Apply to Become an ATLFF '19 Screenplay Reader
With nearly 1,000 submissions already received for consideration into ATLFF '19, we are excepting applications to join our Screening Committee and to become a Screenplay Reader.
More than 7,000 works were submitted for consideration into the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival—another huge increase from the year before. From these hopeful filmmakers, we have only the capacity to program around 200 features, short films, pilot episodes and music videos combined. How do we decide which films to play? How do we go through those thousands of entries to sort the ones that will please our local audience the best?
We get help. A lot of help.
Most of that help comes from our volunteer Screening Committee and Screenplay Readers. Members of this team watch, or read dozens (sometimes hundreds) of short or feature films, or screenplays each, evaluating them along the way. This helps the programming team sort out the worthy from the not-so-worthy so they can make the final decisions.
With nearly 1,000 submissions already received for consideration into ATLFF '19, we are excepting applications to become a Screenplay Reader. Volunteer readers can earn a variety of perks (free tickets and passes to the festival) based on how many screenplays they read.
Space is limited, so not all applicants will be chosen. If you have an interest in reading submitted screenplays for the ATLFF '19 Screenplay Competition, apply to be a reader! Please apply by July 2, 2018. Applications may be re-opened at a later date.
Questions? Email screening@atlantafilmfestival.com.
42nd Annual Atlanta Film Festival Announces Complete Lineup
With a record 7,600 film submissions received for the 2018 festival, the final lineup includes 58 feature length films and 150 short films from 56 countries—making this year’s film festival the most diverse, by number of countries represented, and the largest, by number of films, in ATLFF history.
Diverse 10-day festival will feature record +200 films, talent appearances, educational workshops and special events
ATLANTA, GA — The 42nd Annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is pleased to announce the full lineup of films and special programming that will take place from April 12 – April 22, 2018.
Director Bo Burnham, the comedian known for his popular stand-up routines and YouTube career, will attend the Closing Night presentation of his new film EIGHTH GRADE at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, April 21. EIGHTH GRADE joins ATLFF’s previously announced Opening Night and Marquee presentations, including BLINDSPOTTING from ‘Hamilton’ actor and Tony Award-winner Daveed Diggs and TULLY from the Academy Award® -nominated director Jason Reitman.
With a record 7,600 film submissions received for the 2018 festival, the final lineup includes 58 feature length films and 150 short films from 56 countries – making this year’s film festival the most diverse, by number of countries represented, and the largest, by number of films, in Atlanta history.
The ten-day event will delight festivalgoers with Opening and Closing Night presentations and galas, 10 Marquee screening events, 35 Creative Conference events, and more than nine Special Presentations. Before its official start, the festival will host a 2018 Kickoff Event on March 30 at 8:00 p.m. at the Rialto Theatre, where guests will be able purchase badges, individual tickets and official merchandise. Light snacks and drinks will be served.
Additional talent scheduled to make appearances throughout the festival include co- writer Rafael Casal (BLINDSPOTTING), actor/director Romany Malco (PRISON LOGIC) and actor Kiersey Clemons (HEARTS BEAT LOUD). Actors including Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Charlize Theron and more will be represented in films from major studios like A24, Lionsgate and Focus Features.
Sporting nearly 50 films with production or filmmaker ties to Georgia, the 2018 fest will celebrate more than five decades of film and educational programming in the state. The Creative Conference, the five-day educational programming track that takes places annually during the festival, will also return with more than 35 panels, workshops, Q&As and more.
“The growth of the Atlanta Film Festival reflects the rising importance of Georgia’s film industry, and we’re proud to showcase that connection by hosting a record 49 films with Georgia ties,” ATLFF Executive Director Christopher Escobar said. “We are 100 percent committed to providing a unique festival experience that honors our roots and creates a diverse opportunity for filmmakers of all levels, while also displaying an important role that our city represents in the film and television community.”
The Atlanta Film Festival is pleased to showcase diverse feature and short films that connect audiences to filmmakers from around the world. This year, ATLFF will host the world premiere of seven feature-length films and more than 50 short films during the 2018 festival. In addition, 68 percent of this year’s selected submissions were directed by either a woman or filmmaker of color.
World Premiere presentations will feature films from ATLFF specialty tracks (New Mavericks, Pink Peach, Georgia-Made) with notable directors that include Noor Gharzeddine, Mason Rey, Takashi Doscher, T Cooper, Emelie Svensson and Karin Oleander.
Creative media – including virtual reality films, music videos and episodic content – will continue to have a role at this year’s Atlanta Film Festival with more than 30 additions to the schedule.
The Plaza Theatre and Dad’s Garage will return as official venues. New locations include the Hilan Theatre and the Rich Auditorium at the Woodruff Arts Center.
Festival badges are on sale now, and individual tickets will go on sale March 30. The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programing that is provided year-round by parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society.
Screening dates and times are subject to change.
OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION
BLINDSPOTTING
Directed by Carlos López Estrada
USA, 2018, English, 95 minutes
Friday, April 13, 2018, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
Collin (Daveed Diggs) must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. He and his troublemaking childhood best friend, Miles (Rafael Casal), work as movers and are forced to watch their old neighborhood become a trendy spot in the rapidly gentrifying Bay Area. When a life-altering event causes Collin to miss his mandatory curfew, the two men struggle to maintain their friendship as the changing social landscape exposes their differences.
Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about friendship and the intersection of race and class set against the backdrop of Oakland. Bursting with energy, style and humor, “Blindspotting,” boldly directed by Carlos López Estrada in his feature film debut, is a provocative hometown love letter that glistens with humanity.
Actors/Writers/Producers Daveed Diggs & Rafael Casal are scheduled to attend.
Prior to the film, Daveed Diggs will be presented with the ATLFF Innovator Award.
CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION
EIGHTH GRADE
Directed by Bo Burnham
USA, 2018, English, 94 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 7:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school—the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year—before she begins high school.
Writer/Director Bo Burnham is scheduled to attend.
MARQUEE FILMS
AMERICAN ANIMALS
Directed by Bart Layton
USA, 2018, English, 117 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 9:45 PM — Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Auditorium
The unbelievable but true story of four young men who mistake their lives for a movie and attempt one of the most audacious art heists in US history.
#Marquee
HEARTS BEAT LOUD
Directed by Brett Haley
USA, 2018, English, 97 minutes
Friday, April 20, 2018, 8:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
Frank (Nick Offerman) and his daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) form a songwriting duo shortly before she leaves for college. As they grow closer through their music, Frank must come to terms with letting go of his daughter. Toni Collette, Ted Danson, Sasha Lane and Blythe Danner also star.
#Marquee
LEAN ON PETE
Directed by Andrew Haigh
UK/USA, 2017, English, 121 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 7:15 PM — Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Auditorium
Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both of them eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds acceptance and camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an aging Quarter Horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence—until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life. Charley and Pete head out into the great unknown, embarking on an odyssey across the new American frontier in search of a loving aunt Charley hasn’t seen in years. They experience adventure and heartbreak in equal measure, but never lose their irrepressible hope and resiliency as they pursue their dream of finding a place they can call home.
#Marquee
LEAVE NO TRACE
Directed by Debra Granik
USA, 2018, English, 108 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 9:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Harcourt McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. After clashing with their new surroundings, Will and Tom set off on a harrowing journey back to their wild homeland.
#NewMavericks, #Marquee
A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN
Directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire
France/Thailand/UK, 2017, English/Thai, 116 minutes
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 10:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
“A Prayer Before Dawn” is the remarkable true story of Billy Moore, a young English boxer incarcerated in two of Thailand’s most notorious prisons. He is quickly thrown into a terrifying world of drugs and gang violence, but when the prison authorities allow him to take part in the Muay Thai boxing tournaments, he realizes this might be his chance to get out. Billy embarks on a relentless, action-packed journey from one savage fight to the next, stopping at nothing to do whatever he must to preserve his life and regain his freedom. Shot in a an actual Thai prison with a cast of primarily real inmates, “A Prayer Before Dawn” is a visceral, thrilling journey through an unforgettable hell on earth.
#Marquee
RBG
Directed by Betsy West, Julie Cohen
USA, 2018, English, 97 minutes
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 6:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg has created a breathtaking legal legacy for women’s rights while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. The personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior’s rise to the nation’s highest court during a hostile time for women, is revealed in this inspiring and multidimensional portrait. Now 84, Ginsburg refuses to relinquish her passionate duty, continues to have vigorous dissenting opinions and her exercise workouts.
#NewMavericks, #Marquee
SUMMER 03
Directed by Becca Gleason
USA, 2018, English, 96 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 12:30 PM — Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Auditorium
Inspired by true events, “Summer 03” centers on Jamie, a 16-year-old girl (Joey King) and her extended family who are left reeling after her calculating grandmother (June Squibb) unveils an array of family secrets on her deathbed. Jamie is left to navigate her nascent love life and maintain her closest friendships in the midst of this family crisis.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks, #Marquee
TULLY
Directed by Jason Reitman
USA, 2018, English, 94 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 7:15 PM — Plaza Theatre
A new comedy from Academy Award-nominated director Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”). Marlo (Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis).
#Marquee
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?
Directed by Morgan Neville
USA, 2018, English, 94 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 5:15 PM — Woodruff Arts Center: Rich Auditorium
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville’s latest documentary takes an intimate look at America’s favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this documentary is an emotional and moving film that takes you beyond zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius, who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.
#FamilyFriendly, #Marquee
YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE
Directed by Lynne Ramsay
UK/France/USA, 2017, English, 85 minutes
Friday, April 13, 2018, 9:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe's nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening.
#Marquee
NARRATIVE FEATURES
LOS AÑOS AZULES (THE BLUE YEARS)
Directed by Sofía Gómez-Córdova
Mexico, 2017, Spanish, 103 minutes
Friday, April 20, 2018, 10:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
Four young adults as different as the four seasons have managed to craft a home for themselves in the shattered relic of a once beautiful house. When a new tenant throws a wrench into their precariously balanced dynamic, the group will both grow closer and drift apart as they journey into adulthood.
#CineMás
ARE YOU GLAD I’M HERE
Directed by Noor Gharzeddine
USA/Lebanon, 2018, Arabic/English, 83 minutes
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 6:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
Kirsten, brazen American post-grad, befriends her next-door neighbor, Nadine, an intelligent mother relegated to full-time Beirut housewife. The greater the unlikely friendship grows, the harder it becomes for the women to dismiss the obvious abuse and neglect of Nadine's husband. As the final days of Kirsten's life in Beirut draw to a close, Nadine must face her husband and settle things once and for all.
#NewMavericks, #WorldPremiere
CABEZA MADRE (MOTHER’S HEAD)
Directed by Edouard Salier
Cuba/France, 2017, Spanish, 89 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 8:00 PM — Dad’s Garage
John, a first-generation American, travels to visit his estranged mother in her home country of Cuba for the first time in years. Upon his arrival John is shocked to learn that not only was his mother mixed up with a checkered group of criminals, but she has died in incredibly extreme circumstances. Desperately seeking answers, John will be forced to reckon with the realities of his mother's life and answer to his own responsibility in her fate.
#CineMás
CARDINALS
Directed by Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
Valerie has just returned home from a prison sentence served for a drunk driving accident that cost her neighbor his life. All Valerie wants is to return to a normal life with her husband and two daughters, but when her victim’s son shows up at her door it becomes clear that the past is not behind her. His lingering suspicions cast doubt on her motivations - was his father’s death an accident after all?
#Competition
CLARA’S GHOST
Directed by Bridey Elliott
USA, 2018, English, 93 minutes
Monday, April 16, 2018, 9:15 PM — Dad’s Garage
Clara Reynolds is the under-appreciated matriarch of a family in the spotlight. Her husband is an aging comedian that is beginning to recognize his career may be behind him and her daughters are a pair of former child stars attempting to claim a place in the industry as adults. When the family reunites at their home in rural New England, Clara’s long tradition of being relegated to the sidelines drives her to a breaking point. Desperate for connection, Clara finally finds it with the ghost of a woman who only has eyes for her.
#NewMavericks
DEAD PIGS
Directed by Cathy Yan
China, 2017, Chinese/English, 132 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 4:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
A Chinese farmer loses his livelihood when pigs mysteriously die across the country. An eccentric woman fights to save her family home from encroaching gentrification, as an American expat architect spearheads the same project in order to make a name for himself in a new land. A young man scraping by as a busboy in a glitzy Shanghai restaurant enters a complicated relationship with a young socialite seeking something outside of her privileged upbringing. As the government struggles to explain the dead pig crisis, each of these stories interconnects in surprising ways as our motley cast of characters searches for a meaningful life.
#Competition
DISAPPEARANCE
Directed by Ali Asgari
Iran/Qatar, 2017, Persian, 88 minutes
Monday, April 16, 2018, 7:15 PM — Hilan Theatre
When a young virgin decides to sleep with her boyfriend, she finds herself under threat from her conservative society. Desperate for a solution, the couple travels from hospital to hospital searching for help and finds their relationship tested in the face of the consequences of their actions.
#Competition
FACADES
Directed by Nathalie Basteyns, Kaat Beels
Belgium, 2017, Dutch/French, 91 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 2:15 PM — Plaza Theatre
Alex’s world is turned upside down when her mother abruptly abandons her dementing father. But when Alex moves home to care from him, she finds herself forced to confront a traumatic incident from her childhood and the things she should not have seen. The journey to reckon with her past will find Alex addressing the ways her parents’ marriage has shaped her own relationships, most importantly with her adulterous husband. In order to move forward, Alex must confront the reality of her past.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
FAT TUESDAY
Directed by Jorge Torres-Torres
USA, 2017, English, 80 minutes
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 10:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
Caught up in the glitz and pageantry of Mardi Gras, a group of friends find themselves enamored with the infamous city of New Orleans. However, as their celebratory night draws to a close, a sinister presence begins to prey upon the unsuspecting tourists.
IN THE SHADOWS
Directed by Dipesh Jain
UK/India, 2017, Hindi, 117 minutes
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 8:15 PM — Hilan Theatre
A reclusive shopkeeper spends his life isolated from the outside world, interacting with his home of Old Delhi solely through hidden closed-circuit cameras. Meanwhile, a boy struggles to protect his mother and younger brother from the harsh sting of his father’s hands. When the shopkeeper overhears this abuse he must break free from his self-imposed prison in order to help the boy, discovering a shocking truth along the way.
IT’S A PARTY
Directed by Weldon Wong Powers
USA, 2018, English, 78 minutes
Monday, April 16, 2018, 10:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
Successful Atlanta rap artist Cory Masters is late for his own surprise birthday party. While his friends anxiously await his arrival, each one individually addresses their own existential crisis. As the night drags on, hilarity ensues amongst the party-goers as they ponder life, careers, and relationships with Cory. Get yo' a** to the party.
#Georgia
LAMP LIGHT
Directed by Mason Rey
USA, 2018, English, 90 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 12:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
Crippled by insecurity and doubt, Don Gos struggles with a stilted career and dating life. As he contemplates his failures while driving home one evening, a tunnel collapses on top of him. Buried alive with no hope of rescue, he is unsure of whether or not he will survive and he ceremoniously bids adieu to the rest of his life.
#Georgia, #WorldPremiere
MELOCOTONES (PEACHES)
Directed by Hector Valdez
Dominican Republic/UK, 2017, Spanish/English, 80 minutes
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 7:45 PM — Dad’s Garage
In the retrofuture, Diego attempts to salvage his relationship with girlfriend Laura by taking her to the hotel where they once vacationed as a happy couple. But when they arrive, the hotel is no longer in business and Laura’s ex-boyfriend shows up, demanding to have her back. In an attempt to rectify the situation, Diego accidentally traps himself and Laura in a continuous time loop.
#CineMás
NEVER STEADY, NEVER STILL
Directed by Kathleen Hepburn
Canada, 2017, English, 111 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 2:15 PM — Plaza Theatre
Living in a remote part of Canada, Judy battles daily with the pain and inconvenience of Parkinson’s Disease. After her husband dies suddenly, Judy's world is turned upside down, leaving her with the daunting task of caring for herself. Judy's son Jamie has recently left home at his father's insistence to find work on the harsh Canadian oil fields. In the face of his mother's illness, Jamie will grapple with balance between his responsibility to her and his mother's desire to see him forge his own life.
#NewMavericks
POOR JANE
Directed by Katie Orr
USA, 2017, English, 89 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 4:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
Jane is a stay at home mom who has just realized she doesn’t love her husband anymore. She decides to bid her family adieu for the holidays and spends her time reconnecting with herself by dating other men, reconnecting with old flames, and writing poetry. When the holidays are over, Jane must choose between her new life or the one she left behind.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
PRISON LOGIC
Directed by Romany Malco
USA, 2018, English, 93 minutes
Monday, April 16, 2018, 8:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
Two college students film a documentary on larger-than-life, chain-smoking inmate Tijuana Jackson, who is currently serving time in prison. After he is released, Tijuana arrives back home where he is met with the demands of both his family and his parole officer. He leaves home and embarks on a road trip to follow his dreams of becoming a life coach and motivational speaker, but is met with some surprises along the way.
RESTOS DE VIENTO (WIND TRACES)
Directed by Jimena Montemayor Loyo
Mexico, 2017, Spanish, 93 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 6:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
In the wake of losing their father and patriarch, a family drifts aimlessly through life. The mother, Carmen, struggles with depression and the task of caring for her children in the wake of her abandonment. Disappointed by the adults in her life, oldest daughter Ana shuts down while her brother opens himself up to the mysterious otherworldly figure that has suddenly appeared in his life. Together, the family will have to grow and let go of their fears in order to survive.
#Competition, #CineMás, #NewMavericks
SAVAGE YOUTH
Directed by Michael Curtis Johnson
USA, 2018, English, 97 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 9:30 PM — Plaza Theatre
Elena, an aspiring young artist, meets and falls in love with Jason, a horrorcore rapper. Suddenly engrossed in his world, Elena finds herself binging drugs and alcohol as her young love quickly fizzles. Driven into a friendship with drug dealer Gabe, Elena tries to find herself within this new world. But when a robbery in the midst of a house party goes terribly wrong, Elena will be thrust into a much more violent and dangerous confrontation.
STILL
Directed by Takashi Doscher
USA, 2018, English, 88 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 2:45 PM — Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Auditorium
When Lily (Madeline Brewer) loses her way on a hike through the Appalachian wilderness, she finds rescue in the form of a peculiar married couple, Ella (Lydia Wilson) and Adam (Nick Blood), who have completely isolated themselves from the outside world. As the couple nurses Lily back to health, she begins to discover evidence of a dark and dangerous secret a century in the making. As Ella and Nick's mystery begins to unravel, Lily comes to understand the couple's desperation to keep themselves hidden from the world.
#Georgia, #WorldPremiere
STRANGE COLOURS
Directed by Alena Lodkina
Australia, 2017, English, 85 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 4:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
When Milena learns her estranged father has fallen ill, she travels to the remote opal mining community he calls home. Crossing paths with many of the fellow male miners, Milena discovers the opals themselves are not nearly the most colorful facet of this freedom oasis. As the bond between father and daughter strives to mend, Milena discovers that the "here and now" may be far more valuable than any unearthed gem.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
T-JUNCTION
Directed by Amil Shivji
Tanzania, 2017, Swahili, 106 minutes
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 6:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
When her estranged father suddenly passes, Fatima finds herself struggling to mourn a person to which she had no connection. As she helps her grieving mother collect records from the nearby hospital, she meets Maria, a patient with a complex past and mysterious injuries. Maria begins to tell Fatima a story of her home, T-Junction, and the family that she found amongst its colorful residents. As the two women bond, Fatima begins to come to terms with the complexity of her own home, family, and life.
TELL ME YOUR NAME
Directed by Jason DeVan
USA, 2018, English, 89 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 12:00 AM — Plaza Theatre
Abused by her father and abandoned by her mother as a young child, Ashley is sent to live with her estranged Aunt Tanya. During her stay, she becomes obsessed with investigating the disappearance of her mother and she calls upon the spirit world to answer her questions. In her quest, she is ensnared by a powerful demon who refuses to leave its host.
#Georgia
THY KINGDOM COME
Directed by Eugene Richards
USA, 2018, English, 42 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 12:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
A priest visits the residents of a small town and demonstrates the healing power of listening. From prisons to living rooms, the priest compassionately listens to people from all walks of life openly reveal their deepest secrets, hopes and dreams as they struggle to reconcile their past with their present.
#Competition
TIGRE
Directed by Silvina Schnicer, Ulises Porra Guardiola
Argentina, 2017, Spanish, 92 minutes
Friday, April 20, 2018, 6:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
Sixty-five year old Rina visits her home in the Tigre Delta accompanied by her forty-something friend Elena. They await the arrival of their estranged children, hoping that the island sanctuary will create a space for reconnection. Instead, they find that the home is threatened by encroaching industrialization and their children feel more distant than ever. The two women struggle to hold onto a way of life that may be already out of reach.
#Competition, #CineMás, #NewMavericks
VENUS
Directed by Eisha Marjara
Canada, 2017, English, 95 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 9:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
Having recently embraced her own identity, Sid, a transgender woman, finds herself tangled in a complex web of expectations and aspirations when she discovers she has a 14-year-old son. With new relationships adding to the struggle of culture, religion, and romance in Sid's journey to acceptance, everyone's in for a wild ride.
#PinkPeach
WHEN SHE RUNS
Directed by Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
USA/Denmark, 2018, English, 71 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 4:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
Kirstin, a young wife and mother, competes for a spot in the the Olympic trials. In her quest to win, she sacrifices it all as she moves out of her house and leaves behind her husband and young son. While her marriage and finances suffer, she trains obsessively, embarking on a strict diet, exercise and motivational plan she hopes will bring her to Olympic gold.
YAMASONG: MARCH OF THE HOLLOWS
Directed by Sam Koji Hale
USA, 2017, English, 95 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 2:15 PM — Hilan Theatre
In a futuristic world filled with fantastical, mechanized creatures, one automaton girl joins forces with a tortoise warrior and a band of outlaws to defeat a sinister army bent on world domination. Their only hope? A perilous journey to find a legendary relic with the power to save them all. Starring Nathan Fillion, Abigail Breslin, Whoopi Goldberg, Malcolm McDowell, Bruce Davison, Freida Pinto, George Takei, Peter Weller and Ed Asner, “Yamasong: March of the Hollows” is the first feature length non-muppet puppetry film in over a decade.
#FamilyFriendly, #WorldPremiere
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
ABU
Directed by Arshad Khan
Canada/Pakistan, 2017, English/Urdu/Hindi, 80 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 2:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
Using home videos and classic Bollywood films, a filmmaker crafts an intimate portrait of his Pakistani-Muslim family grappling with the realities of having a gay son in a modern world. Torn between sexuality and religion, tradition and migration, a gay son and his father test the boundaries of love, home, and the meaning of family.
#PinkPeach
ARMED WITH FAITH
Directed by Geeta Gandbhir, Asad Faruqi
USA/ Pakistan, 2017, Pashto/Urdu, 74 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 6:45 PM — Hilan Theatre
Hidden within the mountainous border of Pakistan and Afghanistan are some of the most violent homegrown terrorist groups. For years, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban have attacked local Pakistani residents with improvised explosive devices in a bid to control the region. Operating on a low budget and scarce resources, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bomb Disposal Unit risk their lives daily to counter this terrorism and safeguard their neighbors with their unparalleled faith and courage.
BLACK MEMORABILIA
Directed by Chico Colvard
USA/China, 2018, English/Chinese, 64 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 12:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
In the history of racism in the United States, one major physical manifestation of oppression has survived into the present, wrapped in the protective embrace of antiquity and historical preservation—black memorabilia. What was once a brand of trinket that played on racial stereotypes for the delight of white buyers, finds itself suspended in a limbo of race and time. As different forces in the United States fight to preserve, consume, and reclaim black memorabilia, the journey to address present day racism is only further complicated by industrialization in China and a desire to save cultural context for future generations.
#Competition
COCAINE PRISON
Directed by Violeta Ayala
Bolivia/Australia/France/USA, 2017, Spanish, 77 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 3:15 PM — Hilan Theatre
In a world dominated by drug trade and ineffectual police forces, it is often the lowest, replaceable workers in the hierarchy who find themselves imprisoned. Enter the claustrophobic world of Bolivia's infamous San Sebastian prison. This detailed look at a broken system of arrests and jail time follows the story of one young cocaine mule, Hernan, as he suffers the same fate a countless other disposable workers. At the same time, his sister, Deisy, treds a careful line between freeing her brother and avoiding entanglement in the same cocaine trade that destroyed his life.
#CineMás
FREEDOM FOR THE WOLF
Directed by Rupert Russell
Hong Kong/Tunisia/India/USA/Germany, 2018, English/Mandarin/Arabic/Hindi, 89 minutes
Friday, April 20, 2018, 8:15 PM — Hilan Theatre
What is a democracy? Across the globe, this heralded form of government is under attack by the very leaders it elected. In this groundbreaking documentary, we follow the crisis of faith in five different countries. From Hong Kong, to Tunisia, to India, to Japan, and even to the so called birthplace of democracy—the United States of America—what was once believed to be the pinnacle of human society is being torn at by hungry wolves seeking power and status for themselves. In the face of threats that come in the guise of friendly leaders, what can the people do to save their democratic freedoms? Can the tides be turned back, or is "freedom for the wolf" destined to bring "death for the sheep?”
#Competition
INGRID
Directed by Morrisa Maltz
USA, 2018, English, 52 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 2:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
Ingrid, a successful fashion designer and mother, dropped everything to create a new life for herself in the middle of the woods. Since then, she has carved out an isolated existence, surviving off her own wit and labor while creating art from the land she now calls home. But as Ingrid's past is uncovered in this meditative documentary, the question of what drives someone to leave a life of ordinary comforts to pursue a life spent in solitude comes to light.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
ISLAND SOLDIER
Directed by Nathan Fitch
USA/Federated States of Micronesia/Afghanistan, 2017 English/Kosraean, 85 minutes
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 8:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
Every year, young Micronesian citizens leave their families and island homes on military deployment—as United States soldiers fighting for the American dream. Torn between the failing economics of their native country and a complicated historical relationship with the United States, these young islanders become the pieces is larger puzzle that pits jobs and security against the reality of fighting for a country you neither belong to nor have any rights in.
#Georgia
LIYANA
Directed by Aaron Kopp, Amanda Kopp
USA/Swaziland, 2017, English/siSwati, 77 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 1:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
Five orphaned children living in Swaziland collectively weave a cathartic tale of love, hope, and bravery through a fictional character they create named Liyana. When Liyana’s parents die and her brothers are kidnapped, she embarks on a perilous journey to face her darkest fears and reclaim her family's future. While the children immerse themselves in the imaginary, the viewer catches an intimate glimpse of a truer paralleled reality and the childlike wonder that persist through it all.
#Georgia, #FamilyFriendly
MAN MADE
Directed by T Cooper
USA, 2018, English, 93 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 9:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
At the world's only all-transgender bodybuilding competition, four male bodybuilders take the stage. What precedes this triumphant moment are a set of personal and diverse journeys taken on the path to self-identity and empowerment. Told through the intimate and honest lens of a trans filmmaker, this documentary intertwines the nuances of manhood, the drive for social justice, and the competitive desire to forge our own paths and be our personal best.
#Competition, #Georgia, #PinkPeach, #WorldPremiere
MAN ON FIRE
Directed by Joel Fendelman
USA, 2017, English, 54 minutes
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 8:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
Grand Saline seemed like your average small town in Texas until the day when Charles Moore, an elderly white preacher, publicly set himself on fire to protest the town's long history of racism. Catapulted to the spotlight by this powerful act of self-harm, the ordinary small town of Grand Saline was asked to address its storied past. What was recorded instead is a town's deeply rooted internal divisions and an overwhelming attempt to ignore and vehemently deny any wrongdoing by many members of Grand Saline’s mostly white population.
MAYNARD
Directed by Sam Pollard
USA, 2017, English, 99 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 6:00 PM — Rialto Center for the Arts
In 1970, Maynard Jackson Jr. was elected as mayor of the city of Atlanta, sparking a revolution in the black community. As the first black mayor elected in a major Southern city, his campaign ignited African American voter turnout and his service in office paved the way for the creation of diversity and inclusion norms, still practiced and revered in present day.
#Georgia
MERMAIDS
Directed by Ali Weinstein
USA/Canada, 2017, English, 76 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 5:00 PM — Plaza Theatre
All throughout the United States, there exists a vibrant and mythical subculture dedicated to the existence of real life mermaids. In the exploration of the history and present of this peculiar passion, Mermaids takes us on a journey into the lives of five incredible women who spend their free time, and sometime work hours, donning full-size tails at pools, beaches, and bars. In watching them transform into the sea-creatures of their dreams, we gain beautiful insight into the complicated lives of women who differ in every way but are drawn to the same ideal of unearthly beauty and freedom.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
NOS LLAMAN GUERRERAS (THEY CALL US WARRIORS)
Directed by Jennifer Socorro, Edwin Corona Ramos, David Alonso
Venezuela/USA/Mexico/Jordan, 2018, Spanish/English, 81 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 12:15 PM — Hilan Theatre
In a country torn apart by political and economic upheaval, a team of young women finds refuge in a sport that rises above their personal poverty and gendered social status. But when this new soccer team goes undefeated in all of South America, these women find themselves in the position to win Venezuela's first World Cup and gain a new acceptance and voice in their home country.
#Competition, #CineMás, #WorldPremiere
NOTHING WITHOUT US: THE WOMEN WHO WILL END AIDS
Directed by Harriet Hirshorn
Burundi/France/Spain/Nigeria/USA, 2017, English/French, 67 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 12:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
For the past 30 years, women around the world have been on the move to tear down the forces that would silence them. Forgotten and overlooked in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, these women, particularly women of color, are fighting to destroy the myths and stigmas that surround this disease. Following the lives of present day activists around the world, this documentary charts the fight of women living with HIV/AIDS while also exploring the historical blind eye turned toward women during this long epidemic. Through education, medical and emotional support, and government action, these women will not stop until their voices are heard and HIV/AIDS is eradicated.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
ONIBO
Directed by Julien Mauranne, Victor Guillon
France/Peru, 2017, Spanish/Shipibo, 60 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 2:00 PM — Hilan Theatre
Curious about urban life outside of their rural Peruvian village, two teenage brothers of the Amazonian Shipibo Indians leave for Lima to chase their dreams. Aware of the sage advice and dutiful hesitation of their parents, the boys arrive only to discover that dark realities are hiding inside a booming metropolis. Together, they'll have to make their own way and reconcile their desire for modernity with an ancestral knowledge that is soon to be theirs.
#Competition, #CineMás
SILAS
Directed by Anajli Nayar, Hawa Essuman
Canada/South Africa/Kenya/Liberia, 2017, English, 80 minutes
Saturday, April 21, 2018, 5:45 PM — Hilan Theatre
Faced with environmental destruction and governmental corruption, Liberian activist Silas Siakor is fighting back to save the country he loves. In this stunning ode to grassroots resistance, Silas highlights how the power of an individual and the use of modern technology empowers local communities to rise up and lead the environmental struggle on a global scale.
#Competition
TAKE LIGHT
Directed by Shasha Nakhai
Nigeria/Canada, 2018, Pidgin English, 78 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 5:30 PM — Hilan Theatre
When it comes to power and electricity, Nigeria is a country in crisis. Torn between its desire to enter the global stage and its inability to provide one of the major first world utilities, the country lives in limbo. Through the door to door travellings of an optimistic electrician and a hesitant power company representative, the complicated dynamics of a country's ineffectual energy structure and the havoc it wreaks begins to unfold.
306 HOLLYWOOD
Directed by Elan Bogarín, Jonathan Bogarín
USA/Italy/Hungary, 2018, English/Italian, 94 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 4:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
After the loss of their grandmother, a brother and sister foray into the depths of magical realism to excavate and appreciate the home she left behind. Their journey examines an individual's microcosmic universe and the physical and emotional weight that indelibly carries on after a life ends. In this documentary, the ordinary becomes the extraordinary and a New Jersey home becomes a classical ruin to be revered by archaeologists, archivists and scientists alike.
#Competition
WAITING FOR DAVID
Directed by Emelie Svensson, Karin Oleander
USA/Sweden, 2018, English, 41 minutes
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 8:45 PM — Plaza Theatre
April 19, 1993. After a grueling 51-day standoff between the FBI and the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas, over 70 members of the cult perished when their compound went up in flames. Now 25 years later, survivor Clive Doyle is still waiting for cult leader and messiah David Koresh to resurrect alongside Clive's own deceased daughter.
#WorldPremiere
SHORT FILMS
CARBON COPY
Filaments of connection floating in projector light.
Documentary, 95 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 4:30pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
The Last Tape | directed by Cyprien Clément-Delmas & Igor Kosenko, Ukraine/Germany, 12:12
A young man and a veteran meet for the last time before the Ukraine war separates them.
Charming Strangers | directed by Weichao Xu, USA, 22:24
Through the lens of a vintage film camera, a Chinese photographer and his 8-year-old students rediscover their experience as immigrants in the United States.
#Competition
Dengê min Hilgirt (Carry My Voice) | directed by Hasan Demirtas, USA/Turkey, 19:02
A personal story of love and separation against the backdrop of an episode of Kurdish history with profound consequences to this day.
Hallo Salaam (Hello Salaam)| directed by Kim Brand, The Netherlands/Greece, 15:07
Two young boys visit a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. First encounters of handing out food and careful greetings soon become playful gatherings and good conversations.
All The Leaves Are Brown | directed by Daniel Robin, USA, 11:00
A short film about memory, loss, family, and a sugar maple tree.
#Competition, #Georgia
Oma | directed by Bill Kirstein, USA, 15:24
A rich discovery in a dusty attic raises long forgotten questions for a centenarian facing the loss of her short-term memory. An exploration of memory, secrets and living to be 100.
HARD WORLD FOR SMALL THINGS
Portraits of young minds and steel spines.
Narrative, 102 minutes
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 6:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Chandler | directed by Julia Kennelly, USA, 9:14
Feeling ignored on an important day, a 12-year-old girl seeks attention from an unexpected source.
#NewMavericks
وقت نهار (Lunch Time) | directed by Alireza Ghasemi, Iran, 15:57
A 16 year old girl goes to the hospital to identify the body of her mother. But age, bureaucracy, and culture might prevent her from seeing her mother one last time.
Varg (Wolf) | directed by Frida Kempff & Erik Andersson, Sweden, 11:41
In the shadow of a violent threat, a young woman must decide whether or not to take action to save her family’s way of life.
Marlon | directed by Jessica Palud, France, 19:50
Marlon, 14 years old, is visiting her mother in jail for the first time since her imprisonment. Protected by her family, she stubbornly believes that her mother is still her childhood heroine…
#NewMavericks
茧 (Cocoon) | directed by Mei Liying, China, 25:41
When Qingqing questions her mom’s odd relationship with a female friend, she discovers a secret that will unravel her peaceful family life and her burgeoning conceptions of love, sex, and female desire.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
San Miguel | directed by Cris Gris, Mexico/USA, 19:30
In order to help heal her grieving mother, Ana, a devout 9 year old girl, pushes her faith to its limit in hopes of divine intervention.
#Competition, #CineMás, #NewMavericks
IMAGINARY FLYING MACHINES
Renderings of an animated technicolor world.
Animation, 102 minutes
Monday, April 16, 2018, 9:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Tête à Tête | directed by Natasha Tonkin, United Kingdom, 7:41
One family's search for connection in a digital world.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Negative Space | directed by Max Porter & Ru Kuwahata, France, 5:30
My dad taught me how to pack.
Tokri (The Basket) | directed by Suresh Eriyat, India, 14:22
Two insignificant lives lost and found in time.
Two Balloons | directed by Mark C. Smith, USA, 9:08
Two travelers return to a place crossed by stars and clouds where love is at the beginning of everything.
#Competition
Heaven | directed by Miguel Anaya, Mexico, 11:19
In the late 40's, a pilot, who visits isolated communities to bring them food and rescue the sick, loses his brother who wanted to be like him.
#Competition, #CineMás
Railment | directed by Shunsaku Hayashi, Japan, 9:40
In a continuous scenery, his physical movement stays in the same position.
#Competition
Ming | directed by Danski Tang, USA, 3:07
A Chinese woman’s experience as a live figure model while abroad.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
10 | directed by Yu-Ting Cheng, USA, 3:38
An autistic 5-year-old with leukemia suffering both physically and mentally in the darkness of pain.
INN | directed by Zion Chen, USA, 4:26
A strange girl draws a young man's attention in the inn.
And the Moon Stands Still | directed by Yulia Ruditskaya, Belarus/Germany/USA, 10:47
The presence of the moon affects all under its glow. The film explores the lunar cycle and the energies invoked by its radiance.
#Competition
SOG | directed by Jonatan Schwenk, Germany, 10:14
A people of humanlike creatures lash out viciously against a shoal of fish that had unintentionally entered their desolate land.
#Competition
The Box | directed by Dušan Kastelic, Slovenia, 12:12
The Box is full of miserable creatures. One of them doesn’t belong there. He’s thinking outside the box...
#Competition
KABOOM
Unicorns, Rasputin, Sharknado - oh my! Puppets and clay that will blow your mind.
Puppetry & Stop Motion Animation, 64 minutes
Friday, April 20, 2018, 10:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
You Can’t Play With Us | directed by Jason Rhein & Serene Bacigalupi, USA, 15:44
When an inquisitive dinosaur happens upon some musical unicorns at Marshmallow Mountain, they aren’t as friendly as he expects.
TubeHeads - Haie im Weltraum (TubeHeads - Sharks in Space) | directed by Henning Ricke & Daniel Raboldt, Germany, 5:18
A puppet sketch comedy for the generation Y, ‘TubeHeads’ is a wired and wonderful joyride through pop- and high culture with nerdy humor and general mischief.
Quarters | directed by FIG House, Canada, 5:00
A flippantly animated portrait of typical flat denizens who live together, yet apart.
To Be | directed by Farzaneh Omidvarnia, Iran/Denmark, 6:01
Seeking refuge, a group of migrants must brave unknown perils and one unfriendly climate after the next.
#NewMavericks
Nevada | directed by Emily Ann Hoffman, USA, 12:07
A young couple's romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth control mishap in this stop-motion animated comedy.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
The Legend of Rasputin | directed by Jamie Shannon, Canada, 12:40
A dark historical comedy about the first tabloid star Grigori Rasputin, presenting a chapter in his life through puppets.
Don’t Think of a Pink Elephant | directed by Suraya Raja, United Kingdom, 7:20
A teenage girl fights her intrusive thoughts.
#NewMavericks
LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
Glimpses beyond the veil of time and space.
Narrative, 110 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 12:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
Arlo Alone | directed by Nicole Dorsey, Canada, 16:28
A futuristic drama that follows a young woman as she comes to terms with her own loneliness in a world where in-person contact has become a rarity.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Expire (Exhale) | directed by Magali Magistry, France, 13:12
In a world blanketed by toxic fog, one young woman, alone in the world, tries to connect despite the inherent danger in stepping outside.
#NewMavericks
Low Tide | directed by Joseph Sackett, USA, 10:05
A queer supernatural break-up album about a woman who falls in love with an angel.
#PinkPeach
Paleonaut | directed by Eric McEver, China/Japan/USA/Singapore, 15:51
A scientist studying the first human time traveller falls in love with her subject. But if her research succeeds they will become separated by eons of history…
The Emissary | directed by Bryan Tan, USA, 21:17
Liv Laika embarks on a solitary mission to a distant planet in search of her ancestors who fled the earth nearly a century prior.
#Georgia
After Her | directed by Aly Migliori, USA, 14:39
A wayward teenage girl goes missing and her friend is haunted by her disappearance. An atmospheric sci-fi about first love and the lost girl.
Souls of Totality | directed by Richard Raymond, USA, 18:44
A relationship story about the sacrifices we make, the things we don’t say, and love’s seemingly supernatural ability to conquer all.
LAUGHTER
Humorous collisions of circumstance and character.
Narrative, 77 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 6:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Dad’s Garage
Sticky | directed by Richard Turley, United Kingdom, 13:06
A suburban tale of lust, chewing gum and first class stamps.
My Lethal Weapon | directed by Hope Leigh, USA, 9:24
A young blonde must navigate treacherous power dynamics when she’s pulled over late at night by a “friendly” cop.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
The Homestay | directed by Priyanka Mattoo, USA, 11:48
A sheltered Indian couple visits their son in the U.S. for the first time and bungles their apartment rental, ending up in close quarters with their hosts, a gay couple and their dogs.
#PinkPeach
Offstage | directed by Andrei Huțuleac, Romania, 25:15
A famous Romanian actor is kidnapped by the obsessed mother of his biggest fan.
Hail Mary Country | directed by Tannaz Hazemi, USA, 18:09
Macho Grandmother Irene Dandy has to defend her family of football fanatics when they are robbed by Nora, a cocky thief with an all male posse.
#NewMavericks
MADEINUSA
Broad stripes and bright stars, the American ethos.
Documentary, 99 minutes
Friday, April 20, 2018, 6:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Footprint | directed by Sara Newens, USA, 17:05
A purely observational meditation on how different people engage with the World Trade Center Memorial, exploring the ways we choose to commemorate tragedy in the age of technology, social media, and changing attitudes toward patriotism.
#Competition
Shot. | directed by Aemilia Scott, USA, 9:30
Footage from every police shooting over the last two years, taken unedited, and aligned ⎯⎯⎯ synchronised to the moment of the first gunshot.
#Competition
Nuuca | directed by Michelle Latimer, USA/Canada, 12:58
The oil boom in North Dakota has brought tens of thousands of new people to the region and with that has come an influx of drugs, crime and sex trafficking.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Socks on Fire: Uncle John and the Copper Headed Water Rattlers | directed by Bo McGuire, USA, 15:05
A failed poet takes up cinematic arms when he returns home to Hokes Bluff, Alabama to discover his homophobic aunt has locked his drag queen uncle out of the family home.
#Competition, #PinkPeach
The Fourth Kingdom | directed by Adan Aliaga & Alex Lora, Spain/USA, 14:21
The kingdom of plastics, a redemption center in NY for immigrants and underdogs where the American Dream becomes possible indeed.
Brooklynn | directed by Charlie Mysak, USA, 12:14
A deeply personal look into how gun violence impacts a family long after the media spotlight fades away.
Towards the North | directed by Jessica Chermayeff & Joshua Bennett, Mexico/USA, 17:48
With their sights set on the U.S., mother and daughter cover the length of Mexico, facing immigration officials and taking selfies along the way – only to arrive in Tijuana where the US border suddenly becomes a dark reality.
#CineMás
NOBODY'S WOMAN
Painstaking accounts of lives led, loved, and lost.
Narrative, 103 minutes
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 2:30pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
Pas Papa (Not Daddy) | directed by Tamara Vittoz, France, 24:24
Anna doesn’t feel like an ordinary girl. Her violent father has gone for what seems like forever, and her mom keeps pushing her to forget he exists. Still, she dreams of meeting him.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
Ράγες (Tracks) | directed by Elina Fessa, Greece, 12:08
A student on her way to class. A mother trying to cope. One accident where they’ll learn what they’re made of.
#NewMavericks
Nevada | directed by Emily Ann Hoffman, USA, 12:07
A young couple's romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth control mishap in this stop-motion animated comedy.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
هایلایت (Highlight) | directed by Shahrzad Dadgar, Iran, 23:42
The reflection of sexual issues such as virginity, abortion and sex reassignment surgery in lives of three women spending an afternoon in a beauty salon in Tehran, Iran.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
Counterfeit Kunkoo | directed by Reema Sengupta, India, 15:00
In a city that houses millions, Smita finds herself fighting beasts of a different kind as she discovers a strange prerequisite to renting a house in middle-class Mumbai.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Ming Wang Shin Tu (To Pluto) | directed by Yen-Ju Lee, Taiwan/United Kingdom, 15:58
A nurse who finds herself stuck in her current job and a dying long-distance relationship meets a cancer patient who is trying to find the family he abandoned before it is too late.
#NewMavericks
OF ONE BLOOD
Family ghosts of the past, present, and future.
Narrative, 99 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 7:30pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Pantheon | directed by Ange-Régis Hounkpatin, France, 24:35
Cut off from his family roots, Solomon is about to donate his deceased father’s Voodoo costume to a museum when a young street-dancer reminds him that the ancestral soul still remains.
#Competition
Forgive Me | directed by Besim Ugzmajli, Kosovo, 15:00
Manipulated into joining a terrorist group, Bujar tries to convince his brother Agron to help his wife Mimosa join him in Syria.
Upset Body | directed by Delphine Le Courtois, Canada, 20:30
Gabrielle, a young independent woman, must face difficult questions when unexpected news comes hurtling into her life.
#NewMavericks
Ke | directed by Jun Chong, Singapore, 13:05
An elderly Taiwanese lady goes to Singapore's only Hakka cemetery to try and find her late grandfather’s grave before the cemetery is relocated.
Një Muaj (A Month) | directed by Zgjim Terziqi, Kosovo, 26:19
The real life story of a blind woman with no home and her four sisters’ pact to keep her at their respective residences for a month each.
THE PLACE PROMISED IN OUR EARLY DAYS
Meditations on weathered hands and patient hearts.
Narrative, 104 minutes
Sunday, April 15, 2018, 12:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
For Nonna Anna | directed by is Luis De Filippis, Canada, 13:17
A trans girl cares for her Italian grandmother. She assumes that her Nonna disapproves of her - but instead discovers a tender bond in their shared vulnerability.
#Competition, #PinkPeach
Saturday Night Special | directed by Esteban Garcia Vernaza, USA, 12:00
In a fit of anger, young Wesley embarks on a journey through the dangerous streets in search of some food for his baby sister.
Khane Sefid (White House) | directed by Madeh Arastoo Mafakheri, Iran, 20:00
A brand new religious leader, searching for identity, finds himself in over his head and isolated during his first rural village assignment.
Emergency | directed by Carey Williams, USA, 11:40
Faced with an emergency situation, a group of young Black and Latino friends carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police.
Altmuligmand (Odd Job Man) | directed by Marianne Blicher, Denmark, 22:00
An old man struggling with life gets the chance to pursue a dusty dream.
#PinkPeach
Magic ‘85 | directed by Annika Kurnick, USA, 25:00
During the height of the AIDS epidemic in LA, Gabriel, a lonely hospice worker, helps lead his patients to a conscious death.
#Competition, #PinkPeach
REBELS OF THE NEON GOD
Turbulent intersections of love and tech.
Narrative, 96 minutes
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 6:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
Wyrm | directed by Christopher Winterbauer, USA, 19:45
Wyrm has two days to complete his Level 1 Sexuality Requirement, typically osculation (aka kissing), or he'll be held back as part of the school district's No Child Left Alone program and forced to wear his My.E.Q. Electronic Monitoring Collar through high school.
#Competition
They Wait For Us | directed by Lukas Schrank & George Thomson, United Kingdom, 21:48
In a near-future end-of-life care facility, a reclusive hospital worker starts to believe a coma patient is secretly communicating with him.
基石 (Fundamental) | directed by ShihChieh Chiu, Taiwan, 7:10
A story of a teenager who discovers the strange and terrifying reality behind fundamentalism.
#Competition
STHLM HUNTERS | directed by Tor Helmstein, Sweden, 17:11
Amateur vigilantes Bibi and Kenneth must prove that the man they've taken hostage really is the internet pedophile they're looking for.
Long Bueno | directed by Abílio Dias, Brazil, 29:57
Mauro runs and runs, but Long Bueno remains far far away.
#CineMás
SPRING IN MY HOMETOWN
Films and filmmakers grown in Georgia clay.
Narrative (Local), 85 minutes
Thursday, April 12, 2018, 8:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
M.A.F.I.A. | directed by Frances Chang, USA, 4:45
Discouraged by online dating, these women have turned to a new app, M.A.F.I.A., to find love.
#Georgia
Something Bigger | directed by Chris Anthony Hamilton, USA, 8:57
Teea confides in her best friend about her existential crisis when an ominous visitor interrupts their moment of connection.
#Georgia
Jukebox Girl | directed by Alex Richard Thomas, USA, 9:32
The mayor's daughter, Brenda moonlights as a criminal stuck between putting her delinquent days behind her or succumbing to a life of crime.
#Georgia
Beeda After the Wake | directed by Nina Marinov, USA, 10:04
In a southern magical realism story of loss, an observant five year old girl is left on her own to navigate death and grief.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
Pupae | directed by Ryan Hope Travis, USA, 8:32
Compelled to confront his past, Moses returns home after living in a swamp for 7 years.
#Georgia
Cells | directed by Raymond Wood, USA, 12:00
A doctor is held captive by a group of masked intruders who force him to answer why billions of dollars go wasted each year in the name of medical research.
#Georgia
Jookuhdo | directed by Crystal Jin Kim, USA, 12:30
An antique shopkeeper is floored when her long-lost, yakuza-involved love suddenly reappears four years after his supposed death and is dying to find if this can be true.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
On the Fence | directed by Cassidy Detmer & Jared Callahan, USA, 8:00
Pete attempts to reconnect with his family after escaping from a drug recovery center.
#Georgia
Snapshot | directed by Brett Bagwell, USA, 9:59
Expressed through the memories and dreams of a 12-year old boy, a mother and son struggle to cope with the absence of the father.
#Georgia
STUD LIFE
What makes a man?
Narrative & Documentary, 104 minutes
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 8:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
Gutten er Sulten (The Hunger) | directed by Kenneth Karlstad, Norway, 20:59
A sixteen year old boy with an intense desire for recognition seeks out a vicious criminal to prove his boundless grit.
Street Racers | directed by Aurélien Heilbronn, Dominican Republic/USA/France, 9:09
Deep in the Dominican Republic’s illegal motorbiking culture, a tight-knit community of teens risk their lives to entertain themselves, blocking off motorways and hitting high speeds on small custom bikes.
#Competition
Rice Ball | directed by Yusuke Oishi, Japan, 15:00
In the wake of a matriarch's death, a father and son grapple with their grief and the sudden realization that nothing, not even food, will ever be the same.
ZION | directed by Floyd Russ, USA, 10:25
A portrait of Zion Clark, a young wrestler who was born without legs and grew up in foster care.
#Competition
The Things You Think I’m Thinking | directed by Sherren Lee, Canada, 14:17
A black male burn-survivor and amputee goes on a date with a regularly-abled man.
#PinkPeach
Make Them Believe | directed by Taimi Arvidson, USA/Russia, 13:59
A Russian wrestler enchanted by the United States plays the ultimate villain as the stars and stripes-clad character “American Hope” in Moscow's underground wrestling ring.
Men Don’t Whisper | directed by Jordan Firstman, USA, 22:00
After being emasculated at a sales conference, gay couple Reese and Peyton set out to do the most masculine thing they can think of - sleep with some women.
#Competition, #PinkPeach
THOSE WHO MAKE TOMORROW
Exceptional avant-garde works that transform through beauty, wit and wonder.
Experimental, 83 minutes
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 9:30pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Civilized Landscapes | directed by Taryn Ward, USA, 1:04
The evolution of corporation culture and its overwhelming presence on contemporary life.
Dream Phone | directed by Kendra Lohr, USA, 3:43
Who — who — who's got a crush on you! Was it all a dream?
#NewMavericks
Royal Jelly | directed by Stephanie Burbano, Canada, 9:53
A vivid exploration of drag brought about by experimentation and a unique insight into life.
#PinkPeach
165708 | directed by Josephine Massarella, Canada, 6:37
A woman looks out from the shoreline, acting as a point of departure to disparate yet interconnected sequences, prompting the viewer to engage in a structurally unique mode of inquiry and experience.
#NewMavericks
Blot | directed by Benjamin Rouse, USA, 2:15
A film about loss.
#Georgia
Because I Love You | directed by Yu-Ting Cheng, USA, 4:01
Nothing else matters other than love.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
Farewell Transmission | directed by Mike Rollo, Canada, 14:05
Equal parts indexical record of the demolition of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s CBK Transmitter Station in 2015 and subjective response to the residual media documenting the event.
601 Revir Drive | directed by Josh Weissbach, USA, 8:40
An animal carefully guards an outlined space as a river runs backwards.
gutterball | directed by Sam Gurry, USA, 1:07
I was in a bowling league in third grade where I routinely rolled my ball into the next lane and ate a lot of cheese fries.
#NewMavericks
Down Escalation | directed by Shunsaku Hayashi, Japan, 7:20
Falling down, it feels ecdysone is filling up its body. Delving into the deeper layers of itself, the flesh is melted down in the shell until the form is no longer.
SDtoHDuprezMaxV2_009.mp4 | directed by Anna Spence, USA, 4:10
Booted from the limelight, Max Headroom now roves the video signal on the search for his life's meaning.
#Georgia
Edge of Alchemy | directed by Stacey Steers, USA, 19:00
Mary Pickford and Janet Gaynor, delicately lifted from their early silent films, are cast into a surreal epic with an upending of the Frankenstein story amid a contemporary undercurrent of hive collapse.
#NewMavericks
UNDER THE SAME MOON
Blueprints of borders fabricated internally and externally.
Narrative & Documentary, 107 minutes
Monday, April 16, 2018, 6:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
Eighth Continent | directed by Yorgos Zois, Greece, 11:00
On Lesvos Island, an old abandoned dump lies within two big craters, overflowing with thousands of life jackets from the refugee waves.
#Competition
Abu Adnan (Adnan’s Father) | directed by Sylvia Le Fanu, Denmark, 25:13
Sayid wants to keep his status as a father and the family patriarch in a new linguistic and cultural setting, despite his sons progress in assimilating to the Danish language culture.
#Competition
I Have a Message for You | directed by Matan Rochlitz, Israel/United Kingdom/Belgium, 12:45
To save her life, a woman left her father to die. Decades later, she got a message from him.
The Driver is Red | directed by Randall Christopher, USA, 14:37
Set in Argentina 1960, this true crime documentary follows the story of secret agent Zvi Aharoni as he hunted down one of the highest ranking Nazi war criminals on the run.
EUNA | directed by Seung-Hyun Chong, Korea/Germany, 18:45
A young factory worker tries to come to grips with her life as an outsider.
Sin Cielo (Without Heaven) | directed by J.S. Maarten, USA, 24:59
Delia and Memo are like most teenagers; defiant, hormonal, always on their phones; except they live in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods bordering Northern Mexico - where Dollars rule and missing girls' bodies turn up mysteriously in the river or never at all.
#CineMás
WALKING DISTANCE
Snapshots of peach state roots.
Documentary (Local), 61 minutes
Thursday, April 12, 2018, 6:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
The Last Man You Meet | directed by Chris Bone, USA, 5:00
Take an exclusive look inside the gritty business of death as a third-generation funeral director reflects on his life.
#Georgia
Archive | directed by Adam Forrester, USA, 2:00
Filmed in a single-take, this experimental documentation of the demise of the iconic Georgia Archives Building in Atlanta, Georgia, explores our desire to preserve the past, our appetite to make way for the future, and the complex intersection of those urges.
#Georgia
The Whole Speaks | directed by Caroline Rumley, USA, 2:15
In two minutes we follow Nelms Creekmur through the process of creating a bottle opener out of a discarded railway tie. But it's more than that. It's a two minute manifesto on the creative process as a whole, applicable to any medium.
#Georgia
AWARE | directed by Jeremy Cournyea, USA, 7:08
The AWARE Wildlife Center is a non-profit that cares for injured and orphaned Georgia wildlife and promotes peaceful coexistence with our animal neighbors.
#Georgia
Magic is Everywhere | directed by Jordan Noel, USA, 14:48
A short documentary following the final few shows of Wil Wright, AKA Lil Iffy, who borrows characters, language and situations from the Harry Potter books to tell his own version of typical hip hop stories and themes.
#Georgia
Walls of Hope | directed by Elisabeth Pritchett, USA, 8:16
A short documentary about the Walls of Hope project in Savannah, Georgia and its creative and inspiring impact on the community.
#Georgia
American Dreaming | directed by Matthew Hashiguchi, USA, 10:56
With no guarantees of employment or opportunity, undocumented immigrants strive to obtain a college degree in the state of Georgia, where they are barred from enrolling in its most selected colleges and universities.
#Georgia
Atlanta From the Ashes | directed by Andrew Litten, USA, 10:07
An exploration of Atlanta's resiliency, and how the youth of Atlanta can look to the past for leadership and perseverance to move forward.
#Georgia
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
A weird and wacky balm for the soul.
Narrative, Animation, & Documentary, 68 minutes
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 12:00am ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre
ME OLEMME UNESSA (WE ARE IN A DREAM) | directed by Henna Välkky & Eesu Lehtola, Finland, 6:15
Based on personal recordings of people narrating their recurring dreams and nightmares, we race through their unconscious desires and fears.
Miedo De Monos (Fear of Monkeys) | directed by Michael Arcos, USA, 5:35
My father told me a story about why he is afraid of monkeys. His fear dates back to 1958 in Ecuador. This is what happened...
#CineMás
Ceviche | directed by Doménica García, USA, 9:37
Six women from different generations reveal the hidden emotions behind the preparation of Ceviche.
#NewMavericks, #CineMás
Stay Ups | directed by Joanna Rytel, Sweden, 11:00
A middle-aged woman is about to get nightly visits from a young man. Her child is, as usual, in the way.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Sinformist | directed by Jade Yuchun Chao, USA, 2:08
Each person is accompanied by a demon that represents his/her biggest faults.
Namoro à Distância (Long Distance Relationship) | directed by Carolina Markowicz, Brazil, 4:48
A brief story about a gentleman who's obsessed about having sex with ETs.
#CineMás
Raisin | directed by Danny Hunt, USA, 13:05
Two young sisters are abducted by strange creatures that pretend to be their parents.
AI ZAI SHI JIE MO RI (Love After Time) | directed by Tsai Tsung-han, Taiwan, 15:24
After a nuclear explosion, two mutant humans fall in love.
YEAR OF THE CARNIVORE
Tales of breaking points, cruelty, and carnage.
Narrative, 108 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 9:45pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Krista | directed by Danny Madden, USA, 9:24
In her high school theater class, Krista uses her scene study as catharsis.
#Competition
Kudzu | directed by Connor Simpson, USA, 14:50
During a scorching summer in rural Alabama, a young boy wrestles with a deepening sense of remorse after the disappearance of his friend.
Runner | directed by Clare Cooney, USA, 12:40
A woman goes for a jog and witnesses something she can't run away from.
#NewMavericks
Retouch | directed by Kaveh Mazaheri, Iran, 19:37
While bearing witness to a serious accident, Maryam must decide whether to act or live with the consequences.
U Plavetnilo (Into the Blue) | directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic, Croatia/Slovenia/Sweden, 22:08
An abused teenage girl thirsts for love, but her best friend’s cruelty awakens in her the violence she's been desperately trying to escape.
#NewMavericks
TV in the Fishtail | directed by Iesh Thapar, USA/India/United Kingdom, 13:20
As electricity is introduced to a remote Trans-Himalayan village, an adolescent boy struggles to reconcile his excitement with the abjection that surrounds him.
Home Shopper | directed by Dev Patel, USA, 16:32
In a loveless marriage, Penny finds solace in the hypnotic escape of the home shopping channel. When things take an unexpected turn, the channel proves to be her saving grace ... or perhaps it was the origin of the problem all along.
YOUNG AND WILD
Fables for kids who still believe in magic.
Animation & Puppetry (Family Friendly), 49 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 12:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre
Undiscovered | directed by Sara Litzenberger, USA, 2:49
Sasquatch has always remained elusive in photos--but not for the reasons we think.
那個午後的冒險 (The Adventure of the Afternoon) | directed by Vance Yang & Stella Huang, Taiwan, 7:45
The tale of a boy who meets an unexpected friend on a beautiful afternoon. They start an adventure journey to discover the world.
The Puppy Trials | directed by Thomas Nicol & Becky Nicol, USA, 4:02
An older dog teaches puppies how to behave.
Goodbye Sam | directed by Theo Taplitz, USA, 4:59
A boy and his posse say goodbye to a beloved friend.
Voyagers | directed by Gauthier Ammeux, Valentine Baillon, Benjamin Chaumény, Alexandre Dumez, Léa Finucci, & Marina Roger, France, 7:33
A tiger, escaping his hunter, ends up in a space station occupied by an astronaut and his goldfish…
Babushka | directed by Sabrina Brady, USA, 4:01
A young girl's day spirals out of control after she meddles with her grandmother's potion and sets off an unwanted explosion.
#NewMavericks
You Can’t Play With Us | directed by Jason Rhein & Serene Bacigalupi, USA, 15:44
When an inquisitive dinosaur happens upon some musical unicorns at Marshmallow Mountain, they aren’t as friendly as he expects.
SHORT FILMS ATTACHED TO FEATURES
Ablution | directed by Omar Al Dakheel, USA, 15:00
The bond between a disabled Muslim father and his son is tested when love is pitted against religion.
#PinkPeach
Screens with ABU (Sunday, April 15, 2018, 2:45pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
Absent | directed by Sudarshan Suresh, USA/India, 16:15
Resigned to a mundane life of caring for a mother with dementia, Zola sees a fleeting chance at escape when she runs into an old crush.
Screens with FACADES (Saturday, April 21, 2018, 2:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
Broke | directed by Asad Farooqui, USA, 12:46
A struggling Muslim couple attends their first therapy session to save their marriage, but things don’t go as planned.
#Georgia
Screens with POOR JANE (Saturday, April 14, 2018, 4:45pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
Color Blind | directed by Daniel Oramas, USA, 4:47
A rookie cop and his senior partner find themselves at odds over the current political climate during a long night on the job in this charged satire.
#Georgia
Screens with PRISON LOGIC (Monday, April 16, 2018, 8:30pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
Doug | directed by Daniel Oramas, USA, 8:02
A night home alone gets weird when Rebecca and her brother Kevin hear a knock at the door.
#Georgia
Screens with CLARA’s GHOST (Monday, April 16, 2018, 9:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Dad’s Garage)
The Last Honey Hunter | directed by Ben Knight, Nepal/USA, 35:50
In the mist-shrouded mountains of Nepal’s Hongu River valley, you will find a wiry and unassuming man named Mauli Dhan Rai, who is believed to be chosen by the gods for the perilous rite of honey harvesting.
#Competition
Screens with ONIBO (Sunday, April 22, 2018, 2:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre)
Laws of the Game | directed by Aegina Brahim, United Kingdom/ Suriname, 18:00
A fierce Surinamese female referee fights for her place in the world of men's football.
#Competition, #NewMavericks, #CineMás
Screens with NOS LLAMAN GUERRERAS (THEY CALL US WARRIORS) (Saturday, April 21, 2018, 12:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre)
Los Comandos | directed by Joshua Bennett & Juliana Schatz-Preston, El Salvador/USA, 29:32
Sixteen-year-old Mimi, a dedicated medical emergency volunteer, lives in the cross hairs of gang violence. When her fellow Comando, 14-year-old Erick, is gunned down while serving, she faces pressure to flee El Salvador and head north.
#CineMás
Screens with ARMED WITH FAITH (Sunday, April 15, 2018, 6:45pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre)
Mi Tesoro (My Treasure) | directed by Michael Flores, El Salvador, 22:35
A cleaning woman steals a Salvadoran Civil War map and hunts for a treasure in the hopes of reuniting with her son.
#CineMás
Screens with CABEZA MADRE (MOTHER'S HEAD) (Sunday, April 15, 2018, 8:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Dad’s Garage)
Pink Dolphin | directed by Tuo Kan, USA, 4:11
A story about the one and only Pink Dolphin living in the ocean looking for his companions and trying to survive from the assaults and taunts of other sea creatures.
#PinkPeach
Screens with MERMAIDS (Sunday, April 15, 2018, 5:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
Saltwater Baptism | directed by Jared Callahan & Russell Sheaffer, USA, 17:22
Santiago Gonzalez IV, a first generation Mexican-American, struggles with the tensions between his sexuality, nationality, and religion as he prepares for his college graduation.
#PinkPeach
Screens with THY KINGDOM COME (Saturday, April 21, 2018, 12:45pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
The Shadow | directed by Isaac Switzer, USA, 2:27
A girl faces a looming darkness.
Screens with FAT TUESDAY (Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 10:30pm ⎯⎯⎯ Plaza Theatre)
Towards the Sun | directed by Monica Santis, USA/United Kingdom, 20:00
Under the looming threat of deportation, an unaccompanied minor at an immigrant children's shelter in Texas embarks on a healing journey and learns to express herself through the power of art.
#CineMás, #NewMavericks
Screens with COCAINE PRISON (Saturday, April 14, 2018, 3:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre)
Umbrella | directed by Rhys Ernst, USA, 15:50
Against the backdrop of rising anti-trans legislation, Umbrella chronicles the stories of four transgender individuals across America united in their passion to create change.
#PinkPeach #Georgia
Screens with VENUS (Sunday, April 15, 2018, 9:00pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre)
The Wolf Guru | directed by Mian Qin, USA/China, 4:50
A man is attacked by a group of wolves and their monster leader. When he finally makes it to safety, however, he must face one more challenge in the form of the monster’s real identity.
#Competition
Screens with FREEDOM FOR THE WOLF (Friday, April 19, 2018, 8:15pm ⎯⎯⎯ Hilan Theatre)
VIRTUAL REALITY
Deerbrook
Directed by Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley, Jon Riera, Connor Illsley
Canada, 2017, English, 14:34
Two strangers show up at a family's cottage claiming to have spent their childhood summers there, but their behaviour seems to be driven by something more sinister than nostalgia.
Lá Camila
Directed by Jak Wilmot
USA, 2018, English, 20:00
When the storms of nature threaten her very existence, the viewer must help a young shepherd girl take on the responsibilities of her deceased papá.
#Georgia
Hoodoo
Directed by Catherine Salkeld
UK, 2017, English, 6:30
A short adventure where we follow the adventures of Claw a simple cat exploring a mysterious fragment of a forgotten world.
Reading Room
Directed by Alexander Sandy White
USA, 2017, English, 5:09
Driven to protect his identity, an introspective bookkeeper explores the power of thought and memory within a broken world of book burning and censorship.
Micro Giants
Directed by Yifu Zhou
China, 2017, English, 6:00
"Micro Giants" tells the story of insects and plants in the microecosystem with vivid detail and elaborate design.
Ready to Learn, Ready to Live
Directed by Thomas Nybo
USA/Afghanistan, 2017, English, 5:30
In remote Afghanistan, an illiterate girl takes you on her journey to learn how to read and write.
#Georgia
Step to the Line
Directed by Ricardo Laganaro
USA/Brazil, 2017, English, 11:43
Step to the Line takes you inside maximum-security prisons in the US and provides a new perspective on prisoners, the system, and yourself.
#Georgia
Submerged
Directed by Nishtha Jain
India, 2016, Hindi/English, 8:10
An immersive experience about how climate change and defective government policies are precipitating one of the largest exoduses of migrant labour in the world.
Naive New Beaters 'Heal Tomorrow'
Directed by Romain Chassaing
France, 2016, English, 3:48
Follow the story of Naive New Beaters’ singer through his spectacular rise and unfortunate demise in a series of events during a live performance.
Anicca
Directed by Cecilia Sweet-Coll
USA, 2016, No Dialogue, 6:06
An exploration of impermanence through visual music in virtual reality.
EPISODIC SHOWCASE
The Midnight Service - Home Invasion
Directed by Brett Potter, Dean Colin Marcial | USA, 2017, English, 7:13
A broke Miami comedian's retreat into the Everglades is interrupted by an uninvited visitor.
The Rick and Stanley Show
Directed by Mike Lars White | USA, 2017, English, 7:00
Two men in a beat-up car discuss love, sex, Kenny G, and potato guns.
Hug It Out
Directed by Jason Eksuzian | USA, 2017, English, 7:17
Gwen, recently-divorced with longstanding intimacy issues, becomes a professional snuggler in L.A. to make ends meet.
Limits
Directed by Kevon Pryce | USA, 2017, English, 17:40
How not to maintain a relationship in the social media era.
#Georgia
2 Kawaii 4 Comfort
Directed by Luke Palmer, John Bickerstaff | USA, 2017, English, 23:17
5 emotionally stunted anime fans are forced to confront everything they are hiding from at the one convention where they go to escape reality
Manic
Directed by Kate Marks | USA, 2017, English, 17:02
An Ivy-league bound, overachieving teen is derailed after a manic episode lands her in a school for kids with mental illness.
MUSIC VIDEOS
Don Broco: "Technology"
Directed by Benjamin Roberds | USA, 2017, English, 3:51
#Georgia
Apoc's: "Hurricane Goddamn!"
Directed by Scott Upshur | USA, 2017, English, 6:00
Original Swimming Party: "Biggest Curse"
Directed by Amy Allais | South Africa, 2017, English, 5:04
Surfer Blood: “Taking Care of Eddy”
Directed by Sachio Cook, Niko Guardia | English, 2017, USA, 3:29
Strangers (Feat. "Pressure" by Milk & Bone)
Directed by Eve Duhamel, Julien Vallee | Canada, 2017, English, 3:16
Casey Benjamin: "Dig"
Directed by Video Rahim | USA, 2017, English, 4:01
#Georgia
K.R.U.S.H.: "No Fucks Given"
Directed by Brit Wigintton | USA, 2017, English, 3:25
#Georgia
The Invisible Man: “Let Me Ride”
Directed by Francesca Mirabella | USA, 2017, English, 4:48
Meinschaft: "The Midday Sun At Midnight"
Directed by Haoyan of America | USA, 2017, English, 6:15
Dizzee Rascal: "Bop N Keep It Dippin"
Directed by Romain Chassaing | UK/France, 2017, English, 6:13
DEDSA: "Annihilation"
Directed by Robbie Ward | USA, 2017, English, 6:17
Ben Burden: "White Lighters"
Directed by Zelda June | USA, 2017, English, 2:00
LUNICE: "Distrust” feat. Denzel Curry, J.K. the Reaper and Nell
Directed by Sam Rolfes | USA, 2017, English, 3:04
Tom Rosenthal: "Oh No Pedro"
Directed by Annlin Chao | UK, 2017, English, 3:26
#PinkPeach
Porter: "La China"
Directed by Jorge G. Camarena | Mexico, 2016, Spanish, 5:11
#CineMás
Ty Segall: "Break a Guitar"
Directed by Matt Yoka | USA, 2017, English, 4:27
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
ATLFF Screenplay Competition: Script Read
Friday, April 13, 2018, 3:30 PM — Hilan Theatre — FREE with RSVP
Join us for a script read of selections from each of the three 2018 Atlanta Film Festival Feature Screenplay Competition winners, featuring local SAG-AFTRA actors.
#Georgia
re:imagine/ATL Presents: CURRENTS on Tour - Teen Takeover
Friday, April 13, 2018, 8:00 PM — Hilan Theatre — FREE with RSVP
Film festivals have long been an anchor for allowing a platform for stories surrounding cultural influences to be brought to light—now it's time to listen to youth voices. This screening will be featuring content conceived of and produced by Atlanta teens. Join us opening night of the Atlanta Film Festival for a showcase of content based around teen social commentary, followed by a panel discussion from the teen storytellers themselves.
#Georgia, #FamilyFriendly
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Friday, April 13 & 20, 2018, 12:00 AM — Plaza Theatre — $12
It's a Plaza Theatre institution! Lips Down On Dixie performs the interactive version of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Midnight each Friday.
YOU42 Presents: “Dead By Midnight/11 PM Central”
Directed by Torey Haas, Tony Reames, Eric Davis, Jay Holloway, Anissa Matlock
USA, 2018, English, 88 minutes
Saturday, April 14, 2018, 9:30 PM — Plaza Theatre — FREE with RSVP
It's Halloween at WKIZ when the malicious Mistress of Midnight (Erin Brown) arrives to host her annual horror movie marathon ‘Dead by Midnight.’ When the WKIZ staff begins disappearing only to turn up in the increasingly darker films, it's up to line producer Candice Spelling (Hannah Fierman) to stop the Mistress of Midnight before her final and most diabolical film goes to air.
#Georgia
The Art Institute of Atlanta Presents: Senior Film Screening
Monday, April 16, 2018, 5:30 PM — Hilan Theatre — FREE with RSVP
A showcase of short films created by senior level students from The Art Institute of Atlanta.
#Georgia
Dad’s TV
Monday, April 16, 2018, 8:00 PM — Dad's Garage — FREE with RSVP
The film/video side of Dad's Garage Theatre returns with a collection of projects from the past year. Watch the first public screening of a new television pilot, "Weird City," which is an offbeat travel show. Laugh along with a new short film by DGTV produced in collaboration with Jerry's Habima Theatre (a nonprofit working with special needs actors) that has lots of heart and some awesome floor hockey. Finally, the screening will give a sneak peak at a new web series set behind the scenes of the theatre itself, "The Garage."
#Georgia
The Florida State University College Of Motion Picture Arts Presents: Selected Keylight Films
Wednesday, April 18, 2018, 8:30 PM — Plaza Theatre — FREE with RSVP
The FSU College of Motion Pictures Arts presents a showcase of eight short student films followed by a panel discussion with representatives from the College. Ranked by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the top 25 film schools in the country, FSU College of Motion Picture Arts produces student films that regularly win prestigious awards like the Student Emmys and Oscars. Join us for an evening of cinematic entertainment as we showcase this year's selected Keylight Films.
Miss Richfield 1989 “Born Again”
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre — $30-$60
Logo Founder Matt Farber presents Miss Richfield 1981 "Born Again" at Plaza Theatre. In her all-new show, Miss Richfield 1981 is “Born Again” finding new religion to bring our divided world together. With all new songs, videos, and unique audience activities, Miss R brings all faiths together in 2018. Atheists welcome!
#PinkPeach
PLAZADROME: “The Astrologer”
Directed by Craig Denney
USA, 1976, English, 96 minutes
Thursday, April 19, 2018, 10:00 PM — Plaza Theatre — $12
Videodrome and The Plaza Theatre’s cult film series continues with Craig Denney’s “The Astrologer.” Alexander is running a con game at a circus as a psychic. When he finds that he actually does possess psychic powers, he uses them for his own ends.
Bo Burnham to Bring Debut Feature EIGHTH GRADE to 2018 ATLFF Closing Night
Director Bo Burnham, the comedian known for his popular stand-up routines and YouTube career, will bring his new film EIGHTH GRADE to the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, April 21 as the Closing Night presentation of the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival.
Director Bo Burnham, the comedian known for his popular stand-up routines and YouTube career, will bring his new film EIGHTH GRADE to the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, April 21 as the Closing Night presentation of the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival.
Coming from beloved distributor A24 ("Moonlight" and previous ATLFF closing night films "The Spectacular Now," "Morris From America" and "Menashe"), EIGHTH GRADE had its World Premiere at Sundance and marks Burnham's debut film as both writer and director. Burnham is scheduled to attend.
EIGHTH GRADE
Directed by Bo Burnham
USA, 2018, English, 94 minutes
Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school—the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year—before she begins high school.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 30, 2018. Badges on sale now!
Before the festival kicks off, the public is invited to an ATLFF Kickoff Party on March 30th at the Rialto Center for the Arts from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Festival attendees will be able to pick up their 2018 badges, purchase tickets and festival merchandise, receive program guides and enjoy food and drinks.
Daveed Diggs to Receive the Inaugural ATLFF Innovator Award at our 2018 Opening Night Presentation of BLINDSPOTTING
BLINDSPOTTING, the upcoming feature film debut from director Carlos López Estrada starring Daveed Diggs ("Hamilton"), will kickstart ATLFF on Friday, April 13, 2018. Tony Award and Grammy Award-winner Diggs will attend the April 13 red carpet screening at the Plaza Theatre with Rafael Casal and will receive the inaugural ATLFF Innovator Award.
The Atlanta Film Festival is pleased to unveil the Opening Night Presentation for the 42nd annual festival. BLINDSPOTTING, the upcoming feature film debut from director Carlos López Estrada starring Daveed Diggs, will kick off ATLFF on Friday, April 13, 2018. Diggs, who co-wrote the film with lifelong friend Rafael Casal as a provocative yet challenging love letter to their hometown of Oakland, will attend the April 13 red carpet screening at the Plaza Theatre with Casal and will receive an ATLFF Innovator Award.
This year, ATLFF will launch a new initiative to honor Originators, Innovators and Rebels in the film industry, a symbolic gesture in the spirit of key figures who have helped shape Atlanta's story. Daveed Diggs will be the first recipient of the ATLFF Innovator Award.
BLINDSPOTTING
Directed by Carlos López Estrada
USA, 2018, English, 95 minutes
Collin (Daveed Diggs) must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. He and his troublemaking childhood best friend, Miles (Rafael Casal), work as movers and are forced to watch their old neighborhood become a trendy spot in the rapidly gentrifying Bay Area. When a life-altering event causes Collin to miss his mandatory curfew, the two men struggle to maintain their friendship as the changing social landscape exposes their differences.
Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about friendship and the intersection of race and class set against the backdrop of Oakland. Bursting with energy, style and humor, “Blindspotting,” boldly directed by Carlos López Estrada in his feature film debut, is a provocative hometown love letter that glistens with humanity.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 30, 2018. Badges on sale now!
Before the festival kicks off, the public is invited to an ATLFF Kickoff Party on March 30th at the Rialto Center for the Arts from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Festival attendees will be able to pick up their 2018 badges, purchase tickets and festival merchandise, receive program guides and enjoy food and drinks.
Atlanta Film Festival Announces First 15 Films From 2018 Lineup
Official selections from each category of programming released for ATLFF '18, including six films from alumni, two Georgia-lensed works and five films from New Mavericks.
ATLANTA, GA — Leading up to the 42nd annual Atlanta Film Festival & Creative Conference (ATLFF), taking place April 13-22, 2018, the Atlanta FIlm Society is pleased to announce the first wave of film programming. This selection comprises 15 works in both feature length and short form across narrative, documentary, pilot episode, music video, animation, puppetry, experimental and virtual reality categories.
“One of the most beautiful things about independent film is that it allows creators who may be shut out of the Hollywood machine to tell their own stories and make their voices heard,” said ATLFF Programming Director Alyssa Armand. “As we approach our 42nd year, we look forward to continuing to provide a platform for the alternative by showcasing films that you rarely get to see on the big screen, but that absolutely deserve to be there.”
This group of fifteen films comes from a new ATLFF record of 6,650 film submissions. Hailing from Canada, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Turkey, UK and USA, these films represent the inclusive and far-reaching breadth of the forthcoming complete lineup. Last year, more than 50% of ATLFF’s film program was directed by women and nearly 40% was directed by filmmakers of color.
Of the 15 films, six are directed by ATLFF alumni. Two Georgia-lensed films are included in the first wave, narrative feature “Still,” directed by Takashi Doscher, and Virtual Reality short film “Lá Camila,” directed by Jak Wilmot. Shot in Swaziland and directed by Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp, “Liyana” blends a rich animated tale told by five orphans with observational scenes of their reality. Documentary short film “Nuuca,” directed by Michelle Latimer, is a powerful look at the correlation between land exploitation and violence against Indigenous women and girls in North Dakota.
These films will be joined by nearly 200 others for the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival, taking place April 13 - 22, 2018.
Narrative Feature
Disappearance
directed by Ali Asgari
Iran, 2017, Persian, 88 minutes
In the course of one cold night in Tehran, two young lovers go from hospital to hospital in search of help. Soon they will have to face the tragic consequences of their youthful naivety.
Never Steady, Never Still
directed by Kathleen Hepburn
Canada, 2017, English, 111 minutes
Having lived with Parkinson’s disease for almost two decades, Judy (Shirley Henderson) is faced with the heightened challenges of daily life when her husband and caregiver dies of a sudden heart attack on their isolated property on the shores of Stuart Lake. Meanwhile, her teenage son Jamie (Théodore Pellerin), pushed by his father to get a job on the oil fields, is terrified by the idea of filling his shoes at too young an age, and grappling with the daunting task of becoming a man in world that has no apparent room for weakness.
#NewMavericks
Still
directed by Takashi Doscher
USA, 2018, English, 88 minutes
Sick, dehydrated, and lost, Lily (Madeline Brewer) quite literally falls on the doorstep of Ella (Lydia Wilson) and Adam (Nick Blood) who own and operate a secret distillery in the middle of the Appalachian mountains. However, as Lily begins to recover she starts to notice stranger and stranger things about the couple: Despite their youthful appearance, everything they own appears to be decades old. Although they live on a beautiful farm, there are no livestock and no crops. She notices how they secretly slip away into the woods, carrying glass jugs of water with them. Most alarming, however, is that there seems to be a great rift, a deep emotional strain, between them—as if they are an old married couple who gradually fell out of love as time went on. As Lily delves deeper and deeper into the lives of this mysterious yet beautiful couple, she is soon caught in the middle of their conflict—a heartbreaking power struggle literally a century in the making. Lily will soon learn how the couple came upon this property and the deep and powerful secret they have been protecting all of these years.
#Georgia
Documentary Feature
Armed with Faith
directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Asad Faruqi
USA/Pakistan, 2017, Pashto//Urdu, 74 minutes
“Armed with Faith” follows the men of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bomb Disposal Unit (KPK BDU) to the front lines of the war against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan. The border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—considered the gateway for terrorists from neighboring Afghanistan and adjacent tribal areas—is the backdrop of our film. The battle for control of this porous border area remains critical to the stability of Pakistan and global security. Should Pakistan, a nuclear power, fall into the hands of terrorists, the entire world is at risk. We witness firsthand the dangerous struggle undertaken by the men of the KPK BDU to protect their country against the Taliban threat in the land they both call home.
Liyana
directed by Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp
USA/Swaziland, 2017, English/siSwati, 77 minutes
A Swazi girl embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue her young twin brothers. This animated African tale is born in the imaginations of five orphaned children in Swaziland who collaborate to tell a story of perseverance drawn from their darkest memories and brightest dreams. Their fictional character’s journey is interwoven with poetic and observational documentary scenes to create a genre-defying celebration of the transformative power of storytelling.
Narrative Short
Arlo Alone
directed by Nicole Dorsey
Canada, 2017, English, 16:19
“Arlo Alone” is a futuristic drama that follows Arlo, a young woman, as she comes to terms with her own loneliness in a world where in-person contact has become a rarity.
#NewMavericks
Laws of the Game
directed by Aegina Brahim
Suriname/UK, 2017, Dutch, 17:54
Zeola is a single mother whose life alternates between her job as a prison guard and her career as a football referee in the men’s league. In her attempt to obtain the international FIFA Badge in an official referee test, Zeola is confronted not only with her own insecurities, but also with the unfairness of the world around her.
#NewMavericks
Documentary Short
Carry My Voice
directed by Hasan Demirtaş
Turkey, 2017, Kurdish, 19:00
Carry My Voice is about the division of Kurdish lands after World War I. The documentary focuses on Syria and Turkey borders and how these new borders have affected the lives of Kurdish people.
Nuuca
directed by Michelle Latimer
USA/Canada, 2017, English/Hidatsa, 12:00
An evocative meditation on Indigenous women’s integral connection to land and the ways in which the extractive industry’s exploitation of the earth is linked to the violence perpetrated against Indigenous women and girls.
#NewMavericks
Animated Short
Nevada
directed by Emily Ann Hoffman
USA, 2017, English, 12:00
A young couple's romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth control mishap in this stop motion animated comedy.
#NewMavericks
Virtual Reality Short
Lá Camila
directed by Jak Wilmot
USA, 2017, English, 20:00
When the storms of nature threaten her very existence, the viewer must help a young shepherd girl fill the shoes of her deceased papá.
#Georgia
Puppetry Short
You Can't Play With Us
directed by Jason Rhein, created by Serene Bacigalupi and Jacques Duffourc
USA, 2018, English, 15:00
Rapping unicorns? A dinosaur inventor? A marshmallow avalanche? Experience a new fairy tale from the imaginative world of Leroy’s Place. Built entirely from cardboard and other recycled materials, this endearing short film in puppetry tells a story of overcoming bullying. In a world where dinosaurs eat unicorns for every meal, Delux the dino refuses to eat the magical creatures and sets out to befriend them instead. When the inquisitive dinosaur happens upon some musical unicorns in Marshmallow Mountain, they aren’t as friendly as he expects. It’s not always easy to make new friends, especially when they think you are going to eat them, but Delux uses his unique skills to make the sassy unicorns take a second look. This film is intended for all ages.
Experimental Short
Royal Jelly
directed by Stephanie Burbano
Canada, 2017, English, 9:52
The film begins in abstraction—we meet a drag queen who invites us down the rabbit hole to meet a menagerie of people that make up her community.
#PinkPeach
Pilot Episode
Manic
directed by Kate Marks
USA, 2016, English, 17:00
Aurora, an overachieving teen with Ivy League dreams, finds herself locked in with a crazy band of misfits when she's sent to Greener Pastures Therapeutic School. Convinced it's all a mistake, she fights the system and makes a break for freedom—only to be faced with the truth about why she was committed there in the first place.
#NewMavericks
Music Video
Biggest Curse (performed by Original Swimming Party feat. Moonchild Sanelly)
directed by Amy Allais
South Africa, 2017, English, 4:27
Fundamentally it’s about who gets to eat the cake, and who doesn’t. About the back rooms in many South African houses. And busting through those. But it’s also about childhood, and how easy it is to make friends.
Apply to Join the ATLFF '18 Screening Committee!
With nearly 2,000 submissions already received for consideration into ATLFF '18, we are excepting applications to join our Screening Committee.
More than 6,000 works were submitted for consideration into the 2017 Atlanta Film Festival—another huge increase from the year before. From these hopeful filmmakers, we have only the capacity to program around 200 features, short films, pilot episodes and music videos combined. How do we decide which films to play? How do we go through those thousands of entries to sort the ones that will please our local audience the best?
We get help. A lot of help.
Most of that help comes from our volunteer Screening Committee. Members of this team watch dozens (sometimes hundreds) of short or feature films each, evaluating them along the way. This helps the programming team sort out the worthy from the not-so-worthy so they can make the final decisions.
With nearly 2,000 submissions already received for consideration into ATLFF '18, we are excepting applications to join our Screening Committee. Volunteer screeners can earn a variety of perks (free tickets and passes to the festival) based on how many films they watch, and films can be watched most anywhere you have an internet connection.
If you have the time, the interest and the fortitude to help us screen thousands of submissions, please apply to join our Screening Committee! Space is limited, so not all applicants will be chosen. Additionally, if you have an interest in reading submitted screenplays for the ATLFF '17 Screenplay Competition, apply to be a reader! Please apply by June 28, 2017. Applications may be re-opened at a later date.
Questions? Email screening@atlantafilmfestival.com.
Malcolm Washington is the 2017 ATLFF Filmmaker-to-Watch!
Congratulations to Malcolm Washington, the winner of the 2017 Atlanta Film Festival Filmmaker-to-Watch Award for his film BENNY GOT SHOT.
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, Malcolm Washington has been awarded the honor for his film "Benny Got Shot."
"We were thrilled to see how much ‘Benny Got Shot’ resonated with our Backers Jury this year,” said ATLFF Film Programming Director Alyssa Armand. “With this film, Malcolm has established himself as a remarkable new talent who has what we're sure will be a long career ahead of him. We truly can't wait to see what he makes next."
Check out Malcolm's reaction:
"Benny Got Shot" screens as part of the TIES THAT BIND block on Friday, March 31 at 7:00 PM at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church and will screen again during the Award-Winning Shorts Encore on Sunday, April 2 at 7:45 PM at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church.
Attention! 2017 Atlanta Film Festival Venue & Showtime Changes
As we all know things happen. Due to an emergency situation at the Plaza Theatre this week, we have been forced to relocate several screenings. Please be advised of the new venues and new times listed below.
As we all know, things happen. Due to an emergency situation at the Plaza Theatre this week, we have been forced to relocate several screenings. Please be advised of the new venues and new times listed below.
Thank you for your patience!
FRIDAY MARCH 24
Screenplay Competition: Table Read
4:00 PM
NEW VENUE: 7 Stages Theatre, Main
re:imagine/ATL: NO COMMENT
8:00 PM
NEW VENUE: 7 Stages Theatre, Main
SATURDAY MARCH 25
Milwaukee 53206
12:15 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Farewell Ferris Wheel
2:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
San Fu Tian (Dog Days)
4:45 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Preso
7:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Dean
(moved to Sunday April 2 at 12:30 PM)
SUNDAY MARCH 26
Dwa światy (Two Worlds)
12:15 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Everything But a Man
2:15 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Teenage Love Bomb
5:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Woman on Fire
8:00 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
MONDAY MARCH 27
Children of the Mountain
7:15 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
دم سرد (Cold Breath)
9:45 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
TUESDAY MARCH 28
Based on a True Story [Panel]
9:30 AM
NEW VENUE: 7 Stages Theatre, Black Box
A Fist Full of Dollars [Panel]
11:30 AM
NEW VENUE: 7 Stages Theatre, Black Box
The Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts Presents: Selected Keylight Films
6:45 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Atlan
9:15 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
WEDNESDAY MARCH 29
Ah, My Hometown [Shorts Block]
7:00 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Scripted Pilots
NEW TIME: 7:00 PM
NEW VENUE: 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Music Videos
NEW TIME: 11:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Plaza Theatre, Downstairs
THURSDAY MARCH 30
Rat Film
7:15 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Ann (formerly on Friday March 31)
NEW TIME: 10:00 PM
NEW VENUE: Plaza Theatre, Downstairs
FRIDAY MARCH 31
Ties That Bind [Shorts Block]
7:00 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Wexford Plaza
NEW TIME: 7:00 PM
NEW VENUE: 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Ann
(moved to Thursday March 30 at 10:00 PM)
SATURDAY APRIL 1
La Selva Negra (The Modern Jungle)
12:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
La Soledad
2:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Raising Bertie
5:00 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
SUNDAY APRIL 2
Dean (formerly on Saturday March 25)
NEW TIME: 12:30 PM
NEW VENUE: Plaza Theatre, Downstairs
The House on Coco Road
12:45 PM
NEW VENUE: Druid Hills Presbyterian Church
Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer
2:45 PM
NEW VENUE: Plaza Theatre, Downstairs
DAVE MADE A MAZE Set to Open Up the 41st Atlanta Film Festival!
Get your tickets now for ATLFF's most exclusive screening and party—Opening Night! Sponsored by Moonshine Post-Production.
directed by Bill Watterson
USA, 2017, English, 81 minutes
Friday, March 24, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Downstairs
In a struggling attempt to create something of significance, Dave builds a fort in his living room where he falls victim to his own creation. Now trapped in a world filled with booby traps and fantastical pitfalls, Dave advises his girlfriend against entering the ever-changing mythical world to save him. —Kevon Pryce
Director Bill Watterson and select cast and crew members scheduled to attend.
#Narrative #Animation #Marquee #Puppetry
The Opening Night Party (sponsored by Moonshine Post-Production) will be held from 9 PM - 12 AM at Paris on Ponce—open to all Opening Night ticket-holders, as well as FILMMAKER, PRODUCER and ALL-ACCESS badge-holders (includes INDUSTRY, PRESS and WEEKEND 1). Wristbands for the afterparty will be distributed at the screening.
DAVE MADE A MAZE and the Opening Night Party sponsored by:
Atlanta Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup of Features and Short Films
We are excited to reveal the lineup of feature film and short film programming for the 41st annual ATLFF... and there's even more to come!
ATLANTA, GA (February 24, 2017) — The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is pleased to announce the lineup of feature length and short film programming for the 41st annual celebration that will take place March 24 – April 2, 2017. In addition to the announced lineup of 163 films, the ten-day event will be highlighted with Opening and Closing Night Presentations, 40 Creative Conference events and 12 unique Special Presentations.
Of the record-breaking 6,000+ film submissions for the 2017 festival, the final selections include 47 feature length films, 116 short films and 28 creative media presentations, which consist of music videos, virtual reality and episodic pilots. The diverse slate represents 40 countries, with 53% of selected submissions directed by a female and 40% from filmmaker(s) of color.
Christopher Escobar, ATLFF Executive Director said, "Coming off a record-setting 40th Anniversary event in 2016, we are entering our fifth decade with programming that represents our long-term commitment to celebrate filmmakers and audiences of all backgrounds. We are especially proud to be a festival that highlights diverse voices, while also emphasizing the important role that our city plays in the film and television community by holding our events at places unique to Atlanta.”
In addition to the film lineup announced today, information on Opening Night, Closing Night, additional Marquee screenings and Special Presentations, which include annual fest favorites like Food on Film and SOUND + VISION, as well as the Creative Conference educational programming, is forthcoming.
The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programing that is provided year-round by parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society.
2017 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP
If a selected film will be included in a specialty track or falls into a distinctive category, it is noted with brief designation following the synopsis. Films identified as New Mavericks feature a strong, female lead seen through the lens of a female filmmaker. The Pink Peach track shines a spotlight on LGBTQ narrative features, documentary features and short films. The CineMás track highlights Latin American films and filmmakers. Productions with an Atlanta and/or Georgia connection are noted as well.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
Ann
Directed by Carla Forte
USA, 2016, Spanish/English, 79 minutes
Friday, March 30, 2017, 9:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Ruben, a visual artist, is tormented by his reality. He copes by retreating into his vivid imagination; creating a parallel world unlike his own. As his alternate world becomes more attractive, Ruben becomes more disconnected from the material world, societal norms, and emotional attachments. He must come to terms with reality after this disconnect and subsequent loss of ego.
#CineMás, #Competition, #PinkPeach
Born River Bye
Directed by Tim Hall
USA, 2017, English 84 minutes
Friday, March 31, 2017, 9:30 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Two childhood friends reunite in their sleepy hometown as they each face a crossroads in their lives. Scott is drifting through town (and life) after a long departure, much like a ghost to haunt his estranged family and friends. Laura, still stuck in their hometown, is living in a stagnant reality of mediocrity out of fear of following her dreams. Both feel superior to those around them, and yet experience an overwhelming unhappiness with their choices. As the days unfold, Scott and Laura begin to turn a new leaf, forgiving themselves for their past, making amends, and looking to their futures with renewed optimism.
#Georgia, #WorldPremiere
The Boss Baby
Directed by Tom McGrath
USA, 2017, English
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 2:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
DreamWorks Animation and the director of Madagascar invite you to meet a most unusual baby. He wears a suit, speaks with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin, and stars in the animated comedy, DreamWorks’ The Boss Baby. The Boss Baby is a hilariously universal story about how a new baby's arrival impacts a family, told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator, a wildly imaginative 7 year old named Tim. With a sly, heart-filled message about the importance of family, DreamWorks’ The Boss Baby is an authentic and broadly appealing original comedy for all ages.
#FamilyFriendly, #Marquee
Chee and T
Directed by Tanuj Chopra
USA, 2017, English, 80 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Two friends working as collectors for a family crime ring are assigned what proves to be their most challenging task yet—delivering the indifferent, drug-induced nephew of their boss to an event across town. As the three men cruise to their various destinations in a pale blue hot rod, they encounter more than they bargained for and find themselves caught in a web of politics, drugs, love, and their own moral values.
Cherry Pop
Directed by Assaad Yacoub
USA, 2016, English, 77 minutes
Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 9:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Drag Queens encounter an outsider and must face their own baggage during a wild night at a failing drag club. The quirky group of patrons, family, friends, and lovers experience heartache, betrayal, and acceptance through a bizarre series of events. The night begins like any other and ends with celebration of both beginnings and endings as the queens and those in attendance learn to set aside their differences and embrace what unites them.
#PinkPeach
Children of the Mountain
Directed by Priscilla Anany
Ghana/USA, 2016, Ewe/Akan, 101 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 7:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Caught between love for her child and respect for her culture, a mother confronts the social stigma of special needs. When her child is born with a cleft lip, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, Essuman’s future becomes bleak. As her community disowns her and her baby, she is faced with a decision—abandon her child or defy society. She turns to the rural mountains of Ghana as she searches for answers and salvation.
#NewMavericks
دم سرد (Cold Breath)
Directed by Abbas Raziji
Iran, 2017, Persian, 83 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 9:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Born a woman and living as a man, 30-year-old Maryam struggles in conforming to societal gender norms. She is living paycheck to paycheck when her daughter succumbs to cancer and she must find a way to pay for treatment. Trusting in love for survival, Maryam faces her greatest fears head on when her secret is revealed.
#PinkPeach, #WorldPremiere
Cortez
Directed by Cheryl Nichols
USA, 2016, English, 99 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 5:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Jesse—a misguided musician—finds his way to the town of Cortez where he will face old love and new relationships. Anne—a woman from his past—will teach him a little something about what happens when a rockstar lifestyle meets responsibility and how re-creating oneself doesn't always mean saying goodbye to adventure.
#Competition
Dean
Directed by Demetri Martin
USA, 2016, English, 87 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 9:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Dean (Demetri Martin) is an illustrator whose unwillingness to deal with the recent death of his mother means escaping his hometown of New York for an interview with an ad agency in Los Angeles. His retired engineer dad Robert (Kevin Kline) takes a more regimented approach to grief, including putting the family home up for sale. Both father and son set out on their own paths to find a new normal as unexpected circumstances and potential new love interests threaten to thwart all plans.
#Marquee
Everything But a Man
Directed by Nnegest Likké
USA, 2016, English, 110 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 2:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Vanessa is a self-made career woman who seems to have everything going for her, but there is one element of a happy life that continues to elude her: Love. Could Max, a mysterious, French-speaking foreigner be the one to change her luck? His lifestyle is so different from hers, yet these differences could be just what Vanessa needs: a challenge to her fixed notions of love, relationships and what being a strong woman really means. This 3rd feature from writer-director Nnegest Likké explores romance and self-discovery from a bold, intelligent, female perspective—and it might just provoke the rest of us to question our idea of personal success.
#NewMavericks
Holden On
Directed by Tamlin Hall
USA, 2017, English, 102 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 11:45 AM — Plaza Theatre, Main
No longer your average boy-next-door, Holden Layfield weaves audiences through his harrowing tale in this film set in the early 1990s. After succumbing to a secret battle with mental illness, Holden evolves from a beloved, small town Georgia football player to a lost, self-medicating prophet.
#Georgia, #WorldPremiere
In the Radiant City
Directed by Rachel Lambert
USA, 2016, English, 95 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 12:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
After 20 years away, Andrew Yurley returns to his hometown in Kentucky to play key-witness in his brother's resentencing. Having lived with the remorse of his statement—which put his brother away for life—Andrew must now face an angry sister, a doped-up mother, and countless degrading town folk, thanks to his niece, Beth. In the midst of dealing with lawyers and the case, Andrew must now answer the question—can what is broken ever be put back together again?
#Competition
La Soledad
Directed by Jorge Thielen Armand
Venezuela/Italy/Canada, 2016, Spanish, 89 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 2:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Capturing the life of real people amidst the Venezuelan crisis, “La Soledad” is the story of José, a young father who discovers that the dilapidated mansion he inhabits will soon be demolished. Desperate to save his family, José begins a search for a cursed treasure that is said to be buried in the house.
#CineMás, #Competition
The Lost City of Z
Directed by James Gray
USA, 2016, English, 140 minutes
Thursday, March 30, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Based on author David Grann’s nonfiction bestseller, “The Lost City of Z” tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as ‘savages,’ the determined Fawcett — supported by his devoted wife (Sienna Miller), son (Tom Holland) and aide-de-camp (Robert Pattinson) — returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925.
#Marquee
No Light and No Land Anywhere
Directed by Amber Sealey
USA, 2016, English, 75 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 4:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Grieving her mother’s death and her own failing marriage, Lexi boards a plane from London to Los Angeles in search of the estranged father. Based out of a seedy Hollywood motel, she follows a tenuous trail of breadcrumbs, beginning with his aging former in-laws, collecting numbers and addresses in the hopes that one will lead to her father. Along the way, she establishes other unexpected connections: her father's ailing former second wife, her bitter half-sister Tanya and her caregiver girlfriend, and two local barflies.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer
Directed by Joseph Cedar
USA/Israel, 2016, English, 117 minutes
Sunday, April 2, 2017, 2:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Norman Oppenheimer (Richard Gere) only wants to matter. Living a lonely life in the shadow of power and money, he uses any angle or connection to put himself in a position of significance. He is an opportunist, just not a very good one. Until he finally bets on the right horse by buying a pair of expensive shoes for Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi), a lowly Israeli politician. When Micha becomes Prime Minister, Norman finds himself in the center of a geopolitical drama beyond anything he could have imagined.
#Marquee
San Fu Tian (Dog Days)
Directed by Jordan Schiele
China, 2016, Mandarin Chinese (Changsha dialect), 95 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 4:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Struggling to support her family as a dancer, Lulu comes home one night to an empty apartment. Desperate to find her missing husband and child, Lulu tracks down drag queen, Sunny, to aid her on her quest. After a night of high-running tensions, Sunny only agrees to help on the journey around China if Lulu promises not to turn her husband, Bailong, over to the police. Despite the agreement, Lulu decides to take matters into her own hands and some secrets come to light.
#Competition, #PinkPeach
The Scent of Rain & Lightning
Directed by Blake Robbins
USA, 2017, English, 103 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
After learning her parents' killer has been released from prison, Jody Linder must revisit old wounds, face suppressed memories, expose family secrets, and learn what happens in a life of hate.
#WorldPremiere
Sylvio
Directed by Albert Birney & Kentucker Audley
USA, 2017, English, 80 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 8:00 PM — Dad's Garage
It's the story of a small town gorilla, Sylvio, who is stuck in his job at a debt collection agency. Deep down he just wants to express himself with his hand puppet, Herbert Herpels, and his experimental puppet show that highlights the quiet moments of life.
#Marquee
Teenage Love Bomb
Directed by Mads Erichsen
Denmark, 2016, Danish, 84 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 5:30p - Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Thomas is working his way through the seventh grade, lives in Denmark with his mom and brother, and occasionally maintains a relationship with his cop father. A unique set of skills allows him to team up with his crush, school bad-girl Vikki, and her band of misfit friends (and Vikki's boyfriend) to blow up their teacher's bike. All's fair in love and war.
The 12 Lives of Sissy Carlyle
Directed by Fran Burst-Terranella
USA, 2017, English, 87 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Sissy writes in her journals about the life she wants as she finds her reality less than interesting. With the help of her brother and some newly-found friends, Sissy starts creating a life worth living.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks, #WorldPremiere
Wexford Plaza
Directed by Joyce Wong
Canada, 2017, English, 82 minutes
Friday, March 31, 2017, 7:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
The daily occurrences within Wexford Plaza uncover what it means for 20-year-old Betty to explore love whilst maintaining her job as a security guard. A cohabiter of the Wexford Plaza, Danny, weaves his way into Betty's life, and both parties need to decide where their priorities lie and at what cost they come.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
A Woman, A Part
Directed by Elisabeth Surbin
USA, 2016, English, 98 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 7:30 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
At the peak of her acting career, Anna decides she no longer wants to continue the profession despite facing a potential lawsuit. She impulsively flies to New York to revisit the past life she left behind. Upon reconnecting with former friends, she learns that they have used her as the inspiration for a character in a stage play.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
Wonder Valley
Directed by Heidi Hartwig
USA, 2017, English, 72 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 9:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
When Karian plans a weekend getaway with her new best friend Cloudy, she is upset to find out that Cloudy has invited her childhood friend, Sasha, a has-been actress, to join them. Tensions escalate quickly after the girls decide to take daturas, a dangerous psychotropic drug that blurs the line between real and imaginary. When Karian makes a chilling discovery during a hike, no one believes her, leading to a final show down between her and Sasha.
#NewMavericks, #WorldPremiere
Your Ride Is Here
Directed by Fraser Jones
USA, 2017, English, 58 minutes
Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 8:00 PM — Dad's Garage
An Uber veteran and a talkative rookie take on a night of driving each other mad through the streets of Nashville. Throughout the night, passengers find solace within the confines of the vehicle, and break down walls only approached in late hours amongst the comfort of strangers.
#Georgia, #WorldPremiere
The Zookeeper’s Wife
Directed by Niki Caro
UK/USA/Czech Republic/New Zealand, 2017, English, 126 minutes
Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
In 1939 Poland, Antonina Zabinska (Jessica Chastain) and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski (Johan Heldenbergh), have the Warsaw Zoo flourishing under his stewardship and her care. When their country is invaded by the Germans, Jan and Antonina are stunned and forced to report to the Reich's newly appointed chief zoologist, Lutz Heck (Daniel Brühl). To fight back on their own terms, the Zabinskis covertly begin working with the Resistance and put into action plans to save lives out of what has become the Warsaw Ghetto, with Antonina putting herself and even her children at great risk.
#NewMavericks, #Marquee
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Atlan
Directed by Moein Karimoddini
Iran, 2015, Farsi, 62 minutes
Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 9:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
A Turkman horse trainer, Ali, plans to spend his life-long prize winnings on his wedding. When some life events head south, Ali must take the reigns and participate in this revered Iranian sport through the northern Sahara in order to guarantee a successful marriage.
City of Joy
Directed by Madeleine Gavin
Democratic Republic of Congo, 2016, Swahili/French/English, 76 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 2:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
A tale of hope and restoration unfolds in “City of Joy,” a film that follows students at a leadership center in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite the horrific abuse they have endured, this first class of women comes together as a community of leaders to positively revolutionize a place long deemed by many as hopeless.
#NewMavericks
Death by a Thousand Cuts
Directed by Juan Mejia Botero & Jake Kheel
USA/Dominican Republic, 2016, Spanish/Haitian Kreyòl, 73 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 9:30 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Showcasing the tension between Haitians and Dominicans over charcoal, “Death by a Thousand Cuts” focuses on the investigation into the death of a Dominican Park Ranger, Melaneo. Melaneo was found brutally murdered by a machete in the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, after he was investigating the illegal charcoal production. The film sheds light on the deforestation in the Dominican Republic, and the relationship between the murder weapon and Dominican trees being chopped.
#CineMás
Dwa światy (Two Worlds)
Directed by Maciej Adamek
Poland, 2016, Polish, 51 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 12:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
As the only member of her family with the ability to hear, 12-year-old Laura guides viewers in this inspiring family portrait. The challenges she faces are surprising and unusual. As their story unfolds, the strength of their love in light of the challenges they face allows the viewers to confront a reality otherwise unknown to them.
#FamilyFriendly, #NewMavericks
Farewell Ferris Wheel
Directed by Jamie Sisley & Miguel "M.i.G." Martinez
USA/Mexico, 2016, English/ Spanish, 71 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 2:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
In the United States, tens of thousands of migrant workers are displaced from their once-reliable sources of income due to adjusted labor laws and as a result of H-2B labor abuse. “Farewell Ferris Wheel” spends six years uncovering the experiences of various legal Mexican migrant workers from one small town that predominantly works with carnivals. The adjustment of these laws could mean the end of carnival festivities nation-wide, despite the 200-year history in America.
#CineMás
The House on Coco Road
Directed by Damani Baker
USA/Grenada, 2016, English, 79 minutes
Sunday, April 2, 2017, 12:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
“The House on Coco Road” depicts the times and trials of Fannie Haughton, an activist and teacher who moves her children from Oakland, California to participate in the Grenada Revolution, unknowingly amidst a US military invasion. Her son's search for truth to confirm Fannie's place in American history is this beautifully painted homage to family, nationalism, freedom, and the dream of a better world.
#Competition
Jackson
Directed by Maisie Crow
USA, 2016, English, 92 minutes
Friday, March 31, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Forty-five percent of all pregnancies in the USA are unplanned, and one in three women will have an abortion in her lifetime. And yet, the battle for women's access to reproductive healthcare is far from over. Inside the last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi, “Jackson” is an intimate, first-of-its-kind look at the issues, through the voices of women in the Deep South who stand on both sides of the debate.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
La Selva Negra (The Modern Jungle)
Directed by Charles Fairbanks & Saul Kak
Mexico/USA, 2016, Spanish/Zoque, 72 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 12:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
An intimate portrait of Zoque culture is painted through the fever dream of a Mexican shaman. The film highlights their challenges in the midst of increasing globalization and fetishization of commodities, while addressing the predicament of documentary. The shaman's financial hardship and hopes of a better future emotionally engage viewers as the film unapologetically explores its subject.
#CineMás, #Competition
League of Exotique Dancers
Directed by Rama Rau
Canada, 2016, English, 91 minutes
Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 9:30 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
With a blast of brassy jazz and a spin through the glitz of modern Las Vegas, League of Exotique Dancers sets the stage for a provocative and eye-opening “backstage tour†of the golden age of Burlesque through the colourful lives of unforgettable women who made it glitter.
#NewMavericks
Mele Murals
Directed by Tadashi Nakamura
USA, 2016, English, 66 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 5:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
“Mele Murals” follows the stories of two renowned street artists, Estria Miyashiro (AKA Estria) and John Hina (AKA Prime), as they attempt to express their knowledge of the last 20 years in Hawaii and discover cultural identities through street art. This documentary emphasizes the artists' desires to unite their communities and educate the public on modern mural-making and traditional Hawaiian culture.
Milwaukee 53206
Directed by Keith McQuirter
USA, 2016, English, 55 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 12:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Milwaukee 53206: America's most incarcerated ZIP code. Three powerful characters relate their experiences of incarceration and how prison shaped their lives, families, and community. This film exposes the challenges a community faces when fighting to move forward despite a history of poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity, and how these factors sustain the crisis of mass incarceration in this region and across the nation.
Mr. Chibbs
Directed by Jill Campbell
USA, 2017, English, 90 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 4:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
A retired professional athlete faces unexpected challenges in his post-athletic world. As life continues, Kenny Anderson discovers basketball did not prepare him for all facets of reality. The former New York City high-school prodigy and NBA All-Star confronts loss in its many forms and subsequently finds himself lost. Facing his personal demons head-on, the charismatic Anderson must come to terms with his past in order to find a way forward.
#FamilyFriendly, #Georgia
Não Deixe a Peteca Cair (Bad’ & the Birdieman)
Directed by Lili Fialho & Kátia Lund
Brazil/USA, 2016, Portuguese, 50 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 12:00 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Sebastião’s goal is to use badminton as a tool of escape for the kids in his community of Chacrinha, Rio de Janeiro. The kids enjoy playing the sport but lose at every competition, despite Sebastião’s vision for the kids to become champions. With love, hard work and dedication, the badminton team became qualifiers for the 2016 Olympic Games.
#CineMás, #FamilyFriendly
The Nine
Directed by Katy Grannan
USA, 2016, English, 98 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 2:45 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
The Nine is a no-man’s land where rules of polite society do not apply; a resting place for those who have relinquished the American dream. This emotional documentary unearths the stories of those living along the Nine in Modesto, an area in California's Central Valley devastated by the Great Depression. In a city with no hope, Kiki, exploited by personal trauma, is a rare bright light whose magnetic optimism is a means of self-preservation. Her childlike enthusiasm belies the stark reality of her Darwinian existence, emphasizing the beauty of those who fall by the wayside.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Preso
Directed by Ana Tipa
Uruguay, 2016, Spanish/Portuguese, 92 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 7:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Miguel, a hard working family man, must come to terms with his double life. He frequently crosses the border of Uruguay and Brazil to ensure both of his families are taken care of. As his internal struggle thrives, he must find enough courage to tell them the truth.
#CineMás
Raising Bertie
Directed by Margaret Byrne
USA, 2016, English, 102 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 5:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
“Raising Bertie” follows three young African American boys over the course of six years as they grow into adulthood in Bertie County, a rural African American-led community in Eastern North Carolina. Through the intimate portrayal of these boys, this powerful vérité film offers a rare in-depth look at the issues facing America's rural youth and the complex relationships between generational poverty, educational equity, and race. The evocative result is an experience that encourages us to recognize the value and complexity in lives all too often ignored.
#Competition
Rat Film
Directed by Theo Anthony
USA, 2016, English, 82 minutes
Thursday, March 30, 2017, 7:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Across walls, fences, and alleys, rats not only expose our boundaries of separation but make homes in them. "Rat Film" uses the rats—as well as the humans that love them, live with them, and kill them—to explore the history of Baltimore. ‘There's never been a rat problem in Baltimore, it's always been a people problem.’
#Competition
Waiting for B.
Directed by Paulo Cesar Toledo & Abigail Spindel
Brazil, 2016, Portuguese, 72 minutes
Friday, March 31, 2017, 9:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Documented in Brazil, “Waiting for B.” exposes the journey young Beyoncé super-fans undergo in an attempt to be closer to the front of the stage. Lacking the money to buy their way to the front, they camp out in the streets for two months waiting for a chance to be closer to their idol. As their lives intertwine, commonality is found between victims of hype, a community of hope forms, and the contradictions of humility and vanity at the heart of diva worship are explored.
#CineMás, #Competition
Whose Streets?
Directed by Sabaah Folayan & Damon Davis
USA, 2017, English, 103 minutes
Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 9:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
Told by the activists and leaders who live and breathe this movement for justice, “Whose Streets?” is an unflinching look at the Ferguson uprising. When unarmed teenager Michael Brown is killed by police and left lying in the street for hours, it marks a breaking point for the residents of St. Louis, Missouri. Grief, long-standing racial tensions and renewed anger bring residents together to hold vigil and protest this latest tragedy. Empowered parents, artists, and teachers from around the country come together as freedom fighters. As the national guard descends on Ferguson with military grade weaponry, these young community members become the torchbearers of a new resistance.
#Marquee
Woman on Fire
Directed by Julie Sokolow
USA, 2016, English, 84 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 8:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs
Truly one of New York’s bravest, Brooke Guinan breaks barriers when she becomes the city's first and only transgender firefighter. Guinan reveals her experience of facing adversity while remaining steadfast in her goals. The documentary waxes inspirational as she reflects upon her upbringing, 9/11, and her experiences as a transgender firefighter.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
SHORT FILMS BY BLOCK
AH, MY HOMETOWN
Deeply homegrown documents of Georgia.
Documentary, 77 minutes
Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 7:00 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Presented in partnership with Homespun
Digital Edition | directed by James Kicklighter, USA, 26:02
In the midst of a print revolution, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution experiments with new storytelling tools in the digital era.
#Georgia
Nadia | directed by Erin S Murray, USA, 3:04
A ballerina discusses her relationship with ‘perfection’ and how she finds individuality within the rigorous standards of ballet.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
7 Days | directed by Rashel Stephenson, USA, 25:12
“7 Days” goes behind the scenes with three organ transplantation surgeons as they turn death into life and desperation into hope.
#Georgia
We the Creators: Daniel Lamb | directed by Babacar Ndiaye, USA, 2:08
“We The Creators” is a documentary series that examines the inner thoughts and processes of a select group of artists.
#Georgia
American Moderate | directed by Jared Callahan, USA, 16:34
A first-time voter from the South struggles to find herself, and a candidate that best represents her, in the 2016 presidential primaries.
#Georgia
APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Unexpected predicaments and the choices that follow.
Narrative, 98 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 2:00 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Mother | directed by Simón Mesa Soto, Colombia/Sweden, 14:00
16-year-old Andrea comes down from her poor neighborhood in the hills of Medellín to attend a downtown casting call for a porno film.
#CineMás
Babysitter | directed by Aurit Zamir, Israel, 26:17
One night at Eilat’s babysitting job, during which motherhood and childhood manifest themselves in confusing ways.
#NewMavericks
Retaliation | directed by Ange-Régis Hounkpatin, Benin/France, 25:39
Awa, 18-years-old, goes to class in the military high school of Natitingou. One day, she learns that her father has just been murdered. She has just joined her family in Cotonou when a popular prosecution is put together in order to avenge the memory of the deceased. Facing the helplessness of the police, Awa decides to take part in it.
#Competition
Your Day | directed by Ginger Gonzaga, USA, 31:49
A young couple, Jack and Jane, spend the day at a hotel, seemingly to celebrate Jane's birthday, until we realize they are there for a VERY different reason.
#NewMavericks
A CHAPTER IN HER LIFE
A collection of vignettes by and about women.
Narrative, 91 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 12:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Fract | directed by Georgina Bloomfield, New Zealand, 13:49
A teenage outcast discovers her cast is a friend magnet.
#NewMavericks
Birthday Cake | directed by Brantly Jackson Watts, USA, 17:16
A woman who fled a violent relationship must choose between love and survival on the first anniversary of leaving her abuser.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
Solatium | directed by Christina Tynkevych, Ukraine/United Kingdom, 10:43
Anna, an ambulance doctor, arrives at a night call which brings back her painful past and challenges her moral compass.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
One Up | directed by Eimi Imanishi, USA, 14:41
Hadley jumps into an uncomfortable sexual encounter after she's brutally rejected by her teammate crush Christine.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
How Far She Went | directed by Ugla Hauksdottir, USA/Iceland, 13:06
An unflinching look at family, personal sacrifice, and the lengths we'll go for those we love.
#NewMavericks
Submarine | directed by Lebanon 0:20:51Mounia Akl NS Under the imminent threat of Lebanon’s garbage crisis, Hala, a wild child inside of a woman is the only one to refuse evacuation.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
AN EARTHY PARADISE FOR THE EYES
Sublime imagery creates transcendent experiences.
Narrative & Documentary, 99 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 4:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Limbo | directed by Konstantina Kotzamani, France/Greece, 29:50
The leopard shall lie down with the goat. The wolves shall live with the lambs. And the young boy will lead them. 12+1 kids and the carcass of a whale washed ashore…
The Offering | directed by Billy Silva & Guille Isa, Peru, 6:42
Two musicians and a dancer make an ancient and sacred offering to the earth.
#CineMás
Wald der Echos (Forest of Echoes) | directed by Luz Olivares Capelle, Austria, 30:00
A teenager, Christina, loses her friends in the forest. Looking for them she finds the bodies of three drowned kids on the shore of a lagoon.
#NewMavericks
The Sleeping Saint | directed by Laura Samani, Italy, 19:40
In order to grow up, Giacomina has to learn the art of letting go.
#NewMavericks
To Be Free | directed by Adepero Oduye, USA, 12:18
In a tiny after-hours club, Nina Simone finds a way, for one moment, to be free.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
FISH TANK
Fleeting glimpses through the glass.
Documentary, 92 minutes
Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 7:00 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
More Is More | directed by Alexis Boling, USA, 6:24
Unearthly creatures from another dimension climb out of the mind of a transformational artist and onto the streets of NYC.
#Georgia
Gut Hack | directed by Kate McLean & Mario Furloni, USA, 14:00
A former NASA scientist turned bio-hacker attempts an experiment that makes him confront the multitudes inside.
Powder Fresh | directed by Lyntoria Newton, USA, 7:37
“Powder Fresh” is an experimental look into the racial and gender implications of hygienic practices through targeted advertising.
The Sandman | directed by Lauren Knapp, USA, 18:56
A doctor walks the line of his own morality as he participates in executions, while personally opposing capital punishment.
#Competition, #Georgia
Distribution | directed by Sam Ellison, Nicaragua/USA, 11:10
The pirate movie industry of Nicaragua, seen in kaleidoscopic detail.
#CineMás, #Competition
Raised by Krump | directed by Maceo Frost, USA/Germany/Sweden, 22:00
“Raised by Krump” explores the LA-born dance movement ‘krumping,’ and the lives of some of the area’s most influential and prolific dancers.
#Competition
Matthew's Gift | directed by Jon Watts, USA, 11:54
We follow photographer Oana Hogrefe as she dedicates her one day a year taking remembrance photos of a child nearing the end of life.
#Georgia
IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL
Otherworldly tales.
Narrative (Sci-Fi/Horror), 97 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 2:00 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Waste | directed by Justine Raczkiewicz, USA, 15:50
Roger gets to know his roommate Olive over a series of meals, which become increasingly strange and push the limits of his curiousity.
The Last Journey of the Enigmatic Paul WR | directed by Romain Quirot, France, 17:07
The red moon threatens our existence on earth. Our only hope is the enigmatic Paul WR, the most talented astronaut of his generation. However, few hours before the start of the mission, Paul disappears.
Creswick | directed by Natalie Erika James, Australia, 9:30
While a young woman helps her father pack up his house, they are both increasingly aware of the presence that they always knew was there.
#NewMavericks
The Purple Plain | directed by Kim Albright, United Kingdom, 12:41
The true story of the Mercury 13, the first American women who tested for space flight.
#NewMavericks
Home Education | directed by Andrea Niada, United Kingdom, 24:50
A girl is convinced by her mother that her dead dad will be resurrected if they show how much they miss him. That is, until he begins to rot...
They Charge For the Sun | directed by Terence Nance, USA, 16:52
In a future where people live nocturnally, a young black girl unravels the lie that has kept her and her sister in the dark.
#Competition
LOL (Laughing Out Loud)
Amusing moments and familiar faces.
Narrative (Comedy), 114 minutes
Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 8:00 PM — Dad’s Garage
The Accomplice | directed by Jon Hoeg & John F. Beach, USA, 7:56
Jerry arrives home to a full answering machine and realizes he might be in trouble.
Hit | directed by Katie Trew Cheline, USA, 15:51
“Hit” follows Brandon, who thinks he's met the girl of his dreams in the mysterious Izzy… until they go on the first date of his nightmares.
Seeking: Jack Tripper | directed by Quinlan Orear, USA, 14:30
A married gay couple who try to have a threesome in an attempt to reignite the spark in their relationship.
#PinkPeach
Chicken / Egg | directed by James D'Arcy, United Kingdom, 15:00
Mark's a good guy. Kenneth not so much. Mark's gonna help Kenneth out. Maybe.
The Session | directed by Morgane Becceril, France/USA, 13:08
A novice dominatrix fights to free a tortured client.
Pregnant | directed by Joseph Sackett, USA, 9:30
A pregnant man communicates psychically with his unborn fetus.
#Competition, #PinkPeach
Perfect Roast Potatoes | directed by Nick Frew, USA, 18:00
A bittersweet comedy about cooking and grief. Dysfunctional British siblings have an awkward Christmas with the corpse of their dead mum.
Lightningface | directed by Brian Petsos, USA, 19:57
After an inexplicable incident, Basil Stitt sequesters himself inside his apartment and begins a profound transformation.
THE NEW LOVE AND THE OLD
The malleability of modern romance.
Narrative & Documentary, 95 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 5:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Modern Love | directed by Francesca Mirabella, USA, 10:03
Romance in the era of Snapchat.
Victor & Isolina | directed by William D. Caballero, USA, 5:45
Victor and Isolina (now in their 80s) answer questions about their life-long, complex and arduous relationship.
#Competition
Gema | directed by Kenrick Prince, USA, 13:24
When Gema gets roped into meeting her fiancé’s parents for the first time, she grapples with facing the truth he’s been keeping from them.
All Good Things | directed by Chloe Domont, USA, 26:00
In a portrait of a modern marriage, a filmmaker follows her mother's relationship with two men, each whom satisfy her different needs.
#Competition
Call Your Father | directed by Jordan Firstman, USA, 19:04
On Josh and Greg's first date, they quickly realize that the generational divide between them is the least of their worries.
#PinkPeach
In the Hills | directed by Hamid Reza Ahmadi Rahmatabadi, United Kingdom, 21:00
In the idyllic English Cotswolds, Sharam, a young immigrant man, takes a rather radical approach towards integrating with British society.
#Competition
PLANET OF THE CHILDREN
Kids shows and shorts. (Recommended ages 8+)
Animation, Narrative & Pilot, 69 minutes
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 12:15 PM — Towne Cinema
The Discovery of Dit Dodson | directed by Kelley Kali, USA, 10:35
In the Bayous of Louisiana, 14-year-old Dit discovers that she inherited magical healing powers, but they get her into a world of trouble.
#NewMavericks
Egér (Little Mouse) | directed by Ervin B. Nagy, Hungary, 7:12
1986, Budapest. The later olympic champion swimmer Krisztina Egerszegi is only 12. Her opponents are stronger and bigger.
Wishful Whiskers | directed by Pulkit Datta, USA, 9:55
Stuck in her dad’s boring lunch meeting, little Ella suddenly discovers the curious case of all the mustaches.
Nobody | directed by Elham Toroghi, Iran, 10:16
The story is about a white cat who lives in a city of black dwellers.
#Competition
Rum | directed by Russell Haigh, UK, 4:26
A quarrel between two pirates gets completely out of hand.
#Competition
The Wishing Jar | directed by Denver Jackson, Canada, 13:48
A girl, a flying goldfish, and a wishing star.
#Competition
Frolic 'n Mae | directed by Danny Madden, USA, 12:40
Frustrated, Mae creates Frolic, and Frolic creates mayhem.
REASSEMBLAGE
Rendering illusions of motion and change.
Animation, 84 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 7:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Presented in partnership with ASIFA-South
Ceci n'est pas une animation | directed by Federico Kempke, Canada/Mexico. 5:14
A group of pretentious animators are followed through the process of creating the ‘ultimate animated film.’ But do they really have the skills to back up their claims?
#CineMás, #Competition
Related | directed by Ida Andreasen, Denmark, 15:00
Related is a drama about love and genetics. A daughter and her father strive to learn to live with their uncontrollable tempers.
#Competition
Once a Hero | directed by Xia Li, USA, 8:13
Wanting to be a superhero, a boy befriends with a girl who is bullied by all her classmates. One day, he is forced to make a choice, betray the girl or not.
#Competition
Confessions of A Breastimator | directed by Jisu Kim, USA, 3:24
The story of a breast aficionado who reflects back on her life as an animator, confessing her longtime passion for cartoons and animating double Ds.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Thank You For Visiting | directed by Dinesh Ram, India, 10:54
The story of habitat loss told through the life of a bear in a regular city zoo.
#Competition
The Laughing Spider | directed by Keiichi Tanaami, Japan, 7:24
A psychedelic phantasmagoria from Japan’s greatest veteran animator, based on childhood memories of air-raids.
#Competition
"The Talk" True Stories About The Birds & The Bees | directed by Alain Delannoy, Canada, 8:50
There are things in life you never forget. One of them, like it or not, is ‘the talk.’
#Competition
Summer's Puke is Winter's Delight | directed by Sawako Kabuki, Japan, 2:59
Painful events become memories over time. Still, we vomit and eat again. Life is Eco.
#Competition
Fox and the Whale | directed by Robin Joseph, Canada, 12:03
The story of a curious fox who goes in search of an elusive whale. A journey of longing and discovery.
#Competition
The Wrong End of the Stick | directed by Terri Matthews, United Kingdom, 9:40
Malcolm Fetcher faces an all-consuming identity crisis. His marriage disintegrates and he is forced to express a deep, hidden desire.
#Competition
SEASON OF STRANGERS
Avant-garde selections that redefine form and function.
Experimental, 74 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 7:30 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Auto | directed by Conner Griffith, USA, 6:19
A choreographed dance of pedestrians and automobiles, presented on their routinized stages.
Fault Lines | directed by Mandy Bea, USA, 3:12
I only see in neon.
A Hard World for Little Things | directed by Sonja Bertucci, USA, 2:00
“A Hard World for Little Things” is a film about toys insofar as they channel the violence of the adult world into the space of childhood.
Forged From the Love of Liberty | directed by Vashti Harrison, Trinidad and Tobago/USA, 4:45
A visual poem about a family's curse, and two superstitions surrounding it.
Clandestine | directed by Atoosa Pour Hosseini, Ireland/Estonia, 14:23
“Clandestine” Layers both space and time, superimposing imagery and creating entrancing patterns of repetition and startling interruption.
Back Track | directed by Virgil Widrich, Austria, 7:00
A 3D remix of flat feature films.
Skin in the Game | directed by Ariana Gerstein, USA, 5:02
From many pieces, marked by light, by pressure, sliced.
More Dangerous Than a Thousand Rioters | directed by Kelly Gallagher, USA, 6:19
An experimental animated documentary exploring the powerful and inspiring life of revolutionary Lucy Parsons.
#NewMavericks
Underbelly Up | directed by Josh Yates, USA, 3:57
A disembodied entity meditates on the trauma caused by a devastating flood that occurred during October, their favorite month.
Colombi | directed by Luca Ferri, Italy, 20:46
A reflection on the last century and two people's precise unwillingness to accept the changes imposed by society.
SOUTHERN COMFORT
Films (and makers) crafted in the Peach State.
Narrative, 85 minutes
Monday, March 27, 2017, 9:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main
The Ebbing Tree | directed by DaManuel Richardson, USA, 12:58
A young teen gains the courage to leave his home for the mainland after a chance encounter with an old friend.
#Georgia
Leaving Charlie | directed by Amanda Brooke Avery & Diane Calhoun, USA, 15:38
A young, queer, stripper is forced to reevaluate her boundaries when a customer gets too close.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach
Northfield | directed by Cameron Schwartz, USA, 18:40
After kidnapping his son's murderer, a distraught father takes up a dangerous journey and faces a harrowing dilemma.
#Georgia
My Indian Rhapsody | directed by Abijeet Achar, India/France/USA, 15:31
A once famous author works on a new book about a life with a brother he never knew, but is distracted by dreams of a lover he left behind.
#Georgia
It's Just Skin | directed by Haley Wetherington, USA, 7:02
After a misconstrued moment between Stella and her neighbor Matt, Stella is left to contend with the blame she puts on herself.
#Georgia, #NewMavericks
Cul-De-Sac | directed by Damon Russell, USA, 14:30
Two parents, living in a quiet cul-de-sac, discover a wiretap hidden inside their son's teddy bear.
#Georgia
STORIES WE TELL
Memoirs of uprooted lives.
Documentary, 83 minutes
Saturday, April 1, 2017, 2:45 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Notes From Buena Vista | directed by Elizabeth Lo, USA, 9:38
A working-class mobile home park in Silicon Valley faces imminent closure. Notes From Buena Vista glimpses into the lives of low-income families in one of the wealthiest places in the world.
The Move | directed by Maija Hirvonen, Finland, 18:51
“The Move” is a short documentary of a poet Mirkka Rekola who reflects on her life that is soon coming to an end.
#NewMavericks
El Hara | directed by Margaux Fitoussi & Mo Scarpelli, Tunisia/France, 16:00
“El Hara” poetically explores how the places we grow up in haunt who we become, forever.
#Competition
Se Shin Sa | directed by Eunhye Hong Kim, USA, 10:52
“Se Shin Sa” is a hybrid of fiction and documentary portraying an undocumented woman living and working as a masseuse in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Refugee | directed by Joyce Chen & Emily Moore, USA/Senegal, 27:14
“Refugee” tells the story of a West African woman who left her five children in 2003 to come to the USA and provide them with a better future.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
TIES THAT BIND
Family matters of life and death.
Narrative, 103 minutes
Friday, March 31, 2017, 7:00 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Benny Got Shot | directed by Malcolm Washington, USA, 20:01
Naomi, an autopsy assistant, realizes her brother is missing the night of a police shooting and fears that his body may be in her morgue.
Let the Past Go By | directed by Maryam Naraghi, Iran, 21:00
Unlike her father, Bahar hasn’t yet overcome the tragedy of her younger brother’s death. When his killer is released from jail, she tries to make him suffer emotionally. Her endeavors result in a change in her perspective.
#Competition, #NewMavericks
Death in a Day | directed by Lin Wang, USA/China, 14:05
After visiting his comatose father, a young Chinese boy must come to grips with the impending death falling upon his family.
Fox | directed by Jacqueline Lentzou, Greece, 28:02
Stephanos, a reactive teenager and the oldest of a family with no father, has a fight with his mother. Left home-alone with his siblings and sick dog, Lucy, he has no idea that this would be the last, most carefree day of his life.
Vìré | directed by Hugo Rousselin, France/Guadeloupe, 19:50
A young Guadeloupean named Isaac has troubles to mourn over the death of his brother Legba.
#Competition
UNSTRUNG HEROES
Invisible hands awaken the inanimate.
Puppetry, 85 minutes
Sunday, March 26, 2017, 11:30 AM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main
Ropes in Life | directed by Gerardo González, Mexico, 13:00
Caro is a thoughtful puppet who wanders through streets, meeting other puppets will make him conscious of the impositions he lives.
#CineMás
Loren The Robot Butler: Teach Me How To Dougie! | directed by Paul McGinnis, USA, 3:18
Decommissioned and stored in the basement, Loren the Robot Butler begrudgingly teaches the kids of the household how to dance the Dougie.
Belle and Bamber | directed by Alex Forbes, United Kingdom, 15:00
Belle and Bamber is a dark comedy about a child afraid of growing up and the dangers of psychotic imaginary friends.
Hot Air Balloon Animals | directed by Ben Johnson, Serene Bacigalupi & Jacques Duffourc, USA, 7:51
A lovable monster becomes inspired to embark on a hot air adventure filled with flying unicorns and cloud animals.
Lucky Chicken | directed by Gulliver Moore, United Kingdom, 12:15
A quirky silent romantic comedy about a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker... and a magic chicken.
B-Bot | directed by Bryan McAdams, USA, 5:55
After the tragic loss of his best friend, a robot must find happiness in a world destroyed by a catastrophe.
Rain | directed by Matt Glass, USA, 14:27
One town, sixty years without sunlight or rain, a tyrant who controls the people and a mysterious wanderer offering a bright side to it all.
The Owl and the Lemming | directed by Roselynn Akulukjuk, Canada, 3:33
In this fable in which a young owl catches a lemming to eat, children learn the value of being humble, and why pride is to be avoided.
Gute Nacht (Good Night) | directed by Henning Backhaus, Austria, 6:37
Music clip for the first song from Franz Schubert's song cycle “Winter Journey.”
The Pits | directed by Mike Hayhurst, USA, 3:11
In a world full of pears, what can you find to fill your pit? A story about longing, love, and finding your other half.
SHORTS SCREENING BEFORE FEATURES
Narrative & Documentary
Better Known As Peaches Christ | directed by Jeff Dragomanovich & Nate Visconti, USA, 3:40
Screens with CHERRY POP (Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 9:15 PM — 7 Stages Theatre, Main)
Drag icon Peaches Christ offers a rare glimpse into her transformation process, and describes the path from stifled teen to brazen cult hero.
#PinkPeach
Game | directed by Jeannie Donohoe, USA, 15:54
Screens with MR. CHIBBS (Saturday, March 25, 2017, 4:30 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main)
A new kid shows up for the varsity boys' basketball tryouts and instantly makes an impression.
#NewMavericks
Get the Life | directed by Ozzy Villazòn, USA, 11:55
Screens with JACKSON (Friday, March 31, 2017, 7:00 PM — Plaza Theatre, Main)
A transgender teenager faces an unwanted pregnancy and risks losing everything he loves in order to live courageously.
#PinkPeach
Megan's Shift | directed by Zeke Farrow, USA, 10:52
Screens with YOUR RIDE IS HERE (Tuesday, March 28, 2017, 8:00 PM — Dad's Garage)
It's never too late to give up.
Search Party | directed by Tesia Walker, USA, 8:48
Screens with MILWAUKEE 53206 (Saturday, March 25, 2017, 12:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs)
Donna Greene is a mother living in a NYC housing project, who is throwing a party for her son, when a surprise visitor shows up her door.
#NewMavericks
Shauna is a Liar | directed by Chell Stephen, Canada/USA, 10:53
Screens with WEXFORD PLAZA (Friday, March 31, 2017, 7:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs)
An isolated perfectionist exacts ill-conceived revenge on all liars of the world via one nearby target: a classmate sharing her name.
#NewMavericks
Il Silenzio (The Silence) | directed by Ali Asgari & Farnoosh Samadi, Italy/France, 14:35
Screens with TWO WORLDS (Sunday, March 26, 2017, 12:15 PM — Plaza Theatre, Upstairs)
Fatma and her mother are Kurdish refugees in Italy. On their visit to the doctor, Fatma has to translate what the doctor tells to her mother but she keeps silent.
#Competition
About the Atlanta Film Festival and Atlanta Film Society
The Atlanta Film Festival, now in its fifth decade, is an Academy Award-qualifying festival and one of the region’s largest and longest-running preeminent celebrations of cinema in the Southeast United States. More than 27,000 festival attendees enjoy independent, animated, documentary and short films each year, selected from more than 6,000 submissions from 120 countries. The Atlanta Film Festival is the chief annual operation of the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS), one of the oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the promotion and education of film in the United States, which enriches the community through screenings, classes, workshops and other events year-round. The Atlanta Film Festival was recently named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” and one of “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker Magazine. Major funding for the Atlanta Film Society is provided by Turner, XFINITY, MailChimp and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners through the Fulton County Arts & Culture Department and the National Endowment for the Arts through the Art Works category. www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com