.
#DocumentaryFeature, #GeorgiaFilm
Inheritance
directed by Matt Moyer & Amy Toensing
United States // 2024 // English // 83 mins
12 year old Curtis has grown up surrounded by opioid addiction and poverty. Can he break the cycle of addiction that has plagued his family for generations?
#DocumentaryFeature
NORITA
directed by Jayson McNamara & Andrea Tortonese
United States, Argentina // 2024 // Spanish, English // 88 mins
A woman's search for her missing son leads to the defeat of a dictatorship & inspires a new generation of women to fight for their freedoms.
#DocumentaryFeature, #InCompetition
The Death Tour
directed by Stephan Peterson, Sonya Ballantyne
Canada // 2024 // English // 89 mins
Aspiring superstars trek across remote Indigenous communities in Canada’s Far North on the most grueling tour in indie wrestling.
#DocumentaryFeature
The Lost Wolves of Yellowstone
directed by Thomas Winston
United States // 2024 // English // 93 mins
The riveting story of the first wolf pack to repopulate Yellowstone Park 50 years the park's native wolves were forcibly removed.
#DocumentaryFeature
The White House Effect
directed by Pedro Kos, Jon Shenk, Bonni Cohen
United States // 2024 // English // 97 mins
Three decades ago, the world was poised to stop climate change. THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT is the story of how that chance was destroyed.
#DocumentaryFeature
Third Act
directed by Tadashi Nakamura
United States // 2025 // English, Japanese // 91 mins
A documentary about an Asian American father and son filmmaking duo evolves into an exploration on art, activism, grief, and fatherhood.
#DocumentaryFeature, #InCompetition
Wandering Flavio
directed by Marie Liesse
France // 2024 // French // 60 mins
Wandering Flavio is an intimate portrait of Flavio Mendès, a visually impaired teenager at a turning point in his life.
#DocumentaryFeature
We Are Inside
directed by Farah Kassem
Lebanon, Qatar, Denmark // 2024 // Arabic // 180 mins
After more than a decade, Farah returns home to Tripoli, Lebanon, to care for her aging widowed father, Mustapha only to find her city in crisis.
#DocumentaryFeature, #InCompetition
Your Tomorrow
directed by Ali Weinstein
Canada // 2024 // English // 96 mins
An urban park in Toronto is set to close for redevelopment, but a loveable group of regulars keep coming back throughout its final year.
#DocumentaryFeature, #InCompetition
NARRATIVE SHORTS
Azi
directed by Montana Mann
United States // 2024 // English // 14 mins
During a weekend vacation with her best friend’s family, 17-year-old Azi plays cat and mouse with the stepmother.
#NarrativeShort
BELLY BELLY
directed by Gabriel Carnick
United States // 2024 // English // 12 mins
Athletes Alyssa and Alex agree to go on a "cheat meal" date only to lose control of their urges by the end of the night.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Bita Joon
directed by Sara Boutorabi
United States // 2024 // Farsi, English // 13 mins
An Iranian mother with terminal cancer documents her last days on film, marveling at the many ways she has come so far, while wrestling with how life will continue without her.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Bitter Weeds
directed by Reuben Hamlyn
United Kingdom, United States // 2024 // English // 12 mins
Mischievous Liam (16) is sent to look after his dementia-suffering grandmother Pat who unravels as she mistakes him for her cheating late husband.
#NarrativeShort
Bloqué
directed by Miguel Ortiz
United States // 2024 // English // 7 mins
Beating his drums in frustration, Malick struggles to find the right rhythms for his compositions. Only through quiet reflection does he find the source of his blockage.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Free the Buns
directed by Blanche Enaka
United States // 2024 // English // 14 mins
A trio of high school friends get revenge on their teacher by stealing her emotional support bunny.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Gender Reveal
directed by Mo Matton
Canada // 2024 // English, French // 13 mins
Rhys, a dedicated people-pleaser, winds up at their boss’ gender reveal party with their two partners.
#NarrativeShort
I Could Dom
directed by Madison Hatfield
United States // 2024 // English // 15 mins
To subvert her habit of people-pleasing., June Blanford challenges herself to be a dom to a sexually submissive man.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
If The Sun Exploded Today
directed by Kai Hartman
United States // 2025 // English // 12 mins
Inspired by African-American fables, two teenage girls encounter a deity assigned to bringing Black children to the Other Side.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
kamikaze
directed by Ray Smiling
United States // 2025 // English // 10 mins
Knives, a model, becomes embroiled in the imploding relationship between a self-absorbed influencer, and his controlling photographer girlfriend while on a high fashion shoot.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Liminality
directed by Tess Bliven
United States // 2025 // English // 13 mins
In 2006 Berkeley, amidst the throes of first love, queer teens Nina and Jay grapple with understanding Jay's uncharted trans identity.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Lost Ones
directed by Pablo Mejia
United States // 2024 // Spanish, English // 7 mins
Julio's past comes back to haunt him as his flowering queerness is revealed through his co-worker George.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Maya
directed by Nadera Hebert-Bey
United States // 2024 // English // 16 mins
When 9 year-old Maya is abandoned by her older cousin Luise, she first contends with the differences that make her stand out, then seeks sweet revenge after self-acceptance.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Melody of Love
directed by Guy Kozak
United States // 2024 // English // 11 mins
A cowboy earns the favor of a rancher’s daughter, but can’t keep his eyes off his horse.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Mondele
directed by Daniel Kayamba
United States // 2024 // English, French // 16 mins
A Congolese teen dreams of being the next Spike Lee, but his passion clashes with his mother’s expectations.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Newbies
directed by Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence and Megan Trufant Tillman
United States // 2025 // English // 17 mins
Two strangers wrestling with their queerness meet on the subway. A poetic journey through their night reveals how they got there.
#NarrativeShort
Not Today
directed by Christian Meola
United States // 2025 // English // 16 mins
Eric seeks support in addressing the state of his friend Jaime's mental health after catching him in a moment of self-harm.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
On a Sunday at Eleven
directed by alicia k harris
Canada // 2024 // English // 9 mins
A young Black ballerina challenges her relativity to whiteness while preparing for her Sunday recital.
#NarrativeShort
Pack Rat
directed by Lucy Suess
New Zealand // 2024 // English // 18 mins
In rural New Zealand, a fifteen-year-old Baby Teeth fights to keep her place among the pack of boys she has grown up with.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Pastor's Kid
directed by Becca Suh-Hee Han
United States // 2025 // English, Korean // 17 mins
As Joseph returns to his childhood home one last time to gather his things, he confronts a traumatic memory and must persevere to rediscover joy.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Patio Cigarette
directed by Win Marks
USA // 2025 // English // 2 mins
#Narrative Short
Queen of Samba
directed by Stacy Pascal Director
United States // 2024 // English, Portuguese // 11 mins
Wrestling with her identity on the eve of a big samba competition, Nayelis decides to try Lady Fair, a renowned lightening cream.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Ragamuffin
directed by Kaitlyn Mikayla
United States // 2025 // English // 14 mins
A young motocross racer spends a weekend at the track with her dad. She’s faced with her identity, deafness, and what it means to be a girl.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
RAT!
directed by Neal Suresh Mulani
United States // 2024 // English // 17 mins
When a disgruntled music journalist accuses a global pop star of queerbaiting, the singer’s devoted stans seek retribution.
#NarrativeShort
Recurrence
directed by Ali Alizadeh
Iran // 2023 // Azerbaijani // 15 mins
An elderly man leaves his terminally disabled son to fend for himself when a planet approaches Earth and scares away all the cows.
#NarrativeShort
Red Clay
directed by Christian Nolan Jones
United States // 2025 // English // 22 mins
In early 2000s Atlanta, Nook struggles to define a future for himself, aside from the world perpetuated by his mother's addiction.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Selfish
directed by Yang Hu
United States // 2025 // English, Chinese // 10 mins
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Single Residence Occupancy
directed by Omer Ben Shachar
United States // 2024 // Mandarin, English // 10 mins
A Chinese immigrant living in a Single Residence Occupancy apartment with two children grapples with the denial of her housing application.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Sister Salad Days
directed by Adesola Thomas
United States // 2024 // English // 17 mins
Deborah, a realm-traveler, enlists her double-dutch buddies to interrupt her wedding arranged by her religious father.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
SOME KIND of GUILT
directed by rubnogs
United States // 2024 // English // 6 mins
A woman goes to meet someone in the city. Will they show up?
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Something Borrowed, Something Pink
directed by Nadia Johnson, Ben Snyder
United States // 2024 // English // 12 mins
Natalie, a trans-woman, spontaneously attends the bachelorette party of her best friend's fiancée.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Strawberry Shortcake
directed by Deborah Deyvn Chuang
Taiwan // 2024 // Mandarin // 21 mins
Reality and dreamscape become increasingly blurred in an uncomfortable Freudian loop for teenage Lolo and her mother.
#NarrativeShort
SUSANA
directed by Amandine Thomas, Gerardo Coello Escalante
Mexico, United States // 2025 // English, Spanish // 15 mins
Middle-aged Susana befriends a group of young tourists after her daughter bails on their joint trip to Mexico City.
#NarrativeShort
Swimming Holes
directed by Kasey L. Martin
United States // 2025 // English // 16 mins
After her grandmother’s passing, Destiny journeys to Hawaii to reconnect with her estranged sister and discovers unexpected paths to healing.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
The Beguiling
directed by ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
United States // 2024 // English // 15 mins
What seems to be a burgeoning romance between two Natives takes a sinister turn as one grows suspicious of the other's Indigenous heritage.
#NarrativeShort
The Best
directed by Ian Bawa
Canada // 2024 // English // 9 mins
A South Asian bodybuilder internally pumps himself to hide his complicated feelings towards his recently deceased father.
#NarrativeShort
The Next Thing I Know, I'm Dead
directed by Victoria Gunawan
United States // 2025 // English // 6 mins
Beth and Laura imagine the last moments of their dead sister and mother while at the funeral home.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
The Secret
directed by Daniel Rocha
United States // 2024 // English, Spanish // 17 mins
Desperate to pass Spanish class and graduate high school, James creates a scheme to change his teacher's mind.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
THE SWEATER
directed by Maziyar Khatam
Canada // 2024 // English // 8 mins
A man attempts to reclaim his favorite sweater after being guilted into donating it.
#NarrativeShort
The Unbearing
directed by ALSO Sisters
United States // 2024 // English // 14 mins
After resorting to an illegal abortion, a pest control worker must exterminate the sinister presence growing inside of her.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
the weight of a dog
directed by Lucy Sandler
United States // 2024 // English // 15 mins
When Dawn chaperones her daughter’s abortion, their experiences of womanhood clash, leading Dawn to reconsider her own life's next phase.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
Three Kisses
directed by Ellis Kaan Özen
Turkey // Unreleased // Turkish, English // 14 mins
Set in 80's Istanbul, Ali comes back from America with his new fianceé.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
To End All Spells
directed by Nana Kwabena, Zak Cedarholm
United States // 2024 // English // 16 mins
In her dying village, a warrior battles to protect Palve—a sacred psychedelic fruit that connects its indigenous to the spiritual realm.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
VBS
directed by Millie Witherow
United States // 2025 // English // 8 mins
An unlikely romance sparks at a Vacation Bible School for the adults of an eccentric church.
#NarrativeShort, #GeorgiaFilm
What You Left In the Ditch
directed by Tucker Bliss
United States // 2024 // English // 18 mins
A woman contemplates having an affair after her husband returns from war without any lips.
#NarrativeShort
Why The Cattle Wait
directed by Phumi Morare
South Africa // 2024 // Xhosa // 21 mins
A folklore love story about a Nguni goddess who must convince her human lover to return to leave the earth with her, before she destroys it.
#NarrativeShort, #InCompetition
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
ART WITH EVERY BREATH
directed by Caroline Josey Karoki
United States // 2025 // English // 10 mins
A Savannah based visual artist, whose work confronts racial inequality and celebrates cultural resilience, reflects on his process and his connection to his community.
#DocumentaryShort, #GeorgiaFilm
At See
directed by Serena Dykman
United States // 2025 // English // 15 mins
A group of blind travelers navigate a commercial cruise ship with their guide dogs.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Clara's Fruit
directed by Morgan Mathews
United States // 2025 // English, Arabic // 15 mins
Principal Khalil reflects on the 90 year legacy of his great-grandmother, who built the first Muslim private school system in the country.
#DocumentaryShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Everywhere I Look
directed by November Nolan
United States // 2025 // English // 16 mins
A young trans woman travels back to places she visited as a child with her estranged mother, reflecting on memory, loss, and grief.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Expiration Date
directed by Giles Perkins
United States // 2025 // English // 14 mins
As Ned, a fourth generation dairy farmer approaches retirement, his son reflects on his decision not to carry on its legacy.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
JERHY
directed by John Ortiz
Costa Rica, United States // 2024 // Spanish // 20 mins
Haunted by the murder of a man he never met, a Costa Rican filmmaker pieces together the life of Indigenous landback activist Jerhy Rivera.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Memoir
directed by Aiden Keltner
United States // 2025 // English // 5 mins
Using audio recordings and home video footage from his childhood, a young filmmaker reflects on the memory of his parents divorce.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
One Rehearses, the Other Doesn't
directed by Jessica Hankey
United States // 2025 // English // 16 mins
Marjorie Annapav works with a performance coach to turn her life into a play, rehearsing seduction, grief, and a mercenary marriage.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Opal Of The West
directed by Charlie Watts
United Kingdom // 2024 // English // 9 mins
Opal of the West explores the stories of the British seaside town of Blackpool. Is it wrong that people can be happy with what they have?
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Piñata Prayers
directed by Daniel Larios
United States, El Salvador // 2025 // English, Spanish // 24 mins
Breaking down the colonial tradition of piñatas, this personal film probes into a loss of faith while retracing a family history.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Rice & Grits : A Vietnamese American Culinary Odyssey of the American South
directed by Hieu Huynh
United States // 2024 // Vietnamese // 10 mins
Filmmaker Hieu Gray embarks on a personal culinary exploration of the intersection of Vietnamese and Southern cuisine.
#DocumentaryShort, #GeorgiaFilm
Sunset and the Mockingbird
directed by Jyllian Gunther
United States // 2025 // English // 29 mins
As the memory of an aging jazz musician fades, his wife navigates his declining health while taking comfort in the music that shaped their love.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
Teddy
directed by Lauren Santucci
United States // 2025 // English // 16 mins
A verité portrait of a male birth doula working to improve birth outcomes for Black women in Houston, Texas.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
THE BUZZ OF ST.ROCH
directed by Carl Harrison Jr & Patrice E. Jones
United States // 2024 // English // 10 mins
Beekeeper Carl Harrison Jr. builds a bee sanctuary in his New Orleans neighborhood, preserving the legacy of Black beekeepers in Louisiana.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
The Devil Is Busy
directed by Christalyn Hampton, Geeta Gandbhir
United States // 2025 // English // 31 mins
Tracy doesn't take any chances when it comes to the safety of both the patients and the staff of an abortion clinic in Atlanta.
#DocumentaryShort, #GeorgiaFilm
The Long Valley
directed by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck & Robert Machoian
United States // 2025 // Spanish // 13 mins
A documentary about the hopes and dreams of the people of the Salinas Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in California.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
The Return
directed by Laissa Malih
Kenya // 2024 // Maasai, Samburu, English // 16 mins
Laissa Malih returns to her community in this deeply personal look at how the lands of her forefathers are being reshaped by climate change.
#DocumentaryShort, #InCompetition
ANIMATED SHORTS
BUDŌ
directed by Alexander Toma, Amanda Aagard
Sweden // 2024 // Japanese // 15 mins
A lonely widow finds comfort in the company of a hungry stray cat, who soon takes over her life in unimaginable ways.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
HUMANITY
directed by Tereza Kovandová
Czech Republic // 2024 // // 8 mins
Life is hard even without having to tolerate other people's annoying habits. In this world, the darkest revenge fantasies come true.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
In Loving Memory
directed by Kathryn Bravo
United States // 2025 // English // 4 mins
#AnimatedShort, #SpecialPresentation, #GeorgiaFilm
Jesus 2
directed by Jesse Moynihan
United States, Colombia // 2024 // English // 8 mins
In the future no one can die and no one wants to live anymore. Two brothers must destroy an evil messiah to break the curse of immortality.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Loop Line
directed by Renuka Shahane
India // 2024 // Marathi // 8 mins
A middle-aged Mumbai housewife endures her husband's chauvinism and the tedium of her endless chores, finding solace in her fantasies.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Mother’s Child
directed by Naomi Noir
The Netherlands // 2024 // English // 9 mins
To provide care for her son with special needs, Mary is navigating so much red tape that a surreal situation is looming.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Rajas & the Wolf Girl
directed by Nidhi Reddy
United States // 2025 // 14 mins
At a circus, a bird-brained teenager falls for a hirsute girl after finding himself transformed.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Retirement Plan
directed by John Kelly
Ireland // 2024 // English // 7 mins
Frustrated with his life, Ray (Domhnall Gleeson) dreams of the beauty and joy he will find in retirement.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Super High: A Period Piece
directed by Bianca D. Lambert
United States // 2024 // English // 9 mins
In search of relief from excruciating period pain caused by fibroids, Amanda takes a too-big dose of celebrity-branded cannabis edibles.
#AnimatedShort, #GeorgiaFilm, #InCompetition
Tennis, Oranges
directed by Sean Pecknold
United States // 2024 // Mandarin // 11 mins
A vacuum quits its job to find greater purpose on a quiet street where two lonely rabbits are stuck in loops.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
The Garden Sees Fire
directed by Kiera Faber
United States // 2024 // 15 mins
A mystical tale of cloaked identities, and insatiable consumption: The ecology burns, reclaiming its environs.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Tiger Lily Mountain Pass
directed by Nate King
United States // 2024 // 5 mins
In the heart of the Appalachian forests, where queerness is often hidden or disguised, a hiker encounters myth, romance, and transformation.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
Toil and Spin
directed by Maureen Zent
United States // 2024 // 5 mins
An irresistible plunge into sleep and ineluctable eddy of sleeplessness.
#AnimatedShort, #GeorgiaFilm, #InCompetition
We Cool?
directed by Yizhen Hou
United States // 2024 // English // 8 mins
Through bad dates and bong rips, a flamboyant queer bird attempts to salvage a night that keeps going from bad to worse.
#AnimatedShort, #InCompetition
EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
...And You Had Tourette's
directed by Luis Figueroa Caunedo
United States, Czech Republic // 2025 // English // 7 mins
An international student moves in with Americans. An old man spills his coffee.
#ExperimentalShort
Crazy Lotus
directed by Naween Noppakun
Thailand, France // 2024 // Thai // 15 mins
A new invention causes mysterious occurrences as people stroll around between infinite possibilities.
#ExperimentalShort
Le Cosmos
directed by Natalie Peracchio
United States // 2024 // French // 5 mins
A suburban mailbox has an existential breakdown.
#ExperimentalShort
Passenger
directed by Patrick Connelly
United States // 2024 // English // 3 mins
A scratch animation about the experience of commuting by train.
#ExperimentalShort
Ravage: Part A
directed by Tiffiniy Cheng
United States // 2024 // English // 20 mins
We're all just admins of thought! Amid a small-town war, a mediocre call center contractor gets a suitcase for her fatuous small talk.
#ExperimentalShort
When the Camera Wasn't Running
directed by Ruby Kline
United States // 2024 // English // 9 mins
A young girl from New Orleans dreams of celebrating her birthday during the weekend of Hurricane Katrina.
#ExperimentalShort
MUSIC VIDEO
As long as we’re together
directed by Miha Subic
Slovenia // 2023 // Slovenian // 4 mins
The end of the world is coming.
#MusicVideo
At This Moment...
directed by Dwight Yao
China // 2024 // Chinese, English // 5 mins
The girls’ dreams unfold through their journey of first love with an imaginary boy, set against a desolate landscape at a dizzying altitude.
#MusicVideo
BUTTERFLIES
directed by Wenkai Wang
China // 2024 // English // 4 mins
A mad scientist is bent on transforming a girl into a butterfly.
#MusicVideo
Do Not Dance
directed by Julian Quentin, Marie Heleen Samrotzki
Germany, Switzerland // 2024 // 7 mins
A performer loves her company. Only slowly, she realizes what she never wanted to see.
#MusicVideo
En El Bronx Part 2
directed by Armani Ortiz
United States // 2024 // Spanish, English // 6 mins
The wedding day is here, but drama fills The Bronx! In this new Bad Bunny musical, Benito returns to chaos that may ruin his big day.
#MusicVideo, #GeorgiaFilm
Hey Men!
directed by Tabitha Fisher, Spencer Moreland
Canada // 2024 // English // 5 mins
A blistering rock opera about the rise of fascism.
#MusicVideo
Hope
directed by Jarrett Roseborough
United States // 2024 // English // 10 mins
Students at Pine Forge Academy use dance, singing, rap and a positive message through a medley of songs to spread hope to the world.
#MusicVideo
In the Darkness
directed by Adilet Abish
Kazakhstan // 2024 // Kazakh // 6 mins
A frightened and lonely child arrives at an orphanage, where a newly acquired friend finds a way to shine light on his grief.
#MusicVideo
Mother of Mothers
directed by SANDY ISMAIL
United States // 2024 // English // 7 mins
A woman faces the solace and angst of carrying a new life.
#MusicVideo
Once More & Again (Our Mourning)
directed by Lawrence Matthews, Martin Matthews
United States // 2024 // English // 5 mins
A troubled young pastor deals with the loss of someone close.
#MusicVideo
Red Spot Sun
directed by John Roche III
United States // 2024 // English // 4 mins
Galactic fame or galactic friendship?
#MusicVideo, #GeorgiaFilm
These Moms are Cooler than Me
directed by Andrew Bourne
United States // 2024 // English // 2 mins
A deadbeat son realizes his mom's friends are really cool.
#MusicVideo, #GeorgiaFilm
EPISODIC
Born 2 Lose
directed by Carlos Cardona
United States // 2025 // English, Spanish // 32 mins
It's 2005. Andrew seeks to repair the punk seen in the Hamptons as he struggles with his relationship, conservative Latino family, and his friend returning from military school.
#Episodic
By the Lake
directed by Alex Dauphin
United States // 2025 // English // 26 mins
Luce, a Black Atlantan, and Reina a white Appalachian, begin an unlikely friendship at a rehab cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
#Episodic, #GeorgiaFilm
Eli & Noah Eat a Popeyes Chicken Sandwich
directed by Caleb Métissier
United States // 2025 // English // 12 mins
A pair of college dropout stoners decide to leave the house at 3:00 am in search of the coveted, zesty, Popeye's chicken sandwich.
#Episodic, #GeorgiaFilm
KOI (Kids of Immigrants)
directed by RJ Siu
United States // 2024 // English, Korean // 22 mins
Four Asian-American roommates navigate love, liberty, and the pursuit of perfect work-life balance as mid-twenties Californians.
#Episodic
Spice Frontier: Escape from Veltegar
directed by Jalil Sadool
United States // 2025 // English // 30 mins
While searching the galaxy for long-lost Earth spices, The crew of the Serrano crash lands on a dangerous desert planet.
#Episodic
The Rise of Blus - A Nouns Movie
directed by Billy Dao, Jamie Chung
United States // 2024 // English // 42 mins
In the floating cloud city of Blus, every 13-year-old’s fate is decided by a revered eye exam. But when Noun discovers the plot of aristocrats to abuse the exam to enslave its citizens, he teams up with other misfits to save the city.
#Episodic
VIRTUAL REALITY
Reimagined Vol III: Young Thang
directed by Melissa Joyner, Julie Cavaliere, Michaela Ternasky-Holland
United States // 2024 // English // 16 mins
Young Thang, who wears a second skin to blend into a community where humans are forbidden, is pushed to the brink by the pressure to conform.
#VirtualReality
Texada
directed by Claire Sanford, Josephine Anderson
Canada // 2023 // English // 17 mins
On the remote Canadian island of Texada, everyday human existence is juxtaposed with planetary patterns of creation, extinction and renewal.
#VirtualReality
About Atlanta Film Festival
The Atlanta Film Festival is an Academy Award-qualifying festival and the area’s preeminent celebration of cinema. ATLFF is one of the largest and longest-running festivals in the country, welcoming an audience of over 28,000 to discover hundreds of new independent, international, animated, documentary, and short films, selected from 8000+ submissions from all over the world. It is also the most distinguished event in its class, recognized as Best Film Festival by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, 10Best, and Atlanta Magazine.
The Atlanta Film Festival is the chief annual operation of the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS), one of the oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the promotion and education of film in the United States, which enriches the community through screenings, classes, workshops, and other events year-round. Major funding for ATLFS is provided by Rendezvous, the Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival.
