2021 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners

Please join the Atlanta Film Festival and the Atlanta Film Society in congratulating the 2021 Screenplay Competition Winners! Chosen from an absolutely record-shattering year, these screenplays and their respective authors represent the very best from nearly 2,400 feature, pilot, and short screenplay submissions. These five stories are undeniably all deeply personal, incredibly realized, and astounding in profundity.

FEATURE SCREENPLAY WINNERS

AMERICAN BABYLON by Yvan Iturriaga

MARCONIVILLE by Tony Clemente Jr.

POPULAR by Marley Schneier

PILOT SCREENPLAY WINNER

CAMP AMERIKA by Donna McNeely Burke

SHORT SCREENPLAY WINNER

PICK OR PAT by Jordan Whiteside-Johnson

In addition to their cash prizes, over the coming months, these scribes will enjoy unique mentorship opportunities, and they’ll get to watch talent bring excerpts of each of their screenplays to life in the form of Virtual Table Reads.

The 14th Annual ATLFF Screenplay Competition, which was recently named one of MovieMaker magazine’s 15 Submission-Worthy Screenwriting Competitions of 2021 is now officially open for entries!

For more information, please visit https://www.atlantafilmfestival.com/submit-your-screenplay

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2021 AWARD WINNERS AND EVENT RESULTS

ATLANTA, GA (May 14, 2021) — The 45th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) is proud to announce the award winners for the 2021 festival, which took place from April 22, 2021 – May 2, 2021. Additionally, ATLFF is pleased to share event facts and figures resulting from its unique hybrid blend of both virtual and in-person presentations throughout this year’s festival. 

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 2022 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 Ali Kareem, a screenwriter and director whose first short film, “Hassan in Wonderland,” has been screened at many film festivals all around the world; Jason Orr, an award-winning documentary filmmaker most notably known as the director, writer and producer of the award-winning documentary film, “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade;” Keisha Rae Witherspoon, a Jamaican-American independent filmmaker who was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film 2020;” Gabriela Díaz Arp, an independent producer and filmmaker whose most recent virtual reality film premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and screened at Cannes NEXT and the Sheffield Doc Fest; among over a dozen others. The Audience Awards were determined by both virtual and in-person attendees. 

2021 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

Best Documentary Feature:
CARTERLAND directed by Jim Pattiz & Will Pattiz

Special Jury Award for Artistic Spirit and Ingenuity - Documentary Feature:
SOCKS ON FIRE directed by Bo McGuire

Best Narrative Feature:
CULPA directed by Ulrike Grote

Special Jury Award for Rising Director and Lead Actor - Narrative Feature:
LUDI directed by Edson Jean, starring Shein Mompremier

Best Animated Short:
UN DIABLE DANS LA POCHE, directed by Antoine Bonnet & Mathilde Loubes 

Best Documentary Short:
SEAHORSE directed by Nele Dehnenkamp

• Honorable Mention - Documentary Short:

SCARLET MEDUSA directed by Spencer MacDonald

Best Narrative Short:
THE DRESS directed by Tadeusz Lysiak

• Honorable Mention - Narrative Short:

  ANITA directed by Sushma Khadepaun

• Honorable Mention - Narrative Short:

  BORN AGAIN directed by Candice Onyeama

• Honorable Mention - Narrative Short:

  GEORGIA directed by Jayil Pak

Best Cinematography (Sponsored by Panavision and Light Iron):
OFF THE ROAD cinematography by Ernesto Trujillo

• Honorable Mention - Cinematography:

  SOCKS ON FIRE cinematography by Matt Clegg  

Georgia Film Award:
bustitOpen directed by Danielle Deadwyler

Filmmaker-to-Watch Award:
Justice Jamal Jones ("How to Raise a Black Boy”)

Southern Documentary Fund Filmmaker Award (Presented by the SDF):

• SOCKS ON FIRE directed by Bo McGuire

• TEN LEAVES DILATED directed by Kate E. Hinshaw, co-directed by Ebony Blanding

 Audience Award Winners:

• SOCKS ON FIRE directed by Bo McGuire

• A FIRE WITHIN directed by Christopher Chambers

• JUST THE TWO OF US directed by Grasie Mercedes, co-directed by Nathan Caywood

• GEORGIA directed by Jayil Pak

From a record-breaking 9,500+ submissions, ATLFF selected 170 works, a mix of narrative and documentary feature-length films, short films and creative media, for the 2021 festival. Of the selected works, 53 percent were submissions with women and gender non-conforming directors, 15 percent had ties to Georgia and approximately 50 percent were directed by a person of color. In addition to the selected programming, ATLFF held 12 Marquee screenings and 35 Creative Conference events.

Shifting to a hybrid model with socially distanced in-person screenings, drive-in screenings and digital screenings, the 2021 event drew in approximately 23,000 total attendees. Over 1,600 people attended 17 indoor screenings held at The Plaza Theatre and 24 drive-in screenings held at two venues (The Plaza, Dad’s Garage) during the 11-day festival. An additional 12,000 people streamed screenings from ATLFF’s virtual catalog of 60 films and 35 Creative Conference workshops, panels or Masterclasses. 

With many of the in-person and drive-in screenings selling out, the virtual presentation of the film catalog also proved to be a success. More than five months’ worth of content was streamed during the festival, with viewers in all U.S. states, including District of Columbia, and 19 countries across five inhabited continents. The virtual format also allowed for over 80 festival filmmakers and 59 industry experts and professionals to participate in the Creative Conference.

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

The 46th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference is set to take place from April 21, 2022 – May 1, 2022. ATLFF is currently accepting submissions for the 2022 festival. More information can be found at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com. 

JURORS

NARRATIVE FEATURE JURY

CLAIRE CIFELLI (IFC Films)
Claire Cifelli is a marketing manager at IFC Films, where she leads theatrical and home entertainment campaigns for award-winning independent cinema. She collaborates with filmmakers, artists, exhibitors, and grassroots organizations to help support dozens of releases a year. In 2019, she served as IFC Film's creative lead for The Nightingale's "Breathtaking" trailer, which earned a gold award from Clio Entertainment. Her current and upcoming projects include Moffie, The Dry, and The Nowhere Inn.

BRETT ROGALSKY (Gravitas Ventures)
Brett is the Manager of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures. A massive cinephile, he strives to bring strong independent content to a wide audience. He’s proudly a Pittsburgh native, and graduated from the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College with a degree in Cinema and Photography.

ALI KAREEM (Filmmaker)
Ali Kareem, born in 1984, is an Iraqi / German screenwriter and director. In 2011, he graduated as theater director from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad University. In 2016, he completed his master "Choreography and Performance" at the Institute for Applied Theatre Studies, at Gießen University (Germany). His first short film HASSAN IN WONDERLAND has been screened on many film festivals all around the world including Palm Springs Film Festival and Short Short Film Festival. Ali Kareem works as program advisor for Film Festivals and he is part of the selection committee of the Arab Festival San Francisco.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE JURY

CHRIS CAMPBELL (Film School Rejects)
Christopher Campbell is a Senior Editor at Film School Rejects and the founding editor of Nonfics as well as a regular contributor to Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, Oz Magazine, and others. A transplant from the Northeast, he has been writing film criticism and covering entertainment news since the early 2000s and has specialized in documentaries for the past decade. In addition to being a member of the AFCC, he is the President of the Documentary Branch of the Critics Choice Association, for which he leads the annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards.

CAMERON SWANAGON (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Cameron has been an Oscilloscope Laboratories loyalist since his days slinging DVDs at a video rental shop, and as an employee for the last six years, most recently coordinating with festivals. He sustains mainly on top-ramen and drinks his coffee black.

 JASON ORR (Filmmaker, ATLFF Alum)
Jason Orr is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, marketing consultant, cultural arts curator and festival producer, most notably, FunkJazz Kafé Arts & Music Festival and Life Arts Documentary Film Festival + Music Conference. He's the director, writer and producer of the award-winning documentary film, "FunkJazz Kafé: Diary Of A Decade", producer of the award-winning "Maynard" documentary on former Atlanta mayor and visionary, Maynard Jackson, producer/director of "Stepping Into Tomorrow' and director of "Hoodwinked: The Nigga Factory", a web series produced by Speech of Arrested Development. Orr has also produced and directed short films and music videos with several mainstream artists such as Meshell Ndegeocello, UK artist Omar Lye-Fook, Dionne Farris and Van Hunt. On screen, Orr has appeared as himself on TV One's hit series, "Unsung" and Centric's "Leading Ladies - India Arie", providing expertise commentary on music and social history. In 2014, he received a proclamation from the City Of Atlanta for his contributions to the city's music, film and cultural arts communities.

 NARRATIVE SHORT JURY

KEISHA RAE WITHERSPOON (Filmmaker, ATLFF Alum)
Keisha Rae Witherspoon is a Jamaican-American independent filmmaker currently based in South Florida, her birthplace. Her work is driven by interests in science, speculative fiction and fantasy, as well as documenting the unseen and unheralded nuances of diasporic people. She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film 2020". Her most recent film T has screened at BlackStar, Sundance and Berlinale, where it won the Golden Bear. It closed its festival run at New Directors/New Films and is currently streaming on The Criterion Channel. She is currently writing a Black sci-fi set in Opa-locka, Florida. This will be her feature directorial debut.

BOB MONDELLO (NPR)
Bob Mondello has reviewed movies and reported on arts and culture for NPR’s All Things Considered since 1984. Before becoming a critic, he headed the public relations department for a Washington DC cinema chain.

SHIRA ROCKOWITZ (Sundance Institute)
As Director of Creative Producing and Artist Support in the Feature Film Program at Sundance Institute, Shira leads the organization’s strategy for supporting emerging independent fiction producers, screenwriters, and directors. Prioritizing inclusion and underrepresented voices, she devises programs that encompass creative/professional development, granting, mentorship, and industry engagement to help artists advance their work and build enduring careers. Recently supported films include The 40-Year-Old Version, Farewell Amor, Nine Days, The Farewell, and Sorry to Bother You. Previously, Shira was Director of Development and Production at Exclusive Media and a co-producer on John Carney’s Begin Again. She has also held positions at New Regency, Paramount Vantage, and Fine Line Features / New Line Cinema. Shira is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds an MFA from the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California, where she is an adjunct lecturer.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT JURY

MORRISA MALTZ (Filmmaker, ATLFF Alum)
Morrisa Maltz is an artist and filmmaker. She holds a BA in Fine Art from Columbia University. Her work has been shown at MOCA, MCASB and galleries internationally. Her first film, THE CARETAKER, won Best Live Action Short at the 2012 LES Film Festival in New York. Her second film, ODYSSEA, premiered at Slamdance in 2014. Morrisa’s first feature documentary, INGRID, premiered on PBS last spring and is distributed by Grasshopper Film. INGRID was a 2018 Festival Gem, and featured on Hammer to Nail’s top 20 films of 2018 as well as articles by The Sundance Institute and Movie Maker Magazine. She is currently finishing post production of her first narrative feature, THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY. Morrisa is a 2018/2019 AFS North Texas Pioneer grant recipient and was included in the IFP Narrative Lab 2019 US in Progress Poland and the 2019 AFS Artist Intensive.

GABRIELA DÍAZ ARP (Filmmaker, ATLFF Alum)
Gabriela Díaz Arp is an independent producer and filmmaker passionate about developing films and art that strengthen the human connection. Her most recent virtual reality film, Meeting a Monster, exploring the memories and motivations of former white supremacist Angela King, premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. It has also been shown at Cannes NEXT and the Sheffield Doc Fest. She's currently working on a documentary about a multi-generational family of women in Puerto Rico creating a science fiction film as a way of healing from gender-based violence and abuse.

DREW SCHWARTZ (VICE)
Drew Schwartz is a staff writer at VICE, where he covers the music and film industries. While he now lives in New York, he was born and raised in Atlanta.

ANIMATED SHORT JURY

JANE SAMBORSKI (Animator)
Jane Samborski is the Animation Director for Cryptozoo, winner of the Sundance Innovator Award. She is the Lead Animator for My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, and her work has appeared in multiple documentaries as well as the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. She currently resides in Richmond, VA. with her filmmaking partner and husband, Dash Shaw, and their daughter.

JAK WILMOT (Disrupt, ATLFF Alum)
Jak Wilmot is the founder of Disrupt - an internet studio creating YouTube & Virtual Reality content.

ASHLEY KOHLER (Awesome Incorporated)
Ashley Kohler is the multi-hyphenate head of motion design and animation studio Awesome Incorporated. Ashley launched Awesome Inc in 2006 after eight years at Cartoon Network, bringing both experience and artistry to the company’s foundation. Supervising both creative and production, Ashley’s hands-on approach can be seen throughout Awesome Inc’s distinctive body of work and visionary team of talent. Ashley’s creativity, attention to detail and ardor for animation help distinguish Awesome Inc in the crowded field of content creation. 

Ashley has led teams on over 150 episodes of series animation for networks like Adult Swim, Hulu and IFC, while also supervising commercial, promo, and packaging projects for clients including FX, Cartoon Network, Wieden+Kennedy, and Nickelodeon. She is passionate about improving diversity in animation and empowering artists throughout the Southeast, and serves on the board of directors for ASIFA South.

CINEMATOGRAPHY JURY

AMBER L.N. BOURNETT (Cinematographer, ATLFF Alum)
Amber L.N. Bournett is an award winning cinematographer & director based in Atlanta. While studying Fine Art & Film and Video at Georgia State University, Bournett co-founded independent production company House of June. She then served as a videographer under an indie music label. Bournett gained training as a camera prep technician at Commander Lighting and Grip, before joining the union as a camera assistant. As an independent filmmaker, Bournett has served as cinematographer and co-director to several award winning short narratives. In addition to national festival screenings, several of her narratives have screened internationally. Her ATL Airport Shorts triptych, LEVITATE, LEVITATE, LEVITATE, was selected for Cannes Shorts through the THEA program. Amber has contributed additional photography for feature films, documentaries, and series including BET (“Tales”), HBO (UNITED SKATES OF AMERICA), and independent feature HIS, HERS AND THE TRUTH. Bournett was also a 2019 participant of the AFI Female Cinematographer Intensive. 

KRISTIAN ZUNIGA (Cinematographer, ATLFF Alum)
Kristian Zuniga came up in Atlanta working on music videos for artists like Future, Migos, Run The Jewels, Young Thug, Young Jeezy and many other local legends. He quickly found his way into branded docs and commercials. Within the last two years he's transitioned into the feature world having shot Depeche Modes "Spirits In The Forest", which premiered in theaters in November of 2019 and most recently BEAST BEAST which premiered at Sundance in 2020. 

SAM ELLISON (Cinematographer, ATLFF Alum)
Sam Ellison is a cinematographer, director and camera operator based in New York City. He was nominated for the SOC’s Camera Operator of the Year Award for his work on A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019). His debut feature documentary, Chèche Lavi (Looking for Life), premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2019, winning Best Cinematography at the Atlanta Film Festival 2020 and Best Documentary Director at RiverRun 2020. Chèche Lavi has played at more than 40 festivals around the world. Sam’s recent camera credits include work on I Know This Much is True (2020), Academy Award winner Manchester By The Sea (2016), The Devil All The Time (2020), Vox Lux (2018), and the television series Severance (2021). He received his BA from Harvard in 2008 and his MFA from Stanford in 2017.

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2021 AWARD WINNERS

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

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

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

2021 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

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

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

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
CULPA – directed by Ulrike Grote

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

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

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
SEAHORSE – directed by Nele Dehnenkamp 

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

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT
THE DRESS – directed by Tadeusz Łysiak

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

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

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

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

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

GEORGIA FILM AWARD
bustitOpen – directed by Danielle Deadwyler

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

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

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PROGRAMMING FOR 2021 CREATIVE CONFERENCE

ATLANTA, GA (March 23, 2021) — The Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) announced its lineup of 2021 Creative Conference events today. This will be the 11th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s educational programming, and will take place as part of the 45th annual festival from April 22 – May 2, 2021. Today’s announcement comprises 3 headlining Masterclasses, 13 one-on-one conversations and 7 roundtables featuring some of the most well-respected names in the entertainment industry from around the country.

The Creative Conference serves to educate, entertain and enlighten by pulling back the curtain on film and television production to give the ATLFF audience a peek behind the scenes at how projects get made and by whom. The topics of these informative sessions, which will all be presented virtually via Eventive, will include writing, showrunning, producing, directing, cinematography, acting, sound recording, lighting, composing, podcasting, LED virtual stages, distribution, props, stunt work and more.

"One of the positives of this last year, for the Creative Conference, is our all-virtual format. The freedom to pre-record conversations has allowed otherwise impossible to get professionals from around the country to share their personal experience, career advice and industry knowledge. This virtual format also allows anyone from anywhere in the world to access our programming, and we couldn't be more excited to engage and empower artists and audiences in this new way,” said Linda Burns, a 30-year industry veteran and Creative Conference programmer.

The three Masterclasses will feature revealing conversations with some of the most admired and sought-after artists in their respective fields. Wayne White, a three-time Emmy-winning artist and subject of the documentary “Beauty is Embarrassing,” will divulge to local puppeteer, filmmaker, and fabricator Sam Carter, where he finds inspiration, what gets him out of bed every day and what responsibility he thinks artists have as creators and mentors.

Ty Franck, Hugo Award-winning author, Executive Producer and Co-Creator of the hit Amazon Prime show “The Expanse,” will sit down with Georgia filmmaker Raymond Carr to discuss the show’s journey – from tabletop role-playing game to award-winning novel series and eventually to its current stellar television show about to begin its sixth season.

Finally, Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, The Little Mermaid, Snowpiercer, Soul) and Rafael Casal (The Good Lord Bird, Are You Afraid of the Dark, Bad Education, Def Poetry), co-writers and co-stars of the 2018 film “Blindspotting,” will talk about the film’s inspiration and upcoming TV adaptation with one of the show’s directors, Atlanta-based Angela Barnes. They will also dive into the origins of their friendship in high school, their collaborative process and challenges they’ve faced throughout their careers.

In addition to the Masterclasses, ATLFF will expand on the industry knowledge presented during the Creative Conference with 13 one-on-one discussions and 7 roundtables covering a vast array of topics. Panelist credits for this year’s lineup include: “WandaVision,” “Dexter,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “The Walking Dead,” “Criminal Minds,” “Stranger Things,” “Ozark,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Black Panther,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “The Gifted,” “Watchmen,” “Harriet,” and many more celebrated television series and films.

In an additional Creative Conference element new for 2021, local independent filmmakers will moderate another 15+ panel discussions with filmmakers from around the world who were accepted into this year’s festival in the documentary, animation, narrative, and experimental short categories, as well as the episodic, music video, and virtual reality programs. The exact details and participants on these panels will be announced closer to the festival.

“Casual conversations revolving around the art and business of filmmaking between Atlanta-based professionals and their friends and colleagues offer virtual festival goers a unique and much more intimate experience than ever before. In addition, local indie filmmakers moderating roundtables with some of the directors accepted into our festival program gives these creatives from across the globe the chance to interact and connect with one another when in-person networking isn’t an option,” Burns added.

Previous Creative Conference Masterclass hosts have included actors William H. Macy, James Franco, Amber Nash and Romany Malco; a panel of producers from Pinewood Atlanta Studios and Marvel Studios; filmmakers and showrunners Damon Lindelof, Jason Reitman, James Ponsoldt, Victor Nunez and Tom Luse; and Broadway veteran Schuler Hensley.

2021 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE REVEALS OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 45TH ANNUAL EVENT

ATLANTA, GA (March 12, 2021) — The Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) announced the lineup of selected works from submissions today for the 45th annual event, which will take place Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, May 2, 2021. Including three previously announced titles, there are 170 total works currently scheduled to play at ATLFF 2021’s virtual, drive-in and in-person screenings. There were a record-breaking 9,400 combined films and screenplays submitted to the 2021 festival.

Today’s announcement comprises 25 feature-length films, 119 short films and 26 creative media that will be showcased during the 11-day festival. A forthcoming slate of Marquee screenings, including Opening and Closing Night presentations, will be revealed in the coming weeks. Five winning screenplays from the screenplay competition will also be announced at a later date.

“The past year brought ambiguity and a loss of connection for so many across the globe, but it also clearly showed that empowering and amplifying our voices, particularly those that have been underrepresented, can bring us closer than ever. 2021 marks an important milestone for not only the Atlanta Film Festival, but the city of Atlanta and the nation as we come together in recovery. While we celebrate our 45th annual event, we also celebrate the resiliency of our community, both locally and worldwide, and the diverse voices represented in our outstanding slate of selected works,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of ATLFF.

Among the highlights of this year’s selected films include “Akilla’s Escape,” a narrative feature starring Morehouse College alumnus Saul Williams, which examines the cycle of generational violence; “A Fire Within,” a documentary that tells the incredible true story of three women who immigrate to the US after experiencing torture in Ethiopia, only to discover that the man responsible is working at a hotel in Midtown Atlanta; and “Moon Manor,” a narrative feature with a star-studded cast making its world premiere at ATLFF.

Diversity in programming has long been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, and the 2021 selections demonstrate this once again. Approximately 53 percent of the selected works are helmed by women and gender non-conforming directors, and roughly half are from BIPOC directors. Artists from 122 different countries submitted works for the 2021 festival, and 52 countries are represented in the selected works.

The 11th annual Creative Conference, the festival’s educational programming that features Masterclasses, roundtable discussions, one-on-one conversations and workshops with up-and-coming indie filmmakers, professional actors and industry experts from around the country, will return in a virtual format to the 2021 event.

The full Creative Conference lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. The highlights include Masterclasses from Wayne White, a three-time Emmy-winning artist; Ty Franck, Executive Producer of “The Expanse”; and Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, stars of the film “Blindspotting” and co-creators of its upcoming TV adaptation.

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 three or more categories.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, ATLFF 2021 will be presented via a mix of drive-in, virtual and socially distanced in-person screenings. As in 2020, the Creative Conference events will all be virtual. Drive-in screenings will be held at the Plaza Drive-In (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and Dad’s Garage Drive-In (569 Ezzard St SE), while the in-person screenings will take place at the Plaza Theatre.

Festival passes are on sale now at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com. Tickets for individual events will go on sale to ATLFS members on March 18 and to the public on March 25. Drive-in screenings will cost $15-50 (depending on the number of people in the vehicle), virtual events will be $9.99 and tickets to in-person screenings will be $20. All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES FIRST WAVE OF FILMS FROM 2021 LINEUP



The annual festival and series of educational events will take place  

from April 22 to May 2, 2021 

 ATLANTA, GA (February 2, 2021) — The Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) is pleased to announce the first wave of films programmed for the upcoming 45th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF), slated for April 22 through May 2, 2021. Each year, this first wave announcement acts as both the earliest glimpse at the upcoming festival as well as a representation of the exciting programming choices to come.  

 “This past year, as we’ve faced a period of isolation and loss, many of us have turned to film as a source of comfort and as a means to connect,” said ATLFF Programming Director Alyssa Armand. “We look forward to elevating the work of filmmakers who have continued to create art against all odds and celebrating the immense value that their work brings to our lives.” 

 The first wave of films includes two documentary features and one narrative feature, and are representative of the bold, creative, and compelling breadth of stories to be found across ATLFF’s 2021 programming. The Pattiz Brothers’ CARTERLAND lends a keen and thoughtful lens to reexamining the impact of a misunderstood president whose work shaped generations to come. In José Permar’s OFF THE ROAD, a group of young musicians vibrantly narrates the highs and lows of a quiet and isolated community awaiting the “Baja 1000” race to come speeding past them. Mari Walker’s SEE YOU THEN centers on a former couple intimately revisiting their past life, before old feelings and unresolved matters propel the night into a captivatingly raw confrontation. 

These three films will join an upcoming lineup of over 150 additional works selected from 7,092 film submissions. 

CARTERLAND 

directed by Jim Pattiz & Will Pattiz 

USA, English, 120 minutes 

In their feature film debut Carterland, the Pattiz Brothers examine the tragic,  yet inspiring story of America's most misunderstood president. While leading the nation through a series of unprecedented crises, Carter also confronted climate change and fought for social justice at home and abroad. This groundbreaking film draws on archival footage, experts, and insiders to reveal how Carter's selfless leadership and moral integrity ultimately cost him the presidency. 

#DocumentaryFeature, #Georgia 

OFF THE ROAD  

directed by José Permar 

Mexico/USA, Spanish, 77 minutes 

A group of young musicians sing the deeds of three men who live in the most isolated region of the Baja California Sur desert. As the “Baja 1000”, the world’s largest annual all-terrain car race, takes place crossing the Mexican-US border, these men look for an opportunity to be a part of it and escape the apparent monotony of their small communities. 

#DocumentaryFeature, #Cinemás 

SEE YOU THEN 

directed by Mari Walker 

USA, English, 74 minutes 

A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch-up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris' transition. Over the course of a one night encounter, they engage in a series of increasingly intimate and vulnerable conversations, before a shocking revelation is unveiled. See You Then focuses on the universal truth that no matter how much you change, a part of you will always stay the same. 

#NarrativeFeature, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach 

In 2020, ATLFF successfully adapted to the on-going pandemic by shifting from in-person screenings and events to a drive-in and digital format. The pivot in formats allowed the festival and educational conference to reach audiences safely across the globe. The 2021 format is expected to incorporate both drive-in and virtual screenings again, with announcements on the full schedule forthcoming.  

Currently, ATLFS is partnering with the Sundance Film Festival in presenting 12 films—all making their world premieres at Sundance—in Atlanta as part of Sundance’s Satellite Screens initiative. These films are playing at the Plaza Theatre, both indoors and drive-in, and at Dad’s Garage Drive-In. For a full schedule, visit https://www.atlantafilmsociety.org/sundance-schedule.