Moonshine Post Finishing Grant Unveiled at Atlanta Film Festival 2024: Empowering Georgia's Independent Filmmakers
Moonshine Post Production, in collaboration with the Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF), is proud to announce its latest initiative: the Moonshine Post Finishing Grants.
In an industry that has navigated a global pandemic, followed by industry strikes, Moonshine Post and its partners are dedicated to empowering filmmakers and supporting their creative endeavors. The Moonshine Post Finishing Grants provide crucial assistance to filmmakers, enabling them to bring their visions to life.
Atlanta, GA — Tuesday, May 14, 2024 — Moonshine Post Production, in collaboration with the Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF), is proud to announce its latest initiative: the Moonshine Post Finishing Grants.
In an industry that has navigated a global pandemic, followed by industry strikes, Moonshine Post and its partners are dedicated to empowering filmmakers and supporting their creative endeavors. The Moonshine Post Finishing Grants provide crucial assistance to filmmakers, enabling them to bring their visions to life.
The 2024 Post Finishing Grants were awarded to the Best Georgia Short and Best Georgia Feature at the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival. The grants are intended to provide color finishing for independent filmmakers that go through the Atlanta FIlm Festival official lineup. The first grant, valued at $4,000, will be awarded to a filmmaker who requires finishing for their short film; the second grant, valued at $25,000. The filmmakers who were awarded these grants were selected by the Atlanta Film Festival.
Past recipients of the grant, such as Kayla Johnson, 2022 ATLFF official filmmaker of the short, “I Am Jalaiah”, have praised Moonshine Post for its professionalism and dedication to nurturing emerging talents. Through initiatives like the Finishing Grant, Moonshine Post continues to uphold its commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive film community in Georgia.
Jenna Kanell and Raymond Wood (who won Best Georgia Feature for their film “Faceless After Dark”), along with Julio Palacio (who won Best Georgia Short for their film “Makayla’s Voice”) were awarded the grants on May 5, 2024 during the Atlanta Film Festival’s Filmmakers’ Brunch.
“Receiving the Georgia Film Award at the Atlanta Film Festival — an event I’ve been attending as an avid cinephile for nearly 20 years now — along with this Finishing Grant from Moonshine Post — another organization I’ve admired since (literally) day one — is an incredible honor, and one that I do not take lightly given the many talented filmmakers in the Southeast who are equally deserving of this level of support. As someone devoted to promoting inclusivity and equity both on-screen and off, I know that grants like these are crucial to helping us tell the kinds of stories that need to be told, and we are endlessly grateful for Moonshine’s continued support of homegrown, grassroots, independent filmmaking,” recent finishing grant winner, Raymond Wood, said.
Drew Sawyer, founder and Managing Partner of Moonshine Post, emphasizes the importance of community support in nurturing Georgia's creative economy. "I wouldn’t be here if my mentors and colleagues didn’t pay it forward," Sawyer said, highlighting the collaborative spirit that defines Georgia's film industry.
Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of Atlanta Film Society and ATLFF, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the role of grassroots initiatives in nurturing local talent. Through year-round programming and events like the Atlanta Film Festival, the Atlanta Film Society serves as a cornerstone of Georgia's filmmaking community.
The unveiling of the Moonshine Post Finishing Grant at the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival exemplifies Atlanta’s commitment to supporting its filmmakers and fostering a thriving creative ecosystem. As Georgia continues to dance through challenges, Moonshine Post remains dedicated to pouring back into the community and supporting the next generation of Georgia filmmakers.
For more information about the Moonshine Post Finishing Grant and other initiatives, please contact Brooke Sonenreich, Events and Education Director at Moonshine Post.
Media Contact:
Brooke Sonenreich
brooke@moonshinepost.com
(305) 298-5785
About Moonshine Post Production
Moonshine Post Production is a leading post-production company based in Atlanta, Georgia, dedicated to providing high-quality services to filmmakers of all backgrounds. With a commitment to nurturing local talent and fostering a vibrant creative community, Moonshine Post is proud to support the next generation of Georgia filmmakers.
About Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF)
The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the United States, celebrating the best in independent cinema from around the world. Founded in 1976, ATLFF showcases a diverse range of films and hosts industry events, workshops, and networking opportunities for filmmakers and enthusiasts alike.
ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL RED CARPET SCREENING OF “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY”
The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will host a red carpet Marquee presentation of “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.
WHAT: The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will host a red carpet Marquee presentation of “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY” tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.
The screening is part of the 11-day film festival and educational conference that kicked off Thursday, April 25 and will continue through Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
WHO: Media are invited to participate in red carpet interviews and photos immediately prior to the screening.
The Horne Brothers (Directors), Speech, Zaytoven, Jordan Victoria, Pastor Troy, Jason Orr, Dr. Courtney A. Hammonds, and Princess are expected to participate in red carpet photos and/or interviews prior to the screening.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Media Check In Opens: 6:00 PM
Carpet Opens: 6:15 PM
Screening Begins: 7:00 PM
WHERE: The Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
MEDIA RSVP: Please contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com with your interest in covering on-site or in advance.
* * *
ABOUT ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AND CREATIVE CONFERENCE
The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject). The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
This year’s lineup of 142 selected will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world, representing 118 countries with more than 24% of films with ties to Georgia filmmakers. Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles that combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.
The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are 32 in-person panels and 12 virtual panels planned during the 11-day festival.
ABOUT “THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY”
Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.
Directed by: The Horne Brothers
Screenwriter: Ernie Suggs, DeAsia Paige, The Horne Brothers
Producer: The Horne Brothers, DeAsia Paige, Ernie Suggs
Executive Producer: Leroy Chapman, Andrew Morse
Cast: Killer Mike, Raphael Warnock, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Jason Orr
Cinematographer: Tyson Horne, Ryon Horne
Editor: Ryon Horne
Schedule and tickets now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com
Full lineup can be found HERE.
To apply for press credentials, click HERE.
Press materials and assets, including press releases, logos, and film stills, click HERE.
Contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com for additional requests or questions.
48TH ANNUAL ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL RED CARPET SCREENING OF “POWER”
The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
Media are invited to attend the red carpet Marquee screening of “POWER” on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
WHAT: The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
Media are invited to attend the red carpet Marquee screening of “POWER” on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
About “POWER””: In the United States, police have been granted extraordinary power over our individual lives. The police determine who is suspicious and who ‘fits the description.’ They define the threats and decide how to respond. They demand obedience and carry the constant threat of violence. Thousands of these interactions play out in our cities and towns every day, according to real and perceived ideas of criminality and threats to social order—as decided by the police. Police make the abstract power of the state real.
“POWER” traces the accumulation of money, the consolidation of political power, and the nearly unrestricted bipartisan support that has created the institution of policing as we know it. The film offers a visceral and immersive journey to demonstrate how we’ve arrived at this moment in history, from the slave patrols of the 1700’s and the first publicly funded police departments of the 1800’s to the uprisings of the 1960’s and 2020’s. "POWER" premieres May 17 on Netflix.
Directed by: Yance Ford
Executive Producers: Jon Bardin, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Anya Rous
Producers: Yance Ford, Jess Devaney, Sweta Vohra and Netsanet Negussie
Starring: Wesley Lowery, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Paul Butler, Julian Go
WHO:
Director Yance Ford is expected to participate in red carpet interviews prior to the screening.
About Yance Ford: Ford is an Oscar-nominated director and producer based in New York City. His feature documentary film STRONG ISLAND premiered at Sundance in 2017 to critical acclaim winning a Special Jury Award for storytelling. The film was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature at the 90th Academy Awards, where Ford made history as the first openly transgender director nominated for an Oscar. STRONG ISLAND received the Primetime Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Film, the Gotham Award for Best Documentary, and the Black Film Critics Circle Award for Best Doc; was nominated for a George Foster Peabody Award; and won for Best Direction, Best Debut, and Best Feature at the Cinema Eye Honors.
WHEN:
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Carpet Opens: 6:00PM
“POWER” Screening Begins: 6:30PM
Q&A with Yance Ford: Immediately following the screening
WHERE: The Tara Theatre | Jack Auditorium | 2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
MEDIA RSVP:
Please contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com with your interest in covering on-site or in advance.
For information on Opening and Closing Night red carpet screenings, please click 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). The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
This year’s lineup of 142 selected will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world, representing 118 countries with more than 24% of films with ties to Georgia filmmakers. Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles that combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.
The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are 32 in-person panels and 12 virtual panels planned during the 11-day festival.
Schedule and tickets now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com
Full lineup can be found HERE.
To apply for press credentials, click HERE.
Press materials and assets, including press releases, logos, and film stills, click HERE.
Contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com for additional requests or questions.
48TH ANNUAL ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHT RED CARPET PRESENTATIONS
The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
Media are invited to Save The Date(s) to participate in Opening Night and Closing Night red carpet screening events on Friday, April 26, 2024 and Saturday, May 4, 2024 respectively.
WHAT: The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
Media are invited to Save The Date(s) to participate in Opening Night and Closing Night red carpet screening events on Friday, April 26, 2024 and Saturday, May 4, 2024 respectively.
WHO & FILMS:
Opening Night Presentation of “THE IDEA OF YOU”
Director Michael Showalter is expected to participate in red carpet interviews and will receive the Atlanta Film Festival’s “The Rebel Award” in an on-stage presentation prior to the start of the film.
About: Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
Directed by: Michael Showalter
Screenplay by: Michael Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt, Based Upon the Book by Robinne Lee Produced by: Cathy Schulman p.g.a., Gabrielle Union p.g.a., Anne Hathaway p.g.a., Robinne Lee, Eric Hayes, Michael Showalter, Jordana Mollick
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo
Closing Night Presentation of “SING SING”
Filmmaker Greg Kwedar and cast members Clarence 'Divine Eye' Maclin, John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield, Sean 'Dino' Johnson, and Jon Adrian ‘JJ’ Velazquez are expected to participate in red carpet interviews.
About: Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
Directed by: Greg Kwedar
Executive Producers: Raúl Domingo, Michael Heimler, Michael Heimler, Larry Kalas Starring: Colman Domingo, Sean Dino Johnson, Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin, Paul Raci
WHEN:
Opening Night Presentation of “THE IDEA OF YOU”
Friday, April 26, 2024
● Red Carpet Check In Opens: 5:45PM - 6:00PM
● Red Carpet Interviews: 6:00PM - 7:00PM
● Pre-Screening Presentation of “The Rebel Award” to Michael Showalter: 7:00PM
● Screening Begins: 7:10PM
● Q&A with Writer/Director/Producer Michael Showalter: Immediately following the screening
Closing Night Presentation of “SING SING”
Saturday, May 4, 2024
● Red Carpet Check In Opens: 5:45PM - 6:00PM
● Red Carpet Interviews: 6:00PM - 7:00PM
● Screening Begins: 7:00PM
● Q&A with filmmaker and cast members: Immediately following the screening
WHERE: Both screenings will take place at The Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
MEDIA RSVP:
Please contact ATLFF@ssmandl.com with your interest in covering on-site or in advance.
* * *
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). The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
This year’s lineup of 142 selected will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world, representing 118 countries with more than 24% of films with ties to Georgia filmmakers. Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles that combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.
The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are 32 in-person panels and 12 virtual panels planned during the 11-day festival.
Schedule and tickets now available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com
Full lineup can be found HERE.
To apply for press credentials, click HERE.
Press materials and assets, including press releases, logos, and film stills, click HERE.
Contact ATLFF@ssmandl.comfor additional requests or questions.
2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CREATIVE CONFERENCE PROGRAMMING FOR 48TH ANNUAL EVENT
Today, the 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) announced its lineup of Creative Conference panels, workshops, and conversations that will take place from Tuesday, April 30 - Friday, May 3, 2024. This will be the 14th year that ATLFF has curated a robust lineup of educational programming, known as the Creative Conference, as part of the annual film festival. This year, the Creative Conference will offer 32 in-person panels during the 11-day festival and 12 virtual panels post festival.
The educational workshops, panels, and conversations taking place virtually and in person from April 30 - May 3 will feature industry experts from across the country
ATLANTA, GA (April 11, 2024) — Today, the 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) announced its lineup of Creative Conference panels, workshops, and conversations that will take place from Tuesday, April 30 - Friday, May 3, 2024. This will be the 14th year that ATLFF has curated a robust lineup of educational programming, known as the Creative Conference, as part of the annual film festival. This year, the Creative Conference will offer 32 in-person panels during the 11-day festival and 12 virtual panels post festival.
The Creative Conference serves to educate, entertain, engage, and enlighten festival-goers by pulling back the curtain on film and television production. Festival filmmakers share how their projects got made, and industry professionals discuss their craft and the future of the industry. While offering a wide variety of topics, the conference spotlight is on acting, directing, and producing in Georgia.
“This year’s Creative Conference explores building community, developing homegrown projects, and supporting emerging filmmakers from development to post production.” said Linda Burns, a 30-year industry veteran and Creative Conference Director. “We’re excited to offer interactive events with Art of the Pitch and Crowdfunding to Build Independence from Emily Best at Seed&Spark, Improv: Learning to Pivot while Producing from Dad’s Garage, and the wildly popular and epic literary battle Write Club will wrap up the Creative Conference on Friday afternoon.”
Panels feature revealing conversations with some of the most admired and sought-after artists in their respective fields. Highlights include a discussion on the Art of Casting with Casting Society members Erica A. Hart (We Strangers, A Black Lady Sketch Show, That Damn Michael Che), Kate Geller (Bob Trevino Likes It, Molly and Max, Shiva Baby), and Rori Bergman (Powerbook III: Raising Kanan, Rabbit Hole, Retribution). Additionally, Production Designer Christopher Glass joins Molly Coffee, the Creative Director of Film Impact Georgia, for a 1-on-1 conversation about his career, his process, and how he gets the look that defines his projects including Ms Marvel, Amazing Stories, and The Jungle Book. SAG Actors Nelson Bonilla (Sacrifice, Ozark, Buried in Barstow), Mike Pniewski (Hightown, The Good Fight, Madam Secretary), Sharon Conley (Perimeter, NCIS: New Orleans, Rectify), Christina Kari (Law & Order: Organized Crime, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Queen Sugar), Kurt Yue (Will Trent, Haunted Mansion, General Hospital) and Donielle Hansley (Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead, BMF, Terror Lake Drive) share career advice, how they got their start, and how to build long term relationships in the industry. And panelists Nikka Duarte (Netflix’s The Liberator, Jeb Stuart’s Takeover, George RR Martin’s Night of the Cooters), and Glen Owen (Signing Day) will explore how to develop, pitch, raise funds, and sell original stories produced in Georgia.
As with the lineup of 142 selected works and Marquee screenings, the 2024 Creative Conference programming will highlight underrepresented filmmakers and stories. Panel topics will explore Animation and African Filmmaking, The Journey of Making ‘Color Book’ - Our First Feature - Sponsored by MPA, The Intersection of AI and Cinema: Innovations, Ethics, and the Future, Documentary Funding with ITVS, Cutting Edge Creativity: Voices from the Black & Queer Community, Mental Health and Parenting While Filmmaking, The Directing Challenge, and Latinas in Media among others.
All Creative Conference content, other than in-person panels, will be available for streaming worldwide during the entire 11 days of the festival. In-person panels will not be offered virtually. Festival badges are on sale now at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com or by clicking here.
The full list of programming for this year’s Creative Conference can be found below. As previously announced, ATLFF’s 2024 lineup of 142 selected works, presented in person or virtually, can be found on the festival’s website here.
Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2024 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.
2024 CREATIVE CONFERENCE LINEUP
IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING AT THE HISTORIC PLAZA THEATER
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Animated, Music Video, and Experimental Filmmaker Roundtable
Festival Filmmakers discuss their approach to these projects - the process, art, challenges, and joys of making these types of films.
Moderator: Director/Writer Hannah Patterson (Late to the Party)
Panelists: Texas Smith (Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!), Sebastien Abou-Chakra (VAINGLORIOUS), Anna Winter (Islets of Langerhans)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Producing Low Budget Features
Indie producers, working in the under $1M budget range, share their struggles and tips for successfully developing, fundraising, producing, and distributing work with limited budgets.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Luke Williams (Hold the Fort, The Murder Podcast, A Band of Rogues), Leanna Adams (Christmas with Jerks, The Worst Couple), Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log, Hold The Fort, Bad Blood), Michelle Riviera (Blurred Lines), Diego Silva Acevedo (Hunting Souls)
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Casting Call
Join Fox 5’s Casting Call host Tess Hammock as she discusses all things casting from extra roles to guest starring, recurring, and series regular speaking parts with casting directors, an agent, and an extras casting company.
Moderator: Tess Hammock - Fox 5
Panelists: Jen Kelley and Rita Harrell - Big Picture Casting, Sam Ikhwan - People Store, and Rose Locke - Rose Locke Casting
The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
The Future of Indie Film in ATL
Local filmmakers discuss the challenges of making art, paying the bills, and building the financial infrastructure in Georgia to keep indie filmmaking sustainable.
Moderator: Camilo Diaz - Producer/Writer/Director (The Old Lady & The Boxer)
Panelists: Kristina Arjona (Christmas with Jerks, Mi Casa, Max), Glen Owen (Signing Day - State Line Films), Cash Robinson (Uncle Honker, Nobody Wants to Be Here, Nobody Wants to Leave), Molly Coffee (Come Correct, Jenna Gets an Abortion, Fear Haus)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Post Production In The Age of AI & Remote - Sponsored by Moonshine Post-Production
Join Moonshine Post as they discuss creative approaches and techniques across the full post pipelines of feature, series and advertising. Emerging technologies and the remote landscape demand that artists and producers embrace innovation, and upskill their collaboration tool kit to maintain the craftsmanship and apprenticeship that propels our industry.
Moderator: Drew Sawyer - MPP, Co-Founder, Moonshine Post-Production
Panelists: Gennifer Allen - Social Media Strategist, Kristina Kromer - Editor, Grant Reynolds - Colorist, Chris Nicholson - Sound Mixer, Caleb Wood - Post Producer
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
The Art of the Pitch
Founder and CEO of Seed & Spark, Emily Best, shows you how to frame and pitch your story effectively and efficiently to showcase your project in a way that grabs attention.
Moderator: Emily Best - Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark
The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
At the Intersection of Race & Sexuality: Bringing Authenticity To Our Work
Exclusively featuring Black and Queer voices, this panel delves into the complexities of maintaining authenticity while working in commercial and industry spaces while navigating independent and personal projects. It explores the unique challenges and strategies for Black and Queer creatives to stay true to themselves in an industry that often demands conformity.
Moderator: Jazelle Foster - Actor, Acting Coach & Media and Marketing, Specialist
Panelists: Ava Davis - Transwoman (The Duchess of Grant Park, What is Art?, Holy Irresistable), Onyx Keesha - Producer (Fatal Attraction, For My Man, The Calling)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Short Filmmaker Roundtable (1 of 3)
Festival Filmmakers discuss writing and directing shorts, and how they got their projects made.
Moderator: Jonathan Banks - ATLFS Filmmaker-In-Residence (Young Kings - Best Georgia Short Film at the 2023 ATLFF)
Panelists: Neal Reddy (Barely Breathing), Dominick Cormier (Don't Wipe Your Tears), Thang Ho and Danielle Nebeliuk (The Last Black Dinosaur), Joshua C. Okwuosa (OKEM), A. Kate Espada (I Could Just Die, and That Would Be All Right)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST
The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Film Impact Georgia - Grant Winner Roundtable
Past grant winning short filmmakers discuss the submission process, the support the program provides, and how the grant helped push their project over the top to get made.
Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS and ED, Film Impact Georgia
Panelists: Sabrina Saleha, Erika Miranda, Ciera Thompson, Shandrea Evans, Jeremy Thao, Andrew J. Lee, Hannah Patterson
The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Podcast to Film: How Podcasting is IP Gold for Hollywood
Three screenwriters / producers from the film world discuss their success in the podcasting realm, how they got started, and how they hope to or have converted that success into a big budget deal.
Moderator: Mykal Alder June (Stones Touring Party, Too Much Information, Where Were You In ‘92?, TENDER BLOODSPORT)
Panelists: Jeff Keating (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, PeeWee Gaskins Was Not My Friend), Dan Bush (Tomorrow’s Monsters, The Mantawauk Caves, The Passage), Nick Tecosky (13 Days of Halloween, 12 Ghosts, The Mantawauk Caves)
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Lenders, Investors and Other Financial Animals - Sponsored by Fieldpoint Private
Hang out with a panel of experts to explore the challenging world of film finance. Learn terminology, different ways to fund projects, what is needed for funding, and successful best practices. Panelists also discuss small business loans for anyone looking to purchase gear, vehicles or warehouse space.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Film Finance Segment - Russell Holland - President & Chief Executive Office (Fieldpoint Private), Charles Andros - Founding Partner, President & Chief Investment Officer, Producer (Bay Point Advisors), Andrew Kotliar - Partner, Producer (MEP Capital), Deborah Moore - Freelance Film Production Executive, Producer
Personal and Small Business Bootcamp Segment - Russell Holland - President & Chief Executive Office (Fieldpoint Private), Neill Kelly - Consumer Lending Manager (Fieldpoint Private), Amanda Price - Chief Risk Manager (Fieldpoint Private), Derek Grayson - Managing Director, Banking Advisor (Fieldpoint Private)
The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Improv: Learning to Pivot while Producing
Producers constantly have to shift their plans and mindset while putting out fires and solving problems. The only sure thing on set is that something will go wrong. Improv is all about turning problems and mistakes into something wonderful if you're willing to roll with whatever is thrown at you. Members of Dad’s Garage teach you how to use improv skills to seamlessly pivot while producing.
Moderator: Jon Carr - Executive Producer, Dad’s Garage
Panelists: Kevin Gillese (How to Ruin The Holidays), Ron Emile - former Dad's Garage Artistic Director (My Spirit Told Me), Megan Dahl (Lily’s Mirror, The Arbalest)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Comics to Film: How Graphic Fiction Is Shaping Hollywood
Comics have taken Hollywood by storm. Panelists discuss seeing their work adapted for the screen, making the jump from the comics to the world of film and TV, the differences between the two mediums, and the challenges the writers have faced when writing a film and TV script as opposed to a comic book.
Moderator: Nathan Cabaniss - Writer and Filmmaker
Panelists: Writer Van Jensen (DC Comics + various other publishers; his debut novel Godfall was recently acquired by Ron Howard and Imagine TV); Writer / Director / Actor Paul Jenkins (comics veteran with a near forty-year career working for every major publisher, in addition to shepherding various film, TV, video game and new media initiatives); Writer Robert Venditti (longtime DC Comics writer; his indie comic The Surrogates was adapted into a Bruce Willis movie in 2009)
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Crowdfunding to Build Independence
Seed&Spark has the highest crowdfunding campaign success rate of any funding platform in the world. They share 100% of the information you need to build a successful campaign, as well as a career-long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. You’ll learn how to find and activate your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign and pitch video, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more beyond marketing the campaign itself. Because after all, it isn’t just about crowdfunding: it’s about career building.
Moderator: Emily Best - Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark
The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Short Filmmaker Roundtable (2 of 3)
Festival Filmmakers discuss writing and directing shorts, and how they got their projects made.
Moderator: Seth Adam Wilder
Panelists: Moon Lee Ferguson (Skettel), Paras Chaudhari (the girl with the om tattoo), Jenna D’Angelo (I Didn't Mean To Say I Love You), Carlos Aviles (Rainbow Sun), Brea Angelo (DEFINITELY NOT A MONSTER), Giovanni Tortorici (Buster's Onion)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
CineCampATL: Meet the 2023 Class of Youth Filmmakers
ATLFS CineCampATL program breaks students into small groups, and with guided instruction and collaboration, they complete a 1-5 minute film. Former students talk about the program and what they learned from the process of creating their film “Squeaky Clean”.
Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS
Panelists: Jaira Wingfield-Green 12th grade at Druid Hills High School, Keatin Monaghan - 11th Grade at North Atlanta High School, Micah J. Gary - 12th Grade at School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett HS, Madison Hatfield - Pre-production Instructor
THURSDAY, MAY 2ND
The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
ATLFS Filmmaker-in-Residence Program
Learn about the Atlanta Film Society’s Filmmaker in Residence Program and meet this year’s filmmakers. Learn about the projects they hope to accomplish and how the program hopes to help them succeed.
Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS
Panelists: Crystal Jin Kim and Jonathan Banks
The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Documentary Filmmaker Roundtable (1 of 2)
Documentary Directors discuss their projects, their process for documenting their stories, and the challenges and joys of shooting documentaries.
Moderator: Jazmine Hudson - Media Industries Scholar, GSU
Panelists: Caroline Josey K (Seven Acres and a Church), Demetrius Lewis (Map to the Sirens), Lev Omelchenko (Olive)
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm
The Directing Challenge
Using the same actors, but different props, wardrobe, and back stories, see how uniquely each director in the challenge can offer you completely dissimilar versions of the same screenplay.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Directors Janlatae’ Mullins, Lou Simon, and Carrie Schrader, Actresses Rose Bianco and Suehyla El-Attar
Screenwriter: Nick Tecosky
The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Content Creation & Filmmaking: Blurring Lines, Shaping Futures
Content creators and filmmakers, who either specialize in one field or straddle both, focus on the evolving landscape of content creation, its impact on the traditional film and television industry, and what this shift means for actors, directors, and filmmakers. They address the changing perceptions around content creation and its role in shaping the future of entertainment and storytelling.
Moderator: Jazelle Foster - Actor, Acting Coach & Media and Marketing Specialist
Panelists: Tony Talks - Content Creator, Elisee Junior St Preux - Filmmaker & Community Artist (Sour Peaches, Before We Had Insomnia, Lorikeet), Shayla Racquel - Director / Writer (Keke Palmer's KeyTV Series Heaux & Tell, The Cuzzin M Show, The Off-Brands) Raquel M R Thomas - Creator / Director / Producer /Writer (TRANSworld Atlanta, Below the Rim), Kristina Arjona - Director / Producer (Christmas with Jerks, Mi Casa, Rumspringa)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Documentary Filmmaker Roundtable (2 of 2)
Documentary Directors discuss their projects, their process for documenting their stories, and the challenges and joys of shooting documentaries.
Moderator: Robyn Hicks - Assistant Professor of Film & Digital Media at University of North Georgia
Panelists: Majiye Uchibeke (I Am More Dangerous Dead), Kasey L. Martin (A Synonym for Art: Rodgric J.), Ashley Salman (Prelude of a Story), Conner Hall - Editor (Citizen Sleuth)
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Developing Features and TV Shows in Georgia
Panelists explore how to develop, pitch, raise funds and sell original stories that will shoot in Georgia. They'll showcase projects they have in development as well as the features and TV shows they’ve successfully produced.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Nikka Duarte (Netflix’s The Liberator, Jeb Stuart’s Takeover, George RR Martin’s Night of the Cooters), Glen Owen (Signing Day - State Line Films)
The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Latinas in Media ATL: Keeping the Conversation Moving Forward in Film & TV
Journalists, Actors, and Executives discuss how to expand representation and inclusion in the media, film and television landscape, the importance of cultural storytelling, and how to overcome typecasting.
Moderator: Daniela Cintron - Journalist, Editor, and Producer highlighting underrepresented communities
Panelists: Rose Bianco - Actress (Cobra Kai, Minx, The Sandman), Lina Ramirez Mills - Head of Commercial Department at People Store, Erik Francisco Medina - Moxie Collective, Operations and Marketing Lead, Roger Payano - Actor (Manhunt, Celia, P-Valley), Richard Perez - Director and Screenwriter (It Stays With Us)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Key Elements of Impact Campaigns
This interactive workshop will glean from 25 years of learning and innovation from Working Films, one of the very first organizations created to connect documentaries and social change. The session will cover key elements of impact campaigns.
Moderator: Hannah Hearn - Impact Coordinator and Fellowships Lead, Anna Lee - Director of Learning and Development
FRIDAY, MAY 3RD
The Rej (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Meet the ATLFF Programmers
Come meet the ATLFF film and screenplay competition programmers to learn a little about them as fellow humans, what they love about their jobs, common mistakes filmmakers make when submitting, and what they look for when screening films and reading screenplays.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Jon Kieran, Jennica Carmona, Astin Rocks and Melissa Simpson
The Mike (Upstairs) - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Writing Character Driven Films
Writers / Directors Lane and Ruckus Skye discuss how they develop and write story through character.
Moderators: Lane and Ruckus Skye (The Devil to Pay, Becky, Rattle the Cage)
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Acting for a Living
Actors with over 2 decades of experience with starring, recurring, and special guest credits will discuss where they started, how they developed their craft, and how to build relationships with directors, producers, and casting directors.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Nelson Bonilla (Sacrifice, Ozark, Buried in Barstow), Mike Pniewski (Hightown, The Good Fight, Madam Secretary), Sharon Conley (Perimeter, NCIS: New Orleans, Rectify), Christina Kari (Law & Order: Organized Crime, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Queen Sugar), Kurt Yue (Will Trent, Haunted Mansion, General Hospital), Donielle Hansley (Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead, BMF, Terror Lake Drive)
The Rej (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Film Festival Strategy
Film festival strategy is integral to your success on the festival circuit. From choosing which larger, local, and smaller festivals to apply to, to researching what those festivals have played before, from marketing your screening when not traveling to the festival to how to make boots on the ground matter, this conversation will cover all this and more.
Moderator: Melissa Simpson - Education Director, ATLFS
The Mike (Upstairs) - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Curating Classics
There's never been a better time for repertory programming and Atlanta's film audiences are enjoying a wealth of opportunities to enjoy the communal experience of watching films together. Join local experts who are part of the growth of classic programming happening locally to hear about the resurgence and importance of classic and niche programming.
Moderator: Greg Bishop - Creative Manager, The Plaza Theater
Panelists: Rocco Shapiro and Sean Valdivieso - Wax & Wane, Matthew Booth & John Robinson - Videodrome, Richard Martin - Programming Manager, The Plaza Theater
The Lefont (Downstairs) - 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Write Club: Festival Edition
High Octane Brain Boxing at its Finest. WRITE CLUB is the world's greatest combative philanthropic literary bloodsport, featuring only the most audacious and fearsome of writers and performers. Started in 2010 at the Hideout in Chicago by Our Illustrious Overlord Ian Belknap, WRITE CLUB has been operating in Atlanta since 2011. WRITE CLUB is: 3 bouts of 2 opposing writers arguing 2 opposing ideas for 7 minutes apiece. Audience picks a winner.
Viceroy: Nick Tecosky
The Rej (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Narrative Feature and TV Pilot Festival Filmmaker Roundtable
Festival Filmmakers discuss their projects, how they were able to get them made, their experience while making them, and their hopes for the future.
Moderator: Crystal Jin Kim - Filmmaker in Residence, ATLFS
Panelists: Don-Dimitri Joseph (Last Option), Christian Meier (The Murder On Cape Melancholy), Win Marks (Do You Say What You Mean?), Jenna Kanell (Faceless After Dark)
The Mike (Upstairs) - 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Short Filmmaker Roundtable (3 of 3)
Festival Filmmakers discuss writing and directing shorts, and how they got their projects made.
Moderator: Vivi Chavez - Producer and Actress
Panelists: Sam Hahn (Billy & Mac), Melissa Bayer (The G-Spot), Samuel Laine (Free Lunch), Alice Barros (A Forgotten Place), Matthew S. Alaniz (Ten To One)
VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING
Available for viewing May 6th-12th
Animation and African Filmmaking
Join us for an exceptional conversation with the Annie award-winning filmmakers of Kazazi Moto: Generation Fire, a Disney+ animated shorts anthology. This action-packed sci-fi anthology presents 10 futuristic visions from Africa inspired by the continent's diverse histories and cultures.
Moderator: Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Producer
Panelists: Tendayi Nyeke - Executive Producer, Ng'endo Mukii - Writer / Director (Enkai), Shofela Coker - Writer / Director (Moremi)
The Art of the Assistant Director
DGA Assistant Directors discuss how they got their start, how they transitioned upward, the demands and joys of the job, what makes a great assistant director, and all the fun that comes with being an AD for film and television.
Moderator: JD Taylor, DGA 1st AD (Candy Cane Lane, American Underdog, Teen Wolf)
Panelists: Matt Rawls - 1st & 2nd AD (Abbott Elementary, Westworld, The Morning Show), Christophe Le Chanu - 2nd AD (Candy Cane Lane, Hawkeye, Coming 2 America), John Bonaccorse - 2nd AD (Flaming Hot, Tulsa King, Stranger Things), Ben White - 2nd AD (Blue Beetle, The Staircase, Red Notice), Jessie Sasser White - 2nd AD (They/Them, Safety, Watchmen), Steve Windle - 2nd 2nd AD (Barbie, Teen Wolf: The Movie, Rise), Nate Patterson - 2nd 2nd AD (The Color Purple, Doom Patrol, Swagger), Nate Galesic - 2nd 2nd AD (Pain Hustlers, Blue Beetle, Ghosted)
The Art of Casting (CSA)
Casting can make or break your production. Join members of the Casting Society to learn about the fascinating Art of Casting and how you can make choices that are the best fit for your next production.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Erica A. Hart (We Strangers, A Black Lady Sketch Show, That Damn Michael Che), Kate Geller (Bob Trevino Likes It, Molly and Max, Shiva Baby), Rori Bergman (Powerbook III: Raising Kanan, Rabbit Hole, Retribution)
Production Design with Christopher Glass
Molly Coffee interviews Production Designer Christopher Glass about his career, where he got his start, his process, and how he gets the look that defines his movies, TV shows, and commercials.
Moderator: Molly Coffee
Panelist: Christopher Glass (Ms Marvel, Amazing Stories, The Jungle Book)
The Journey of Making ‘Color Book’ - Our First Feature - Sponsored by MPA
The Atlanta Hometown team of writer/director David Fortune and producer Kiah Clingman competed amongst four other finalists to win the highly competitive 2023 AT&T Untold Stories Award worth $1 million dollars and year-round mentorship to produce their feature film. They share their production journey and the story of a devoted father learning to raise his son — who has Down Syndrome — following the passing of the family matriarch. The Atlanta-set picture is like Fortune’s prior films in that it finds power in normalizing the themes of compassion and intimacy set in inner-city communities.
Moderator: Sue-Ellen Chatuyna, Producer
Panelists: Director David Fortune, Producer Kiah Clingman
Exploring the Intersection of AI and Cinema: Innovations, Ethics, and the Future
Join us for a groundbreaking panel discussion that delves into the dynamic intersection of generative AI and the cinematic world. This panel will explore how emerging AI technologies are reshaping filmmaking, from scriptwriting to post-production, and will address the profound ethical questions they raise. We will start with a look at historical milestones of AI in cinema, such as the early days of CGI in films like 'Tron' and 'Jurassic Park,' and progress to current innovations like deepfake technology and real-time CGI generation.
Moderators: Laila Harrison - Experimental Filmmaker and Harim Leon - Producer
Mental Health and Parenting while Filmmaking
Being a parent is hard enough, but being a parent and a filmmaker is a huge challenge. Panelists discuss how they strive for a work life balance, share resources for support, and explore ways to keep their mental health in check as filmmaking parents.
Moderator: Erin Bernhardt - Director of Common Pictures, The Edward E. Haddock Jr. Family Foundation
Panelists: Keoni TeTawa Bowthorpe - Director / DP, Aloha Cinema, Tchaiko Omawale - Tchaiko of House Omawale, Second of Her Name, Mother of Flame, Seeker of Truth, Breaker of Chains, Nomadic Fairy Inc., Amanda Edwards - Mental Health Coordinator and Intimacy Coordinator
Documentary Funding and Production - In Conversation with Royd Chung from ITVS
Do you love documentaries? Have a great idea for one? Join us for an engaging conversation to learn about how documentaries are funded and produced for public media. Royd Chung, Vice President of Production of ITVS, the largest co-producer of independent documentaries in the United States, shares open calls for funding, the types of projects they support, best practices for applying to their programs, and their distribution platforms, as well as the disruptions ITVS has seen in the distribution landscape.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Royd Chung - Vice President of Production of ITVS
Cutting Edge Creativity: Voices from the Black & Queer Community
This panel showcases the diverse and innovative perspectives of Black and Queer artists across different mediums. It emphasizes the richness and originality within the Black and Queer community, often the unsung inspirations in mainstream culture. Panelists will discuss their unique paths in the industry, the challenges of intersectionality, and their vision for a more inclusive and evolving creative landscape.
Moderator: Jazelle Foster - Actor, Acting Coach & Media and Marketing, Specialist
Panelists: Raquel M R Thomas - Creator / Director / Producer / Writer (TRANSworld Atlanta, Below the Rim), Tony Talks - Content Creator, Adrianna Cherelle - Screenwriter, Reality TV Producer (10 Years in 40 Seconds, Black Ink Crew), Tery Wilson - DP / Editor (Push, New Gotham)
Southern Film Festival Roundtable
Senior film festival representatives as well as southern funders will converse on nurturing Southern filmmaking talent. They’ll discuss the spectrum of opportunities and challenges in the SE, and speak on fostering creative environments where artists can excel and go to the next level.
Moderator: Jen West
Panelists: Chris Escobar - ED, Atlanta Film Society, Dan Brawley - ED, Cucalorus Film Festival, Jessica Chriesman - Education Director for Sidewalk Film Festival, Kimel Fryer - ED, Indie Memphis Film Festival, Clint Bowie - Artistic Director, New Orleans Film Society, Patricia Ferguson - ED, A Pecan Pickling Short Film Festival, Molly Coffee - Production Designer and Co-Founder / Past Creative Director, Film Impact Georgia, Christopher Everett - Artistic Director, Southern Documentary Fund
Black Women Forging Their Own Paths
Join a group of emerging and mid-career black women filmmakers for a candid conversation sharing their respective journeys in an industry that often isn't easily welcoming to them. They'll share their experiences of how they have fiercely navigated the industry to champion stories that are dear to them while also maintaining their integrity.
Moderator: Sue-Ellen Chatuyna, Producer
Panelists: B. Monét - Director, Producer, Writer (Black Girls, Ballet After Dark, Phases of the Moon), Idil Ibrahim - Producer, Director, Writer (The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu, In Her Element, Little America), Jamila Jordan-Theus - Producer (Fantasy Football, Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts, Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street)
How to Start Work as an Extra in Film and Television
Working as an Extra is a great way to start your acting career, learn about how a film set works while getting paid, or to make a little extra money as a retiree. Learn about what makes a great extra, how to find work, what is expected of you, and how to get hired back.
Moderator: Creative Conference Director Linda Burns
Panelists: Patrick Ingram - Extras Casting Atlanta
2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners. The following pilot, short, and three feature film screenplays are the chosen few from a pool of 1,555 submissions. These winning authors will receive a cash prize for their phenomenal work and invaluable mentorship opportunities to hone their craft and strategize the next steps in their careers. Please join us in congratulating these impressive authors and wishing them well as they continue their journey in the film industry.
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners. The following pilot, short, and three feature film screenplays are the chosen few from a pool of 1,555 submissions. These winning authors will receive a cash prize for their phenomenal work and invaluable mentorship opportunities to hone their craft and strategize the next steps in their careers. Please join us in congratulating these impressive authors and wishing them well as they continue their journey in the film industry.
Feature Screenplay Winners
Belonging - Liz Fields
HEARTRACE - Will Bermender
Lo & Em - Claire Audrey Aguayocan
Pilot Screenplay Winner
Gallatin - Ryan Skinner
Short Screenplay Winner
Handle With Care - Allison Orr Block
2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 48TH ANNUAL EVENT, INCLUDING 27 WORLD PREMIERES
ATLANTA, GA (March 22, 2024) — Today, The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) revealed key programming highlights, including the full lineup of selected works from more than 7,500 submissions. The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
ATLANTA, GA (March 22, 2024) — Today, The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) revealed key programming highlights, including the full lineup of selected works from more than 7,500 submissions. The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.
While 118 countries are represented in the selections, more than 24% of films have ties to Georgia filmmakers. The 142 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. Eleven Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.
“We're so excited to be bringing another edition full of artful, challenging, and flat-out fun films to Atlanta this spring. When we make selections for ATLFF, we always follow our sense of discovery, of seeing what movies will be in the years to come. And we think anyone visiting the festival this year will come away knowing what we know, that cinema has a really rich future ahead of it.”
Jonathan Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF
Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 11-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of director Michael Showalter’s “The Idea of You” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 26. Anne Hathaway stars as Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
The Closing Night presentation of director Greg Kwedar’s “SING SING,” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, May 4. The film follows Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, as he finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “Brief History of A Family,” about a middle-class family whose fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China; “I SAW THE TV GLOW,” about a teenager who’s just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show, a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own; and documentary “Luther: Never Too Much,” that chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame.
Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by their lineup of 29 feature-length films, 90 short films, and 22 creative media selections. Of these selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 59% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC).
Five specialty tracks will return to the 2024 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers; Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters; and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia.
The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are approximately 32 in-person panels and 8 virtual panels, for a total of 40 unique educational offerings, planned during the 11-day festival. The Creative Conference lineup announcement is forthcoming.
This year, ATLFF will once again offer a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and The Tara Theatre (2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324). All films (outside of Marquee) will be available virtually following the in-person events; the virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.
The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2024 app. Festival passes and badges are on sale now on the site for purchase 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 2024 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
The Idea of You
directed by Michael Showalter
United States // 2024 // English // 115 min
Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION
SING SING
directed by Greg Kwedar
United States // 2023 // English // 105 min
Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
MARQUEE SCREENINGS
Brief History of A Family
directed by Jianjie Lin
China, Denmark // 2024 // Chinese // 99 min
A middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China, putting unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions under the microscope
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
Evil Does Not Exist
directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Japan // 2023 // Japanese // 106 min
Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a camping site near Takumi's house offering city residents a comfortable "escape" to nature.#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
I SAW THE TV GLOW
directed by Jane Schoenbrun
United States // 2024 // English // 100 min
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show - a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
Last Summer
directed by Catherine Breillat
France, Norway // 2023 // French // 106 min
Follows Anne, a brilliant lawyer who lives with her husband Pierre and their daughters. Anne gradually engages in a passionate relationship with Theo, Pierre's son from a previous marriage, putting her career and family life in danger.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
Red Rooms
directed by Pascal Plante
Canada // 2023 // French // 110 min
The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the puzzle: the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl, to whom Kelly-Anne bears a disturbing resemblance.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
SING SING
directed by Greg Kwedar
United States // 2023 // English // 105 min
Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
The Idea of You
directed by Michael Showalter
United States // 2024 // English // 115 min
Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
Thelma
directed by Josh Margolin
United States // 2024 // English // 97 min
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature
Luther: Never Too Much
directed by Dawn Porter
United Kingdom, United States // 2024 // English // 101 min
Chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame. Explores his collaborations, influences, character and relationships with family, friends and fans.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature
Power
directed by Yance Ford
United States // 2024 // English // 85 min
Driven to contain threats to social order, American policing has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, it can be described by one word: power.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature
Seeking Mavis Beacon
directed by Jazmin Jones
United States // 2024 // English // 102 min
Investigates the disappearance and reexamines the legacy of one of the most influential Black women in technology.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature
NARRATIVE FEATURES
A Song for Imogene
directed by Erika Arlee
United States // 2023 // English // 104 min
Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Cheyenne, a once free-spirited songwriter, flees in the night from her possessive boyfriend, Alex. Back in her rural hometown, Cheyenne faces her bitter mother and reunites with her vagabond sister, Janelle: now a single mother to a five-year-old son. The two rekindle their sisterhood and Cheyenne's forgotten dreams. Meanwhile, Alex discovers evidence of the hidden pregnancy and decides to chase Cheyenne down, challenging her to break a generational cycle of abuse. Immersive in its realism, A SONG FOR IMOGENE is a story of grit set against the grueling landscape of the American South that explores issues of abuse, trauma, and the female bid for independence.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature
A Strange Path
directed by Guto Parente
Brazil // 2023 // Portugal // 83 min
A young filmmaker returns to his hometown and attempts to reconnect with his eccentric father as the pandemic rapidly accelerates across Brazil. Resuming their distant father-son relationship proves to be more complicated, however, as bizarre phenomena begin to fray the edges of their reality.
#¡CineMás!, #NarrativeFeature
African Giants
directed by Omar S. Kamara
United States // 2024 // English // 106 min
Over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeFeature
Asog
directed by Seán Devlin 叶 世民
Canada, Philippines // 2024 // Tagalog, Waray // 101 min
ASOG is a screwball tragicomedy starring a cast of real life Super Typhoon survivors. Jaya is a non-binary teacher whose career as a comedian hosting a late-night television show ended due to a climate disaster that devastated the Philippines. Picking up the pieces in their life, Jaya decides to travel across the country in hopes of winning a beauty pageant and the prize money that comes with it. But before they can leave, a chance encounter with Arnel, a student going the same way in search of family, complicates their solitary plans. As they travel seemingly countless miles together on foot, bike, and boat, the unlikely duo find themselves forever changed by each other and those they encounter on their journey.
#PinkPeach, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature
Atikamekw Suns
directed by Chloé Leriche
Canada // 2023 // Atikamekw, French // 102 min
On June 26, 1977, a vehicle drives into a river outside the Atikamekw community of Manawan in northern Québec. Two Whites survive the accident, but five Atikamekw lose their lives. The police conclude it was an accident, but for the victims' families, many questions remain unanswered. A historical and poetic story, a hybrid between documentary and fiction — SOLEILS ATIKAMEKW (ATIKAMEKW SUNS) is freely inspired by the dreams, impressions, and memories of the victims’ loved ones.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature
Boca Chica
directed by Gabriella A. Moses
Dominican Republic // 2023 // Spanish, English // 97 min
As a young girl growing up in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, 12-year-old Desi is powerfully drawn to song and music by a famed ancestor with a musical legacy. Her handsome brother Fran lives in New York pursuing his music, too, while struggling to make ends meet. The long-awaited return of their cousin Elvis and his marriage festivities animate the family and community. But Elvis’ sinister machinations reveal that his business interests involve trafficking children. Threatened by the very people who should care for her most, Desi finds her voice among a group of underground rap artists. BOCA CHICA weaves richly drawn stories into a coming-of-age story of hope and discovery.
#¡CineMás!, #Noire, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature
Do You Say What You Mean?
directed by Win Marks
United States // 2024 // English // 87 min
Aliyah, confident and easy going, quickly falls for a truck driver, Sean. Their relationship plays out in snapshots as they try to build a life together, but the more they try, the more they unravel.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaFeatureCompetition, #NarrativeFeature
Dragoons
directed by Reinis Ubelis
Latvia // 2024 // Latvian // 77 min
Father-to-be Pavel and his pregnant girlfriend Sabine spend their days living like nomads and breaking into houses in search of food and resources. Upon finding themselves lost in a mysterious forest, they seek refuge in a crumbling gothic manor inhabited by two aging siblings, the Dragoons. Soon they find that escape is impossible and Sabine's delivery is approaching. Haunted by the guilt of leading his girlfriend into a nightmare scenario and falling under the sway of the weird Dragoons, Pavel soon begins to question his own ability to separate reality from dreams.
#InCompetition, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature
Faceless After Dark
directed by Raymond Wood
United States // 2024 // English // 82 min
Following her breakout success as the star of a killer clown horror flick, Bowie now finds herself struggling to capitalize on her newfound semi-fame. But when she is held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film’s fatal plot. Jenna Kanell from the TERRIFIER franchise gives a tour-de-force performance in this wild, gory ride.
#Georgia Film, #GeorgiaFeatureCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeFeature
Melk
directed by Stefanie Kolk
Netherlands // 2023 // Dutch // 96 min
Days after giving birth to a stillborn baby, Robin’s breasts start to produce milk. Unable to bring herself to throw it away, Robin makes the unusual decision to donate her milk. As her quest for a place to donate becomes more difficult than anticipated, more and more milk starts to crowd her freezer, relationship, and life.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature
Mountains
directed by Monica Sorelle
United States // 2023 // Haitian Creole, English, Spanish // 95 min
Xavier, a Haitian demolition worker, is outgrowing the Little Haiti home he shares with his wife Esperance – a seamstress and school crossing guard – and their son Junior, a young adult pursuing a standup comedy career. MOUNTAINS is a multigenerational drama that explores the relationships between immigrants and their children, Miami’s own stratification of race and nationality, and the looming threat of gentrification.
#Noire, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature
Poor Clare
directed by Blaine Redden
United States // 2024 // English // 119 min
Just before dawn, a strange man appears at Clare's door. The young filmmaker begins to see this man wherever she goes. She struggles to connect to those around her, to tell them what haunts her, until she meets a mysterious stranger who is intent on showing Clare what she's most afraid to see. Drawing from the rich and shadowy legacy of underground, cult, and trash film, POOR CLARE is a vivid and dreamlike vision etched in camcorder tape.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeFeature
The Battle
directed by Vera Egito
Brazil // 2024 // Portuguese // 84 min
Constructed of just 21 separate shots, THE BATTLE brings you inside the Philosophy School building of São Paulo University on a decisive day in October 1968, that came to be known as the Battle of the Students. As they attempt to carry out a crucial University-wide election, students and Professors of the Left Student Movement face pressure from within and physical threats from the reactionary forces outside their door.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #NewMavericks, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature
The Trap
directed by Lena Headey
United Kingdom // 2023/4 // English // 84 min
Michelle is a broken woman, shut off to the world. Then Joe, a damaged young man, arrives at Michelle’s fortress of solitude and brings her back to life. However, their tender romance is shattered when Joe reveals that he is the son Michelle gave up more than twenty years earlier. After a brutal reckoning, Joe and Michelle set off together in search of Joe’s father. Along the way, they slowly rebuild their relationship, discovering the power of unconditional love and, ultimately, redemption.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature
We Strangers
directed by Anu Valia
United States // 2024 // English // 80 min
When Rayelle Martin, a Black woman scraping by in Gary, Indiana, scores a job housekeeping for a pair of upper-crust families across town, it seems like a step up from her usual thankless commercial cleaning gigs. However, the slights and secrets that are dealt out in these houses of privilege serve as a constant reminder of her outsider status. Things take a turn when Rayelle shares an impulsive, seemingly harmless lie: that yes, she can speak to the dead. This lie begins to spin out of control, and Ray's attempt to gain ownership over her own identity goes in directions she could have never predicted.
#In Competition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Amakki
directed by Célia Boussebaa
United States, Netherlands // 2024 // Sidamuu Afoo, Sidama // 104 min
AMAKKI, meaning "your mother", is an intimate journey through Sidama's coffee-growing hills in Ethiopia. It explores the interconnected lives of a grandmother, a mother, a young girl, and a baby girl, celebrating the profound moments of love, loss, and resilience that shape the tapestry of motherhood and womanhood.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #CinematographyCompetition, #DocumentaryFeature
Baghdad on Fire
directed by Karrar Al-Azzawi
Norway, Iraq // 2023 // Arabic // 60 min
BAGHDAD ON FIRE is an energetic account from inside the demonstrations of the new Iraqi youth. Together with friends Khader and Yousif, 19 year old Tiba has started a medical team that helps the brave young protesters. They spend days and nights in tents in Tahrir Square in the center of Baghdad, where they discuss and plan how to bring freedom, democracy and change to Iraq.
#DocumentaryFeature
Caterpillar
directed by Liza Mandelup
United States // 2023 // English // 111 min
Endlessly struggling to feel seen, David becomes infatuated with a mysterious company’s promise to transform people’s lives by permanently changing the color of their eyes. After traveling to India to get the controversial procedure, he begins to question if this artificial beauty will give him the fulfillment he truly seeks.
#PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature
Citizen Sleuth
directed by Chris Kasick
United States // 2024 // English // 82 min
CITIZEN SLEUTH follows Emily Nestor and her Mile Marker 181 podcast, as she conducts an amateur murder investigation into the death of Jaleayah Davis. With a growing audience of millions, Emily's podcast becomes a hit, but as she probes deeper into the case, she’s confronted with a new truth she struggles to tell her listeners.
#DocumentaryFeature
Family Tree
directed by Jennifer MacArthur
United States // 2024 // English // 97 min
FAMILY TREE explores sustainable forestry in North Carolina through the stories of two Black families fighting to preserve their land and legacy. Despite setbacks, they work to create sustainable land to pass on to the next generation. The forest itself and the beauty of its changing seasons become a primary character in this family drama.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature
Go Like Hell
directed by Scott Edwards
United States // 2024 // English // 104 min
In an industry dominated by billionaires, a team of renegade engineers bands together to bootstrap a rocket company amidst the sprawling Texas cattle fields. With funding rapidly dwindling and a relentless race against the giants of "big space," this scrappy startup, led by an eccentric and determined CEO, must defy the odds and race to reach orbit before their finances collapse.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryFeature
Happy Campers
directed by Amy Nicholson
United States // 2023 // English // 78 min
Every summer, working-class families enjoy waterfront living in a scrappy trailer park off the coast of Virginia. When the relentless march of capitalism threatens their shabby Shangri-La, the denizens of Inlet View face the inevitable, and reveal the secrets to a rich life.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature
Naked Ambition
directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch
United States // 2023 // English // 73 min
Bunny Yeager, once heralded as the world's prettiest photographer, had a huge influence in 20th-century pop culture. As a model and photographer, she was a trailblazer whose work helped pave the way for both the feminist movement and sexual revolution. Featuring Dita Von Teese, Bruce Weber, and Larry King, NAKED AMBITION is a rediscovery of a brilliant and forgotten artist.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature
Pianoman
directed by Sunny Liu
United States // 2024 // English // 52 min
David Avenando, an undocumented immigrant in NYC, finally achieves his dream of opening a piano factory in Yonkers, but runs into unforeseen circumstances that threaten to take away his livelihood and potentially separate him from his family. This moving film will resonate deeply with those intrigued by civil rights, social justice, and immigration.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature
Rape Play
directed by Gabriella Mykal
United States // 2023 // English // 82 min
RAPE PLAY is an experimental documentary that explores fanfiction writing amongst teenage girls online and the learned narrativization of sexual experiences. Through interviews, lyrical essays, and fantastical reenactment, it touches on internet history, sexual assault discourse, and the magical cultural production happening in the bedrooms of teenage girls worldwide every day.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryFeature
Richland
directed by Irene Lusztig
United States // 2023 // English // 93 min
Richland, Washington is proud of its heritage as a nuclear company town and proud of the atomic bomb it helped create. RICHLAND offers a prismatic, placemaking portrait of a community staking its identity and future on its nuclear origin story, presenting a timely examination of the habits of thought that normalize the extraordinary violence of the past.
#NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature
Taxibol
directed by Tommaso Santambrogio
Italy // 2023 // Spanish, English // 50 min
Driving around the streets of Cuba, Lav Diaz – the famous Filipino director – and Gustavo Flecha - a talkative Cuban taxi driver – find themselves discussing politics, social conditions, and love. Through their dialogue and the subsequent narrative construction, the audience is invited to reflect on the harmful actions of significant historical figures and examine their impact on human lives.
#¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature
Thank You Very Much
directed by Alex Braverman
United States // 2023 // English // 99 min
Throughout his short life, Andy Kaufman's work dissolved the boundaries between fiction and reality, and his commitment to performance on-stage and off rendered any distinctions between his characters and his real life useless. From Executive Producers Josh and Bennie Safdie, THANK YOU VERY MUCH is the definitive documentary look at how a shy, oddball kid from Long Island became the most polarizing performance artist of the 20th century.
#DocumentaryFeature
The Body Politic
directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough
United States // 2023 // English // 91 min
THE BODY POLITIC is a harbinger of hope in a country plagued by gun violence. In Baltimore, Brandon Scott, an idealistic young leader with a holistic plan to stop chronic violence in his city,is elected mayor. Throughout his first year in office, we follow Brandon as he fights powerful political forces to save lives in Baltimore and reveal a pathway toward healing for the nation.
#Noire #DocumentaryFeature
The South Got Something to Say
directed by The Horne Brothers
United States // 2023 // English // 96 min
Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.
#GeorgiaFilm, #DocumentaryFeature
NARRATIVE SHORTS
8 Minutes 20 Seconds
directed by Harris Doran
United States // 2024 // English // 9 min
Max must race against time to reconcile with his ex-boyfriend for them to be together in Earth's last moments of sun.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
A Bird Called Memory
directed by Leonardo Martinelli
Brazil, United Kingdom // 2023 // Portuguese // 15 min
A bird called Memory has forgotten how to come back home. Lua, a trans woman, searches for Memory in the streets, but the city can be a hostile place.
#¡CineMás!, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
A Forgotten Place
directed by Alice Leigh Barrós
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A reclusive stripper returns to her conservative home to answer a question that tortures her: whether she was abducted by an alien or if there's a darker truth to her past.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort
A Short Film About Kids
directed by Ibrahim Handal
Palestine // 2023 // Arabic // 10 min
Four kids from the refugee camp in Bethlehem decide to visit the sea for the first time in their lives.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort
As You Are
directed by Daisy Friedman
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
An interabled queer couple spend the night together for the first time.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
Baby Gay
directed by Arielle Frances Bagood
United States // 2024 // English, Mandarin, Shanghainese // 9 min
Desperate to prove her bisexuality, Stevie Lee bluffs her way into a lesbian threesome thinking she’ll “figure it out” when she gets there.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
Barely Breathing
directed by Derek Evans
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
An awkward accident forces Sai to move back in with his father, forcing them to bridge the gap left by the death of Sai's mother years prior.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort
Becoming
directed by Tramaine Raphael Gray
United States // 2023 // English // 25 min
An imaginative queer teen weaves in and out of his own fantasy world while struggling to connect with his older brother.
#Noire, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
Billy & Mac
directed by Sam Hahn
United States // 2024 // English // 8 min
A closeted high school football player discovers the dead body of his crush.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
Black Silk
directed by Patrick Michael
United States // 2023 // English // 16 min
A timid black boy is thrust into turmoil when a violent revelation from his estranged father sets him on a harrowing path of self-discovery.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Blue Boy
directed by Tyler Riggs
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
Insecure New Jersey bodybuilder Joey Rossi, aka Joey Muscles, starts doing steroids in a last-ditch effort to go pro.
#NarrativeShort
Buster's Onion
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
United States // 2024 // English // 10 min
As an aging grandfather's mysterious surgery draws near, he and his wife contend with what their 50 years of marriage have come to.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort
Chickenshit
directed by Ellie Rogers
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 8 min
At the height of summer, two rowdy boys spend the afternoon tearing through the countryside discovering nature, electricity, and themselves.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort
Claude
directed by Finola Hughes
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
Her childhood stuffed bunny, Claude, watches his owner navigate her turbulent love life as an adult trans-woman.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Definitely Not a Monster
directed by Brea Cola Angelo
United States // 2024 // English // 19 min
After a beloved icon dies after being accused of rape, his devoted widow invites a journalist into their home to clear his name.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Don't Wipe Your Tears
directed by Dominick Cormier
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
A young couple is triggered by each of their childhood traumas after a playful moment turns upside down.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Everything Goes Dark
directed by Alex Casimir
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
A Black high school student prepares to take her senior yearbook photo when horrors lurking within come to the surface.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Free Lunch
directed by Samuel Laine
United States // 2024 // English // 4 min
A first grader is forced to perform manual labor after failing to cover his two-dollar lunch debt.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Goodnight, Moon
directed by Michael Patten
United States // 2023 // English // 18 min
After hijacking his father’s ashes, Steve Gailule makes a suburban pilgrimage to his childhood home.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort
Ham
directed by Fiona Hampton
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 12 min
On a walk through the woods in the depths of rural England, childhood friends Cathy and Jules find a baby.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks
Happy Thanksgiving
directed by ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
United States // 2023 // English // 8 min
An Indigenous man takes a Happy Thanksgiving wish very very personally.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort
Heaven is Nobody's
directed by Hector Prats
United States, Spain // 2024 // English // 12 min
A boy journeys through a nightmarish city to find a cure for his mom, as a dancing curse descends on him and his home.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort
I Could Just Die, and That Would Be All Right
directed by A.K. Espada
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
A suicidal woman lures a monster into the woods to kill her only to wake up the next day as an undead vampire.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort
I Didn't Mean To Say I Love You
directed by Jenna D'Angelo
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
Abby has a full-on meldown after accidentally saying "I love you" at the end of a voicemail to an ex.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
It Stays with us
directed by Rich Perez
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 14 min
A young Latino teen struggles with his lingering grief years after a devastating loss.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
It's All Happening
directed by Sammy Grand
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
Through a series of phone calls, Hazel and Rowan discuss Rowan's upcoming move to New York where they will finally live together despite their rapidly deteriorating friendship.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Jedo's Dead
directed by Sara Nimeh
United States // 2024 // English, Lebanese // 11 min
A young Middle Eastern girl confronts loss when she finds her dead grandfather. Alone and confused, she works through the stages of grief.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Jellyfish and Lobster
directed by Yasmin afifi
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 20 min
Two elderly and terminally ill patients in a care home find magic in the mysterious swimming pool in the basement.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Kayla Baby
directed by Clark Comstock
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
When a girl and her sister are forced to relocate to an abandoned housing development, they befriend a teenage boy and an old man.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort
Klette
directed by Michael Abay
Belgium // 2022 // Dutch, French // 17 min
A day’s journey of an unaccomplished 26-year-old woman in Brussels after a one-night stand.
#Noire, #NarrativeShort
Konpa
directed by Al'Ikens Plancher
United States // 2023 // Haitian Creole, English // 9 min
A young Haitian-American learns how to dance Konpa to impress his crush.
#Noire, #NarrativeShort
Lava
directed by Carmen Jiménez
Spain // 2023 // Spanish // 18 min
Berta is very happy to spend time with her cousin but doesn't realize he has other intentions.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Living Reality
directed by Philip Thompson
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
An exploration of the emotional divide between fiction and reality in the American sitcom.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort
Mr. Bold
directed by Aiman Mimiko
United States , Nigeria // 2023 // Yoruba // 13 min
A young boy attempts to earn the respect of his older brother by desecrating a Mosque in a small Nigerian town.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Okem
directed by Joshua Okwuosa
United States // 2023 // Igbo, English // 15 min
Okem, a Nigerian immigrant, is faced with his worst nightmare when he receives a call from home informing him his mother has been kidnapped.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort
One Happy Customer
directed by WATTS
United States // 2024 // // 6 min
An aged sex worker dispatches her clientele quickly with a special trick, until an unexpected client arrives with a special trick of his own.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Rainbow Sun
directed by Malik Ali
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 15 min
A father and son must decide if the secrets they have kept from each other will break the family or if love will allow them to push past it.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Shut Up & Fish
directed by Raul Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
When friend group of Chicano teens go fishing for the first time, Aiden, the newest to the group, finds he must challenge the status quo.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort
Skettel
directed by Moon Lee Ferguson
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A single mom of a special needs child struggles to keep her head above water as she tackles the day as a bottle girl with a quarter tank of gas.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
Ten to One
directed by Jonathon Pawlowski
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
Daniel and his personal care assistant prepare for a first date, but when things go bad, Daniel calls on a friend to calm him down.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Terminally Ill
directed by Christopher J. Cole
United States // 2024 // English // 8 min
When a rapper is summoned to his grandmother’s deathbed, he engages in a madcap freestyle in an attempt to prevent her from dying.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
The G-Spot
directed by MELISSA BAYER
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
A woman's newest sex toy possesses unforeseen mystical power.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
the girl with the om tattoo
directed by Paras Chaudhari, Marquelle Young
United States // 2024 // English // 25 min
When the livelihood of her yoga studio is threatened by a thriving yoga influencer industry, Nalini's struggle for self-worth sends her into a destructive downward spiral.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #NarrativeShort
The Last Black Dinosaur
directed by Danielle Nebeliuk
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A cop slips into a musical alternate reality and sees the past, present, and future of the black man he kills.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
The Museum
directed by Annette Elliot
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
After years of rejection, a Black artist confronts a past he has been unable to forget.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
The Year of Staring At Noses
directed by Karen Knox, Matt Eastman
Canada // 2024 // English // 22 min
A woman undergoes plastic surgery in an attempt to become a contestant on a beloved reality television show.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort
Wokman
directed by Jeremy Thao
United States // 2023 // Mandarin, English // 16 min
An American-born Chinese boy gains a perspective on his parents' American Dream after starting to work at the family restaurant.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
A Home on Every Floor
directed by Signe Rosenlund-Hauglid
Norway // 2023 // Norwegian // 11 min
A young Eritrean poet from Oslo uses her voice to excavate the lost home of her childhood.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
A Synonym For Art: Rodgric J.
directed by Kasey L. Martin
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
A Black man shares his personal journey of self-expression through tattoos.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
About a Bowshot Away
directed by Sangsun Choi
United States // 2024 // English, Korean // 14 min
With a little help from her parents, a young Korean-American girl pursues her dreams of becoming an Olympic archer.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #DocumentaryShort
American Seams
directed by Carly Jakins
United States // 2024 // English, Navajo // 17 min
The stories of three quilters reveal an intimate portrait of rural women in the American West.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort
And Still the Seed
directed by Llaima Suwani Sanfiorenzo
Puerto Rico // 2023 // Spanish, English, Latin // 14 min
This short film tells a captivating story about the importance of reforestation, with Puerto Rico's native and endemic trees as the protagonists.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort
Cycles
directed by Pisie Hochheim; Tony Oswald
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A single mom from rural Kentucky travels to San Diego to sell her eggs in order to support her family.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort
Elephant
directed by Wes Sterrs
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
“Elephant” spins a yarn of quiet observation against the backdrop of Maine’s emerging Spring as the tightly-wound circle of life unfurls.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort
Friendly Signs
directed by Rahsaan Thomas
United States // 2022 // English, ASL // 22 min
An incarcerated man seeks to start a sign language class inside a state prison.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
Goodbye, Morganza
directed by Devon Blackwell
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
Years after a family's displacement, the youngest daughter is left to pick up the pieces—all of them fitting within 2 storage units.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
I Am More Dangerous Dead
directed by Majiye Uchibeke
United States, Nigeria, UK // 2022 // English // 24 min
Poetic tribute to Nigerian writer and environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed for his beliefs.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World
directed by Julio Palacio
United States // 2024 // English // 23 min
A teenage girl with a rare form of autism finds her voice after 14 years of being silent.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort
Map to the Sirens
directed by Demetrius Antonio Lewis
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
An exploration of the landscapes and history of the American South through the eyes of rideshare drivers
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
My Queerceañera
directed by Marcos Nieves
United States // 2023 // Spanish // 17 min
Upon turning fifty years old, Karyna, a transgender immigrant, is determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of celebrating her Quinceañera.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #PinkPeach, #DocumentaryShort
Olive
directed by Lev Omelchenko
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
“Olive” follows an energetic woman on her daily routine of salvaging and redistributing food and “waste” across Atlanta, GA.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition
Pirsas
directed by Angélica M. Torres Tamayo
Colombia // 2023 // Spanish // 20 min
16 years after a tragedy that took her brothers life, the director returns with her mother to the site of the event, looking for answers.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort
Prelude of a Story
directed by Ashley Salman
Chile // 2023 // Spanish, English // 17 min
Following her mothers passing, a young Chilean woman searches through archival footage to try and understand who her mother really was.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort
Seven Acres and a Church
directed by Caroline Josey Karoki
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
A passionate community matriarch fights to preserve her church, heritage, and community's history in Savannah, GA.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort
The Alchemy of David
directed by Nicholas Woytuk
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
An artist-photographer reflects on the state of his medium and wonders if the digital age has taken the magic out of making art.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort
The Waiting
directed by Volker Schlecht
Germany // 2023 // English // 15 min
Mysterious deaths occur all over the planet and have a similar pattern. Why have so many species vanished?
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort
We Exist in Memory
directed by Darian Woehr
United States, Brazil // 2024 // Spanish, Warao // 13 min
How do you rebuild “home” from nothing but memories? Through intergenerational conversations, we witness the complexity of raising a new generation in displacement.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort
ANIMATED SHORTS
27
directed by Flóra Anna Buda
France, Hungary // 2023 // Hungarian // 11 min
Alice is 27 years old today. She still lives with her parents and tends to live in her dreams to escape her dreary everyday life.
#NewMavericks, #AnimatedShort
A Paw Over Dark
directed by Dorian Saisse, Marisa Molson
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
A washed-up actor descends into madness after a dog steals his spotlight.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
ATM
directed by Chih-Ching Tseng
Taiwan, United States // 2022 // English // 3 min
A story about a money machine, a poor man, and cat food.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Discoteque
directed by Masashi Yamamoto
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
I feel your beat, you feel my rhythm, till the end.
#PinkPeach, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Don't Forget to Take Medicines on Time
directed by Xiaoxuan Han
China // 2023 // Chinese // 2 min
Have the mushrooms not disappeared yet？
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Lil Sherbet
directed by Xinhe Zhao
China, United States // 2023 // Chinese // 3 min
My body is mine, but not all mine.
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Mira
directed by Eva Louise Hall
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
An accordionist busker gets more than she bargained for when her desire to be noticed attracts the attention of a dangerous competitor.
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Provisions
directed by Kheyal Roy-Meighoo
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A young American woman asks her grandmother how to make traditional Trinidadian provision soup while discussing home, family, and diaspora.
#GeorgiaFilm, #InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #AnimatedShort
The Lost Courier
directed by Ma Zidong
China // 2023 // Chinese, English // 3 min
It may have gone through some incredible things before the courier reached us.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
The Nectar Instead
directed by Yoo Lee
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A young fly gets trapped in a fly trap in a stop-motion studio, only to have an existential realization about its entire life.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
The Sun is Bad
directed by Rachel Mow
United States // 2023 // Cantonese // 3 min
In 80s Hong Kong, a temperamental girl tries to destroy the sun and stop it from melting her city using toys.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Vainglorious
directed by Gabriel Ugbodaga
United States, Nigeria // 2023 // English // 8 min
A skilled young boxer and a determined father clash in a traditional Nigerian boxing match.
#Noire, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
Worry World
directed by Jessica Patterson
Ireland // 2023 // English // 9 min
What price would you pay for the connection?
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort
EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
(ಥ﹏ಥ) ✧_MY PARENTS ARE CIA PSY0PS_!!!* ಠ_ಠ
directed by Haydon Mayer
United States // 2023 // English // 10 min
On a sleepy summer night in 2004, my parents are fighting but I wish they would shut up because I'm trying to fix my new blog.
#ExperimentalShort
Burnt Milk
directed by Joseph Douglas Elmhirst
United States, Jamaica // 2023 // English, Patois // 9 min
When an isolated Jamaican midwife takes a moment of solace by following a ritual, she's taken home.
#Noire, #ExperimentalShort
Chamber of Shadows
directed by OK Seyoung
South Korea // 2023 // // 11 min
Eadweard Muybridge’s photographs of animals, people, and landscapes begin to move in a transparent acrylic frame.
#ExperimentalShort
Decomp Disco
directed by Russell Sheaffer & Aaron Michael Smith
United States // 2024 // English // 5 min
"Taking place entirely on “Cybill’s Disco Jet
#PinkPeach, #ExperimentalShort
Devouring Stones Up Close
directed by Cat Rider, Zap Mcconnell
United States // 2024 // English // 9 min
A dance film that serves as an expression of feminine rage and channels the spirits of those whose land we walk, create, and dance on.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #ExperimentalShort
Islets of Langerhans
directed by Anna Winter
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Islets of Langerhans is an experimental documentary about chronic illness and mother/daughter relationships
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #ExperimentalShort
Photosynthesis
directed by Brian Zahm
United States // 2023 // // 7 min
Seeds. Light. Water. Life.
#ExperimentalShort
The Expectation of the Observed
directed by Stephanie J Williams
United States // 2022 // // 5 min
This stop motion about labor features disembodied meaty legs, flayed of skin, dancing in repetition even as they start to disintegrate.
#Noire, #ExperimentalShort
They Got Me Goin' In On My Day Off.
directed by Luis Figueroa Caunedo
United States // 2024 // English // 5 min
A lo-fi, dry-humored glimpse of a Manhattan bus driver who gets called in to work on his day off.
#¡CineMás!, #ExperimentalShort
Wonderful
directed by Daniel Martinico
United States // 2024 // // 4 min
Into the flickering abyss. Tiny fragments sourced from Frank Capra’s IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE are folded into a stroboscopic incantation.
#ExperimentalShort
MUSIC VIDEO
Ara - Torn
directed by Sinan Taner
Switzerland // 2023 // English // 4 min
TORN portrays the structure and fragility of a relationship by depicting inner states. A story about the rupture of patterns.
#MusicVideo
billy woods and Kenny Segal - Soft Landing
directed by Henry Nelson, Tim Blake Nelson
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
Birds fly high you know how I feel, sun in the sky you now how I feel, breeze drifting on you know how I feel, birds fly high you know how I feel.
#¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo
E - Glitter Electron
directed by Chihiro Sato, Takaaki Numa, E
Japan // 2022 // // 6 min
This film is a glitter storm of pleasant and strange visual images and electronic sounds on the theme of electricity, which is the driving force of modern civilization.
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo
Home is Where - Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!
directed by Texas Smith
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
A woman time travels back in time to her mother’s past, present, and future on September 10th, 2001.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #MusicVideo
Mad Fox - Cinerama
directed by Matt Fulks
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
Louisville rapper Mad Fox recreates 30 of film's most iconic moments
#MusicVideo
Nicole Blakk - Run
directed by SYCHELLE-KRISTINA YANDA
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 3 min
Everybody's running from something, right?
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo
Pattie Gonia, Quinn Christopherson, and Yo-Yo Ma - Won't Give Up
directed by Abdul Kassamali
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Climate justice and environmental justice are inextricably linked - how we treat this planet is how we treat each other.
#Noire, #MusicVideo
Pronto - Light Light
directed by Maximilian Speidel
Switzerland // 2022 // Swiss German, English // 6 min
A young adult clears out his mother's apartment, unlocking his quest to preserve her unconditional love through cherished memories.
#MusicVideo
Quinn Bentley - Stripes
directed by Sarah Menasce
United States // 2024 // English // 3 min
STRIPES is about a young woman’s intrusive thoughts, slowly taking on a concrete & sinister form.
#NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo
Sadmadbad - Everything is Fine
directed by Naomi Plasterer
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
From birth to death a painful life full of trials and tribulations. Everything is not fine. Will their next life be better?
#NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo
Tammy Lakkis - Get Up
directed by Oksana Mirzoyan
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
A live performance by electronic music composer Tammy Lakkis of her song "Get Up."
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo
Tim Aminov - Ultraviolence
directed by Andrei Maica
Kazakhstan // 2022 // Russian, Kazakh // 3 min
How does the crowd feel? Where does this collective unconscious come from, ready to kill and indulge in the idea of violence?
#MusicVideo
Zulu - From Tha Gods To Earth
directed by Malakai
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Black Culture is not a monolith. FROM THA GODS TO EARTH explores the metamorphosis of Black Ancestry through hardcore punk.
#Noire, #MusicVideo
EPISODIC
Do It To Me If You Want
directed by Elise Kibler, James Udom
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
Alexandra runs into her ex's identical twin Kent at a Halloween frat party.
#NewMavericks, #Noire, #Episodic
Last Option
directed by Don-Dimitri Joseph
United States // 2024 // English // 11 min
Daniel, a gifted psychic with the ability to see into the future, decides to use his powers to commit burglaries.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #Episodic
Lucy & Sara
directed by Susan Park
United States // 2024 // English // 7 min
Two unlikely sisters learn to lean on each other after the death of their beloved father despite their seemingly toxic relationship.
#NewMavericks, #Episodic
Roboto
directed by Keone & Mari Madrid
United States // 2023 // English // 18 min
A choreographer hits rock bottom when a dancing artificial intelligence puts him out of work and becomes everyone's favorite dance partner.
#NewMavericks, #Episodic
The Comic Shop
directed by Robert Butler III
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
A former engineering major opens up her own Comic Book store in the heart of Los Angeles with her quirky friends.
#Noire, #NewMavericks, #Episodic
The Murder on Cape Melancholy
directed by Christian ‘Blaque’ Meier
United States // 2024 // English // 26 min
After being accused of a brutal murder, Todd Bishop plunges into chaos uncovering twisted town secrets on his quest for vindication.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #Episodic
VIRTUAL REALITY
Comfortless
directed by Gina Kim
United States, Korea // 2023 // English, Korean // 16 min
Filmed on-site, COMFORTLESS immerses in American Town, a brothel exclusive to the U.S. Air Force Base in Kunsan, South Korea.
#NewMavericks, #VirtualReality
Even You Leave: A Neighborhood Sketchbook
directed by Geoffrey Beatty
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A hand-drawn, animated, 360° film documenting a historic neighborhood in Philadelphia.
#VirtualReality
Minitourism
directed by Jan Grabowski
Poland // 2023 // Polish // 8 min
A trip around the world that turns out to be a metaphorical journey set in a miniature park.
#VirtualReality
Cover photo by Gregory Bishop.
2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Finalists
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Finalists. Chosen from 1,555 total submissions, the following 20 feature film screenplays, 15 pilots, and 15 shorts represent the top 3% of all entries. Their authors are competing for invaluable mentorship opportunities to help hone their craft and plan the next steps in their careers in addition to cash prizes.
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Finalists. Chosen from 1,555 total submissions, the following 50 feature film screenplays, 15 pilots, and 15 shorts represent the top 3% of all entries. Their authors are competing for invaluable mentorship opportunities to help hone their craft and plan the next steps in their careers in addition to cash prizes. Please join us in congratulating these impressive authors, and wish them well as the programming team continues to narrow this list down to 5 Winning Scripts!
Feature Screenplay Finalists
Adventures in Serial Killing - Jack Warner
Alien America - Gorby Mufan Shih
Aubrei from La Veta - Sam Ellison
Belonging - Liz Fields
But We Slept Soundly - Jake Kolton, Audrey Findlay
Cradle - Harriet Bramwell
Divorce, Marry, Kill - Alex Watson
Feedback - Jeffrey Dinghua Lei
HEARTRACE - Will Bermender
HOMESTALKER - Olivia Jampol
Hot Naked Mess - Jonathan Dillon, Sascha Alexander
Lo & Em - Claire Audrey Aguayo
Manongs - Mariel Madrid, Keone Madrid
Neat Freak - Christopher Glass
REMEDIATION - Conner Marie Allen
Rule Of Law - Eric Johnson
Sel De Mer "Sea Salt" - Jacqueline Cloake
The Hare - Bryson Edmondson
The Hazard Room - Mike Cymanski
The Struggle is Reel - Jennifer Tomlin
Pilot Screenplay Finalists
A Lost Lady - Pilot: "A Spark" - Holly Michelle Swenson
Akata - Stephanie Obadare, Caroline Gordon-Elliott
America Rise, America Fall - Giovanni Taveras
Gallatin - Ryan Skinner
Like You Stole It - Stacey Russell
MADS - Jan Pearson
McAllen - Michael Chludzinski
Run Red - Felicity R Landa
SIMORGH - Farzin Farzam
The Backrooms - Jon Addison
The Detail - Jonah Einstein
The Girl with the Devil Eyes - Toby Marks
The Local - Mark Naccarato
The Skipper - Telsyn Doucette
The subtle artGaia Kim Bartolini - Nick Habal
Short Screenplay Finalists
April and Mr. Stockman - Montgomery Burt
Become the Wounded - Gabe Berry
Bittersweet - Alec Gutherz
Bomb Ass Boss(es) - Shanice Williamson
Chosen - Michelle Farley
Curtain Call - Taylor Rankin
ELLIOTT - Shaun Radecki
Ghomeeda - Aya Mheidly
Handle With Care - Allison Orr Block
I DO MY BEST NOT TO REMEMBER THAT TIME MY BASEBALL CARD TRIED TO DESTROY MY LIFE - Shaun Radecki
Iron Fist - Kagure Kabue
Mouse - Michael Clifton
The 25th Annual Tucker High Talent Show - Evan Deis
The Rusty Nail - John Acquaviva
Togs - William Winston
THE 2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL & CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES FIRST WAVE OF FILMS
The Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) is pleased to announce the first wave of films programmed for the upcoming 48th Annual Atlanta Film Festival & Creative Conference (ATLFF), slated for April 25th through May 5th, 2024. Each year, this first wave announcement acts as the earliest glimpse at the upcoming festival and represents the exciting programming choices to come.
ATLANTA, GA (March 1, 2024) – The Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) is pleased to announce the first wave of films programmed for the upcoming 48th Annual Atlanta Film Festival & Creative Conference (ATLFF), slated for April 25 through May 5, 2024. Each year, this first wave announcement acts as the earliest glimpse at the upcoming festival and represents the exciting programming choices to come.
This first wave, selected from the 7,500+ film & screenplay submissions, consists of three documentary features and three narrative features.
“The 6 features in this group each exemplify the bold visions and sense of discovery that we want to bring to ATLFF's audiences. We think they serve as an ideal early taste of the full slate to come.”
Jonathan Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF
For 2024, ATLFF received over 7,500 submitted works from 118 countries. The total programmed films include 59% film by BIPOC directors, 49% by women and non-binary directors, and 24% from Georgia-tied filmmakers. These first selections of films will be joined by over 140 others selected from submitted works when the entire lineup is released in late March.
AFRICAN GIANTS
Documentary Feature
Directed by Omar S. Kamara
United States, English, 106 minutes
Two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.
NAKED AMBITION
Documentary Feature
Directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch
United States, English, 73 minutes
Bunny Yeager, the unseen force behind the bikini, Playboy's allure, and the invention of the selfie comes to life in 'Naked Ambition".
WE STRANGERS
Narrative Feature
Directed by Anu Valia
United States, English, 80minutes
Rayelle Martin, a commercial cleaning woman in Gary, Indiana, stumbles into a new job cleaning the homes of several rich, suburban families. While working, she tells one small lie that spins out of control.
THE BODY POLITIC
Documentary Feature
Directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough
United States, English, 91 minutes
In Baltimore, a young reform-minded politician is elected mayor, promising to stop chronic violence and end racist policing.
DRAGOONS
Narrative Feature
Directed by Reinis Ubelis
Latvia, Latvian, 77 minutes
After getting lost and finding refuge in a crumbling gothic manor, two wandering petty thieves, Pavel and Sabine, struggle to escape before Sabine goes into labor.
PIANOMAN
Documentary Feature
Directed by Sunny Liu
United States, English, 52 minutes
An undocumented immigrant achieves his dream opening a piano restoration factory but unforeseen threats jeopardize his family and livelihood.
2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinalists
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinalists. Chosen from 1,555 total submissions, the following 80 feature film screenplays, 42 pilots, and 32 shorts represent the top 10% of all entries. Their authors are competing for invaluable mentorship opportunities to help hone their craft and plan the next steps in their careers in addition to cash prizes.
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to present the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinalists. Chosen from 1,555 total submissions, the following 80 feature film screenplays, 42 pilots, and 32 shorts represent the top 10% of all entries. Their authors are competing for invaluable mentorship opportunities to help hone their craft and plan the next steps in their careers in addition to cash prizes. Please join us in congratulating these impressive authors, and wish them well as the programming team continues to narrow this list down to the Finalists and eventually to 5 Winning Scripts!
Feature Screenplay Semifinalists
10 Days In A Madhouse - Nicola Pittam
A Shooting Star - Jack Coady
Adventures in Serial Killing - Jack Warner
Afterwards - Lauren Grant
Alien America - Gorby Mufan Shih
Askari - Christiaan Smit
Aubrei from La Veta - Sam Ellison
Belonging - Liz Fields
Bike Lane Ends - Noah Glenn
Black Sheep - Mimi Lee
Bloom - James Lamp II
Braddock - Gregory Caruso
But Some of Us Are Brave - Jainaba Seckan
But We Slept Soundly - Jake Kolton, Audrey Findlay
Chosen - Cosmo Wallace
Classmates - Matthew Schlissel
Cling - AARON WARNER
Contained - Jennifer Wilton
Cradle - Harriet Bramwell
Crayola Zen - Mike Green
CRIME WAVE - Tammy Klembith, George Klembith
Dadwatch - Eric Stern, Joshua Mann
Diary of a Failed Minister's Daughter - Susie Mendoza
Divorce, Marry, Kill - Alex Watson
East Jesus - Duane Graves
Fade In, Fade Out - Rob Levinson
Feedback - Jeffrey Dinghua Lei
Fright Masks - Stephen Polakiewicz
Globulous - Flax Glor
HEARTRACE - Will Bermender
HOMESTALKER - Olivia Jampol
Hot Naked Mess - Jonathan Dillon, Sascha Alexander
If You're Lucky They'll Believe Every Word - Cameron Linly Robinson
Lo & Em - Claire Audrey Aguayo
Manongs - Mariel Madrid, Keone Madrid
Mud Simple - Austin Alward
Neat Freak - Christopher Glass
Oh Sickie! - julien wagner
Ouroboros - Red Davis
Over the Hill - Laura Kemp
Powdered Sugar - Tyler Gibbons
Problematic - Jerry J Sampson
Quran Camp - Samah Meghjee
REMEDIATION - Conner Marie Allen
Riddle - Shiva Ramanathan
Road Closure - John Cerrito
Roe Island - Hanna Hedqvist
Rule Of Law - Eric Johnson
Sel De Mer "Sea Salt" - Jacqueline Cloake
Senseless Confidential - Martin Bannon Beaudet
Serotinous - Terra Mackintosh
She Becomes Pedro Infante - J.K. Zepeda
Shelby - Brian Ruberry
Shot Clock - King Lu
Sixty Days Is Forever - Jeff Fletcher
Sludge - Jen Butler
Sonoran - Jack Aupperle
Stand Up - Eric Meltzer
Starchildren - Michael Anthony De Toffoli
Stranded - Jen Boxall
Survivor Duty - Kyle Curry
The Blur - Dean Farell Bruggeman
The Fallen - Gabrielle Nehring
The Hare - Bryson Edmondson
The Hazard Room - Mike Cymanski
The Knowledge of Good & Evil - Luke Edward
The Last Blockbuster - Justin Miller, Jeremiah Castleman
The Show Must Go On - Bret Miller
The Struggle is Reel - Jennifer Tomlin
The Taking of North Pole 1-2-3 - Robert Husted
The Untold Story of the Titanic - Willie Mae Kent
Thirstygirl - Alexandra Qin
This is Pablo - Sammie Rose
Three Sheets to the Wind - Sean Pedersen
Twisted Justice - Joel McElvaney
Us, Unlikely - Tricia Lee
Victor - Aaron Huckleberry
Watermelon, Watermelon, Watermelon - Calvin Claudio
Willa - Elizabeth Myer
Pilot Screenplay Semifinalists
A Black Girl's Guide... - Aadrise Johnson
A Lost Lady - Pilot: "A Spark" - Holly Michelle Swenson
Akata - Stephanie Obadare, Caroline Gordon-Elliott
America Rise, America Fall - Giovanni Taveras
BAD B "The Glamour Profession" - Jan Arnold
Bear Frat - Pilot - Will Moro
CRIMSON TIES - Jackie Quinones
Do I Belong Here? - Teri Rusike
Flipped - Justin Alicastro
FRUITFUL - Jessica McLaughlin
Fundies TV Pilot - Jessica Furniss
Gallatin - Ryan Skinner
Gigantica - Duane Smith, Stefane Barbeau
Good Bones - Brooke Becker
Grace and the Aliens - Jennica Johnson
Guardians Of The Pacific - Derek Quick (Negane Meno)
Like You Stole It - Stacey Russell
MADS - Jan Pearson
McAllen - Michael Chludzinski
Morlock - Anthony Povah
Pandora - Jeff Bower
PETROL GIRLS - Jade Maitre
Protocol One - Geoffrey Colo
Run Red - Felicity R Landa
SIMORGH - Farzin Farzam
Snack Shack - Kate Kowalski
The Age of the Empath - Steve Brown
The Backrooms - Jon Addison
The Detail - Jonah Einstein
The Fugitive Game - Martha Swetzoff
The Ginger Seeds of Loxahatchee - Nik Prietus
The Girl with the Devil Eyes - Toby Marks
The Great Balgair - Faith Dismuke
The Last Cabin Left on Old Sycamore Lane - Michael Rakoff
The Local - Mark Naccarato
The Sessions - Pilot episode - Alexander Julian
The Skipper - Telsyn Doucette
The subtle art - Gaia Kim Bartolini, Nick Habal
The Talking Animals - Andrew Gitomer
THE TWO OF US - Alison Balnar
WENCH Pilot Script - Aaveen Marandi, Tommy Miller
Short Screenplay Semifinalists
A Tempo - Lorelai Jo-hsuan Lin
Algorithm and Blues - Jamie Benson
April and Mr. Stockman - Montgomery Burt
Become the Wounded - Gabe Berry, Amir Zargara
Bittersweet - Alec Gutherz
Bomb Ass Boss(es) - Shanice Williamson
Byrdie's Call - Connor Austin Jones
Chosen - Michelle Farley
Curtain Call - Taylor Rankin
ELLIOTT - Shaun Radecki
First Sunrise - Healin Kweon
Ghomeeda - Aya Mheidly
Good Evening, Marshall (Good Evening, Geraldine) - Jessica Mosher
Handle With Care - Allison Orr Block
Homogeneous - Nicky Rudolph Calloway
Hook and Swing - Dana Hawthorne
I DO MY BEST NOT TO REMEMBER THAT TIME MY BASEBALL CARD TRIED TO DESTROY MY LIFE - Shaun Radecki
In With the Storm - Cara Marshall
Iron Fist - Kagure Kabue
Lead Sandwich - andre salloom
Life and Death are spelled the same - Neil Knox
Mouse - Michael Clifton
Paper Monsters - Michael Clifton
Pumpkin Goulash - Yvette Farmer
The 25th Annual Tucker High Talent Show - Evan Deis
The Late Shift - Hallie Reese Kostrencich
The Rusty Nail - John Acquaviva
Thirteen Mountains - Lauren James
Togs - William Winston
Witness to Breath - Doug Conant
Woman in the Wood - B Maddox