Rob Burnett's THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING Opens the 40th Atlanta Film Festival TONIGHT!
Make sure you have your tickets or festival badge ASAP, so you don't miss out on Opening Night presentation, THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING, next Friday! Five-time Emmy winner Rob Burnett will be here for his film which stars Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez.
Make sure you have your tickets or festival badge ASAP, so you don't miss out on Opening Night presentation, THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING, tonight, April 1st! Five-time Emmy winner Rob Burnett will be here for his film which stars Paul Rudd and Selena Gomez.
THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING
directed by Rob Burnett
USA, 2016, English, 93 minutes
Friday, April 1, 2016, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Having suffered a tragedy, Ben's life is on hold. In need of work, he becomes a caregiver, where he is put through his paces by his first client, Trevor, a hilarious 18-year-old from England with muscular dystrophy. Instead of bowing to Trevor's irreverent tactics, Ben treats Trevor in a way no caregiver has ever done before: without kid gloves. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, the two bond through humor in a way only broken people can. They hit the open road on a trip that takes them through the majestic pines of the Pacific Northwest, the foothills of Idaho and Montana, and finally through the open plains of the American Southwest. Along the way, they find some other lost souls, including a 21-year-old runaway who is the sexiest girl Trevor has ever seen in person and not on TV. Ben and Trevor’s journey is a touching, laugh-out-loud tale of two unlikely friends finding hope against all odds.
After Party: Every ticket purchased comes with admission to our opening night party, located at Paris On Ponce. Live entertainment, superb libations, and catering will be provided.
ATLFF '16 Opening Night Presentation and Party is Presented by SIM Digital.
Winner Announced for ATLFF '16 Filmmaker-to-Watch Award
This year, our Kickstarter Backers Jury selected "Zelos" director Thoranna Sigurdardottir as the 2016 ATLFF Filmmaker-to-Watch!
The Atlanta Film Festival established the Filmmaker-to-Watch Award in 2014 to give our Kickstarter Backers Jury—a segment of contributors to our annual Kickstarter campaigns—the opportunity to spotlight a filmmaker from whom they're excited to see more. This year, they selected "Zelos" director Thoranna Sigurdardottir as their 2016 Filmmaker-to-Watch!
"Winners like 'Zelos' continue to surprise us but really shouldn't. With a Backers Jury representing such varied backgrounds, it's a marvel and joy that Thoranna's film resonated so strongly across the board. We're so pleased to elevate 'Zelos' and recognize this New Maverick's accomplishment!" said Senior Shorts Programmer Christina Humphrey.
Congratulations to Thoranna! Check out her reaction:
Having worked in film production for the last nineteen years, Thoranna was born and raised in Reykjavik, Iceland and is now based in Los Angeles. "Zelos" is featured in the WOOL shorts block and screens Saturday, April 2 at 12 PM at The Plaza Theatre. The film is also designated as a New Mavericks selection.
Zelos | directed by Thoranna Sigurdardottir, USA, 14:58
A competitive mother orders a clone to outshine her flawless friend, but soon realizes she purchased an unbeatable rival.
Big Freedia to Headline Free SOUND + VISION Event at Ponce City Market
We are excited to announce that Big Freedia will headline SOUND + VISION at Ponce City Market on April 7th. Grand Prize Winners From Last Year and Culture Culture are also set to perform at the free event.
We are excited to announce that Big Freedia will headline SOUND + VISION at Ponce City Market on April 7th. The New Orleans-based performer and star of Fuse's "Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce" is a high profile addition to the already wildly-popular event.
Grand Prize Winners From Last Year, Culture Culture, Wrenn and Sam Burchfield are also set to perform. Additionally, Jason Drakeford and Thomas Nybo's virtual reality short film "Interrupture" will have its World Premiere at SOUND + VISION.
Though the Atlanta Film Festival is celebrating a 40th anniversary this year, SOUND + VISION has reached a benchmark of its own—this being its 5th year. Moving from The Goat Farm Arts Center for the first time, SOUND + VISION is ATLFF's signature mid-week event that joins together live music, art installations and experimental film for one larger-than-life experience. The newly opened Ponce City Market will host the event that is presented in partnership with Flux Projects and sponsored by MailChimp.
This event is FREE and open to the public! It all starts at 7:00 PM.
All-Access, Filmmaker, Industry and Producer Badge-holders will have access to a private VIP lounge on the roof.
You Can Find Me in the A: EDBI Festival Preview
Join us in the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge this Tuesday for a networking event loaded with local talent from the upcoming 40th anniversary ATLFF!
MORE THAN MUSIC: SENEGAL
With less than one week until the 40th anniversary #ATLFF, we can hardly contain our excitement! Tuesday night at Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge, we're sharing it with you. Join us for our monthly Eat, Drink & B-Indie event presented by Stella Artois for a look into our local lineup and the filmmakers behind it!
Artist minds behind features, shorts, virtual reality and art installations will be present with trailers and screening details. Become familiar with ATLFF alumni just two days before we kick off the best part of our year!
Guest appearances include:
Babacar Ndiaye — More Than Music: Senegal [STEEL block]
Brian Lonano and Victoria Cook — Gwilliam [STEEL + WOOL blocks]
James Martin & Jen West — The New Orleans Sazerac [STEEL + COTTON blocks]
Brit Wigintton & Grey Clawson — Violet [STEEL block]
Robyn Hicks — Que Sera - Atlanta Film Festival World Premiere [RUBY block]
Russell Sheaffer & Aaron Smith — On Surgery [COPPER block] + It's So Easy (The Mechanism of Power) Installation at 7 Stages
James Bickert — Frankenstein Created Bikers World Premiere
Jason Drakeford — Interrupture [5th annual SOUND + VISION]
Phoebe Brown, Charlene Fisk & Carrie Schrader — The Founders film World Premiere at Atlanta Film Fest
Brent Costin — The Brint Koston Show [Pilot Case Study panel]
As always, Eat, Drink & B-Indie is FREE and open to the public! The first 40 attendees of age will receive a drink ticket for a free Stella Artois.
See you in the A!
Atlanta Film Festival Announces Spanx® and The Sara Blakely Foundation Sponsorship Honoring Female Filmmakers
The Atlanta-based company and foundation will present the New Mavericks Award to a female filmmaker at the 40th Anniversary Atlanta Film Festival.
The Atlanta-based company and foundation will present the New Mavericks Award at the 40th Anniversary Atlanta Film Festival
The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is proud to announce Atlanta-based SPANX® and The Sara Blakely Foundation’s sponsorship of the Atlanta Film Society’s New Mavericks program. This key sponsorship funds the New Mavericks Award that will be presented at the 40th annual event next month, and also provides support for year-round programming aiming to encourage women involved in various aspects of Atlanta’s film community.
“Spanx is celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of women in film, especially those behind the lens who shine a light on strong female characters,” said Sara Blakely, the company’s founder and owner. “The inspiring work created by the New Mavericks is a perfect example of what happens when women fulfill their potential and we are super excited to be a part of it.”
The Atlanta Film Society’s New Mavericks program was launched as a short film block in 2013, celebrating female-directed films featuring strong female leads. At ATLFF 2015, New Mavericks grew to include feature films that met the same criteria. Last year, the program grew beyond festival boundaries to include monthly networking events and the first-ever New Mavericks Film Series, which is expected to return in summer 2016. SPANX® and The Sara Blakely Foundation will present a New Mavericks Award to a female filmmaker at the 2016 festival. This award will come with a $5,000 cash prize.
"We are overjoyed to have the support of Sara and the Spanx team, whose mission directly aligns with that of the New Mavericks program,” said Kristy Breneman, ATLFF Creative Director. “Female filmmakers are female entrepreneurs in a male-dominated industry, and no one is more familiar with the challenges that accompany this than Sara. Her testament to overcoming professional obstacles with internal confidence is an empowering model we're proud to extend to New Mavericks and female filmmakers everywhere."
As a nonprofit organization, the Atlanta Film Festival and its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society, rely heavily on the support of corporate sponsors, private foundations and government agencies in order to showcase the best of independent films to the Atlanta community. The 2016 festival will take place from April 1 – 10, 2016, and will feature an eclectic mix of more than 150 narrative and documentary feature and short films, 37 educational conferences and more than a dozen special events and presentations.
Feature-length films showcased in the 2016 ATLFF New Mavericks track that are eligible for the SPANX® and The Sara Blakely Foundation New Mavericks Award are included below. Additionally, 25 short films that represent 13 different countries in this year’s New Mavericks program are listed below.
For more information about the Atlanta Film Festival and full schedule of film screenings and events, visit www.atlantafilmfestival.com. Passes for the festival and individual screening tickets are available for purchase now on the website.
2016 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL NEW MAVERICKS FILMS
Feature Films
collective:unconscious
directed by Lily Baldwin, Frances Bodomo, Daniel Patrick Carbone, Josephine Decker, Lauren Wolkstein
USA, 2016, English, 81 minutes
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 3:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
When independent filmmakers adapt each other's dreams for the screen, the result is a collective unconscious indeed: A man and his grandmother hide out from an ominous broadcast. The Grim Reaper hosts a TV show. The formerly incarcerated recount and reinterpret their first days of freedom. A suburban mom's life is upturned by the beast growing inside of her. And a high school gym teacher runs drills from inside a volcano. Five new works explore the space between sleep and lucidity. Welcome to their dream state.
Driving With Selvi
directed by Elisa Paloschi
India/Canada, 2015, Kannada/English, 74 minutes
Friday, April 8, 2016, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
This is the story of a young Indian girl's struggle to survive. Forced to marry years ago at the age of 14, Selvi finds herself determined to leave an increasingly destructive situation. Selvi starts a new life for herself by becoming South India's first female taxi driver. Ride along as we observe through ten years in Selvi's eyes the challenges many women living in India face.
Embers
directed by Claire Carré
USA/Poland, 2015, English/Spanish, 86 minutes
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 12:20 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
What do you do when you lose all your memories? In a world reeling from a neurological epidemic and its aftermath, five stories weave through time, space, love, and struggle to reconcile a future with no past.
The Fits
directed by Anna Rose Holmer
USA, 2015, English, 72 minutes
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 9:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Developed and produced through a micro-budget, micro-timeline initiative for first and second-time filmmakers, "The Fits" stars fresh face Royalty Hightower as Toni—an 11-year-old tomboy emboldened by a strong, confident group of young dancers. While the team navigates a sudden, unexplained outbreak of fainting spells, Toni navigates her innocent but furtive desire to fit in.
The Founders
directed by Charlene Fisk & Carrie Schrader
USA, 2016, English, 85 minutes
Monday, April 4, 2016, 9:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Battling the sexism and stereotypes made sturdy in the 1950s, thirteen women founded the Ladies Pro Golf Association (LPGA). Rare archival footage, historical re-enactments and current-day interviews with surviving founders and leading players present an underdog story never before seen. Despite competing against one another on the greens, these pioneers worked together to keep their dreams of professional golf careers alive. From child prodigy fame to Olympian status, each member left a sports world legacy that lives on today.
The Ground Beneath Their Feet
directed by Nausheen Dadabhoy
Pakistan, 2015, Urdu, 75 minutes
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 5:20 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
After a devastating earthquake north of Pakistan paralyzes Ruquiya and Khalida, the young women fight to fulfill their culture role of becoming wives and mothers. Women make up just twenty percent of the Pakistani workforce, a hindrance that bears a weight that other cultures may never understand. Viewers experience the profound effects of this physically and emotionally-jarring event through the eyes of the courageous women who faced it.
It Had to Be You
directed by Sasha Gordon
USA, 2015, English, 85 minutes
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 7:00 PM — Serenbe
Sonia is a musician approaching her thirties who's terrified upon discovering her laidback boyfriend's intention to propose. Though most of her friends are married parents, she fears she isn’t where she dreamed she'd be by now. When forced to comply with now embarrassed Chris's ultimatum, Sonia's anxiety and uncertainty fuel a three-day crash course in self- realization.
Jean of the Joneses
directed by Stella Meghie
Canada/USA, 2016, English, 82 minutes
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 5:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Writer-director Stella Meghie's feature revolves around the troubled Jones family, one of whom dies at the start of the movie. When the paramedic who answers their 911 call falls for rambunctious Jean, the courtship goes south during a calamitous Jones funeral. This screenplay won the 2011 ATLFF Screenplay Competition.
A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers
directed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy & Geeta Gandbhir
USA/Bangladesh/Pakistan, 2015, Bengali/English/Creek, 95 minutes
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 3:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
The world's first all-female, predominantly Muslim peacekeeping unit accepts a Bangladeshi mission to join the United Nations Stabilizing Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Leaving home for Haiti, the women leave behind families and the traditional lives of women in Bangladesh. Although centered around a 160-woman unit, the lives of three foot soldiers and the harsh realities and responsibilities that accompany the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission become the focus of this brave and beautiful profile.
Juanicas
directed by Karina Garcia Casanova
Canada/Mexico, 2015, Spanish/English/French, 78 minutes
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 1:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
When Karina Garcia Casanova set out to film her brother, Juan, upon his return from their Mexican birthplace, she knew she wanted a feature debut anchored in more than home footage—but the paranoia and depression into which Juan falls casts a shadow she can't control. "Juanicas" is a transparent, autobiographical portrait of mental health, familial introspection, and the futility of taking one without the other.
A Light Beneath Their Feet
directed by Valerie Weiss
USA, 2015, English, 90 minutes
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:50 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
High school senior Beth spends every spare moment caring for her sick mother. Burdened by an early onset role of the ‘responsible adult,’ she yearns for the freedom to be a normal teenager. When presented with an opportunity to attend her dream college, she is torn between her own sanity and her mother’s.
Speed Sisters
directed by Amber Fares
Palestine/USA, 2015, Arabic/English, 80 minutes
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
The first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East coined themselves The Speed Sisters. These female professionals are no strangers to headlines, drama, or trophies, but crossing the finish line in a male-dominated industry takes more than experience. Amplified by larger-than-life personalities, this race to become the best while working together wins the hearts of both sport and documentary spectators.
The Wrong Light
directed by Dave Adams & Josie Swantek
USA/Thailand, 2015, English, 80 minutes
Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 9:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre
Thousands of desperate families have abandoned and sold their daughters into Thailand's rampant sex trafficking industry. ‘Activist’ Mickey Choothesa founded a shelter to rescue these young girls from their misfortune. He provides food, education, and family...or at least that’s the story he sells. Upon further investigation, Mickey's story doesn't quite add up. Is he manipulating these vulnerable girls for his own profit? "The Wrong Light" exposes Choothesa and the dark side of misrepresented global aid.
Short Films
Affections | directed by Bridey Elliott, USA, 16:00
A comedy about isolation and loneliness, “Affections” follows a young woman adrift and seeking intimacy in the most unlikely places.
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Tin block)
Another Kind of Girl | Directed by Khaldiya Jibawi, Jordan/Syria, 9:29
17-year-old Khaldiya meditates on how the refugee camp has opened up new horizons and given her a sense of courage that she lacked in Syria.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
Asunder | directed by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén, Sweden, 17:11
During a family party in the countryside, we follow Nia and her cousin Teo, whose relationship balances on the edge of what is considered normative. A film about power, sexuality, love and the urge to explore.
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 9:35 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs (Pearl block)
Barriers of Separation | Directed by Raghad Al Khatib, Jordan/Syria, 4:25
With a heavy heart, 18-year-old Raghad expresses her desire to reconnect with her father and family in this personal postcard from her new home in Jordan.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
Battalion To My Beat | directed by Eimi Imanishi, Western Sahara/Algeria/USA, 13:44
“Battalion To My Beat” is set in the Western Saharan refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, and follows the story of Mariam, a rebellious 13 year old girl who naively envisions herself a Jeanne D'Arc that will free her people from the occupation.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
Carnal Orient | directed by Mila Zuo, USA, 8:34
A dark and strangely surreal snapshot of sexual desire aimed at the exotic.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 12:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main (Wool block)
Children | Directed by Marah Al Hassan, Jordan/Syria, 5:01
15-year-old Marah captures in this verite essay the resilience and creativity of the Syrian children living in Za'atari Refugee Camp.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
Dreams Without Borders | Directed by Muna Al Hariri, Jordan/Syria, 4:46
Muna, a romantic 16-year-old girl whose family fled from Syria to Jordan, tries to reconcile her need to express herself and be a normal teenager within the new confines of her family’s situation.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
El Adiós | directed by Clara Roquet, Spain, 14:55
A Bolivian maid attempts to honor the last wishes of her late mistress.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
The Girl, Whose Shadow Reflects the Moon | Directed by Walaa Al Alawi, Jordan/Syria, 5:01
Walaa recounts her terrifying journey as a 14-year-old girl from Syria to Jordan, and how filmmaking has given her hope through the chance to voice her story and reach out to other girls with similar experiences.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
Jinju | directed by Crystal Jin Kim, USA, 10:19
A Korean American mother endures a day of her daughter's sulking until it escalates to the breaking of something deeply precious.
Thursday, March 31, 2016, 8:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main (Steel block/WonderRoot)
Join the Club | directed by Eva Vives, USA, 05:05
A writer’s dilemma of whether or not to join a professional networking club takes many interesting turns as it unfolds entirely during one therapy session.
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Tin block)
Land Tides (Marea de Tierra) | directed by Manuela Martelli and Amirah Tajdin, Chile/France, 13:00
Laura, a heartbroken teenager from Santiago, is on holiday in the southern Chilean archipelago, Chiloé, with her friends. As she wanders the lonely island seascapes, she encounters a group of women who are seaweed collectors and shares stories with them.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
The Long Road | Directed by Rafif Al Fadi, Jordan/Syria, 3:57
16-year-old Rafif creates a journey through the landscape and textures of her new life in a foreign place, and her desire to return to and rebuild her country.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
Maman(s) | directed by Maïmouna Doucouré, France, 21:03
Life is disrupted for eight-year-old Aida when her father returns with a young Senegalese woman, Rama, whom he introduces as his second wife. Sensitive to her mother's distress, Aida decides to get rid of the new visitor.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
The Man of My Life | directed by Mélanie Delloye, France, 25:33
When Alice sees Eric kissing another girl, she is devastated. To make matters worse, her rival runs with her in the same relay team. Alice might only be 13 years old, but she is not ready to give up her place so easily.
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 9:35 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs (Pearl block)
Ookie Cookie | directed by Francesca Mirabella, USA, 13:35
Five teenagers play truth or dare in the basement of a funeral reception.
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 9:35 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs (Pearl block)
Que Sera | directed by Robyn Hicks, USA, 6:27
The story of a young couple navigating a cancer diagnosis. Inspired by the writer and director’s personal life, the film is an observation of how such devastating circumstances can pull people apart and bring them together.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
The Real American | directed by Darya Zhuk, USA/Belarus/Russia, 13:09
How a Russian exchange student stopped fearing American culture and started shaving her legs.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
Seide | directed by Elnura Osmonalieva, Kyrgyzstan, 14:40
Seide lives in a snowy mountain village with her humble family and her beloved horse. When she's forced into an arranged marriage with a man from a wealthy family, she fights to save her horse from being slaughtered for food for the wedding.
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Ruby block)
The Silence of Nature | Directed by Bushra Al Masri, Jordan, 3:05
18-year-old Bushra remembers her brother, who she lost in the war, and his gentle, humorous ways through observing nature and her new urban setting in this visual haiku.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:45 PM — High Museum, Hill Auditorium (Ivory block)
Treeples | directed by Sarah Nolen, USA, 20:00
“Treeples” follows the adventures of everyday girls joining forces with a group of lively forest creatures to rid the woods of monsters.
Thursday, April 7, 2016, 7:00 PM — Center for Puppetry Arts (Wood block)
Violet | directed by Brit Wigintton, USA, 10:39
When Violet finds herself living in a refuge for runaway girls in the Georgia backwoods, she soon realizes that nothing is as perfect as it seems. In order to save her ‘sisters,’ she must make a decision that could change their lives forever.
Thursday, March 31, 2016, 8:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main (Steel block/WonderRoot)
What Doesn't Kill You | directed by Darya Zhuk, Israel/USA, 8:01
After a rare diagnosis, Lily's attempts to flee from war torn Israel are thwarted when the airport shuts down and her zany cousin forces her to party.
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre (Tin block)
Zelos | directed by Thoranna Sigurdardottir, USA, 14:58
A competitive mother orders a clone to outshine her flawless friend, but soon realizes she purchased an unbeatable rival.
Saturday, April 2, 2016, 12:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main (Wool block)
This is the Last Week to Support the Atlanta Film Society through Power2Give
The 2016 Power2Give campaign ends on April 1st. Our generous sponsors at the Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs will contribute $1 for every $1 donated to this project up to $5,000!
ATLFF's Power2Give Campaign Ends on April 1.
For 40 years, the Academy Award® qualifying Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) has been the home to independent filmmakers by leading the community in creative and cultural discovery through the moving image.
The 40th Anniversary will be “A Homecoming Year” with invitations extended to ATLFF alum such as Spike Lee, Robert Rodriguez and Ray McKinnon as well as over 125 notable Georgians in the industry.
Your support of the Atlanta Film Society and the moving image will help the festival increase filmmaker participation and ensure that the 40th Anniversary Homecoming Year is a success! Support the Atlanta Film Festival Family today. Thank you!
Our generous sponsors at the Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs will contribute $1 for every $1 donated to this project up to $5,000!
Q+A with LEGEND OF SWEE' PEA Director Benjamin May
The feature documentary director touches on Little Five Points, the Atlanta Hawks and what he was doing in 1976. Hint: ATLFF can relate.
Complete this sentence: “If you liked _____ or ______, you’ll like my film.”
Tyson or Last Days Here
If forced to choose a different role in making this film, what would it have been and why?
Editor. I love pulling the story together.
What's the most challenging part of making a film for you? Do you enjoy that challenge, or is it something to be avoided?
My subject was a big challenge. I enjoyed the challenge because I learned a lot about myself.
What were you doing in 1976?
Just learned to use the toilet.
Of the filmmakers working today, whose talent would you most like to steal?
Rick Alverson
If familiar with the area, what's your favorite place in Atlanta? If visiting, what about Atlanta are you most excited to see?
Little Five Points
Why did you submit your film to the Atlanta Film Festival?
Great city, great people, and home of the Atlanta Hawks!
LEGEND OF SWEE' PEA screens the first Saturday afternoon, April 2, at 12:30pm at 7 Stages theatre. Benjamin May and Producer Annemarie Lawless are scheduled to attend! Add this true story of the once "next Magic Johnson" NBA star to your personal #ATLFF schedule.
SOUND + VISION to World Premiere Virtual Reality Film
Join us at Ponce City Market on Thursday, April 7th for your chance to experience a short film like none you've seen!
Now in its fifth year, SOUND + VISION—ATLFF’s signature mid-week event—moves from The Goat Farm Arts Center to Ponce City Market. Atlanta’s tastiest eats and best city views accompany the hottest local bands, wild art installations, and for the first time at ATLFF, a virtual reality short film presentation.
"Interrupture" is the true story of an 11-year-old Syrian girl fleeing ISIS and her journey into Europe in search of home. Co-Director Thomas Nybo met her in December 2015 while on assignment for UNICEF covering the refugee crisis. Part of the ATLFF Creative team met Nybo and Co-Director Jason Drakeford in their Elevator Factory workspace and were treated to a sneak preview of this encompassing, mind-boggling film experience. Its relationship to the Ivory block—a collection of seven documentary shorts directed in Jordan refugee camps by Syrian teenage girls—and its contribution to filmmaking advancement and cinematic world development makes us just about as excited as we know how to be.
CO-DIRECTOR THOMAS NYBO
CO-DIRECTOR JASON DRAKEFORD
As always, SOUND + VISION is free and open to the public! Don't miss this groundbreaking evening or your chance to say "Yeah, when it all started? I was there."
Music Videos + Pilots in 2016 ATLFF Lineup Announced
Check out the artists and directors officially selected to play in our 2016 music video and pilot presentations!
The 2016 schedule includes two presentation categories curated to contribute to the variety and excitement of our 40th anniversary: music videos and pilot webisodes.
Music videos will screen as a FREE Joystick Gamebar event followed by games, drinks, and Q&As with attending artists and filmmakers.
Pilots will precede the Analyze This: A Webseries Pilot Case Study panel during Tuesday's Creative Conference, where three webseries filmmakers will pitch their pilots to a panel of Adult Swim industry professionals.
MUSIC VIDEOS
The Less I Know the Better — Tame Impala
directed by CANADA, 5:42
Water N Liquor — Karmella Daniel
directed by Payne Lindsey, 3:22
Amadeus — Family & Friends
directed by Mike MacDonald, 3:30
Kandy Kangaroo — Q. Guyton
directed by Quentin Guyton, 4:43
Golden Goose — Sam Lucia
directed by Blake Davey, 3:28
King — Grades
directed by Taichi Kumura, 4:37
The Ground Walks — Modest Mouse
directed by Jorge Torres-Torres, 4:01
Going Nowhere — St. Beauty
produced by tre native and Directed by Lacey Duke, 3:46
Dove — Pillar Point
directed by Jacob Krupnick, 4:52
PILOTS
"The Brint KostOn Show"
written & directed by Brent Costin and BROCK SHANKS
USA, 2015, 7:50
"McTucky Fried High"
created & directed by Robert Carnilius, written by Lexington L. Lawson
USA, 2015, 4:17
"The Rub"
written & directed by Kenneth Beaumont & Jonathan Davenport
USA, 2015, 6:31
What's With the Shorts Block Titles?
Curious as to how the 40th anniversary shorts block titles came to be? Discover the theme, its significance, and what ATLFF programmers want you to know about it.
Each year, our Shorts Programmers craft numerous shorts blocks made up of films selected from thousands of submissions. If you're familiar with ATLFF or any other film festival, you may be familiar with more traditional shorts block titles: Narrative. Documentary. Drama 1. Animation 2. While straightforward, these genre-based titles are reductive representations of all the nuance and freedom any film genre holds. For the first time in our forty year history, our Shorts team took a completely original, more daring stab at how we present these short films and their makers.
Each block is named for a classic anniversary gift material, textile, or object. Most commonly recognized by wedding anniversaries, these materials carry both physical and symbolic weight. As the years and union grow, so does the value of the corresponding gift.
"What this concept does is bring these blocks together in cosmic alignment. They revolve together around one unifying theme, the formation held together by the gravity of the films themselves," muses ATLFF Senior Shorts Programmer Christina Humphrey.
The three-word caption beneath each title at once describes the nature of the material and the nature of the films in the block. We took great care in drawing tactile essence from each material in a way that helps the audience see, hear, and feel a cohesion not typically conveyed by a simple genre label.
Says ATLFF Shorts Programmer Alyssa Armand, "We experimented last year with off-genre block titles—Better Left Unsaid, Based on a True Story, Love NC-17—and they became our most memorable screenings. This year we attempt a mindfulness that removes the need for forced labels and expectations. What better year than our 40th anniversary to let the films speak for themselves?"
Explore the following fourteen shorts blocks, their relationships to our titles, and the energy in their descriptions. Click on each title for individual film synopses, screening time, and ticket information.
THE STORY OF PERCIVAL PILTS
Candy
Short and sweet.
The four animated and two live-action films in this High Museum screening are colorful, energetic, family-friendly, and less than thirteen minutes each. "Crap You!" comes from Theo Taplitz, one of our youngest 2016 filmmakers.
AN ECSTATIC EXPERIENCE
Copper
A pliable backbone.
Pure in nature, copper was the first metal purposefully alloyed to create metals anew. The nine experimental films in this block manipulate images, sounds, and even film itself to create cinematic worlds never before seen.
THE SEND-OFF
Coral
Crucial and vibrant.
Corals create a vast, important ecosystem mined for use in medicine, climate research, and more. The eight documentary shorts in this block are as striking and irreplaceable.
EAT WHITE DIRT
Cotton
Hardy and tight-knit.
The three local, portrait documentary shorts in this group are as versatile and irreverent as the staple fiber woven into American history for better and worse.
THE CITY OF JOY
Gold
A delicate investment.
A highly coveted standard of currency and wealth, gold is fragile but worth it. All four competition documentaries here present subjects determined to forge ahead no matter the cost.
ANOTHER KIND OF GIRL
Ivory
Displaced and dispersed.
The seven documentaries in this powerful block are thanks to seven teenage girls in Jordan refugee camps sheltering those uprooted and scattered by the Syrian crisis; the block is aptly named for the precious pieces ripped from grand giants for human profit.
EDMOND
Paper
Nimble and exact.
A sharp but flexible canvas, paper in the hand of an artist can destroy as quickly as it creates. These eleven shorts in competition showcase the breadth and boundlessness of animation's craft.
HOW TO BE A BLACK PANTHER
Pearl
Shiny but gritty.
The most treasured pearls are wild; humans comb through hundreds of oysters to find just one, and it's never perfectly smooth. These five narrative shorts reveal teenage characters in throes of depths untold.
*Not intended for all teen audiences.
EL ADIÓS
Ruby
Imperfect and scarce.
Rubies are among the rarest and most valuable gemstones; a true ruby has natural flaws that contribute to its individuality and desirability. Named for the 40th anniversary gift, this block hosts seven narratives directed by New Mavericks.
HARMONY
Silk
A costly transformation.
The block title that started it all, silk is an ancient, prized textile woven from fibers produced naturally in silkworm cocoons. The six narrative shorts included here explore the price of one thing becoming another.
MORE THAN MUSIC: SENEGAL
Steel
Scraping the sky.
A foundational piece of urban development, steel defines skylines and anchors urban sprawl. These eight shorts from Atlanta-based filmmakers span three genres: animation, documentary, and narrative.
AFFECTIONS
Tin
Light and loud.
The laughter inspired by these seven comedic narrative shorts will echo like the celebratory collection of cans strewn from the bumper of a matrimonial getaway car.
MANOMAN
Wood
Some assembly required.
All-purpose and adaptable, wood is exactly what you want it to be—once you figure out what that is. The nine puppetry shorts in this block showcase the strength and utility of a genre largely under the mainstream radar.
LA FABBRICAZIONE
Wool
Other-Worldly fibers.
Formerly known as Other Worlds, this block of six narrative shorts in sheep's clothing presents surreal spaces spun from stories insulated with impact.