DATE: 4/15/25
TIME: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
LOCATION: Manuel’s Tavern
PRICE: Free
The 49th Atlanta Film Festival is fast approaching! This month at Eat, Drink & B-Indie, join us for a preview of official selections from the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival lineup. We'll introduce you to a selection of #ATLFF25 filmmakers, hear about their projects, and give you a special sneak peek of the Festival! Participating filmmakers will be announced soon.
MODERATORS
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Jonathan Kieran is a film programmer hailing from Essex County, Massachusetts. After making a start as an amateur filmmaker at the tender age of 22, he moved across the country to take a spot at the Master of Fine Arts program in Film Production at the University of New Orleans. At the same time, he started as a volunteer for the New Orleans Film Festival, which slowly grew to become his professional home over the next decade and where he wore many hats, from organizing panels, to assisting the festival’s technical department, to finally settling into the role of Programming Manager. Jon also lent a hand at other regional festivals including Court 13’s Always for Pleasure fest in New Orleans, Borscht Corporation’s “Borscht Diez” in Miami, and the Camden International Film Festival. He was also a longtime contributor to online indie-film showcase NoBudge.
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Her name is Astin and she rocks! Described as a Multimedia Artist, Astin specializes in Writing, Filmmaking, Musicianship, and Event Production.
Thirteen years into the film industry, Astin ROCKS has written and produced comedy series, visual albums, experimental narrative films, and short promos for local businesses. Season 2 of her latest work, satiric counterfeit-crime comedy, Real Fakes, was released in September 2023.
When not vocalizing her deadpan societal concerns on camera, she screams them aloud on stage as one half of punk & soul duo Thee BLK Pearl. Ten years into her career as a vocalist - and one year as a bassist - Astin and her dear friend Fred Robinson. founded Thee BLK Pearl in 2021 Their second EP Cult Classic, will release Fall 2024.
Landing the coolest 9-5 ever, Astin currently serves as the Narrative Shorts Programmer at the Atlanta Film Festival. “The only thing more fun than creating my own work is celebrating creators I believe in.” Astin is currently based in her hometown, Atlanta, GA.