Laura Williamson 3/22/24 Laura Williamson 3/22/24

2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 48TH ANNUAL EVENT, INCLUDING 27 WORLD PREMIERES

ATLANTA, GA (March 22, 2024) — Today, The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) revealed key programming highlights, including the full lineup of selected works from more than 7,500 submissions. The film festival and 14th annual Creative Conference, which is the festival’s educational programming, will take place Thursday, April 25 - Sunday, May 5, 2024 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta and virtually.

While 118 countries are represented in the selections, more than 24% of films have ties to Georgia filmmakers. The 142 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. Eleven Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.

“We're so excited to be bringing another edition full of artful, challenging, and flat-out fun films to Atlanta this spring. When we make selections for ATLFF, we always follow our sense of discovery, of seeing what movies will be in the years to come. And we think anyone visiting the festival this year will come away knowing what we know, that cinema has a really rich future ahead of it.”
Jonathan Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 11-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of director Michael Showalter’s “The Idea of You” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 26. Anne Hathaway stars as Solène, a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.

The Closing Night presentation of director Greg Kwedar’s “SING SING,” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Saturday, May 4. The film follows Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, as he finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “Brief History of A Family,” about a middle-class family whose fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China; “I SAW THE TV GLOW,” about a teenager who’s just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show, a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own; and documentary “Luther: Never Too Much,” that chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame.

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by their lineup of 29 feature-length films, 90 short films, and 22 creative media selections. Of these selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 59% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC).

Five specialty tracks will return to the 2024 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers; Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters; and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia.

The 14th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday April 30 - Friday May 3. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for upcoming filmmakers, festival goers, newcomers and members of the greater community alike to learn from industry experts. There are approximately 32 in-person panels and 8 virtual panels, for a total of 40 unique educational offerings, planned during the 11-day festival. The Creative Conference lineup announcement is forthcoming.

This year, ATLFF will once again offer a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and The Tara Theatre (2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324). All films (outside of Marquee) will be available virtually following the in-person events; the virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.

The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2024 app. Festival passes and badges are on sale now on the site for purchase here.

The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2024 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

The Idea of You
directed by Michael Showalter
United States // 2024 // English // 115 min
Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

SING SING
directed by Greg Kwedar
United States // 2023 // English // 105 min
Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

Brief History of A Family
directed by Jianjie Lin
China, Denmark // 2024 // Chinese // 99 min
A middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China, putting unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions under the microscope
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Evil Does Not Exist
directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Japan // 2023 // Japanese // 106 min
Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a camping site near Takumi's house offering city residents a comfortable "escape" to nature.#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

I SAW THE TV GLOW
directed by Jane Schoenbrun
United States // 2024 // English // 100 min
Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show - a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen's view of reality begins to crack.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Last Summer
directed by Catherine Breillat
France, Norway // 2023 // French // 106 min
Follows Anne, a brilliant lawyer who lives with her husband Pierre and their daughters. Anne gradually engages in a passionate relationship with Theo, Pierre's son from a previous marriage, putting her career and family life in danger.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Red Rooms
directed by Pascal Plante
Canada // 2023 // French // 110 min
The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the puzzle: the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl, to whom Kelly-Anne bears a disturbing resemblance.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Thelma
directed by Josh Margolin
United States // 2024 // English // 97 min
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
#Marquee, #NarrativeFeature

Luther: Never Too Much
directed by Dawn Porter
United Kingdom, United States // 2024 // English // 101 min
Chronicles the life of an iconic musical performer, from childhood musical talent to worldwide fame. Explores his collaborations, influences, character and relationships with family, friends and fans.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature

Power
directed by Yance Ford
United States // 2024 // English // 85 min
Driven to contain threats to social order, American policing has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, it can be described by one word: power.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature

Seeking Mavis Beacon
directed by Jazmin Jones
United States // 2024 // English // 102 min
Investigates the disappearance and reexamines the legacy of one of the most influential Black women in technology.
#Marquee #DocumentaryFeature

NARRATIVE FEATURES

A Song for Imogene
directed by Erika Arlee
United States // 2023 // English // 104 min
Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Cheyenne, a once free-spirited songwriter, flees in the night from her possessive boyfriend, Alex. Back in her rural hometown, Cheyenne faces her bitter mother and reunites with her vagabond sister, Janelle: now a single mother to a five-year-old son. The two rekindle their sisterhood and Cheyenne's forgotten dreams. Meanwhile, Alex discovers evidence of the hidden pregnancy and decides to chase Cheyenne down, challenging her to break a generational cycle of abuse. Immersive in its realism, A SONG FOR IMOGENE is a story of grit set against the grueling landscape of the American South that explores issues of abuse, trauma, and the female bid for independence.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

A Strange Path
directed by Guto Parente
Brazil // 2023 // Portugal // 83 min
A young filmmaker returns to his hometown and attempts to reconnect with his eccentric father as the pandemic rapidly accelerates across Brazil. Resuming their distant father-son relationship proves to be more complicated, however, as bizarre phenomena begin to fray the edges of their reality.
#¡CineMás!, #NarrativeFeature

African Giants
directed by Omar S. Kamara
United States // 2024 // English // 106 min
Over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood after a surprise announcement.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeFeature

Asog
directed by Seán Devlin 叶世民
Canada, Philippines // 2024 // Tagalog, Waray // 101 min
ASOG is a screwball tragicomedy starring a cast of real life Super Typhoon survivors. Jaya is a non-binary teacher whose career as a comedian hosting a late-night television show ended due to a climate disaster that devastated the Philippines. Picking up the pieces in their life, Jaya decides to travel across the country in hopes of winning a beauty pageant and the prize money that comes with it. But before they can leave, a chance encounter with Arnel, a student going the same way in search of family, complicates their solitary plans. As they travel seemingly countless miles together on foot, bike, and boat, the unlikely duo find themselves forever changed by each other and those they encounter on their journey.
#PinkPeach, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Atikamekw Suns
directed by Chloé Leriche
Canada // 2023 // Atikamekw, French // 102 min
On June 26, 1977, a vehicle drives into a river outside the Atikamekw community of Manawan in northern Québec. Two Whites survive the accident, but five Atikamekw lose their lives. The police conclude it was an accident, but for the victims' families, many questions remain unanswered. A historical and poetic story, a hybrid between documentary and fiction — SOLEILS ATIKAMEKW (ATIKAMEKW SUNS) is freely inspired by the dreams, impressions, and memories of the victims’ loved ones.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Boca Chica
directed by Gabriella A. Moses
Dominican Republic // 2023 // Spanish, English // 97 min
As a young girl growing up in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, 12-year-old Desi is powerfully drawn to song and music by a famed ancestor with a musical legacy. Her handsome brother Fran lives in New York pursuing his music, too, while struggling to make ends meet. The long-awaited return of their cousin Elvis and his marriage festivities animate the family and community. But Elvis’ sinister machinations reveal that his business interests involve trafficking children. Threatened by the very people who should care for her most, Desi finds her voice among a group of underground rap artists. BOCA CHICA weaves richly drawn stories into a coming-of-age story of hope and discovery.
#¡CineMás!, #Noire, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

Do You Say What You Mean?
directed by Win Marks
United States // 2024 // English // 87 min
Aliyah, confident and easy going, quickly falls for a truck driver, Sean. Their relationship plays out in snapshots as they try to build a life together, but the more they try, the more they unravel.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaFeatureCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Dragoons
directed by Reinis Ubelis
Latvia // 2024 // Latvian // 77 min
Father-to-be Pavel and his pregnant girlfriend Sabine spend their days living like nomads and breaking into houses in search of food and resources. Upon finding themselves lost in a mysterious forest, they seek refuge in a crumbling gothic manor inhabited by two aging siblings, the Dragoons. Soon they find that escape is impossible and Sabine's delivery is approaching. Haunted by the guilt of leading his girlfriend into a nightmare scenario and falling under the sway of the weird Dragoons, Pavel soon begins to question his own ability to separate reality from dreams.
#InCompetition, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

Faceless After Dark
directed by Raymond Wood
United States // 2024 // English // 82 min
Following her breakout success as the star of a killer clown horror flick, Bowie now finds herself struggling to capitalize on her newfound semi-fame. But when she is held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film’s fatal plot. Jenna Kanell from the TERRIFIER franchise gives a tour-de-force performance in this wild, gory ride.
#Georgia Film, #GeorgiaFeatureCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeFeature

Melk
directed by Stefanie Kolk
Netherlands // 2023 // Dutch // 96 min
Days after giving birth to a stillborn baby, Robin’s breasts start to produce milk. Unable to bring herself to throw it away, Robin makes the unusual decision to donate her milk. As her quest for a place to donate becomes more difficult than anticipated, more and more milk starts to crowd her freezer, relationship, and life.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

Mountains
directed by Monica Sorelle
United States // 2023 // Haitian Creole, English, Spanish // 95 min
Xavier, a Haitian demolition worker, is outgrowing the Little Haiti home he shares with his wife Esperance – a seamstress and school crossing guard – and their son Junior, a young adult pursuing a standup comedy career. MOUNTAINS is a multigenerational drama that explores the relationships between immigrants and their children, Miami’s own stratification of race and nationality, and the looming threat of gentrification.
#Noire, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

Poor Clare
directed by Blaine Redden
United States // 2024 // English // 119 min
Just before dawn, a strange man appears at Clare's door. The young filmmaker begins to see this man wherever she goes. She struggles to connect to those around her, to tell them what haunts her, until she meets a mysterious stranger who is intent on showing Clare what she's most afraid to see. Drawing from the rich and shadowy legacy of underground, cult, and trash film, POOR CLARE is a vivid and dreamlike vision etched in camcorder tape.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeFeature

The Battle
directed by Vera Egito
Brazil // 2024 // Portuguese // 84 min
Constructed of just 21 separate shots, THE BATTLE brings you inside the Philosophy School building of São Paulo University on a decisive day in October 1968, that came to be known as the Battle of the Students. As they attempt to carry out a crucial University-wide election, students and Professors of the Left Student Movement face pressure from within and physical threats from the reactionary forces outside their door.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #NewMavericks, #CinematographyCompetition, #NarrativeFeature

The Trap
directed by Lena Headey
United Kingdom // 2023/4 // English // 84 min
Michelle is a broken woman, shut off to the world. Then Joe, a damaged young man, arrives at Michelle’s fortress of solitude and brings her back to life. However, their tender romance is shattered when Joe reveals that he is the son Michelle gave up more than twenty years earlier. After a brutal reckoning, Joe and Michelle set off together in search of Joe’s father. Along the way, they slowly rebuild their relationship, discovering the power of unconditional love and, ultimately, redemption.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

We Strangers
directed by Anu Valia
United States // 2024 // English // 80 min
When Rayelle Martin, a Black woman scraping by in Gary, Indiana, scores a job housekeeping for a pair of upper-crust families across town, it seems like a step up from her usual thankless commercial cleaning gigs. However, the slights and secrets that are dealt out in these houses of privilege serve as a constant reminder of her outsider status. Things take a turn when Rayelle shares an impulsive, seemingly harmless lie: that yes, she can speak to the dead. This lie begins to spin out of control, and Ray's attempt to gain ownership over her own identity goes in directions she could have never predicted.
#In Competition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeFeature

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Amakki
directed by Célia Boussebaa
United States, Netherlands // 2024 // Sidamuu Afoo, Sidama // 104 min
AMAKKI, meaning "your mother", is an intimate journey through Sidama's coffee-growing hills in Ethiopia. It explores the interconnected lives of a grandmother, a mother, a young girl, and a baby girl, celebrating the profound moments of love, loss, and resilience that shape the tapestry of motherhood and womanhood.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #CinematographyCompetition, #DocumentaryFeature

Baghdad on Fire
directed by Karrar Al-Azzawi
Norway, Iraq // 2023 // Arabic // 60 min
BAGHDAD ON FIRE is an energetic account from inside the demonstrations of the new Iraqi youth. Together with friends Khader and Yousif, 19 year old Tiba has started a medical team that helps the brave young protesters. They spend days and nights in tents in Tahrir Square in the center of Baghdad, where they discuss and plan how to bring freedom, democracy and change to Iraq.
#DocumentaryFeature

Caterpillar
directed by Liza Mandelup
United States // 2023 // English // 111 min
Endlessly struggling to feel seen, David becomes infatuated with a mysterious company’s promise to transform people’s lives by permanently changing the color of their eyes. After traveling to India to get the controversial procedure, he begins to question if this artificial beauty will give him the fulfillment he truly seeks.
#PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature

Citizen Sleuth
directed by Chris Kasick
United States // 2024 // English // 82 min
CITIZEN SLEUTH follows Emily Nestor and her Mile Marker 181 podcast, as she conducts an amateur murder investigation into the death of Jaleayah Davis. With a growing audience of millions, Emily's podcast becomes a hit, but as she probes deeper into the case, she’s confronted with a new truth she struggles to tell her listeners.
#DocumentaryFeature

Family Tree
directed by Jennifer MacArthur
United States // 2024 // English // 97 min
FAMILY TREE explores sustainable forestry in North Carolina through the stories of two Black families fighting to preserve their land and legacy. Despite setbacks, they work to create sustainable land to pass on to the next generation. The forest itself and the beauty of its changing seasons become a primary character in this family drama.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature

Go Like Hell
directed by Scott Edwards
United States // 2024 // English // 104 min
In an industry dominated by billionaires, a team of renegade engineers bands together to bootstrap a rocket company amidst the sprawling Texas cattle fields. With funding rapidly dwindling and a relentless race against the giants of "big space," this scrappy startup, led by an eccentric and determined CEO, must defy the odds and race to reach orbit before their finances collapse.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryFeature

Happy Campers
directed by Amy Nicholson
United States // 2023 // English // 78 min
Every summer, working-class families enjoy waterfront living in a scrappy trailer park off the coast of Virginia. When the relentless march of capitalism threatens their shabby Shangri-La, the denizens of Inlet View face the inevitable, and reveal the secrets to a rich life.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature

Naked Ambition
directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch
United States // 2023 // English // 73 min
Bunny Yeager, once heralded as the world's prettiest photographer, had a huge influence in 20th-century pop culture. As a model and photographer, she was a trailblazer whose work helped pave the way for both the feminist movement and sexual revolution. Featuring Dita Von Teese, Bruce Weber, and Larry King, NAKED AMBITION is a rediscovery of a brilliant and forgotten artist.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature

Pianoman
directed by Sunny Liu
United States // 2024 // English // 52 min
David Avenando, an undocumented immigrant in NYC, finally achieves his dream of opening a piano factory in Yonkers, but runs into unforeseen circumstances that threaten to take away his livelihood and potentially separate him from his family. This moving film will resonate deeply with those intrigued by civil rights, social justice, and immigration.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature

Rape Play
directed by Gabriella Mykal
United States // 2023 // English // 82 min
RAPE PLAY is an experimental documentary that explores fanfiction writing amongst teenage girls online and the learned narrativization of sexual experiences. Through interviews, lyrical essays, and fantastical reenactment, it touches on internet history, sexual assault discourse, and the magical cultural production happening in the bedrooms of teenage girls worldwide every day.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryFeature

Richland
directed by Irene Lusztig
United States // 2023 // English // 93 min
Richland, Washington is proud of its heritage as a nuclear company town and proud of the atomic bomb it helped create. RICHLAND offers a prismatic, placemaking portrait of a community staking its identity and future on its nuclear origin story, presenting a timely examination of the habits of thought that normalize the extraordinary violence of the past.
#NewMavericks, #DocumentaryFeature

Taxibol
directed by Tommaso Santambrogio
Italy // 2023 // Spanish, English // 50 min
Driving around the streets of Cuba, Lav Diaz – the famous Filipino director – and Gustavo Flecha - a talkative Cuban taxi driver – find themselves discussing politics, social conditions, and love. Through their dialogue and the subsequent narrative construction, the audience is invited to reflect on the harmful actions of significant historical figures and examine their impact on human lives.
#¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryFeature

Thank You Very Much
directed by Alex Braverman
United States // 2023 // English // 99 min
Throughout his short life, Andy Kaufman's work dissolved the boundaries between fiction and reality, and his commitment to performance on-stage and off rendered any distinctions between his characters and his real life useless. From Executive Producers Josh and Bennie Safdie, THANK YOU VERY MUCH is the definitive documentary look at how a shy, oddball kid from Long Island became the most polarizing performance artist of the 20th century.
#DocumentaryFeature

The Body Politic
directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough
United States // 2023 // English // 91 min
THE BODY POLITIC is a harbinger of hope in a country plagued by gun violence. In Baltimore, Brandon Scott, an idealistic young leader with a holistic plan to stop chronic violence in his city,is elected mayor. Throughout his first year in office, we follow Brandon as he fights powerful political forces to save lives in Baltimore and reveal a pathway toward healing for the nation.
#Noire #DocumentaryFeature

The South Got Something to Say
directed by The Horne Brothers
United States // 2023 // English // 96 min
Pulling footage from an archive spanning the first fifty years of hip-hop as well as new interviews with Atlanta icons and genre luminaries (Killer Mike, Arrested Development, Goodie Mob, Lil Yachty, Jermaine Dupri), THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY tells the ongoing story of Atlanta’s undeniable impact on hip-hop.
#GeorgiaFilm, #DocumentaryFeature

NARRATIVE SHORTS

8 Minutes 20 Seconds
directed by Harris Doran
United States // 2024 // English // 9 min
Max must race against time to reconcile with his ex-boyfriend for them to be together in Earth's last moments of sun.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

A Bird Called Memory
directed by Leonardo Martinelli
Brazil, United Kingdom // 2023 // Portuguese // 15 min
A bird called Memory has forgotten how to come back home. Lua, a trans woman, searches for Memory in the streets, but the city can be a hostile place.
#¡CineMás!, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

A Forgotten Place
directed by Alice Leigh Barrós
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A reclusive stripper returns to her conservative home to answer a question that tortures her: whether she was abducted by an alien or if there's a darker truth to her past.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

A Short Film About Kids
directed by Ibrahim Handal
Palestine // 2023 // Arabic // 10 min
Four kids from the refugee camp in Bethlehem decide to visit the sea for the first time in their lives.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

As You Are
directed by Daisy Friedman
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
An interabled queer couple spend the night together for the first time.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Baby Gay
directed by Arielle Frances Bagood
United States // 2024 // English, Mandarin, Shanghainese // 9 min
Desperate to prove her bisexuality, Stevie Lee bluffs her way into a lesbian threesome thinking she’ll “figure it out” when she gets there.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Barely Breathing
directed by Derek Evans
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
An awkward accident forces Sai to move back in with his father, forcing them to bridge the gap left by the death of Sai's mother years prior.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Becoming
directed by Tramaine Raphael Gray
United States // 2023 // English // 25 min
An imaginative queer teen weaves in and out of his own fantasy world while struggling to connect with his older brother.
#Noire, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Billy & Mac
directed by Sam Hahn
United States // 2024 // English // 8 min
A closeted high school football player discovers the dead body of his crush.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Black Silk
directed by Patrick Michael
United States // 2023 // English // 16 min
A timid black boy is thrust into turmoil when a violent revelation from his estranged father sets him on a harrowing path of self-discovery.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Blue Boy
directed by Tyler Riggs
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
Insecure New Jersey bodybuilder Joey Rossi, aka Joey Muscles, starts doing steroids in a last-ditch effort to go pro.
#NarrativeShort

Buster's Onion
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
United States // 2024 // English // 10 min
As an aging grandfather's mysterious surgery draws near, he and his wife contend with what their 50 years of marriage have come to.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Chickenshit
directed by Ellie Rogers
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 8 min
At the height of summer, two rowdy boys spend the afternoon tearing through the countryside discovering nature, electricity, and themselves.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #NarrativeShort

Claude
directed by Finola Hughes
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
Her childhood stuffed bunny, Claude, watches his owner navigate her turbulent love life as an adult trans-woman.
#InCompetition, #PinkPeach, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Definitely Not a Monster
directed by Brea Cola Angelo
United States // 2024 // English // 19 min
After a beloved icon dies after being accused of rape, his devoted widow invites a journalist into their home to clear his name.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Don't Wipe Your Tears
directed by Dominick Cormier
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
A young couple is triggered by each of their childhood traumas after a playful moment turns upside down.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Everything Goes Dark
directed by Alex Casimir
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
A Black high school student prepares to take her senior yearbook photo when horrors lurking within come to the surface.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Free Lunch
directed by Samuel Laine
United States // 2024 // English // 4 min
A first grader is forced to perform manual labor after failing to cover his two-dollar lunch debt.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Goodnight, Moon
directed by Michael Patten
United States // 2023 // English // 18 min
After hijacking his father’s ashes, Steve Gailule makes a suburban pilgrimage to his childhood home.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Ham
directed by Fiona Hampton
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 12 min
On a walk through the woods in the depths of rural England, childhood friends Cathy and Jules find a baby.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks

Happy Thanksgiving
directed by ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
United States // 2023 // English // 8 min
An Indigenous man takes a Happy Thanksgiving wish very very personally.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Heaven is Nobody's
directed by Hector Prats
United States, Spain // 2024 // English // 12 min
A boy journeys through a nightmarish city to find a cure for his mom, as a dancing curse descends on him and his home.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

I Could Just Die, and That Would Be All Right
directed by A.K. Espada
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
A suicidal woman lures a monster into the woods to kill her only to wake up the next day as an undead vampire.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

I Didn't Mean To Say I Love You
directed by Jenna D'Angelo
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
Abby has a full-on meldown after accidentally saying "I love you" at the end of a voicemail to an ex.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

It Stays with us
directed by Rich Perez
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 14 min
A young Latino teen struggles with his lingering grief years after a devastating loss.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

It's All Happening
directed by Sammy Grand
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
Through a series of phone calls, Hazel and Rowan discuss Rowan's upcoming move to New York where they will finally live together despite their rapidly deteriorating friendship.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Jedo's Dead
directed by Sara Nimeh
United States // 2024 // English, Lebanese // 11 min
A young Middle Eastern girl confronts loss when she finds her dead grandfather. Alone and confused, she works through the stages of grief.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Jellyfish and Lobster
directed by Yasmin afifi
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 20 min
Two elderly and terminally ill patients in a care home find magic in the mysterious swimming pool in the basement.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Kayla Baby
directed by Clark Comstock
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
When a girl and her sister are forced to relocate to an abandoned housing development, they befriend a teenage boy and an old man.
#InCompetition, #NarrativeShort

Klette
directed by Michael Abay
Belgium // 2022 // Dutch, French // 17 min
A day’s journey of an unaccomplished 26-year-old woman in Brussels after a one-night stand.
#Noire, #NarrativeShort

Konpa
directed by Al'Ikens Plancher
United States // 2023 // Haitian Creole, English // 9 min
A young Haitian-American learns how to dance Konpa to impress his crush.
#Noire, #NarrativeShort

Lava
directed by Carmen Jiménez
Spain // 2023 // Spanish // 18 min
Berta is very happy to spend time with her cousin but doesn't realize he has other intentions.
#NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Living Reality
directed by Philip Thompson
United States // 2024 // English // 16 min
An exploration of the emotional divide between fiction and reality in the American sitcom.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

Mr. Bold
directed by Aiman Mimiko
United States , Nigeria // 2023 // Yoruba // 13 min
A young boy attempts to earn the respect of his older brother by desecrating a Mosque in a small Nigerian town.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Okem
directed by Joshua Okwuosa
United States // 2023 // Igbo, English // 15 min
Okem, a Nigerian immigrant, is faced with his worst nightmare when he receives a call from home informing him his mother has been kidnapped.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

One Happy Customer
directed by WATTS
United States // 2024 // // 6 min
An aged sex worker dispatches her clientele quickly with a special trick, until an unexpected client arrives with a special trick of his own.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Rainbow Sun
directed by Malik Ali
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 15 min
A father and son must decide if the secrets they have kept from each other will break the family or if love will allow them to push past it.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Shut Up & Fish
directed by Raul Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
When friend group of Chicano teens go fishing for the first time, Aiden, the newest to the group, finds he must challenge the status quo.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #NarrativeShort

Skettel
directed by Moon Lee Ferguson
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A single mom of a special needs child struggles to keep her head above water as she tackles the day as a bottle girl with a quarter tank of gas.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

Ten to One
directed by Jonathon Pawlowski
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
Daniel and his personal care assistant prepare for a first date, but when things go bad, Daniel calls on a friend to calm him down.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Terminally Ill
directed by Christopher J. Cole
United States // 2024 // English // 8 min
When a rapper is summoned to his grandmother’s deathbed, he engages in a madcap freestyle in an attempt to prevent her from dying.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

The G-Spot
directed by MELISSA BAYER
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
A woman's newest sex toy possesses unforeseen mystical power.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

the girl with the om tattoo
directed by Paras Chaudhari, Marquelle Young
United States // 2024 // English // 25 min
When the livelihood of her yoga studio is threatened by a thriving yoga influencer industry, Nalini's struggle for self-worth sends her into a destructive downward spiral.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #NarrativeShort

The Last Black Dinosaur
directed by Danielle Nebeliuk
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A cop slips into a musical alternate reality and sees the past, present, and future of the black man he kills.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

The Museum
directed by Annette Elliot
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
After years of rejection, a Black artist confronts a past he has been unable to forget.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

The Year of Staring At Noses
directed by Karen Knox, Matt Eastman
Canada // 2024 // English // 22 min
A woman undergoes plastic surgery in an attempt to become a contestant on a beloved reality television show.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #NarrativeShort

Wokman
directed by Jeremy Thao
United States // 2023 // Mandarin, English // 16 min
An American-born Chinese boy gains a perspective on his parents' American Dream after starting to work at the family restaurant.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NarrativeShort

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

A Home on Every Floor
directed by Signe Rosenlund-Hauglid
Norway // 2023 // Norwegian // 11 min
A young Eritrean poet from Oslo uses her voice to excavate the lost home of her childhood.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

A Synonym For Art: Rodgric J.
directed by Kasey L. Martin
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
A Black man shares his personal journey of self-expression through tattoos.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

About a Bowshot Away
directed by Sangsun Choi
United States // 2024 // English, Korean // 14 min
With a little help from her parents, a young Korean-American girl pursues her dreams of becoming an Olympic archer.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

American Seams
directed by Carly Jakins
United States // 2024 // English, Navajo // 17 min
The stories of three quilters reveal an intimate portrait of rural women in the American West.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort

And Still the Seed
directed by Llaima Suwani Sanfiorenzo
Puerto Rico // 2023 // Spanish, English, Latin // 14 min
This short film tells a captivating story about the importance of reforestation, with Puerto Rico's native and endemic trees as the protagonists.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Cycles
directed by Pisie Hochheim; Tony Oswald
United States // 2024 // English // 14 min
A single mom from rural Kentucky travels to San Diego to sell her eggs in order to support her family.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort

Elephant
directed by Wes Sterrs
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
“Elephant” spins a yarn of quiet observation against the backdrop of Maine’s emerging Spring as the tightly-wound circle of life unfurls.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

Friendly Signs
directed by Rahsaan Thomas
United States // 2022 // English, ASL // 22 min
An incarcerated man seeks to start a sign language class inside a state prison.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

Goodbye, Morganza
directed by Devon Blackwell
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
Years after a family's displacement, the youngest daughter is left to pick up the pieces—all of them fitting within 2 storage units.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

I Am More Dangerous Dead
directed by Majiye Uchibeke
United States, Nigeria, UK // 2022 // English // 24 min
Poetic tribute to Nigerian writer and environmental activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was executed for his beliefs.
#InCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World
directed by Julio Palacio
United States // 2024 // English // 23 min
A teenage girl with a rare form of autism finds her voice after 14 years of being silent.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Map to the Sirens
directed by Demetrius Antonio Lewis
United States // 2024 // English // 15 min
An exploration of the landscapes and history of the American South through the eyes of rideshare drivers
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

My Queerceañera
directed by Marcos Nieves
United States // 2023 // Spanish // 17 min
Upon turning fifty years old, Karyna, a transgender immigrant, is determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of celebrating her Quinceañera.
#InCompetition, #¡CineMás!, #PinkPeach, #DocumentaryShort

Olive
directed by Lev Omelchenko
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
“Olive” follows an energetic woman on her daily routine of salvaging and redistributing food and “waste” across Atlanta, GA.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition

Pirsas
directed by Angélica M. Torres Tamayo
Colombia // 2023 // Spanish // 20 min
16 years after a tragedy that took her brothers life, the director returns with her mother to the site of the event, looking for answers.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Prelude of a Story
directed by Ashley Salman
Chile // 2023 // Spanish, English // 17 min
Following her mothers passing, a young Chilean woman searches through archival footage to try and understand who her mother really was.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #DocumentaryShort

Seven Acres and a Church
directed by Caroline Josey Karoki
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
A passionate community matriarch fights to preserve her church, heritage, and community's history in Savannah, GA.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #Noire, #DocumentaryShort

The Alchemy of David
directed by Nicholas Woytuk
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
An artist-photographer reflects on the state of his medium and wonders if the digital age has taken the magic out of making art.
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

The Waiting
directed by Volker Schlecht
Germany // 2023 // English // 15 min
Mysterious deaths occur all over the planet and have a similar pattern. Why have so many species vanished?
#InCompetition, #DocumentaryShort

We Exist in Memory
directed by Darian Woehr
United States, Brazil // 2024 // Spanish, Warao // 13 min
How do you rebuild “home” from nothing but memories? Through intergenerational conversations, we witness the complexity of raising a new generation in displacement.
#InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #DocumentaryShort

ANIMATED SHORTS

27
directed by Flóra Anna Buda
France, Hungary // 2023 // Hungarian // 11 min
Alice is 27 years old today. She still lives with her parents and tends to live in her dreams to escape her dreary everyday life.
#NewMavericks, #AnimatedShort

A Paw Over Dark
directed by Dorian Saisse, Marisa Molson
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
A washed-up actor descends into madness after a dog steals his spotlight.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

ATM
directed by Chih-Ching Tseng
Taiwan, United States // 2022 // English // 3 min
A story about a money machine, a poor man, and cat food.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Discoteque
directed by Masashi Yamamoto
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
I feel your beat, you feel my rhythm, till the end.
#PinkPeach, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Don't Forget to Take Medicines on Time
directed by Xiaoxuan Han
China // 2023 // Chinese // 2 min
Have the mushrooms not disappeared yet？
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Lil Sherbet
directed by Xinhe Zhao
China, United States // 2023 // Chinese // 3 min
My body is mine, but not all mine.
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Mira
directed by Eva Louise Hall
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
An accordionist busker gets more than she bargained for when her desire to be noticed attracts the attention of a dangerous competitor.
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Provisions
directed by Kheyal Roy-Meighoo
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A young American woman asks her grandmother how to make traditional Trinidadian provision soup while discussing home, family, and diaspora.
#GeorgiaFilm, #InCompetition, #NewMavericks, #AnimatedShort

The Lost Courier
directed by Ma Zidong
China // 2023 // Chinese, English // 3 min
It may have gone through some incredible things before the courier reached us.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

The Nectar Instead
directed by Yoo Lee
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A young fly gets trapped in a fly trap in a stop-motion studio, only to have an existential realization about its entire life.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

The Sun is Bad
directed by Rachel Mow
United States // 2023 // Cantonese // 3 min
In 80s Hong Kong, a temperamental girl tries to destroy the sun and stop it from melting her city using toys.
#InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Vainglorious
directed by Gabriel Ugbodaga
United States, Nigeria // 2023 // English // 8 min
A skilled young boxer and a determined father clash in a traditional Nigerian boxing match.
#Noire, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

Worry World
directed by Jessica Patterson
Ireland // 2023 // English // 9 min
What price would you pay for the connection?
#NewMavericks, #InCompetition, #AnimatedShort

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

(ಥ﹏ಥ) ✧_MY PARENTS ARE CIA PSY0PS_!!!* ಠ_ಠ
directed by Haydon Mayer
United States // 2023 // English // 10 min
On a sleepy summer night in 2004, my parents are fighting but I wish they would shut up because I'm trying to fix my new blog.
#ExperimentalShort

Burnt Milk
directed by Joseph Douglas Elmhirst
United States, Jamaica // 2023 // English, Patois // 9 min
When an isolated Jamaican midwife takes a moment of solace by following a ritual, she's taken home.
#Noire, #ExperimentalShort

Chamber of Shadows
directed by OK Seyoung
South Korea // 2023 // // 11 min
Eadweard Muybridge’s photographs of animals, people, and landscapes begin to move in a transparent acrylic frame.
#ExperimentalShort

Decomp Disco
directed by Russell Sheaffer & Aaron Michael Smith
United States // 2024 // English // 5 min
"Taking place entirely on “Cybill’s Disco Jet
#PinkPeach, #ExperimentalShort

Devouring Stones Up Close
directed by Cat Rider, Zap Mcconnell
United States // 2024 // English // 9 min
A dance film that serves as an expression of feminine rage and channels the spirits of those whose land we walk, create, and dance on.
#NewMavericks, #PinkPeach, #ExperimentalShort

Islets of Langerhans
directed by Anna Winter
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Islets of Langerhans is an experimental documentary about chronic illness and mother/daughter relationships
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #NewMavericks, #ExperimentalShort

Photosynthesis
directed by Brian Zahm
United States // 2023 // // 7 min
Seeds. Light. Water. Life.
#ExperimentalShort

The Expectation of the Observed
directed by Stephanie J Williams
United States // 2022 // // 5 min
This stop motion about labor features disembodied meaty legs, flayed of skin, dancing in repetition even as they start to disintegrate.
#Noire, #ExperimentalShort

They Got Me Goin' In On My Day Off.
directed by Luis Figueroa Caunedo
United States // 2024 // English // 5 min
A lo-fi, dry-humored glimpse of a Manhattan bus driver who gets called in to work on his day off.
#¡CineMás!, #ExperimentalShort

Wonderful
directed by Daniel Martinico
United States // 2024 // // 4 min
Into the flickering abyss. Tiny fragments sourced from Frank Capra’s IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE are folded into a stroboscopic incantation.
#ExperimentalShort

MUSIC VIDEO

Ara - Torn
directed by Sinan Taner
Switzerland // 2023 // English // 4 min
TORN portrays the structure and fragility of a relationship by depicting inner states. A story about the rupture of patterns.
#MusicVideo

billy woods and Kenny Segal - Soft Landing
directed by Henry Nelson, Tim Blake Nelson
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
Birds fly high you know how I feel, sun in the sky you now how I feel, breeze drifting on you know how I feel, birds fly high you know how I feel.
#¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo

E - Glitter Electron
directed by Chihiro Sato, Takaaki Numa, E
Japan // 2022 // // 6 min
This film is a glitter storm of pleasant and strange visual images and electronic sounds on the theme of electricity, which is the driving force of modern civilization.
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo

Home is Where - Yes! Yes! A Thousand Times Yes!
directed by Texas Smith
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
A woman time travels back in time to her mother’s past, present, and future on September 10th, 2001.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #MusicVideo

Mad Fox - Cinerama
directed by Matt Fulks
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
Louisville rapper Mad Fox recreates 30 of film's most iconic moments
#MusicVideo

Nicole Blakk - Run
directed by SYCHELLE-KRISTINA YANDA
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 3 min
Everybody's running from something, right?
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo

Pattie Gonia, Quinn Christopherson, and Yo-Yo Ma - Won't Give Up
directed by Abdul Kassamali
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Climate justice and environmental justice are inextricably linked - how we treat this planet is how we treat each other.
#Noire, #MusicVideo

Pronto - Light Light
directed by Maximilian Speidel
Switzerland // 2022 // Swiss German, English // 6 min
A young adult clears out his mother's apartment, unlocking his quest to preserve her unconditional love through cherished memories.
#MusicVideo

Quinn Bentley - Stripes
directed by Sarah Menasce
United States // 2024 // English // 3 min
STRIPES is about a young woman’s intrusive thoughts, slowly taking on a concrete & sinister form.
#NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo

Sadmadbad - Everything is Fine
directed by Naomi Plasterer
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
From birth to death a painful life full of trials and tribulations. Everything is not fine. Will their next life be better?
#NewMavericks, #¡CineMás!, #MusicVideo

Tammy Lakkis - Get Up
directed by Oksana Mirzoyan
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
A live performance by electronic music composer Tammy Lakkis of her song "Get Up."
#NewMavericks, #MusicVideo

Tim Aminov - Ultraviolence
directed by Andrei Maica
Kazakhstan // 2022 // Russian, Kazakh // 3 min
How does the crowd feel? Where does this collective unconscious come from, ready to kill and indulge in the idea of violence?
#MusicVideo

Zulu - From Tha Gods To Earth
directed by Malakai
United States // 2023 // English // 5 min
Black Culture is not a monolith. FROM THA GODS TO EARTH explores the metamorphosis of Black Ancestry through hardcore punk.
#Noire, #MusicVideo

EPISODIC

Do It To Me If You Want
directed by Elise Kibler, James Udom
United States // 2023 // English // 19 min
Alexandra runs into her ex's identical twin Kent at a Halloween frat party.
#NewMavericks, #Noire, #Episodic

Last Option
directed by Don-Dimitri Joseph
United States // 2024 // English // 11 min
Daniel, a gifted psychic with the ability to see into the future, decides to use his powers to commit burglaries.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #Episodic

Lucy & Sara
directed by Susan Park
United States // 2024 // English // 7 min
Two unlikely sisters learn to lean on each other after the death of their beloved father despite their seemingly toxic relationship.
#NewMavericks, #Episodic

Roboto
directed by Keone & Mari Madrid
United States // 2023 // English // 18 min
A choreographer hits rock bottom when a dancing artificial intelligence puts him out of work and becomes everyone's favorite dance partner.
#NewMavericks, #Episodic

The Comic Shop
directed by Robert Butler III
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
A former engineering major opens up her own Comic Book store in the heart of Los Angeles with her quirky friends.
#Noire, #NewMavericks, #Episodic

The Murder on Cape Melancholy
directed by Christian ‘Blaque’ Meier
United States // 2024 // English // 26 min
After being accused of a brutal murder, Todd Bishop plunges into chaos uncovering twisted town secrets on his quest for vindication.
#GeorgiaFilm, #GeorgiaShortCompetition, #Noire, #Episodic

VIRTUAL REALITY

Comfortless
directed by Gina Kim
United States, Korea // 2023 // English, Korean // 16 min
Filmed on-site, COMFORTLESS immerses in American Town, a brothel exclusive to the U.S. Air Force Base in Kunsan, South Korea.
#NewMavericks, #VirtualReality

Even You Leave: A Neighborhood Sketchbook
directed by Geoffrey Beatty
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A hand-drawn, animated, 360° film documenting a historic neighborhood in Philadelphia.
#VirtualReality

Minitourism
directed by Jan Grabowski
Poland // 2023 // Polish // 8 min
A trip around the world that turns out to be a metaphorical journey set in a miniature park.
#VirtualReality

Cover photo by Gregory Bishop.

Kevon Pryce 5/12/23 Kevon Pryce 5/12/23

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL + CREATIVE CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2023 AWARD WINNERS AND EVENT RESULTS

ATLANTA, GA (May 12, 2023) — The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) is proud to announce the award winners for the 2023 festival, which took place from Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Today’s announcement recognizes filmmakers in 12 categories for their achievements and cinematic excellence. Winners of the Narrative Short, Animated Short and Documentary Short Jury Awards not only proudly took home their awards, but now also qualify for the 2023 Academy Awards®. ATLFF is one of less than twenty U.S. film festivals that is Academy Award®-qualifying in all three shorts categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short.

Most award winners were chosen by distinguished jurors from all backgrounds across the film industry. They include sibling filmmaker duo Soda Jerk for “Hello Dankness” which premiered at this year’s Berlin Film Festival; Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz for “Scotty’s Vag.” Caconne is a writer on Amazon Freevee’s 'Cruel Intentions', and previously wrote for Amazon’s 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' Cinematographer Petter Ringbom for “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” who’s films have screened at SXSW, Tribeca, IDFA, and Hot Docs; among over a dozen other winners. The Audience Awards were determined by both virtual and in-person attendees.

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

Best Documentary Feature:

Winner: DUSTY & STONES, Jesse Rudoy

Jury Special Mention: JESSZILLA, Emily Sheskin

Best Narrative Feature:

Winner: HELLO DANKNESS, Soda Jerk

Jury Special Mention: THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER, Bomani J. Story

Best Animated Short:

Winner: REST IN PIECE, Antoine Antabi

Jury Special Mention: ROSEMARY, A.D. (AFTER DAD), Ethan Barrett

Best Documentary Short:

Winner: BREAKING SILENCE, Amy Bench & Annie Silverstein

Best Narrative Short:

Winner: SCOTTY’S VAG, Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz

Jury Special Mention: NO OTHER GODS BUT ME, Alex Spott

Best Cinematography (Presented by Panavision and Light Iron):

Winner: THIS WORLD IS NOT MY OWN, Petter Ringbom

Jury Special Mention: RED EARTH, Georg Koszulinski & Kate E. Hinshaw

Georgia Feature Film Award:

Winner: FENOM, Kayla Johnson

Jury Special Mention: THE ONLY DOCTOR, Matthew Hashiguchi

Georgia Short Film Award:

Winner: YOUNG KINGS, Jonathan Banks

Jury Special Mention: CONTENT: THE LO-FI MAN, Brian Lonano & Blake Myers

Audience Award Winners:

Feature Winner: LITTLE BROTHERS, Sheridan O'Donnell

Short Winner: SOUND TO SEA, Ryan Craver

Previously announced winners of the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition are below. The following 5 Winning Scripts were chosen from 1,921 total submissions.

Feature Screenplay Winners:

CHANCE BY UNFATHOMABLE FATE by Dmani Williams

FREAKNIK by Jon Vaude

THE SHIMMERS by Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin

Pilot Screenplay Winner:

THE SPACE SUITS by Landon Ashworth

Short Screenplay Winner:

I SEE YOU by Faith Dismuke

From a record-breaking nearly 10,000 submissions, ATLFF selected 155 works, a mix of narrative and documentary feature-length films, short films and creative media, for the 2023 festival. Of the selected works, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 47% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). In addition to the selected programming, ATLFF held 17 Marquee screenings and 24 Creative Conference events.

Continuing with a hybrid model of in-person screenings and digital screenings, the 2023 event drew in approximately 20,000 total attendees. Over 12,000 people attended 137 indoor screenings, panels, and events held at The Plaza Theatre, Tara Theatre, Rialto, Dad’s Garage, and other venues during the 10-day festival. An additional 8,000 people streamed screenings from ATLFF’s virtual catalog of over 150 films and 9 Creative Conference workshops, panels, or Masterclasses.

With many of the in-person screenings selling out, the virtual presentation of the film catalog also proved to be a success. More than three months’ worth of content was streamed during the festival, with viewers in 41 U.S. states, and 27 countries across six inhabited continents.

This year marks a considerable increase in both in-person attendance & the reach of virtual content, with more than double the in-person attendance and nearly double the number of countries that had people viewing virtual content from 2022.

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

Meet the Jury

The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference took place from April 25 - April 28, 2023. ATLFF is currently accepting submissions for the 2024 festival, which is confirmed to take place April 25 - May 5, 2024. More information can be found at https://www.atlantafilmfestival.com/submit.

Kevon Pryce 4/4/23 Kevon Pryce 4/4/23

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CREATIVE CONFERENCE PROGRAMMING FOR 47TH ANNUAL EVENT

The educational workshops, panels, and conversations taking place virtually and in person from April 25 - April 28 will feature industry experts from across the country

ATLANTA, GA (April 4, 2023) — Today, the 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) announced its lineup of Creative Conference panels, workshops, and conversations that will take place from April 25 - April 28, 2023, from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm each day. This will be the 13th year that ATLFF has curated a robust lineup of educational programming, known as the Creative Conference, as part of the annual film festival. This year, the Creative Conference will offer more than 25 in-person panel discussions, as well as 8 virtual panels and in-depth conversations with industry experts from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

The Creative Conference serves to educate, entertain, engage, and enlighten festival-goers by pulling back the curtain on film and television production, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at how projects get made. While covering a wide range of topics, this year’s programming will focus on community, craft, and the future of filmmaking.

“We are so excited to bring the Creative Conference 100% back in person after 3 years primarily on Zoom,” said Linda Burns, a 30-year industry veteran and Creative Conference Director. “Although we loved the intimacy of Zoom conversations on the craft of filmmaking, we’ve really missed the connections made in person between our panelists and audience, and between audience members. We look forward to continuing to build community and craft, offer networking and educational events, and push forward the future of filmmaking together with our amazing panelists, filmmakers, and film lovers.”

Panels will feature revealing conversations with some of the most admired and sought-after artists in their respective fields. Most notably, two-time Emmy® winning, Oscar® nominated producer Lydia Dean Pilcher joins producer Suzanne Satterfield (“Mega Dens”) in an in person conversation focused on global culture and multicultural storytelling. Pilcher has produced over 40 feature films for auteur directors including “Queen of Katwe,” “Cutie & The Boxer,” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Highlights for the virtual panels include a discussion between Emmy® nominated director, writer, and producer Craig Zobel (“Mare of Easttown,” “The Hunt”) and cinematographer Darran Tiernan (“The Hunt,” “Perry Mason”) on the working relationship between director and cinematographer, how they met and built trust, and their current collaboration on HBO’s “The Penguin,” starring Colin Farrell. Additionally, President and CEO of BobbCat Films and former EVP of Tyler Perry Studios Roger Bobb joins director Rob Hardy for a 1-on-1 conversation about his career in producing and directing that spans nearly two decades.

As with the lineup of 155 selected works and Marquee screenings, the 2023 Creative Conference programming will highlight underrepresented filmmakers and stories. Panel topics that will explore Development and Pitching, Building an Audience and a Community, Screenwriting, Directing, Cinematography, Producing Using AI, Shooting in Virtual Worlds, Improv for Creatives, The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion, Tips & Resources for Emerging Filmmakers, Post-Production, Crowdfunding, and Roundtable Discussions with Georgia Filmmakers and Screenwriters in Competition.

TV and Film credits for additional Creative Conference speakers include: “Atlanta,” “A Jazzman’s Blues,” “Naomi,” “The Underground Railroad,” “Pitch Perfect 3,” “The Devil to Pay,” “Archer,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “The Walking Dead,” “Stranger Things,” “Black Lightning,” “Greenleaf,” “Hightown,” “Inside Man,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Father of the Bride,” “Ozark,” “Boss Level,” “Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War,” “Baby Driver,” “Stargirl,” “Doom Patrol,” “Power,” “The Leftovers,” “The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Star Trek: Picard and Discovery,” “Blindspotting,” “Teenage Bounty Hunters,” “For Colored Girls,” “Mythic Quest,” “Why Did I Get Married II,” “The Blacklist,” “Chicago Med,” “Chicago PD,” “Chicago Fire,” “Valor,” “Being Mary Jane,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Queen Sugar,” “MacGyver,” “Solace,” “I,Tonya,” “Coming 2 America,” “Cobra Kai,” “Legacies,” “Halt and Catch Fire,” “The Right Stuff,” “P-Valley,” “Rise,” “Gotham Knights,” and “This is Us,” among others.

All Creative Conference content, other than in-person panels, will be available for streaming worldwide during the entire 10 days of the festival. In-person panels will not be offered virtually. Festival badges are on sale now at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com. Creative Conference individual virtual and in-person event tickets are currently $12-$15 or $85 for unlimited virtual access. Badge prices will increase on April 18, 2023.

The full list of programming for this year’s Creative Conference can be found below. As previously announced, ATLFF’s 2023 lineup of 155 selected works, presented in person or virtually, can be found on the festival’s website here.

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2023 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

2023 Creative Conference Lineup

IN PERSON PANELS

Building Your Own Industry with the Three C's: Craft, Community and Conversations - a Discussion with The Heartbeat Film Podcast
What are the 3 C's to help a community grow and build your industry along with it?

Craft: Developing your own unique voice through intentional, artistic practice.
Community: The art of cultivating your tribe of collaborators and supporters.
Conversation: Creating your own grassroots platforms for sharing and exhibiting your work while generating meaningful and continuous conversation within your community.

Whether you don’t know where to begin or are trying to decide the next move, the answer always comes back to leaning on your own industry. Sit down with writers, directors and producers Chris Anthony Hamilton, Janlatae' Mullins and Harim Leon as they discuss a topic near and dear to their heart - building your own table and cultivating a community to do it with.

Panelists:
Writer, Director, DP Chris Anthony Hamilton
Writer, Producer, Director Janlatae' Mullins
Executive Producer Harim Leon - Red Baron Digital LLC

Pilots and Shorts from Georgia in the Screenwriting Competition Finals
Join the Georgia shorts and pilots screenwriting finalists to learn about their projects, what drove them to tell these stories, their process as screenwriters, and what it means to be a finalist in the competition.

Moderator: Screenwriter & Atlanta Film Chat Podcast Producer Chuck Thomas
Panelists:
Screenwriter Faith Dismuke - I See You - Short
Screenwriter Michael Mau - Left & Leaving - Short
Screenwriter Jon Carr - Black Nerd - Pilot
Screenwriter Landon Ashworth - The Space Suits - Pilot

Sex, Guns, and Kids: How Not to Get Shut Down - Sponsored by SAGIndie.org and IATSE 479
Indie filmmakers using SAG-AFTRA talent for the first time or for the first time with sex, guns, or kids may not know all the rules, and then get themselves into trouble with the unions. Learn how intimacy coordinators can help your sex scenes stay steamy while keeping everyone safe, the importance of armorers and the rules around gun safety on set, and the hours children of all ages are allowed to work, take breaks, and get an education.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Actress, Intimacy Coordinator Kristina Arjona - SAG-AFTRA
Armorer, Special Effects Coordinator Lisa Reynolds - IATSE 479 & Bob Shelleys' Special Effects
Susan Moss - SAG-AFTRA Sr. Regional Set Relations Representative

Features from Georgia in the Screenwriting Competition Finals
Join the Georgia feature screenwriting finalists to learn about their projects, what drove them to tell these stories, their process as screenwriters, and what it means to be a finalist in the competition.

Moderator: Writer, Producer, Director Carrie Schrader
Panelists:
Screenwriters Brendan Vogel & Ruth Sabin - The Shimmers
Screenwriter Dmani Williams - Chance by Unfathomable Fate
Screenwriter Jon Vaude - Freaknik
Screenwriter Nathan Cabaniss - Shooting

Development, the Pitch, and the Package with Crazy Legs Productions
Executives at Crazy Legs Productions dive into the development process and pitch packages for projects at networks, studios, and streamers. Whether you’re pitching reality TV, docu-series, or feature films, this discussion will educate you on the process of developing your ideas into the perfect pitch, what to expect when pitching your ideas, and how to pivot when your pitch doesn’t land.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
CEO & Executive Producer Tom Cappello
VP of Development Alana Goldstein
Director of Feature Development Marie Halliday

Georgia Narrative and Documentary Shorts Roundtable - 1 of 3
First of three short film panels featuring the directors of these Georgia-tied short films playing in the festival. See their trailers, hear their production stories, what led them to tell this story, and their journeys as filmmakers.

Moderator: Writer, Director, Actor Robyn Hicks
Panelists:
Director Ivan Rome - TikTok Challenged - Narrative
Director Juanita Umaña - One Yes the Other No - Narrative
Director Hannah Patterson - Late to the Party - Narrative
Director Evelyn Lorena - Gabriela - Narrative
Director Shaun Maclean - Chipper - Narrative

The Virtual Production Pipeline & the Future of Content Production
Virtual production from start to finish. Nick, Joshua, and Justin provide a comprehensive overview of the virtual production pipeline: From creating 3D virtual locations to technical components involved to capturing live-action footage on an LED Volume - in this talk, you’ll learn about the best ways of incorporating this innovative technology into your filmmaking toolkit.

Panelists:
Co-Founder Nick Rivero - Meptik
Senior Interactive Designer Joshua Eason - Meptik
Technical Director Justin Wylie - Arc Studios

On Screenwriting
Whether you’re writing shorts, features, or TV shows, on spec as indie filmmakers, paid screenwriters, or in a writer’s rooms, this panel will share their expertise and passion for screenwriting, along with tips for emerging filmmakers.

Moderator: Writer, Producer, Director Carrie Schrader
Panelists:
Screenwriter, Producer, Director Lane Skye
Screenwriter, Producer, Director Ruckus Skye
And more!

Improv Reshapes Your Creativity
Improv is not just about funny shows or jokes in the moment. It can completely reshape your approach to your creative projects. This panel discussion brings together incredible film and television actors to talk about how their improv background has translated to the professional projects they are currently working on. Applying the principles of improv at the beginning of any creative project or using it as the foundation for how your creative team works together will allow you to develop truly unique work that feels like something your entire team has created together. This is the perfect panel for anyone looking to find a new approach to writing, acting, and directing.

Moderator: Jon Carr - Vaguely Specific Productions
Panelists:
Actress, Producer Amber Nash
Actress, Producer, Writer Karen Ceesay
Actor, Producer Atkins Estimond

AI for Producing
The rise of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry is not just a story about technological progress – it's a story about power. Artificial Intelligence is the single biggest thing to happen to the entertainment industry since the invention of the camera. No, it will not take your job, but the people who know how to use it will. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the filmmaking process, those who hold the keys to its operation will have an unparalleled advantage in creating movies that capture audiences' imaginations. Producer Harim Leon will explore the implications of this power shift - the future of filmmaking - showing how professional and aspiring filmmakers can leverage AI to bring their visions to life and how AI will reshape the way we create and consume movies.

Panelist:
Executive Producer Harim Leon - Red Baron Digital LLC

Streamlining Post: What Indie Filmmakers Need to Know
Join different members of a post production process to learn what indie filmmakers need to know as they move from editing their own projects to needing an editor, sound editor, post sup, music, and more.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Partner & Post Producer Drew Sawyer - Moonshine Post Production
Composer Evan Hodges
And more!

Jumpstarting Your Career: Tips and Resources for Emerging Filmmakers
Join us for an in-depth conversation with RE:IMAGINE, student filmmakers, and industry partners about the many opportunities to jumpstart an early filmmakers' journey and career and how you can prepare while still in high school or as a recent graduate. We will discuss finding and getting connected to local artist opportunities, preparing for future film production experiences, understanding the industry at large for minors, networking and more.

RE:IMAGINE trains, equips, and inspires Generation Z (ages 11 - 24) to build careers in the creative and digital media industries.

Moderator: Coming Soon!
Panelists: Coming Soon!

Georgia Narrative and Documentary Shorts Roundtable - 2 of 3
Second of the three short film panels featuring the directors of these Georgia-tied short films. See their trailers, hear their production stories, what led them to tell this story, and their journeys as filmmakers.

Moderator: Actress & Producer Viviana Chavez
Panelists:
Director Adam Rioux - Roaming Dawn - Narrative
Director David Nixon Jr. - Lumps - Narrative
Director Rozalyn Mattocks - Kid Free Weekend - Narrative
Director Brandi Stevens - Impression - Narrative
Director Kelvin Summerhill - Black Butterfly - Narrative

The Business Side of Filmmaking
The terminology of the business side of filmmaking can be confusing and misleading. Join us for a conversation about the process and definitions involved with debt financing, development and creative services, and post and distribution. Learn what Buffalo 8 and their parent company offer, and why they opened shop in Georgia.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelist:
Head of Production & Services - Adam Harris Englehard - Buffalo 8

Georgia Narrative and Documentary Shorts Roundtable - 3 of 3
Third of the three short film panels featuring the directors/producers of these Georgia-tied short films. See their trailers, hear their production stories, what led them to tell this story, and their journeys as filmmakers.

Moderator: Director, Writer, Producer Jen West
Panelists:
Co-Directors Jonathan Banks & Dr. Arshley Emile - Young Kings - Documentary
Writer/Producer Alex - Would You Still Love Me - Narrative (Director Ramsey Telhami not in attendance)
Tri-Directors Sean Famoso, Dennis Williams & Gladimir Gelin - RACE - Narrative
Co-Directors Linnea Frye & Adam Pinney - Lily's Mirror - Narrative
Director Brian Lonano CONTENT: The Lo-Fi Man - Narrative (Co-Director Blake Myers not in attendance)

On Directing - Sponsored by the MPAA
Directors from three different career paths share their experiences directing indies, documentary and narrative features, and television shows, and how the experiences differ. They’ll share their knowledge and expertise working in the different mediums, providing tips for surviving working with studios, networks, and streamers.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Director, Writer, Producer Angela Barnes
Director, Writer, Producer Takashi Doscher
Director, Writer, Producer Carrie Schrader

Making It and Keepin’ It Real with Ideas United
An in-depth conversation with filmmakers who have “made it”, and the foundational lessons they’ve learned along the way through pivotal career-changing decisions. From learning to take advantage of opportunities when they come, making authentic connections, and staying humble as you grow. Audience members will be tasked with making their own “next big decision”: share that script, increase your rates, call that person. Whatever that next big move is in their career, attendees will leave this session invigorated.

Moderator: Community Lead at Ideas United, Vi Andrews
Panelists:
Writer, Director, Set Dresser Sedrick Lakpa
Editor Kristina Kromer - Moonshine Post-Production
Director & CEO Valerie Hinkle - Prominence Films
VP of Production Abe Mohammadione - Ideas United

Film Impact Georgia’s Filmmaker Grant Winners
Recipients talk about their projects, winning the filmmaker grant, and how that propelled their projects forward. Since 2019, Film Impact Georgia has awarded $35,000 in grants across 7 cycles. Working with partners and board members, FIG has connected the winning filmmakers with mentors that could assist with film festival strategy, marketing, post-production, securing locations and more.

Moderator: Melissa Simpson
Panelists:
Ines Michelena - ANGIE - Fall 2019
Lev Omelchenko - A Song for Echo - Spring 2020
Andrew J. Lee - A Sparrow Cries At Night - Fall 2020
Jeremy Thao - Woman - Spring 2021
Shandrea Evans - Bloom - Fall 2021
Hannah Patterson - Late to the Party - Spring 2022
Erika Miranda - Trailer Trash Magic - Fall 2022

Development, the Pitch and the Package with Pictures Window Productions and Doghouse Pictures
Executives at Picture Window Productions and Doghouse Pictures dive into the development process and pitch packages for projects at networks, studios, and podcasting companies. From environmental docuseries and podcasts to feature films and television shows, this discussion will educate you on the process of developing your ideas into the perfect pitch, and how to think outside the box when your IP falls into development hell.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Producer, Director, Writer Suzan Satterfield
Producer, Writer Jeff Keating

Creating Opportunities for Creators in Georgia - Sponsored by People Store
For years, the only representation you could get in Georgia was for actors. But things are finally starting to change…meet literary and crew talent agency reps who will break down what they look for, how to find representation, what you need to bring to the table, what you can expect, and what agents do for you.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
Coming Soon!

Seed&Spark - Crowdfunding to Build Independence
Seed&Spark has the highest crowdfunding campaign success rate of any funding platform in the world, and they will share 100% of the information you need to build a successful campaign, as well as a career-long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. You’ll learn how to find and activate your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign and pitch video, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more beyond marketing the campaign itself. Because after all, it isn’t just about crowdfunding: it’s about career building. Your career starts here!

Panelist:
Founder & CEO - Emily Best - Seed&Spark

Feature Filmmakers from Georgia-tied Films in the ATLFF - Sponsored by Popflick
Lead Programmer Jon Kieran sits down with the directors of the Georgia-tied feature films playing in the festival to discuss their process, their stories, and their journey to directing.

Moderator: Programming Director Jon Kieran
Panelist:
Director Kayla Johnson - Fenom
Director Lev Omelchenko - Twenty
Director Bryan Tan - She Watches Blindly
Co-Directors Jordan Bellamy & Josh Gilligan - Ship Happens
Director Matthew Hashiguchi - The Only Doctor
Director Geoff Marslett - Quantum Cowboys

Changing the Climate: How to Weave Cultural, Social, and Environmental Narratives into Your Storytelling: A Conversation with Lydia Dean Pilcher
Lydia is a two time Emmy® winning, Oscar® nominated producer and founder of NYC production company Cine Mosaic. Focusing on global culture and multicultural storytelling, Pilcher has produced over 40 feature films for auteur directors including “Queen of Katwe,” “Cutie & The Boxer,” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” Her director credits include WWII spy thriller, A CALL TO SPY, and the climate narratives RADIUM GIRLS and science fiction film, HOMING INSTINCT. As Co-founder of Producers Guild of America’s, PGA Green and GreenProductionGuide.com, she has been an ambassador for sustainability in entertainment for more than 15 years. She co-leads the WGA/PGA Interguild Climate Storytelling Initiative and Co-Chairs the Directors Guild of America Sustainable Future Committee.

Moderator: Producer, Director, Writer - Suzan Satterfield
Panelist:
Producer, Director, Writer - Lydia Dean Pilcher

Meet the Atlanta Film Festival Programmers - Sponsored by Popflick
Meet our Programming Director Jon Kieran, Programmers Astin Rocks and Jennica Carmona, and Senior Programmer for the Screenplay Competition Brian Grady. They’ll share the process for entry, their process for choosing films, what they love about their jobs, and tips for filmmakers looking to submit next year.

Moderator: Creative Conference Director and PGA Producer Linda Burns
Panelist:
Programming Director Jon Kieran
Programmers Astin Rocks and Jennica Carmona
Senior Programmer for the Screenplay Competition Brian Grady

Building a Thriving Georgia Film Community
Artists and activists discuss how we can work together across disciplines to build sustainable and lasting careers individually and collectively.

Moderator: Founder & CEO Emily Best - Seed&Spark
Panelists:
Culture Curator & Co-Founder Bem Joiner - Atlanta Influences Everything
Actress Bethany Ann Lind - SAG-AFTRA
Executive Director Charles Judson - Film Impact Georgia
Producer Terrence Battle

VIRTUAL PANELS

On Producing & Directing - A Conversation with Roger Bobb
Roger Bobb is the President and CEO of BobbCat Films, a film and television production company based in Atlanta. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President of Tyler Perry Studios for 8 years. He's a former DGA trainee, was the youngest African-American 1st AD in New York, has won 8 NAACP Image Awards and is the only 2 time Best Picture winner at the ABFF (American Black Film Festival). His producing credits include “For Colored Girls”, “Why Did I Get Married II’,

“Madea’s Big Happy Family” and seven other Tyler Perry films for a combined gross of over half a billion dollars. His television films include “Same Time Next Christmas” (ABC), “Life Size-2” (Freeform), “Bad Dad Rehab (TV One)”, “Let The Church Say Amen” (BET) to name a few. Bobb also works as a director, with over 15 television movie credits in the last 3 years.

Moderator: Director, Producer Rob Hardy
Panelist: Producer, Director Roger Bobb

The Director - Cinematographer Relationship
Writer, Producer, Director Craig Zobel discusses the relationship between the Director and Director of Photography with his long-time collaborator Cinematographer Darran Tiernan. They’re currently in pre-production for The Penguin starring Colin Farrell for HBO, but worked together on The Hunt, One Dollar, and Westworld, after meeting on American Gods.

Moderator: Writer, Producer, Director Craig Zobel
Panelist: Director of Photography Darran Tiernan

Directing for Television

This panel features directors with credits on Atlanta, Blindspotting, Teenage Bounty Hunters, Loot, Killing It, Mythic Quest, So Help Me Todd, The Blacklist, The Watchful Eye, Big Shot, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Gray’s Anatomy, Queen Sugar, Solace, Cherish the Day, The Recruit, The Midnight Club, In the Dark, and This is Us. That’s a lot of experience and knowledge to share. Don’t miss out on this engaging conversation on all things directing for television.

Moderator: Director, Writer, Producer Angela Barnes
Panelists:
Director, Writer, Producer Daniel Willis
Director, Producer Tchaiko Omawale
Director, Writer, Producer Kay Oyegun
Director, Writer, Editor Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour

Creating Character Driven Stories - A Conversation with Screenwriter Scott Myers
A member of the Writers’ Guild of America West since 1987, Scott Myers has written over 30 movie and TV projects at every major Hollywood studio and broadcast network. He was an executive producer at Trailblazer Studios, overseeing the company’s original content development for TV including the Scripps and Discovery networks. He has taught in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, receiving its Outstanding Instructor Award in 2005, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and since 2008 has hosted GoIntoTheStory.com, the official screenwriting blog of the Black List. He joined the faculty at DePaul’s School of Cinematic Arts in the fall 2016. Scott graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree (with Honors) in Religious Studies and Yale University, where he received a Masters of Divinity degree cum laude.

Moderators: Co-Writers Lane Skye and Ruckus Skye
Panelist:
Screenwriter and Assistant Professor of Screenwriting Scott Myers

Cinematography and Zeiss Lenses
Join Zeiss rep Tony Wisniewski as he discussed all things lenses with working professionals in the camera department from Photographers to Steadi-cam Ops to Directors of Photography for commercials, television, and film.

Moderator: Tony Wisniewski - Zeiss
Panelist:
Photographer Tracy Page
Cinematographer Cliff Charles
Cinematographer Hilda Mercado
Cinematographer, Steadi-Cam Op Alfeo Dixon
Cinematographer Jose Alejandro Acosta

Representation in the Latinx Community
Join Latinas in Media Atlanta for a panel discussion on the importance of representation in media - where inclusion stands now, what we can do to improve it, and what the future holds.

Moderator: Producer, Actress Denise Santos
Panelists:
Producer, Actress Mahalia Latortue-Pridgett
Producer, Actress Erika Miranda
Writer, Director, Producer Erik Francisco Medina
Producer, Director, Actress Caitlin Hargraves

Screenwriting, The Writers Room, and the Script Doctor
From the writers room to crafting a feature to working with a script doctor, this conversation will cover a range of topics to help aspiring screenwriters understand the process as well as the collaborative nature of writing a screenplay.

Panelists:
CEO & Head Consultant Shannon E Johnson - The Professional Pen
Producer, Actor, Writer Mavro Diamonti
Producer, Director, Actor, Writer Harrison Chandler

Prepping Your Project
Tune into this powerhouse panel to learn how much work is involved to get a job as a department head. And once you get the job, what each department does in prep and why, along with how proper preparation translates to a better production. And yes, it’s really 2.5 hours long. There was a lot to discuss!

Moderator: Creative Conference Director & Producer Linda Burns
Panelists:
1st AD Jerry Pece - DGA
Location Manager David Luse - IATSE
Cinematographer, Camera Operator Angelica Perez-Castro - IATSE 600
Production Designer Ina Mayhew - Production Designers Guild
Director Lauren Petzke - DGA

Kevon Pryce 3/27/23 Kevon Pryce 3/27/23

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS KEY PROGRAMMING AND FULL LINEUP OF OFFICIAL SELECTIONS FOR 47TH ANNUAL EVENT, INCLUDING 39 WORLD PREMIERES

ATLANTA, GA (March 27, 2023) — The 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) today revealed key programming highlights, including the opening night presentation and the full lineup of selected works from nearly 10,000 submissions. Highlighted by the Opening Night presentation of “Polite Society”, 17 Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. The 155 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. The film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 30, 2023 at multiple venues in Atlanta and virtually.

“We are thrilled to return for our 47th annual festival with both an in-person and virtual format, allowing our films and content to be more accessible than ever,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “This year’s lineup is once again full of unique programming from a variety of diverse voices from the local Atlanta community and around the world. We can’t wait to welcome audiences back this April.”

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 10-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of Focus Features’ “Polite Society” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 21. Starring Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya, the film follows a martial artist-in-training who enlists her friends to help save her older sister from her impending marriage in the name of independence and sisterhood.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “This World Is Not My Own,” a documentary film that traces the lifespan of artist Nellie Mae Rowe through motion capture technology to replicate human expressions and movement performed by Uzo Aduba, “It's Only Life After All,” a documentary that follows the lives and careers of one of the most iconic folk-rock bands in America, the Indigo Girls, and “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” starring Laya DeLeon Hayes and Chad Coleman, is poignant story of grief and hope, in which a teenage anti-hero goes on a desperate quest to cure death.

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by the final lineup of 40 feature-length films, 84 short films, and 27 creative media selections. Of these selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 47% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Five specialty tracks will return to the 2023 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers, Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters, and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia.

For five years in a row, the festival received a record-breaking number of creative works and screenplay submissions. Works from more than 204 countries were submitted to the festival, and 30 countries are represented among the final lineup of chosen selections. Over 20% of this year’s selections have ties to the state of Georgia.

The 13th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns with in-person panel discussions, as well as virtual panels and one-on-one, in-depth virtual conversations with industry experts from Georgia to New York and Los Angeles. The entire Creative Conference lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. This year’s programming will focus on community, craft and the future of filmmaking. Additional topics will include screenwriting, directing, producing, development and pitching, using AI, and much more.

ATLFF 2023 will be more accessible than ever, offering a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE), Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE), The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway), and The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University (80 Forsyth St NW). All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.

The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2023 app. Festival passes are on sale now on the site. Tickets for individual events will be available at the beginning of April. In-person screening tickets range from $12-15; virtual access is $9.99 per film/panel with an unlimited virtual all-access pass for $85 for both films and Creative Conference.

Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2023 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.

2023 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

Polite Society
directed by Nida Manzoor
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 103 min
Ria Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends' help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists, in the name of independence and sisterhood.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

*TBA

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

Divinity
directed by Eddie Alcazar
United States // 2023 // English // 88 min
Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and starring Stephen Dorff, DIVINITY is set in an otherworldly human existence, where the creation of a ground-breaking immortality serum named “Divinity” is wreaking havoc. Jaxxon Pierce, the creator’s son (Dorff), now controls and manufactures his father’s once-benevolent dream, and society on the barren planet has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug. When two mysterious brothers arrive with a plan to abduct Pierce with the help of a seductive woman named Nikita, they will all be set hurtling toward true immortality.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Final Cut
directed by Michel Hazanavicius
France // 2022 // French // 111 min
Final Cut follows a director (Duris) making a live, single-take, low-budget zombie movie in which the cast and crew, one by one, actually turn into zombies. More blood-soaked high farce than horror, the film revels in its affectionate embrace of goofy genre fun. Academy Award-winning director Michael Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST) pulls off the improbable, a French-language remake of Shin’ichirô Ueda’s cult hit One Cut of the Dead that milks the film’s hilarious and meta-to-the-max premise for all it’s worth, while also crafting a sly love letter to the art of filmmaking.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Little Brother
directed by Sheridan O'Donnell
United States // 2023 // English // 94 min
Jake and his brother Pete pile into a busted-up van, headed from Albuquerque to Seattle. Pete has just attempted suicide for the umpteenth time and his concerned parents have recruited Jake to drive Pete home for a family intervention. The brothers are at once uneasy friends and sworn rivals; they're not just oil and water, they're fire and gasoline. And now they've got 1,400 miles to go and nowhere to hide.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Master Gardener
directed by Paul Schrader
United States // 2022 // English // 107 min
Narvel Roth is the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens, a beautiful estate owned by wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she orders Roth to take on her troubled great-niece Maya as his apprentice, his life is thrown into chaos and dark secrets from his past emerge. A new film by master writer & director Paul Schrader (FIRST REFORMED, TAXI DRIVER).
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Medusa Deluxe
directed by Thomas Hardiman
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 101 min
MEDUSA DELUXE is a murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing competition. Extravagance and excess collide, as the death of one of their own sows seeds of division in a community whose passion for hair verges on obsession.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Party Girl
directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer
United States // 1995 // English // 94 min
Plazadrome is a monthly film screening partnership between the Plaza Theatre and Videodrome, Atlanta’s last video store, where Videodrome employees bring store favorites and cinematic curiosities to the big screen. This month’s selection is the Atlanta premiere screening of a brand-new restoration of PARTY GIRL, director Daisey von Scherler Mayer’s 1995 Manhattan cult comedy starring the sublime Parker Posey. Co-hosted by Fun City Editions, who commissioned and oversaw the restoration, this event will feature a Q&A with Fun City founder Jonathan Hertzberg and Millie De Chirico, local film programmer, writer, historian, and host of the weekly film podcast I Saw What You Did.
#Narrative Feature

Passages
directed by Ira Sachs
France // 2023 // English, French // 91 min
In contemporary Paris, German filmmaker Tomas (Franz Rogowski, A HIDDEN LIFE, I WAS AT HOME, BUT...) embraces his sexuality through a torrid love affair with a young woman named Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos, MANDIBLES, BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR), an impulse that blurs the lines which define his relationship with his husband, Martin (Ben Whishaw, THE LOBSTER, WOMEN TALKING). When Martin begins an extramarital affair of his own, he successfully gains back his husband’s attention while simultaneously unearthing Tomas’ jealousy. Grappling with contradicting emotions, Tomas must either embrace the confines of his marriage or come to terms with the relationship having run its course. A new film by indie mainstay Ira Sachs (LITTLE MEN, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON)
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Sanctuary
directed by Zachary Wigon
United States // 2022 // English // 96 min
Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire (Christopher Abbott, POSSESSOR, GIRLS) and the dominatrix who has primed him for success (Margaret Qualley, ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD) become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Scarlet
directed by Pietro Marcello
France, Italy, Germany, Russia // 2022 // French // 100 min
Pietro Marcello, one of contemporary cinema’s most versatile talents, follows his dramatic breakthrough Martin Eden with an enchanting period fable based on a beloved 1923 novel by Russian writer Alexander Grin. Beginning as the tale of a sensitive brute (Räphael Terry) who returns home from World War I to his rural French village to discover his wife has died and that he must take care of their baby daughter, Juliette, the film blossoms into a pastoral portrait of Juliette as a young woman (Juliette Jouan) reckoning with a local witch’s prophecy for her future and falling for the modern man (Louis Garrel) who literally drops from the sky. In his first film made in France, Marcello proves again he is as comfortable in the realm of folklore as he is in creative nonfiction, delicately interweaving realist drama, ethereal romance, and musical flights of fancy.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Showing Up
directed by Kelly Reichardt
United States // 2022 // English // 108 min
A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt's vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft. Stars Academy Award nominee Hong Chau (THE WHALE, THE MENU), André "André 3000" Benjamin of Outkast, and five-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams.

#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

The Cow Who Sang a Song Into The Future
directed by Francisca Alegria
Chile // 2022 // Spanish // 98 min
A choir of creatures introduces a world delicately constructed by fantasy, mystery, and magical realism in Francisca Alegría’s poignant and stunning debut feature. It begins in a river in the south of Chile where fish are dying due to pollution from a nearby factory. Amid their floating bodies, long-deceased Magdalena (Mia Maestro, Frida, The Motorcycle Diaries) bubbles up to the surface gasping for air, bringing with her old wounds and a wave of family secrets. This shocking return sends her widowed husband into turmoil and prompts their daughter Cecilia to return home to the family’s dairy farm with her own children. Magdalena’s presence reverberates among her family, instigating fits of laughter and despair in equal measure with all but Cecilia’s eldest child, who finds much-needed comfort in their grandmother’s love and unconditional understanding during a time of transition. A lyrical rumination on family, nature, renewal, and resurrection, The Cow Who Sang A Song Into The Future is an ambitious proposal for acceptance and healing, suggesting that the dead return when they are most needed.
#Narrative Feature, #Marquee

Being Mary Tyler Moore
directed by James Adolphus
United States // 2023 // English // 119 min
With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

Judy Blume Forever
directed by Davina Pardo, Leah Wolchok
United States // 2023 // English // 97 min
Judy Blume and the generations of readers who have sparked to her work. It will examine her impact on pop culture and the occasional controversies over her frankness about puberty and sex.
#Marquee, #Documentary Feature

Kokomo City
directed by D. Smith
United States // 2023 // English // 73 min
A raw depiction of the lives of four black trans sex workers as they confront the dichotomy between the black community and themselves.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

My Last Nerve
directed by Adam LaBrie
USA // 2023 // English // 90 min
Fueled by his fathers torturous disease, a son stakes his scientific career on a new cure that could change how we treat pain.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
directed by Davis Guggenheim
United States // 2023 // English // 95 min
Incorporating documentary, archival and scripted elements, STILL recounts Michael J. Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, STILL chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.
#Documentary Feature, #Marquee

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Everybody Wants To Be Loved
directed by Katharina Woll
Germany // 2022 // German // 80 min
On a blistering summer day, psychotherapist Ina notices something is wrong. But she doesn't have time to worry about it: Patients are waiting at the practice, her daughter is threatening to move in with her father, her boyfriend wants to emigrate to Finland, and her self-centered mother is celebrating her 70th birthday. Ina tries to please everyone, until suddenly everything changes.
#Narrative Feature, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Hello Dankness
directed by Soda Jerk
Australia // 2022 // English // 70 min
Comprised entirely of hundreds of film samples, HELLO DANKNESS bears witness to the psychotropic spectacle of American politics from 2016 to 2021, and the mythologies and lore that took root around it. Taking form as a suburban stoner musical, the film follows a neighborhood through these years as consensus reality disintegrates into conspiracy and other contagions.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature

Hundreds of Beavers
directed by Mike Cheslik
United States // 2023 // English // 108 min
In this 19th century, slapstick winter epic, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.
#Narrative Feature, #Cinematography Competition

Jasmine is a Star
directed by Jo Rochelle
United States // 2023 // English // 58 min
Jasmine, a determined 16-year-old with albinism makes it her mission to become a professional model in her hometown of Minneapolis, while attempting to go unnoticed in every other aspect of her teenage life. Against the backdrop of fall in the Twin Cities, Jasmine explores what independence - and more importantly, what self-acceptance - looks like for someone like her.
#Noire, #Family Friendly, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Miss Viborg
directed by Marianne Blicher
Denmark // 2022 // Danish // 99 min
Former beauty queen and senior citizen Solvej lives alone with her dog in a social housing area on the outskirts of a Danish provincial town. Every day, she performs the same routine of rolling around on her scooter, dealing her prescription drugs, and dreaming of a world outside Viborg. When her neighbor’s rebellious 17-year-old daughter crashes into Solvej's life, an unlikely friendship forms.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Our Father, the Devil
directed by Ellie Foumbi
United States, Cameroon // 2022 // French // 108 min
Marie is an African refugee working as the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France. Her quiet existence is upended by the arrival of Father Patrick. a charismatic priest with whom she’s convinced she shares a heavy past in her homeland. Marie must now confirm his identity and decide if settling an old score is worth sacrificing the new life she’s built.
#Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

Quantum Cowboys
directed by Geoff Marslett
United States // 2022 // English // 99 min
Mixing live action film, paper cut outs, hand drawn animation, oil paintings, 8k video, collages and digital animation, and featuring live musical performances by Neko Case, John Doe, Howe Gelb and Xixa, Quantum Cowboys is an old fashioned western about a trio of hapless drifters in search of an elusive frontier musician. There’s gun fights, horses, cacti and time travel, too!
#In Competition, #GA Features Competition, #Georgia Film

Red Earth
directed by Georg Koszulinski
United States // 2023 // English // 64 min
Explore the landscape of the late Anthropocene age, where large parts of Earth have become inhospitable to life. The story follows three generations of Martians, from the first colonists to the first expedition to return to an Earth decimated by interplanetary war.
#Narrative Feature, #Cinematography Competition

She Watches Blindly
directed by Bryan Tan
United States // 2023 // English // 86 min
Beth Abrams believes she has a unique ability: she can know the thoughts of others. Only it is not a gift, it is an illness, and it is destroying her life and relationships. After a night of nightmares, a mysterious doctor arrives to investigate the circumstances and help Beth piece together what remains of her life, but doing so may cost her everything.
#Narrative Feature, #GA Features Competition, #Georgia Film

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
directed by Bomani J. Story
United States // 2023 // English // 91 min
Death surrounds everything in Vicaria's world. All around her are the fatal outcomes of chronic gang violence, drugs, and police brutality. After watching her mother and brother succumb, Vicaria decides to put an end to all this death...by curing it. Drawing deeply from Black cinema of the 90s , THE ANGRY BLCK GIRL AND HER MONSTER wraps systemic terrors up inside thrilling scares and suspense.
#Narrative Feature, #In Competition, #Noire

Wilder Than Her
directed by Jessica Kozak
United States // 2023 // English // 89 min
When Bea, the glue of their friend group, dies tragically, Emilia, Finn, and Lucey suffer in solitude until Emilia convinces them to go on their annual camping trip, where they can honor Bea and reconnect. Once they’re alone in the forest, however, Emilia begins to feel gaslit and taunted by Finn, the only person who witnessed Bea’s death. As tensions escalate and old wounds are brought to the surface, the trio of women begin to suspect each other of terrible things, calling into question their friendship and their own morality.
#In Competition, #Narrative Feature, #New Mavericks

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Black Mothers Love & Resist
directed by Débora Souza Silva
United States // 2022 // English // 102 min
Wanda Johnson and Angela Williams, mothers of young Black men victimized by police brutality, come together and build a network of community-led support, mutual aid, and healing in this documentary spanning Oakland’s Fruitvale to the American South. Radical empathy fuels this timely exposé.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Noire, #New Mavericks

Dusty & Stones
directed by Jesse Rudoy
United States // 2022 // English, SiSwati // 83 min
Dusty and Stones struggle to sustain a country music career in their tiny African Kingdom of Swaziland and yearn for greater recognition. When they are unexpectedly nominated to compete in a Texas battle of the bands, the two cousins journey to the heart of American country music, determined to win big and turn their careers around.But things do not exactly go as planned.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Talent Anticipated

Eat Bitter
directed by Pascale Appora-Gnekindy and Ningyi Sun
Central African Republic, United States // 2023 // Sango, Chinese, French // 95 min
EAT BITTER is a vérité film set in the Central African Republic . As in other African countries, skilled migrant workers from China are a strong presence here. Through the parallel stories of Chinese immigrants and local residents, the film captures the journeys of two opposed communities.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Noire

Fenom
directed by Kayla Johnson
United States // 2022 // English // 66 min
Fenom follows basketball and music’s next big star -Flau’Jae Johnson, one of the nation’s top recruits and the daughter of the late rapper, Camouflage. Building her brand and balancing life as a student-athlete comes with hard work, sacrifice, and triumph. This is a story of legacy, victory and the pursuit of greatness.
#In Competition, #Georgia Film, #Noire, #New Mavericks, #Documentary Feature

Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13
directed by Engeli Broberg
Sweden, Denmark, Norway // 2021 // Swedish // 76 min
GABI: Between 8 and 13 follows the remarkable Gabi over the course of five formative years as she wrestles with society’s stereotypes about boys and girls. As puberty kicks in, Gabi must decide whether she wants to fit in with the crowd or chart her own path. A landmark portrait of early adolescence, GABI: From 8 to 13 is ultimately about the journey to be true to yourself.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks

It's Only Life After All
directed by Alexandria Bombach
United States // 2023 // English // 123 min
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, better known as The Indigo Girls, have made their mark as musicians, songwriters, and dedicated activists. Still, Amy and Emily battled misogyny, homophobia, and a harsh cultural climate chastising them for not fitting into a female pop star mold. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Pink Peach, #Talent Anticipated

JessZilla
directed by Emily Sheskin
United States // 2023 // English // 90 min
Jesselyn Silva, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, is a 3x national boxing champion who has her sights set on becoming the best in boxing. As she is on the cusp of making the Olympic team, she faces her toughest battle yet, a cancer diagnosis. JessZilla is a coming-of-age story about what it means to be a champion.
#Documentary Feature, #Cinemás, #New Mavericks, #In Competition

No Time To Fail
directed by Sara Archambault, Margo Guernsey
United States // 2022 // English // 91 min
Despite the desperate attempts to disrupt the 2020 election, election administrators pulled off the most secure election in our history. Rather than receiving a hero’s welcome, they have become the focus of a coordinated campaign of disinformation.No Time To Fail gives voice to the experiences of this largely invisible, yet completely indispensable workforce.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Path of the Panther
directed by Eric Bendick
United States // 2022 // English // 89 min
The Florida panther's habitat has become an island. Its lush territory transformed into subdivisions.Perched on the edge of extinction, the panther is an emblem of our once connected world. Against all odds, wild panthers have been stunningly captured in their native ecosystem, as they've never been filmed before.
#Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Savage Waters
directed by Mikey Corker
France // 2022 // English // 93 min
A treasure-hunter’s journal inspires a captivating journey to seek out a mythical, never-ridden wave in some of the most remote and dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean. With family and friends, Matt Knight boards the beautiful catamaran Hecate and follows clues to find this ‘perfect wave’, but not everything goes to plan.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature

Ship Happens
directed by Jordan Bellamy, Josh Gilligan
United States // 2023 // English // 81 min
On Sept 8, 2019, The Golden Ray, a 656 foot cargo ship loaded with 4200 vehicles capsized in the Saint Simons Sound. Concerned locals work hard to undo the environmental damage and hold authorities accountable, but the attempts to remove the ship suffers every possible setback.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Feature, #In Competition

Silent Beauty
directed by Jasmín Mara López
United States // 2022 // English, Spanish // 87 min
When director Jasmin Mara López sees an old family photo, she is flooded by painful memories of sexual abuse at the hands of her grandfather. In this poetic documentary, López bravely films her story through archival family footage and intimate moments with her family. López has created a film about confronting painful truths and the beauty one can feel when they reach the other side of grief.
#New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #Documentary Feature

The Only Doctor
directed by Matthew Hashiguchi
United States // 2023 // English // 80 min
For the past 15 years, Dr. Karen Kinsell, a compassionate, yet no-nonsense physician, has been the only doctor in Clay County, Georgia-one of the poorest counties in the nation. Knowing all too well that she’s the only healthcare for many residents, she begins a journey of twists and turns towards a solution so that she can continue serving her patients,
#Preview Screening, #Documentary Feature, #New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Georgia Film

This World is Not My Own
directed by Petter Ringbom, Marquise Stillwell
United States, Sweden // 2023 // English // 97 min
This World is Not My Own traces the lifespan of Nellie Mae Rowe, an artist who struggled to dedicate her life to art while exploring the personal and political events that shaped her singular body of work. In detailed film sets that recreate Nellie’s home, the actress Uzo Aduba embodies an animated version of the subject. Her recorded dialogue, movement and song make Nellie come to life.
#In Competition, #Georgia Film, #Noire, #Documentary Feature

Twenty
directed by Lev Omelchenko
United States // 2023 // English, Portuguese // 65 min
Amid the tumultuous events of 2020, a mysterious speak-easy in Atlanta becomes a home for a group of young people to share their stories of loss, resilience, and hope. “Twenty” is an observational film, set in a dreamy underground world, witnessing a group’s unique yet universal vulnerabilities—shown through scenes shot in intimate black-and-white.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Feature, #In Competition

ᏓᏗᏬᏂᏏ (We Will Speak)
directed by Schon Duncan, Michael McDermit
United States // 2023 // Cherokee, English // 95 min
While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge to help save the language from extinction.
#In Competition, #Documentary Feature

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Black Butterfly
directed by Kelvin Summerhill
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
On the day of his long-awaited corporate promotion, an ambitious Black man starts to see cracks in his carefully constructed persona.
#Noire, #GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Bowling 4 Eva
directed by Aelfie Oudghiri
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
A troubled teen girl spends her time trolling men online and bowling with her grandfather while becoming increasingly medicated by her psychiatrist.
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

CATCHING SPIRITS
directed by Vanessa Beletic
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
Destiny has been told since childhood she has seizures when she dances. An unexplained phenomena that’s resulted in deep fear and her refusal to dance- despite being drawn to it.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Chipper
directed by Shaun Maclean
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
After receiving a mysterious letter, a wayward son returns to his childhood home to wrestle with a dark family secret.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Civic
directed by Dwayne LeBlanc
United States // 2022 // English // 20 min
A young man returns to South Central L.A. after several years away. Confined to the interior of his car, we watch as he interacts with the people and places he once knew.
#Noire, #Narrative Short

CONTENT: The Lo-Fi Man
directed by Brian Lonano, Blake Myers
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
"Filmmaker" Brian Lonano tries to talk about a beloved cult film. What happens next will shock you!
#Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Dandelion
directed by Lorena R. Valencia
Mexico, United States // 2022 // Spanish // 17 min
A teenage girl who lives in a small town in Mexico, is helped by her best friend in her search for home remedies to stop an unwanted pregnancy, undeterred by the health risks that she may face.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

Demon Box
directed by Sean Wainsteim
Canada // 2023 // English // 14 min
After festival rejections, a director revises his intensely personal short film about trauma, suicide, and the Holocaust, and transforms it into a painful, blunt and funny dissection of the film and his life. Ten years in the making.
#Narrative Short

Fragments
directed by Jakey Lutsko
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
Bedridden and broken, Emma, a young woman in her early twenties, faces the horrors manifested from her recent car crash.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Gabriela
directed by Evelyn Lorena
United States // 2023 // Spanish, English // 18 min
It's the summer after high-school graduation in North Carolina and Gabriela, a young undocumented Guatemalan woman, pursues her dream of swimming with an illustrious Country Club swim team. However, she is soon confronted with her over-protective mother’s fears, limitations on her legal and socio-economic status, and her own self-judgment.
#Cinemás, #Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Give It To Me
directed by Courtney Hope Therond
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
In a bid to finally process a traumatic sexual experience, Max hires Lucy, a sex worker, to recreate the scene - but things instead take a steamy turn.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Good Man !?!
directed by Marshall Wayne Cooper
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
A young man grapples with conflicting beliefs about masculinity after a video of him backing down from a fight goes viral.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Goose Egg
directed by Madeline Leshner and Zach Stone
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
When a lonely suburban mom begins experiencing hallucinatory migraines, she sends her son Tim to retrieve her medication. While on the road, he is tailed by a menacing truck and taken hostage by a pair of vengeful vagrants. In a case of mistaken identity, they believe Tim is the mayor, who has begun euthanizing local geese and feeding the tainted meat to the community.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Hangtime
directed by Chester Vincent Toye
United States // 2023 // English // 11 min
An eager young artist receives a disturbing introduction to the art world during the delivery of a
controversial sculpture.
#Noire, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Homesick
directed by Valeria Contreras
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
“Homesick” is a modern-day tale of two star-crossed lovers, separated by a global pandemic and the U.S.-Mexico Border. This film focuses on the love and bond that unites people and communities across borders—and the heartbreak that exists when that unity is broken.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

I Seek Your Help to Bury a Man
directed by Anderson Bardot
Brazil // 2023 // Portuguese, Nheegatu, Calon // 20 min
Gita is a transgender woman doomed to die or suffer the consequences of her traditions. The half-breed soldier is fated to uphold and serve the unjust laws of his country. The old woman in black needs to save her indigenous son from the claws of the Brazilian Empire. The child claims that the purpose of love, the greatest universal law, is the breaking of the cycle of all tragedies.
#Cinemás, #Narrative Short

Impression
directed by Brandi Stevens
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
Set in the late 90’s Texas, Impression follows a young perfectionist art graduate student, Mia, and her internal struggle over her looming marriage to her doctor fiancé, Derek. She is soon surprised at her developing feelings from a day spent with a mysterious, free-spirited young woman, Vivian.
#Noire, #New Mavericks, #GA Shorts Competition, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Kid Free Weekend
directed by Rozalyn Mattocks
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
Vivian finally has a weekend all to herself, she won't let anything eat up her free time.
#GA Features Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Late to the Party
directed by Hannah Patterson
United States // 2023 // English // 16 min
During his 25th birthday party, a Trans man runs into his ex-best friend who ghosted him after he confessed his feelings for her before college, but she doesn't recognize him post-transition.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Lily's Mirror
directed by Linnea Frye, Adam Pinney
United States // 2022 // English // 17 min
Lily is out on a dinner date with her boyfriend Bart, expecting a proposal, when he unexpectedly chops off her hand. As Lily works on recovering, she begins to feel phantom pains where her hand used to be, so her doctor gives her a therapeutic mirror box to help with the discomfort. However, as she begins to use the box, she realizes there's a side effect: she can see real phantoms in the mirror.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Look Back At It
directed by Felicia Pride
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
A forty-something single mother gets her groove back with a little assistance from her teenage daughter
#In Competition, #Noire, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Lumps
directed by David Nixon Jr.
United States // 2023 // English // 20 min
After the sudden incarceration of his mother, thirteen-year-old Jaylen is forced to move to a new city where he struggles to learn the ropes of his new school, city, and family life.
#Noire, #Georgia Film, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Murmur
directed by Simon Smith
United Kingdom // 2023 // English // 19 min
Murmur is a contemporary fairytale short film, about the relationship between a mother and her autistic daughter, and their fascination with the murmurations. Evie doesn't talk very much, but we learn she is communicating with everything.
#New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

No Other Gods But Me
directed by Alex Spott
United States // 2023 // English // 7 min
In the midst of a sexual awakening, a religious teen finally musters up the courage to kiss her crush, but will lust will send her straight to h-e-double-hockey-sticks?
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

One Yes the Other No
directed by Juanita Umaña
United States // 2022 // Spanish // 11 min
In the mountains of Bogota, a woman ages before our eyes experiencing small moments in her life that shape her understanding of sisterhood, beauty, and death. The story follows two sisters in three different
stages of their life—one of them falls ill, the other doesn’t.
#New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

OURIKA!
directed by Xenia Matthews
United States // 2022 // English, French // 18 min
After being dead for over 200 years, Ourika’s soul awakes inside of a barren purgatory while her body incubates in a fleshy blob. In the void, she encounters ghosts from her past life and depictions of her likeness that taunt her. Meanwhile, two sister scientists, Velinda and Ronnell, been searching for all the pieces of Ourika in hopes to bring her back to life.
#Noire, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Over the Causeway
directed by Pablo Mejía
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 16 min
Over the Causeway is the coming-of-age story of Victoria, a twenty-year-old jazz musician born and raised in Galveston TX. As she ties up loose ends around town, she is confronted by doubtful neighbors, childhood friends, and dependent family members who question her decision to chase her dreams beyond the Gulf.
#Cinemás, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Petalos
directed by Nicole Mejia
United States // 2023 // English, Spanish // 14 min
A Mexican flower vendor spreads hope and love through the streets of Los Angeles while reminiscing on the life that led her there.
#Cinemás, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

RACE
directed by Sean Famoso, Dennis Williams, Gladimir Gelin
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
An overly confident cop’s first day on the job gets interesting as he navigates unfamiliar territories and people.
#Georgia Film, #Noire, #GA Shorts Competition, #Narrative Short

Rage
directed by Youngjae Lee
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Mr. Nice Guy has a change of heart after a neighbor flips him off.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Roaming Dawn
directed by Adam Rioux
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
A man takes a road trip with his pet fish.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Georgia Film, #Narrative Short

Scotty's Vag
directed by Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
A college freshman goes outside her comfort zone to impress the older girl she wants as her sorority "big."
#New Mavericks, #In Competition, #Narrative Short

Slice
directed by Kelsey Scult
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
A young Black woman grieves her grandfather while trying to love her mortician girlfriend, after a tumultuous relationship Chilean abuse victim.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás, #Noire, #Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

Sound to Sea
directed by Ryan Craver
United States // 2022 // English // 26 min
Leo, a shy eighth grader at the cusp of understanding their trans identity, pursues a crush on a boy sharing his dorm, but is plagued by a frog. Meanwhile, Leo's eager, gay teacher-in-training Brad tries to connect with his students, but oversteps boundaries in the eyes of a coworker. It is only in nature, among marshes and maritime forests, that Leo and Brad find an unspoken connection.
#Pink Peach, #Narrative Short

The Jennifer Meyers Story
directed by Caroline Symons
United States // 2023 // English // 13 min
A mock true-crime episode covers the 1988 disappearance of a fictional teenager named Jennifer Meyers, but the reenactments are acted out with crudely-made mini models. As the episode progresses, we learn more about the woman constructing and operating the reenactment mini models and the danger lurking in her one bedroom apartment.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

The Vacation
directed by Jarreau Carrillo
United States // 2022 // English // 9 min
In Flatbush, Brooklyn, four friends are stuck in their car after it breaks down on the way to the beach on the last day of the summer.
#Noire, #Narrative Short

TikTok Challenged
directed by Ivan Rome
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Claretha, a soap opera-loving grandmother, has always dreamed of being a star - and she's finally got her chance: TIKTOK. To go viral though, she needs a little help from her grandson, Daryl, who didn't exactly plan spending the day teaching her how to do the newest TikTok dance.
#GA Shorts Competition, #Noire, #Georgia Film, #Family Friendly, #Narrative Short

Troy
directed by Mike Donahue
United States // 2022 // English // 16 min
Troy has loud sex 24-7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives... or is he saving them? A darkly comedic tale of New York neighbors, the ways in which we become interwoven with the lives of strangers, and the unexpected consequences of unasked-for intimacy.
#New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

True Love Waits
directed by Erin Doyle Cooper
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
When freshman art students Viv and Cameron sneak into a studio classroom to practice figure drawing on one another, they must grapple with their budding sexuality and whether they can stick to the "True Love Waits" pledges they signed in their youth.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Would You Still Love Me?
directed by Ramsey Telhami
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A romantic picnic takes an unexpected turn after she pops the magic question: "Would you love me if I was a ___?"
#Georgia Film, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

Yarayah
directed by Bernardo De Jeurissen
France // 2023 // Arab French // 20 min
Yarayah is the story of Yasmina, a Algerian and French female bodybuilder who goes back home after winning the world championship at the Arnold classic. This story depicts the moment in which Yasmina has to face her father's closed doors.
#In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Narrative Short

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

#BlackBoyJoyGone
directed by Ashley Karrell and Isaac Ouro-Gnao
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 25 min
Blending interviews, poetry, dance and storytelling, BlackBoyJoyGone captures the lives of men who experienced sexual trauma but who find strength through brotherhood.
#In Competition, #Documentary Short, #Noire

Access Point
directed by Alexander glustrom
United States // 2023 // English // 14 min
Riley Kirkpatrick, a trans man living in rural Georgia, advocates for the safety and rights of drug users after founding the only harm reduction center in the area.
#In Competition, #GA Shorts Competition, #Documentary Short

Black Strings
directed by Marquise Mays
United States // 2023 // English // 12 min
A string orchestra in Milwaukee, WI redefines what it means to be a first responder.
#Noire, #Documentary Short, #In Competition

Blue
directed by Guénola Bally
Mexico // 2022 // Spanish // 11 min
BLUE follows the Contreras family as they harvest the jiquilite plant to produce a deep blue dye.
#Documentary Short, #Cinemás, #New Mavericks

Breaking Silence
directed by Amy Bench, Annie Silverstein
United States // 2023 // English, ASL // 18 min
BLUE follows the Contreras family as they harvest the jiquilite plant to produce a deep blue dye.
#Documentary Short, #New Mavericks

Cristo Negro
directed by Brendan Mills, Paul Stavropoulos
Panama // 2023 // Spanish // 18 min
A spiritual portrait of the devout inhabitants of an Afro-Caribbean coastal town that worships a black Jesus Christ.
#Noire, #Cinemás, #Family Friendly, #In Competition, #Documentary Short

Eco-Hack!
directed by Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty
United States // 2022 // English // 17 min
Biologist Tim Shields is waging an all-out technological war against ravens in a last ditch effort to save the Mojave desert tortoise from extinction.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Family Friendly

Exit 238
directed by Henry Davis
United States // 2022 // English // 12 min
Every year in Austin Texas, hundreds of people gather together to marvel at the sight of thousands of Purple Martins as they journey along their migratory path to Brazil.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Family Friendly

From Dreams to Dust
directed by Stephanie Tangkilisan, Muhammad Fadli
Indonesia, United States // 2022 // Indonesia // 10 min
Dreams to Dust tells the story of Pola, a nickel miner and family man from Indonesia. Through Pola’s eyes we see the dark side of green technology.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

I Don't Know If You Remember This
directed by Katelyn Rebelo
United States // 2022 // english // 16 min
A group of former highschool classmates explore the memory of unspoken sexual assault, following the rhythms of the seventeen year cicada emergence in Virginia.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

In The Light
directed by Ruoyu Wang
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
A young man comes to terms with his gender identity while exploring themes of faith and nature.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Our memory
directed by Johanna Makabi
France // 2022 // French // 12 min
Mbissine Therese Diop, who played the starring role in the 1966 film, “Black Girl”, looks back on her experience as a Black actress in the 1960s.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Radio Bingo
directed by Shelby Mitchell Adams
Canada // 2023 // English, Mohawk // 8 min
To help revitalize the Mohawk language, a local reservation radio station incorporates the Mohawk language into a game of Radio Bingo.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition

Still Waters
directed by Aurora Brachman
United States // 2022 // English // 12 min
A mother and daughter find connection and peace through intimate conversations about their past.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Cinemás

Strictly Two Wheel
directed by Ania Freer
Jamaica // 2022 // English // 10 min
An intimate portrait on a family owned mechanic shop in rural Jamaica and a father’s love for his children and community.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #Noire

The Blake
directed by Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato
United States // 2023 // English // 15 min
This cinematic memoir explores how the filmmaker’s childhood experience with a replica of the
Challenger space shuttle helped her cope with a devastating loss.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

The Boston Photograph
directed by Clennon L. King
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
LaVerne Eagleson, a 91-year-old woman from Berlin, MD, tells the story of how she dated Martin Luther King Jr.
#Georgia Film, #Documentary Short, #GA Shorts Competition, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Wild Magnolias
directed by Alexandra Kern
United States // 2022 // English // 15 min
A New Orleans based barber teaches his protégés the virtues of being a Mardi Gras Indian, a centuries-old tradition that shapes the minds of the local youth.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Year One
directed by Cai Ning
Belgium, Portugal, Hungary // 2023 // English, Chinese, Dutch // 21 min
A sensitive group portrait of the first-time mothers.
#Documentary Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Young Kings
directed by Jonathan Banks & Dr. Arshley Emile
United States // 2022 // English // 23 min
From Ponce De Leon to Ralph David Abernathy, this film explores the exciting world of bike culture in the heart of Atlanta.
#Documentary Short, #GA Shorts Competition, #Noire

ANIMATED SHORTS

Clicker
directed by Charles Kugler
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
Two boyfriends take a tour of their dysfunctional relationship through the magic of television.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #Pink Peach

Curiosa
directed by Tessa Moult-Milewska
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 10 min
Overly curious Mary climbs into her boyfriend's head in search of answers.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Fury
directed by Julia Siuda
Poland // 2021 // // 5 min
Organic, fleshy masks become icons of living rage.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Hospes
directed by Stephanie J Williams
United States // 2022 // // 12 min
A film about appearing "racially ambiguous". Performing a choreography of resistance, an amalgam of body pieces tries to remain whole in an environment programmed to disassemble it.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #Noire, #New Mavericks

In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-Weeny Pocket
directed by Yoko Yuki
Japan // 2022 // Japanese // 6 min
When it shrinks, it expands. It floats and it sinks. It separates but connects. When I think I’m watching them, they're actually watching me.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks, #Family Friendly

Me and me
directed by ChiuLing Chen
Taiwan // 2022 // Mandarin // 10 min
A pencil hand-drawn animated short film, depicting the life of solitude into a short, light, black and white song .
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Pills! Pills! Pills!
directed by Kate Saltel
United States // 2023 // English // 3 min
During Lobster Lobster's first day as an unpaid intern at a snazzy pharmaceutical company, an abrasively hardworking coworker makes their one assigned task impossible,
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Rest in piece
directed by Antoine Antabi
France, Germany // 2022 // // 9 min
A starving migrant man starving and resorts to eating the objects he has packed for the journey. The monstrous effects give him the strength to carry on through a scorching desert.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Rosemary A.D. (After Dad)
directed by Ethan Barrett
United States // 2022 // English // 10 min
As he cradles his newborn, a father wonders if his daughter would be better off without him and imagines her life once he is gone. Completely drawn with crayons.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Shelf Life
directed by Erin Zhang
United States // 2022 // English // 8 min
Mealtime and aging intersect in this stop-motion short about female shelf life.
#Animated Short, #In Competition

Sprout
directed by Zora Kovac
United States // 2023 // // 8 min
An agoraphobic scientist accidentally creates a baby-like plant creature, and their connection threatens to upend his reclusive way of life.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

Tavla
directed by Zoe Bysal
United States // 2023 // // 8 min
A stray cat must rescue her friend from the depths of the Aegian Sea.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Mavericks

The Law of the Jungle Gym
directed by Yoon Hei Cho
United States, Korea // 2022 // // 6 min
A dog-eat-dog survival game takes place in the seemingly innocent environment of a school at lunchtime.
#Animated Short, #In Competition, #New Maverick

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

An Example of Lee-Roth Fog Isolated Under Laboratory Conditions
directed by Ryan Betschart
United States // 2022 // English // 3 min
Spiritual mists are a stand in for the nuts and bolts details surrounding the life of enigmatic Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth.
#Experimental Short

Arrest in Flight
directed by Adrian Flury
Switzerland // 2021 // // 8 min
An experiment in film sets the stage for a hitherto unseen magical life form.
#Experimental Short

as time passes
directed by Jamil McGinnis
United States, Turkey // 2022 // English, Turkish, Persian // 15 min
Through journal entries, a mother’s words, neighborhood stories, and existential inquiries; one still searches for meaning beyond the walls of one's mind.
#Experimental Short, #Noire

Boys Clap, Girls dance
directed by Dena Springer
United States // 2022 // English // 10 min
A short meditation on becoming and being.
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

ELE OF THE DARK
directed by Yace Sula
United States // 2022 // English // 13 min
A nonbinary visual artist contemplates their relationship with darkness and its hold on their complexion, trauma and queerness.
#Experimental Short, #Pink Peach, #New Mavericks, #Talent Anticipated, #Noire

I was born in 1988
directed by Yasaman Baghban
United States // 2022 // Persian, English // 9 min
An experimental documentary based on the executions of Iranian political prisoners that began in thesummer of 1988.
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

Only If You Could See a View Above the Clouds
directed by Zhuoyun (Yun) Chen
United States // 2022 // English // 4 min
A ghost, a face, lucid minerals, vague landscapes... What do you see when my words fall?
#Experimental Short, #New Mavericks

Stinger
directed by Brian Zahm
United States // 2021 // English // 5 min
A filmmaker documents his own subtropical parasitic disease...
#Experimental Short

Sun Coming and Casting a Shadow
directed by Daniel Robin
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
A film about time, memory, fear, and the challenges of holding onto joy.
#Experimental Short, #Georgia Film

What I Imagined the Dying Fly, with the Broken Leg, was Feeling
directed by Hugh Clegg
United Kingdom // 2022 // English, Italian // 5 min
A short film about a dying fly's last words, and an Italian voice over artist.
#Experimental Short

MUSIC VIDEO

American Football - "Fade Into You"
directed by David M. Helman
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
A narrative music video for the band American Football.
#Music Video

Arssalendo - "Quattro Paredi"
directed by Giada Bossi
Italy // 2022 // Italian // 6 min
When the family of a kid hides from him his dog’s death, the older brother takes the kid on a brutal journey towards the grieving process.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks

Astral Summer - "Lucia (Love Yourself)"
directed by Elli Maven
United States // 2022 // English // 6 min
I can't wait to see where you'll go!
#Music Video, #New Mavericks, #Georgia Film

Duffle Bag Buru - "What's Crakin"
directed by Tanaseth (Pong) Tulyathan
United States // 2022 // English // 2 min
A man trapped in the multi reality, has to overcome his consequences.
#Music Video, #Noire

Indigo De Souza - "Kill Me"
directed by Jordan Alexander
United States // 2021 // English // 5 min Indigo de Souza's music video for the lead single entitled "Kill Me" features amateur wrestlers and the growing sport of cake sitting.
#Music Video, #Noire

Linqua Franqa - "The Whole Bank"
directed by Nolan Huber-Rhoades
United States // 2023 // English // 6 min
Linqua Franqa and a group of indebted workers must find a way to fight for their own liberation and the liberation of everyone who is held hostage by debt.
#Music Video, #Pink Peach, #Georgia Film

Mermaid
directed by Haonan Huang
United States // 2023 // English // 4 min
A moody music video about a mysterious mermaid.
#Music Video, #Georgia Film

Sadé Awele - "Intuition"
directed by Bruna Arbex
Canada // 2023 // English // 5 min
Two adventurous souls stumble upon an abandoned house and transform it into their very own haven, a powerful representation of their love blossoming.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás

Säye Skye - "ADHD"
directed by Sina Dolati
Canada // 2022 // Farsi, English // 5 min
A Persian music video that celebrates Attention Hyperactivity Disorder as a superpower through a lens of comedy and science fiction.
#Music Video

Tianna Esperanza - "Princess Slit and the Raincoat Prince"
directed by Peter Collins Campbell
United States // 2022 // English // 2 min
A queer, punk rollercoaster - smashing through walls, sets and reality.
#Music Video, #Cinemás, #Pink Peach

Tosya Chaikina - "Arrows Have Struck In The Heart"
directed by Yulya Litinskaya
Russia // 2022 // Russian // 4 min
In a surreal world, the Main Character falls from the sky and becomes an observer to chaos as people flee from the Dark-soul people.
#Music Video, #New Mavericks

Wim Tapley - "Gut Punch"
directed by Connor DiVita
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
It's all about the moped.
#Music Video, #Cinemás, #Pink Peach

EPISODIC

A Version
directed by Asad Farooqui
United States // 2023 // English, Urdu // 10 min
When a newly married Muslim-American couple visit a therapist to hash out their differences, we, the audience, get to see exactly what they’re complaining about.
#Episodic, #Georgia Film

Brownsville Bred
directed by Elaine Del Valle
United States // 2022 // English, Spanish // 22 min
A spunky Latina must find her own path as she faces the grim realities of the musician father she once idolized and the deteriorating neighborhood she calls home
#Episodic, #New Mavericks, #Cinemás

Don't Let Kyle Sit Down
directed by Joel Jay Blacker
United States // 2023 // English // 9 min
When a couple attempts to depart from a fading party, their desperate friend suggests throwing one
more log on the fire, summoning a charred, shirtless stranger looking for warmth.
#Episodic

Good Boy
directed by William Yu
United States // 2022 // English, Korean // 16 min
A young Korean American with dreams of launching his own streetwear brand struggles with
dysfunctional relationships and conflicting family values.
#Episodic

Harbor Island
directed by Calvin Lee Reeder
United States // 2023 // English // 17 min
A dad-joke comic wanders the industrial zone at night.
#Episodic

How To Be A Person: How To Get An Abortion
directed by SINDHA AGHA
United Kingdom // 2022 // English // 6 min
After booty calling Jawad from Sunday school, Sanam’s found herself pregnant with no one reliable to accompany her as her “abortion plus one.”
#Episodic, #New Mavericks

Off Fairfax
directed by Erica Eng
United States // 2022 // English // 7 min
After a tumultuous night trying to solve a murder, three friends are led to a local diner where the answer may be staring them right in the face.
#Episodic, #New Mavericks, #Noire

Phlophouse: Patton's Theory
directed by Grant Hollingshed Jackson
United States // 2022 // English // 5 min
A young man turns his friend's home into a motel while he's out of town.
#Episodic, #Noire, #Georgia Film

Sheltered
directed by Ben Evory
United States // 2023 // English // 45 min
His first year of college complete, Nathan returns home to the Appalachian foothills. With his dad’s help he reintegrates back into his progressive protestant community and prepares for a mission trip to Honduras. But what once seemed normal now feels foreign, and Nathan must build his own relationship to his father’s faith.
#Episodic, #Pink Peach

Sorry I am late i was masturbating
directed by Alena Shevchenko
Germany // 2022 // English // 6 min
A young woman discovers her own sexuality through wild fantasies.
#Episodic, #New Mavericks

VIRTUAL REALITY

Caves
directed by Carlos Isabel Garcia
Switzerland // 2021 // English // 19 min
Mankind has landed on the moon and flies around in space. But under our feet there are about a million kilometers of cave systems—only one per cent of which has been explored.
#Virtual Reality

Cycle of Violence
directed by Felicia Bergström
Germany // 2022 // English // 8 min
So sweet, so painful - a love trapped by violence and fears, animated with stop motion, puppets and clay.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

Musalem: from (selm); who lives in peace
directed by Mariam Al-Dhubhani
Yemen, United States, Jordan // 2022 // Arabic, English // 10 min
Amat Al-Lateef and Mohammed try to keep Yemeni honey available locally and abroad, despite the obstacles and destructions infused by seven years of war.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

Surfacing
directed by Rossella Schillaci
Italy, Portugal // 2022 // Italian // 20 min
A 360 immersive fairy tale, set amongst mothers and children who live in prison.
#Virtual Reality, #New Mavericks

The Choice
directed by Joanne Popinska
Canada, Poland // 2021 // English // 25 min
A Virtual Reality documentary about maternal health and reproductive rights.
#Virtual Reality, #New Maverick

Kevon Pryce 3/29/22 Kevon Pryce 3/29/22

2022 Atlanta Film Festival Unveils Key Programming and Full Lineup of Official Selections for 46th Annual Event, Including 27 World Premieres

The film festival and Creative Conference will return in-person and virtually with an Opening Night presentation of “892” and an impressively diverse lineup of more than 150 selected works, 11 Marquee films, and 25 educational events

ATLANTA, GA (March 29, 2022) — The 46th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) today revealed key programming highlights, including Opening and Closing Night presentations and the full lineup of selected works from a record-breaking nearly 10,000 submissions. Highlighted by the Opening Night presentation of “892” and Closing Night film “Mija”, 11 Marquee screenings will combine Hollywood star power with the best of independent film. The 155 total announced creative works from submissions will feature diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories from around the world. The film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, May 1, 2022, at multiple venues in Atlanta and virtually.

“We’re particularly excited about this year because we are not only back to in-person screenings, but our hybrid format will provide even more opportunities for audiences to participate around the globe,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “A huge part of our ethos is advocating for diverse voices, which is why it’s even more important that we continue to evolve and connect with communities everywhere in new and innovative ways.”

Kicking off a robust slate of Marquee programming that will be presented throughout the 11-day festival, the Opening Night presentation of Bleecker Street’s dramatic thriller “892” will take place at the Plaza Theatre on Friday, April 22. Starring John Boyega, the late Michael K. Williams, Nicole Beharie, and Connie Britton, the film follows a Marine war veteran who faces mental and emotional challenges when he tries to reintegrate back into civilian life. Director Abi Damaris Corbin will be on-hand for the red carpet screening.

The Closing Night presentation of the Disney+ documentary “Mija” will be held on Saturday, April 30, at the Plaza Theatre. Directed by Isabel Castro, the film follows Doris Muñoz, who began a career in music talent management and met Jacks Haupt, an auspicious young singer, and both share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born members of their undocumented families.

Some highlights of the Marquee programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios announced today include narrative features “Cha Cha Real Smooth” starring Dakota Johnson and written and directed by Cooper Raiff, “Emily the Criminal” starring Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi, and “Summering”, a coming of age story directed by Georgia-native and celebrated ATLFF alumni James Ponsoldt. Documentary feature highlights include “Look At Me: XXXTENTACION”, an inside look at a gifted young rapper's tumultuous rise to fame before his death at the age of 20, with never-before-seen footage as XXXTENTACION's inner circle speaks out, and “REFUGE”, a story about fear and love in the American South from local Atlanta directors Erin Levin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship.

Since its founding, diversity in programming has been a cornerstone of ATLFF’s mission, demonstrated by the final lineup of 29 feature-length films, 99 short films, and 27 creative media selections. Of these selections, a combined total of 74% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary (53%) and/or are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) (56%). Five specialty tracks will return to the 2022 festival including: New Mavericks, celebrating excellence in film from female and gender non-conforming directors and leads; ¡CineMás!, focusing on Latin American culture; Noire, uplifting Black filmmakers, Pink Peach, featuring films with LGBTQ stories and characters, and Georgia Films, highlighting productions with ties to the state of Georgia.

For five years in a row, the festival received a record-breaking number of creative works and screenplay submissions. Works from more than 110 countries were submitted to the festival, and 33 countries are represented among the final lineup of chosen selections. Nearly 20% have ties to the state of Georgia.

The 12th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns with in-person panel discussions and one-on-one in-depth virtual conversations focusing on screenwriting, showrunning, pitching shows, podcasting, directing, producing, cinematography, and editing with industry experts from Georgia to NY and LA. The entire Creative Conference lineup of over 25 events will be announced in the coming weeks. The highlights include Masterclasses, Panels, and Conversations with actress Antonia Gentry (star of Netflix’s “Ginny and Georgia”), actress Priah Ferguson (“Stranger Things”), actor Atkins Estimond (“Hightown”), producer/director Cherien Dabis (“Only Murders in the Building”, “Ozark”), actress Danielle Deadwyler (“The Harder They Fall”, “Station 11”), showrunner Nick Antosca (“Candy”), cinematographer Daniel Patterson (“The Last OG”, “Woke”), director Stacey Muhammed (“Black-ish”, “Queen Sugar”), comedy writer Robert Peacock (“Mad About You”, “Blue Collar TV”), VFX editor Barry Murphy (“1883”), and many more.

ATLFF 2022 will be more accessible than ever, offering a mix of in-person and virtual screenings, as well as virtual Q&A sessions with filmmakers. Screenings will be held at three venues, including Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE), Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE), and The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway), with more to come. All virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.

The full schedule of films and events will be available Friday, April 1 at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2022 app. Festival passes are on sale now on the site. Tickets for individual events will be available at the beginning of April. In-person screening tickets range from $12-50; virtual access is $9.99 per film/panel with an unlimited virtual all-access pass for $85 for both films and Creative Conference. Virtual all-access pass will increase to $100 after Friday, April 1.

2022 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

MARQUEE FILMS

OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION

892
directed by Abi Damaris Corbin
John Boyega, Nicole Beharie, Selenis Leyva, Michael Kenneth Williams, Connie Britton
USA, 2022, English, Bleecker Street, 103 min
A Marine war veteran faces mental and emotional challenges when he tries to reintegrate back into civilian life. #Marquee #Narrative #GeorgiaTie

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION

MIJA
directed by Isabel Castro
USA, 2022, English, Spanish, Disney+, 85 min
Follows Doris Muñoz, who began a career in music talent management and met Jacks Haupt, an
auspicious young singer, and both share the ever-present guilt of being the first American-born
members of their undocumented families.
#Marquee #Documentary #CineMás #NewMavericks

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

A LOVE SONG
directed by Max Walker-Silverman
Dale Dickey, Wes Studi, Michelle Wilson
USA, 2022, English, Bleecker Street, 81 min
Two childhood sweethearts, both now widowed, share a night by a lake in the mountains.
#Marquee #Narrative

CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH
written and directed by Cooper Raiff
Cooper Raiff, Dakota Johnson
USA, 2022, English, Apple TV, 107 min
A man who works as a bar/bat mitzvah party starter who strikes up a unique friendship with a young mom (Producer Dakota Johnson) and her teenage daughter.
#Marquee #Narrative

REFUGE
directed by Erin Levin Bernhardt, Din Blankenship
USA, 2021, English, 80 min
REFUGE is a story about fear and love in the American South. A leader in a white nationalist hate group finds healing from the people he once hated - a Muslim heart doctor and his town of refugees. Chris is a husband and father, a veteran, and until recently, a leader in the KKK. He started hating Muslims when the planes hit the Twin Towers on 9/11 but is forced to confront his hate when he receives a text from a Muslim refugee, Heval. REFUGE illustrates the false promises of hate and reveals where real and lasting refuge is found. Where there is love, there is refuge.

#Marquee #Documentary #GeorgiaTie

EMILY THE CRIMINAL
directed by John Patton Ford
Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi
USA, 2022, English, Roadside, 93 min
Down on her luck and saddled with debt, Emily gets involved in a credit card scam that pulls her into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, ultimately leading to deadly consequences.
#Marquee #Narrative

LOOK AT ME: (XXXTENTACION)
directed by Sabaah Folayan
USA, 2022, English, Hulu, 108 min
An inside look at a gifted young rapper's tumultuous coming-of-age with never-before-seen footage, as XXXTENTACION's inner circle speaks out for the first time.
#Marquee #Documentary #Noire

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp
USA, 2021, English, A24, 89 min
Jenny Slate, Isabella Rossellini
Feature adaptation of the animated short film interviewing a mollusk named Marcel.
#Marquee #Narrative

MONTANA STORY
directed by Scott McGehee, David Siegel
USA, 2021, English, Bleecker Street, 113 min
Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague
Two estranged siblings return home to the sprawling ranch they once knew and loved, confronting a deep and bitter family legacy against a mythic American backdrop.
#Marquee #Narrative

PHANTOM OF THE OPEN
directed by Craig Roberts
Mark Rylance, Ian Porter
United Kingdom, 2021, English, Sony Classics, 106 min
Maurice Flitcroft, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship Qualifying in 1976 and subsequently shot the worst round in Open history, becoming a
folk hero in the process.
#Marquee #Narrative

SUMMERING
directed by James Ponsoldt
Lia Barnett, Madalen Mills
USA, 2022, English, Bleecker Street, 80 min
During their last days of summer and childhood -- the weekend before middle school begins -- four girls struggle with the harsh truths of growing up and embark on a mysterious adventure.
#Marquee #Narrative #GeorgiaTie

SELECTED WORKS

NARRATIVE FEATURES

BREAKWATER
directed by Cem Demirer
Turkey/UK, 2022, Turkish, 101 minutes
Aslan, a young insecure fisherman who lives on a Turkish island, finds a valuable lobster cave while diving. Knowing this treasure will bring him wealth and the prestige that he has never had in his society, he decides to keep it a secret from his cousin and best friend Yilmaz until he can properly harvest the lobsters by himself. By not sharing the secret, Yilmaz's growing suspicion conjures a series of paranoid obsessions that thrust him into a downward spiral.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #Narrative

DO NOT HESITATE
directed by Shariff Korver
Netherlands/Greece, 2021, Dutch/English/Arabic, 90 minutes
After the sudden disappearance of their superior, three young Dutch soldiers are left to guard a military vehicle by themselves. As their situation and the scorching desert heat renders them increasingly disconnected from reality, an encounter with a local boy escalates into a fight that will mark their lives forever.
#Narrative #CinematographyCompetition

EVERY DAY IN KAIMUKĪ
directed by Alika Tengan
USA, 2022, English, 80min
A young man is determined to give his life meaning outside of Kaimukī, the small Hawaiian town where he grew up, even if it means leaving everything he's ever known and loved behind.
#Narrative

THE GAME
directed by Ana Lazarevic
Serbia/USA, 2021, Serbian/English/Arabic, 93 minutes
When STRAHINJA, a smuggler with poor parenting skills and a gambling addiction, becomes stranded with two refugee boys in the Balkan countryside, they must navigate backroads to find an illegal crossing into Western Europe. The boys’ insatiable gusto for life makes Strahinja aware of the walls he has built around his own.
#Narrative

HANDS THAT BIND
directed by Kyle Armstrong
Canada, 2022, English, 116 minutes
Having severed ties with his father, Andy's opportunity to farm as a landowner has been jeopardized. He devotes his life to working another man’s land, trying to establish new roots with his wife and children, and with the hope that the land might one day be his. But those hopes are destroyed when his boss's ungrateful son unexpectedly returns. As Andy struggles with providing for his family in a world that is increasingly unfamiliar, a darkness settles over the community and mysterious occurrences begin; cattle mutilations, drought, a missing teenager, paranoia, and unexplained lights in the sky.
#Narrative #CinematographyCompetition

HÉKATE
directed by Nadia Benedicto
Argentina, 2021, Spanish, 77 minutes
Following a horrific event, Helena and Kira argue on the side of the road. No destination in mind, no plan to follow. The journey unfolds kilometer by kilometer; a journey that soon becomes a ritual — a tribute to the goddess of witches and a ritual of passage towards the autonomy and maturity of her descendants.
#InCompetition #Narrative #PinkPeach #CineMás #NewMavericks

LEARN TO SWIM
directed by Thyrone Tommy
Canada, 2021, English, 93 minutes
Haunted by a tragic loss, Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide), a jazz musician, cuts off contact with everyone he knows. Time bends, and the lines between his stormy past and reclusive present are blurred, foiling his attempts at solitude and forcing him to face the truth of his past.
#Narrative #Noire

MILES FROM NOWHERE
directed by Jono Mitchell
USA, 2022, English, 76 minutes
Miles is dying. After a year of avoiding his two closest friends, he attempts to reestablish normalcy by gathering them together for their annual cabin trip. However, his plan to reveal his terminal cancer goes awry when Sammy and Victor come clean about secrets of their own. The past becomes the present and the future becomes uncertain as lies, pain, and pride threaten to erase the bonds of friendship entirely.
#WorldPremiere #Narrative #GeorgiaTie #PinkPeach

THE MURDER PODCAST
directed by William Bagley
USA, 2021, English, 91 minutes
Desperate to get more podcast listeners, Chad Thadwick decides he needs a new topic. After a murder in his hometown, the answer is clear: a true crime podcast! With the help of his best friend, Chad starts investigating, only to get wrapped up in a terrifying adventure full of supernatural threats!
#Narrative #GeorgiaTie

NICO
directed by Eline Gehring
Germany, 2021, German/Persian/English, 79 minutes
The self-confident, life-affirming German-Persian Nico is brutally torn from her everyday life by a racially motivated attack. With the help of tough karate training, she tries to channel her anger, but she also loses touch with herself. When Nico meets the Macedonian Ronny, a connection develops between the two women that makes Nico question the path she has chosen.
#Narrative #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

PORTRAITS FROM A FIRE
directed by Trevor Mack
Canada, 2021, English/Tsilhqot'in, 93 minutes
A coming-of-age story that follows Tyler, an eccentric and lonely teenager who spends his days filmmaking, vlogging his Indigenous community, and hanging out with his grandparents. His father, Gord, is physically present but remains emotionally absent from Tyler’s life for reasons Tyler cannot understand. That is until he meets Aaron, a mysterious, charismatic, and influential figure who encourages Tyler to showcase his most personal film about his mother’s disappearance to the community, leading to a reckoning between past and future, life and death, and father and son.
#Narrative

QUICKENING
directed by Haya Waseem
Canada, 2021, English/Urdu, 90 minutes
Sheila, a Pakistani-Canadian teenager struggles to define her identity as she is pulled between her newfound social life at university and her family’s traditional values. After starting a secret relationship with her classmate, Sheila discovers that keeping these two worlds separate comes at a great cost.
#Narrative #NewMavericks #CinematographyCompetition

SALMA’S HOME
directed by Hanadi Elyan
Jordan/USA, 2022, Arabic, 95 minutes
The story follows three women who are facing uncertain times after the death of the family's patriarch Bakri: Salma, Bakri’s ex wife, is a talented baker. Her daughter Farah is struggling with her own marriage. Lamia, Bakri's new wife, is a wannabe socialite and social media influencer. Together they navigate Bakri’s inheritance, finding out that the only way forward is to live together under one roof.
#InCompetition #Narrative #NewMavericks

SHE AND I
directed by Gustavo Rosa de Moura
Brazil, 2021, Portuguese, 102 minutes
20 years ago, while giving birth to her daughter, Bia slipped into a coma. But that didn't stop her—even if just lying there, unconscious—from becoming part of her family's everyday life. Suddenly, however, Bia comes to. And while she's reacquainting herself with sight, speech, movement and the basics of human relationships, her now-adult daughter, her ex-husband and his new wife try to deal with the unexpected living presence of that strange but dearly loved woman.
#Narrative #CineMás

SOUL OF A BEAST
directed by Lorenz Merz
Switzerland, 2021, Swiss-German/French/Japanese, 110 minutes
In a delirious summer rush, teenage father Gabriel falls in love with enigmatic Corey, the girlfriend of his best friend Joel. Overwhelmed with the decision of his life Gabriel is catapulted into the unforgiving wilderness of his heart, where imagination is more real than reality.
#InCompetition #Narrative #CinematographyCompetition

YOU RESEMBLE ME
directed by Dina Amer
USA/Egypt/France, 2021, French/Arabic, 91 minutes
Cultural and intergenerational trauma erupt in this story about two sisters on the outskirts of Paris. After the siblings are torn apart, the eldest, Hasna, struggles to find her identity, leading to a choice that shocks the world. Director Dina Amer takes on one of the darkest issues of our time and deconstructs it in an intimate story about family, love, sisterhood, and belonging.
#InCompetition #Narrative #NewMavericks

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

AFTER SHERMAN
directed by Jon-Sesrie Goff
USA, 2022, English, 88 minutes
A director’s exploration of coastal South Carolina as a site of pride and racial trauma through Gullah cultural retention and land preservation is interrupted by the shootings at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. AFTER SHERMAN is a story about inheritance and the tension that defines our collective American history.
#InCompetition #Documentary #Noire

THE BALCONY MOVIE
directed by Paweł Łoziński
Poland, 2021, Polish, 100 minutes
Can anyone be a movie hero? Can the world be locked in one film frame? Director Paweł Łoziński is watching people from his balcony as they are passing by: sad, thoughtful, glued to their phones, young and old. The filmmaker calls out to them, asks questions, and talks about how they deal with life. Standing there with his camera for over 2 years, he creates a space for dialogue, a lay confessional of sorts, where everyone can stop by and tell their story. Every story is unique, and life always surpasses imagination.
#Documentary

BOYCOTT
directed by Julia Bacha
USA, 2021, English, 73 minutes
When a news publisher in Arkansas, an attorney in Arizona, and a speech therapist in Texas are told they must choose between their jobs and their political beliefs, they launch legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 33 states in America. BOYCOTT traces the impact of state legislation designed to penalize individuals and companies that choose to boycott Israel due to its human rights record. A bracing look at the far-reaching implications of anti-boycott legislation becomes an inspiring tale of everyday Americans standing up to protect their rights in an age of shifting politics and threats to freedom of speech.
#Documentary #NewMavericks

DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD
directed by Brooke Pepion Swaney
USA, 2021, English, 66 minutes
Right after the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 became the law of the land, Kendra Mylnechuk Potter was adopted into a white family and raised with no knowledge of her Native parentage. This beautiful and intimate film follows Kendra on her journey to find her birth mother April, also a Native adoptee, and to return to her Lummi homelands in Washington State. With a sensitive yet unflinching lens, director Brooke Swaney (Blackfeet/Salish) documents Kendra and April as they connect with relatives and navigate what it means to be Native, and to belong to a tribe from the outside looking in. Along the way, Kendra uncovers generations of emotional and spiritual beauty and pain and comes to the startling realization that she is a living legacy of U.S. assimilationist policy.
#Documentary #NewMavericks

GABOR
directed by Joannie Lafrenière
Canada, 2021, French/English/Hungarian, 101 minutes
A quirky and tender portrait of Gabor Szilasi, the 93-year-old giant of Canadian contemporary photography, as seen through the eyes of his friend, photographer and director Joannie Lafrenière. GABOR tells the story of an immigrant fleeing Hungary and arriving in Canada by boat, creating for himself a rich life full of friends, family and an extraordinary career. Despite his age, Gabor maintains impressive health and lucidity, keeping a touch of madness, an enviable sense of humor, and a sharp take on his adopted society.
#Documentary

IN THE BONES
directed by Kelly Duane de la Vega, co-directed by Zandashé Brown & Jessica Anthony
USA, 2022, English, 95 minutes
A lyrical documentary that explores the personal and political by interweaving the lives of 12 characters living in Mississippi during a legislative session in which equal pay for equal work and abortion rights are being decided. Although set in three distinct regions of Mississippi, IN THE BONES is a much broader exploration of our culture, an unsettling portrayal of America that lingers, shining a light on the weight women live under in this country and also the resilience expressed in everyday acts of survival.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #Documentary #Noire #NewMavericks

MAGALUF GHOST TOWN
directed by Miguel Angel Blanca
Spain, 2021, Spanish/English, 90 minutes
Strange things are happening in Magaluf, a small, peaceful town on the island of Mallorca that many have ventured to call the Balearic Twin Peaks. Overrun with tourists, its residents are torn between an everyday aura of doom and genuine holiday pleasure in a place that has become the European paradigm of low-cost tourism and insatiable nightly entertainment. MAGALUF GHOST TOWN is a choral portrait of a community trying to survive the grips of tourism, mixing documentary and fiction in a mysterious yet humorous look at its ensemble of residents.
#Documentary

MASTER OF LIGHT
directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten
USA/Netherlands, 2022, English, 85 minutes
George Anthony Morton is a classical painter who spent ten years in federal prison for dealing drugs. Since his release, he has worked to defy society's expectations and to tackle the white-dominant art world. Journeying back home from Atlanta to Kansas City, George works to heal broken relationships while painting family members in the style of the Dutch Old Masters. Every brushstroke dives deeper into George's soul as he shines a bright light on racial injustice and the intergenerational trauma it begets.
#InCompetition #Documentary #GeorgiaTie #CinematographyCompetition

ONLY I CAN HEAR
directed by Itaru Matsui
Japan/USA, 2021, English/Japanese/ASL/JSL, 54 minutes
In the American Midwest, three hearing teenagers come of age in the vibrant, raucous Deaf community. Balancing both hearing and deaf societies, they often struggle to fit in either world but find connection, understanding, and community in a home between the two disparate spaces, amongst their peers who are also CODA — Children of Deaf Adults.
#Documentary

OUTTA THE MUCK
directed by Bhawin Suchak & Ira Mckinley
USA, 2022, English, 80 minutes
Family, football and history come to life in an intimate portrait of the Dean family, longtime residents of the historic town of Pahokee, Florida. As we take a journey back home, with filmmaker Ira McKinley, to the land of sugarcane, he reconnects with his niece Bridget and nephew Alvin and explores their shared family history that spans seven generations. Told through stories that transcend space and time, OUTTA THE MUCK presents an intimate portrait of a community that resists despair with love, remaining fiercely self-determined, while forging its own unique narrative of Black achievement.
#InCompetition #Documentary #Noire

PROGNOSIS – NOTES ON LIVING
directed by Debra Chasnoff & Kate Stilley Steiner
USA, 2021, English, 81 minutes
In perhaps her bravest act as a filmmaker, Academy Award-winning documentarian and LGBTQ+ activist Debra Chasnoff responded to her diagnosis of stage-4 cancer by turning the camera on herself, her wife, and her sons to chronicle the journey that lay ahead of them. With customary candor and humor, she took on the assignment out of necessity: not wishing to be defined only as patient or victim, she adopted a role she could play with certainty — that of the storyteller. What emerges is a raw, intimate portrait of shifting relationships and identities, a story about hanging onto the people you love, as you prepare to let them go. Completed according to her wishes by a circle of Bay Area peers and family, PROGNOSIS - NOTES ON LIVING is not only a film about illness. Clear-eyed and unsentimental, intimate and honest, it is the unforgettable, present-tense diary of a life fiercely lived, and a love worth fighting for.
#Documentary #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

RED LIPSTICK
directed by Shiva Sanjari
France/Iran, 2018, Persian, 42 minutes
Masoumeh, a single 34-year-old hairdresser and owner of a small beauty salon in Tehran, shares intimate conversations with her clients, often reflective of the beauty standards and patriarchal pressures present in their lives. An independent business woman in a rigid society, Masoumeh weighs her own high expectations against the prospects of marriage while working to carve a path of her own.
#Documentary #NewMavericks

A WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE
directed by Zara Katz & Lisa Riordan Seville
USA, 2022, English, 87 minutes
Growing up, Kristal watched nearly every man in her life disappear to prison. She channeled that struggle into keeping families connected, both as a social worker and with her van service that drives families to visit loved ones in far-off prisons. But when Kristal’s dad and brother return to Philly, her happiness meets the realization that release doesn't always mean freedom. Passionate, funny and resilient, Kristal remains determined to carve out a different future -- for herself and for her young nephew, Nyvae. Part observational documentary, part family album, A WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE is a tender portrait of one family striving to love in the face of a system built to break them.
#InCompetition #Documentary #NewMavericks

NARRATIVE SHORTS

THE AGENT
directed by Emily Frances Kaplan
USA, 2022, English, 12 minutes
A C-list talent agent moves through the world all but invisible, until he enters a pay-to-play audition room where actors looking for their big break mistakenly imbue him with a god-like power to change their lives.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort

ARTISTIC
directed by Nina Lee
USA, 2021, English, 12 minutes
Billie Thomas is a lonely teenage artist. Longing for a friend she finds one in an unlikely person.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire #NewMavericks

BEAUTIFUL THEY
directed by Cloudy Rhodes
Australia, 2021, English, 11 minutes
Violet and Blue's youth collide in an early morning toke that leads to the ocean, where connection stirs. A tender, uplifting queer surf-romance about the nuance of gender and the refuge found in being truly seen.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

THE BOND
directed by Jahmil Eady
USA, 2022, English, 18 minutes
An incarcerated pregnant woman goes into labor and fights to stay connected to her baby.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #NarrativeShort #Noire #NewMavericks

BURY YOUR FISH
directed by Emma Josephson
USA, 2022, English, 15 minutes
An isolated young woman desperate to rediscover purpose in her life begins taking directions from the cryptic Morse code messages of a mysterious light flashing a few blocks away.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

CHAMP
directed by Hannah Peterson
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
After basketball practice one night, Genevieve reveals a dark secret to her teammates about their coach. Wielding her strategy and grit off the court, Genevieve works together with her teammates to find a way to retaliate.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

CHICKEN
directed by Rana Roy
USA/UAE, 2022, English/Hindi/Arabic, 16 minutes
Awkward and surreal absurdity engulfs a Las Vegas motel room after two misfits, who flew the coop from Saudi Arabia and eloped behind their multi cultural and religious families backs, realize how little they actually know each other.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

CLEARING HOUSE
directed by Andy Long
USA, 2022, English, 10 minutes
A con man realizes that it’s not quite business as usual, when he meets an elderly lady that causes him to second-guess his motives.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #Noire #PinkPeach

COCHE BOMBA
directed by Kantú Lentz
USA, 2021, English, 11 minutes
Rosa loves aliens and hates everything else, including her annoying little sister. When a car bomb detonates, Rosa must bring her sister to safety by convincing her that aliens have arrived.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks #CineMás

A DEER LOST IN THE WOODS
directed by Camilo Diaz
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
Francis can't have sex. His therapist doesn't know why. He doesn't know why. In trying to understand, Francis embarks on a fever dream that leads to more confusion.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie

DON’T GO WHERE I CAN’T FIND YOU
directed by Rioghnach Ni Ghrioghair
Ireland, 2021, English, 20 minutes
A haunted composer's mind spirals into chaos when she attempts to use music to connect with the ghost of her dead lover.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

EL EXTRAÑO EN LA CASA RIVERA
directed by Esteban Bailey
USA (Puerto Rico), 2022, Spanish, 11 minutes
In the aftermath of a hurricane that has ravaged Puerto Rico, a strange creature inhabits the backyard of struggling mother Aida, and her daughter, Aidita.
#NarrativeShort #CineMás

EMPTY NESTERS
directed by Devon Solwold
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
A young expecting couple comes to terms with their relationship and their loss.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie

GLITTER AIN’T GOLD
directed by Christian Nolan Jones
USA, 2022, English, 14 minutes
A sixth grader takes a trip with his best friend to the flea market in order to buy his first fake chain.
#NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

HEARTLESS
directed by Haukur Björgvinsson
Iceland, 2021, Icelandic, 15 minutes
Young couple Anna and Gunnar are deeply in love but they live in a society where people are assigned a new spouse by lottery every seven years. As their final day together approaches, they grapple with the nightmare of being torn apart and facing life with another partner.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort

HOOK UP
directed by Laura Nagy
Australia, 2020, English, 15 minutes
When a double date with two older men turns ugly, Lucy must fight to protect her best-friend and recognises deeper feelings she has for her.
#NarrativeShort #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

KISS CHASE
directed by Ebele Tate
UK, 2021, English, 14 minutes
When eleven year old Nadine is left out in a game of kiss chase, she realizes image is currency and her value is low. On a quest to feminize herself, she finds herself in an unexpected situation she is not prepared for.|
#NarrativeShort #Noire #NewMavericks

LADYLIKE!
directed by Camila Florez
USA, 2021, English, 8 minutes
Jenn, a Chinese-American teenager longing for the teenage life of parties and boys depicted in American media, attempts to explore her sexuality while living in her conservative Asian home.
#NarrativeShort #WorldPremiere

LEASING SPACE
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
USA, 2022, English, 10 minutes
A couple navigates their commitment to their relationship when they adopt a star together.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

LEYLAK
directed by Scott Aharoni & Dennis Latos
USA, 2021, Turkish/English, 17 minutes
In present day Queens, New York, a Turkish gravedigger is unable to face a shattering truth, and risks losing the dearest connection left in his life.
#NarrativeShort #InCompetition

MAN OR TREE
directed by Varun Raman & Tom Hancock
UK, 2021, English, 4 minutes
In the wilderness, a tree begins to question whether it may actually be a man tripping on hallucinogens.
#NarrativeShort

MOLES
directed by Vanja Victor Kabir Tognola
Switzerland, 2021, Italian, 15 minutes
Unable to afford a fancy holiday, a family pretends to be in the Bahamas by hiding at home and posting fake pictures on social media. Inebriated by likes, the parents forget their son's needs.
#NarrativeShort

MOSHARI
directed by Nuhash Humayun
Bangladesh, 2022, Bengali, 21 minutes
After the world is overrun with bloodthirsty creatures, two sisters survive together, spending their nights inside the only known protection - the moshari (mosquito net). However, their strained relationship might be as much of a threat as the dangers outside.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort

NEST
directed by James Hunter
Australia, 2021, English, 9 minutes
An isolated father haunted by his child's cries of hunger takes up work as a timber feller only to be stopped by a mysterious alarm coming from deep in the woods.
#NarrativeShort

OUR OWN LAND
directed by Simon Helloco
France, 2021, French, 23 minutes
Two brothers, left on their own, live in complete freedom. They only forbid themselves to enter the first floor of the house.
#NarrativeShort

POOR GLENNA
directed by Jean-Paul DiSciscio
USA, 2021, English, 17 minutes
When her mutant son develops a taste for human flesh, a timid mother must find a victim to satisfy his ravenous appetite.
#NarrativeShort

POST-CITRUS
directed by Madison Hatfield
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
The fat bassist of an otherwise thin girl punk band must stand up for herself when her friend and bandleader suggests wearing orange peels as bikini cups during their album cover shoot.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

RAYA
directed by Sepide Berenji
Iran, 2020 Persian, 14 minutes
After a teacher displeases them, Raya and her friends secretly retaliate. In the fallout from the prank and with an impending eviction at home, Raya weighs the morality of her choices and if there's a path forward that could also make the world a better place.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

ROY
directed by Tom Berkeley & Ross White
UK, 2021, English, 16 minutes
When a reclusive widower accidentally calls an adult hotline worker, an unlikely friendship is born.
#NarrativeShort

SHARK
directed by Nash Edgerton
Australia, 2021, English, 14 minutes
Completing the trilogy of wickedly dark comedy shorts that began with Spider and Bear, Nash Edgerton's onscreen alter ego, Jack, finally finds a perfect match in Rose Byrne as Sofie, a woman who loves pranks just as much as he does. Alas, the couple’s quest to outdo each other may lead to the most outrageous calamity of all.
#NarrativeShort

SHE KEEPS ME
directed by Erica Orofino
Canada, 2022, English/Italian, 16 minutes
The strained relationship between two sisters reaches a dangerous climax in this exploration of family ties, mental illness, and self sacrifice.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

SPAGHETTER GETTER
directed by Jared Lapidus
USA, 2022, English, 8 minutes
The man-in-infomercials-who-can't-do-anything-right discovers he is trapped in a prison of his own uselessness.
#NarrativeShort

SUPERFAN
directed by Karina Lomelin Ripper & Marc Ripper
USA, 2021, English/Spanish, 15 minutes
A tween celebrity obsession pushes the boundaries of friendship during an ill-fated sleepover.
#NarrativeShort #CineMás

SUSHI NOH
directed by Jayden Rathsam Hua
Australia, 2021, English, 18 minutes
Trapped in the care of her lonely uncle, a young girl’s nightmares about a bizarre kitchen appliance manifest into reality.
#NarrativeShort

SWIPE
directed by Anthony Sneed
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
A delinquent teenage boy draws the shortest straw and must commit a petty theft.
#NarrativeShort

THE SYED FAMILY XMAS EVE GAME NIGHT
directed by Fawzia Mirza
USA, 2021, English, 11 minutes
All cards are on the table when a queer Pakistani Muslim woman brings her Puerto Rican partner home for the first time on the family's annual game night.
#NarrativeShort #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

THEREFORE, SOCRATES IS MORTAL
directed by Alexandre Isabelle
Canada, 2021, French, 12 minutes
Facing the climate crisis, Louise, a philosophy teacher, turns words into action.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort

THIS IS OUR HOME
directed by A.K. Espada
USA, 2021, English, 13 minutes
When their apartment’s rat infestation escalates, a bleeding-heart vegan and her antagonistic roommate find themselves at odds over inhumane methods of extermination.
#NarrativeShort

TITAN
directed by Valéry Carnoy
Belgium/France, 2021, French, 19 minutes
Driven by his new friend Malik, Nathan prepares himself for a strange ritual to join a teens gang.
#NarrativeShort

TRAINING WHEELS
directed by Alison Rich
USA, 2022, English, 15 minutes
Enid, a socially inept woman who has never been in a romantic relationship, panics when she meets John and realizes he’s her person. She decides the safest, most logical thing to do is to prepare for their date by practicing a relationship with a man rented from a questionable website called Casanovas.
#NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

TRYING
directed by Jason Park
USA, 2022, English, 17 minutes
Inside a cheap motel room, Danny plans to take his own life…it’s quite hard.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort

WHILE MORTALS SLEEP
directed by Alex Fofonoff
USA, 2022, English, 14 minutes
When a cold case novelist’s career implodes, she seeks refuge at her friend’s remote vacation home. Upon arrival, she encounters a strange couple who claim to be the caretakers. As tensions build, a dark secret begins to emerge.
#NarrativeShort

WOLFDOG
directed by Nick Snow
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
Two women cross paths along a rural road on a night that changes both of their lives.
#WorldPremiere #NarrativeShort

A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE
directed by Gauri Adelkar
USA, 2022, Hindu/English, 17 minutes
Ismat, an undocumented single mother, and a diligent worker at a garment shop in Queens finds herself at a crossroad of self-interest and morality after she secretly witnesses something at work.
#InCompetition #NarrativeShort #NewMavericks

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

ALMEDA
directed by Paul Hairston
USA, 2022, English/Spanish, 14 minutes
On September 8th, 2020 the Almeda Fire tore through Southern Oregon and burned more than 2,800 structures. Many belonged to tightly knit immigrant mobile home communities, some generations old.
#WorldPremiere #DocumentaryShort

BABUSHKA
directed by Kristina Wagenbauer
Canada/Switzerland/Russia, 2021, Russian/English, 26 minutes
A Canadian director visits her grandmother in Russia after 25 years of separation. Traveling through family memories and those of a country, this roller coaster of emotions invites us into an intimate space for reconciliation.
#DocumentaryShort #NewMavericks

THE BEAUTIFUL CONFUSION
directed by Luis G. Santos
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Director Luis G. Santos observes American photographer Gioncarlo Valentine at work as he discusses the many trials and tribulations that affect successful Black artists in this generation.
#DocumentaryShort #Noire #PinkPeach

CHILLY & MILLY
directed by William D. Caballero
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
11 years after filming a documentary about his family, director William D. Caballero returns home to revisit scenes with his parents, exploring his father's chronic health problems, as a diabetic with kidney failure, and his mother's role as his eternal caretaker.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort #CineMás

CHUU CHUU
directed by Mackie Mallison
USA, 2022, Japanese/English, 15 minutes
A filmmaker takes a mental tangent into a child-like dimension where he can speak his family’s language and get back the time he lost with his grandmother when he was a child — something she was never able to do with her lost family.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

DEERWOODS DEATHTRAP
directed by James P. Gannon
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
50 years ago Jack and Betty were hit by a train and survived. This is their story.
#DocumentaryShort

EVERY SUNDAY
directed by Keti Papadema
Cyprus, 2021, English/Tagalog, 24 minutes
A group of Filipino domestic workers in Cyprus prepare for a beauty pageant organized by their community, while a case of a serial killer targeting foreign female workers comes to the surface.
#DocumentaryShort #NewMavericks

F1-100
directed by Emory Chao Johnson
USA/Malaysia, 2021, English, 13 minutes
Video, illustration, and animation are interwoven in this transnational meditation through time and space of an international art student carrying a heavy burden.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

THE GAME GOD(S)
directed by Adrian L. Burrell
USA, 2022, English, 19 minutes
The Goddess of the Crossroads pushes us between the then and the now, exploring spiritual undercurrents moving through black market economies and tracing them back to the original sin at the heart of the American Dream.
#WorldPremiere #InCompetition #DocumentaryShort #Noire

A HOMECOMING I’LL REMEMBER
directed by Jasmine Rene' McCaskill
USA, 2021, English, 17 minutes
There’s no telling what can happen when you meet with your memory. Zoe Hinds and Pamela McKelvy remember their groundbreaking crownings that span nearly 30 years apart and recount their journeys through the institutions at which they paved the way.
#DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire #NewMavericks

LAST DAYS OF AUGUST
directed by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck & Robert Machoian
USA, 2022, English, 13 minutes
Does a town still exist if nearly everyone has died or left? Using the photobook aesthetic, filmmakers Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian explore some nearly abandoned prairie towns of Nebraska and meditate on the blurred lines between still photography and cinema.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

MEET THE TEAM TAKING J-SETTING FROM UNDERGROUND CLUBS TO THE MAIN STAGE
directed by Frederick Taylor
USA, 2020, English, 5 minutes
J-Sette dancers bring big energy to the floor, and the Dance Champz of Atlanta take this underground LGBTQ+ art form to the next level.
#DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

NUISANCE BEAR
directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Osio Vanden
Canada, 2021, English, 14 minutes
An unconventional and visually stunning study of the polar bears who draw tourists to Churchill, Manitoba.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

OBJECTS OF HEARTBREAK
directed by Grace Kim
USA, 2021, English, 8 minutes
A mixed-media, experimental documentary reflecting on the objects leftover from failed relationships, as retold by Brooklyn residents.
#DocumentaryShort #NewMavericks

REBYRTH
directed by Cydney Tucker
USA, 2021, English, 6 minutes
An Atlanta-based Doula works to save the lives of Black mothers as they journey from their pregnancies into motherhood.
#DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire #NewMavericks

THE SENTENCE OF MICHAEL THOMPSON
directed by Kyle Thrash & Haley Elizabeth Anderson
USA, 2022, English, 25 minutes
Michael Thompson is the longest serving non-violent offender in the history of Michigan after being arrested for selling three pounds of marijuana to a close friend turned police informant. After twenty-five years, three appeals and two denied applications for clemency, the tables have finally turned and it seems like Michael finally has a chance at freedom.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort #Noire

SOME KIND OF INTIMACY
directed by Toby Bull
UK/France, 2021, English, 6 minutes
A filmmaker tries to communicate with the sheep living where his parents are buried.
#DocumentaryShort

THERE’S NO END
directed by Mattias Evangelista
USA, 2022, English, 20 minutes
In the wake of personal tragedy, an iconic indie-rock musician moves to the remote San Juan Islands to raise his only daughter.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryShort

WINN
directed by Joseph East & Erica Tanamachi
USA, 2022, English, 17 minutes
A formerly incarcerated woman turned activist fights to legally end the shackling of incarcerated pregnant people in Georgia.
#WorldPremiere #DocumentaryShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

YOU CAN’T STOP SPIRIT
directed by Vashni Korin
USA, 2021, English, 16 minutes
For a community of Black women, dressing up as baby dolls is a Mardi Gras tradition and a celebration of freedom.
#DocumentaryShort #Noire #NewMavericks

ANIMATED SHORTS

BIGFOOT TOOK MY PHOTO!
directed by Sasha Espinosa
USA, 2021, English, 6 minutes
Johanna has photographic proof that Bigfoot is real! That is, until Bigfoot himself steals it.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

CRUMBS OF LIFE
directed by Katarzyna Miechowicz
Poland, 2020, No Dialogue, 7 minutes
The absurd adventures of three people inhabiting a small town by the sea - Una, who is experiencing peculiar anxiety about her own foot; G., cursed by a plump pony; and a mysterious Faceless Man.
#AnimatedShort

DESPOT
directed by Nicholas D'Agostino
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
DESPOT tracks a disastrous day in the life of a world leader, peeling back the cartoonish veneer of a classic strong-arm dictator to reveal the true horrors beneath.
#AnimatedShort

FALL OF THE IBIS KING
directed by Mikai Geronimo & Josh O’Caoimh
Ireland, 2021, English, 10 minutes
The antagonist of a dark opera becomes increasingly unsettled following the unlikely return of the former lead actor.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort

THE FARMER AND THE LIGHTNING STORM
directed by Danielle Browne
USA/Colombia, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Burdened by frustration and fear, the Goddess of Lightning suppresses her abilities. Can a nearby Farmer help Lightning regain confidence in her powers, and by extension, in herself?
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks #FamilyFriendly #Noire

HOPPER’S DAY
directed by Jingqi Zhang
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
A cricket wants to achieve its dream in an abandoned quarry.
#WorldPremiere #AnimatedShort

LAIKA & NEMO
directed by Jan Gadermann & Sebastian Gadow
Germany, 2022, No Dialogue, 15 minutes
Nemo looks different. Nobody else wears a diving suit and such a huge helmet. But then he meets Laika, an astronaut.
#AnimatedShort

LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOLER
directed by Sanjna Bharadwaj
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
A girl with magic eyelashes is exploited for them by her school, her community, and eventually the government. She battles the weight of the world with the weight of being a middle schooler.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MOTHER
directed by Subarna D
India, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
A woman faced with the prospect of becoming the next village circumciser realizes that she can't conform to the customs of her community when she is asked to circumcise her daughter and recounts her own harrowing experience.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MUSICA QUARANTENA
co-created by Lilian T. Mehrel & Danielle Rhoda
UK/USA, 2022, No Dialogue, 4 minutes
A little girl’s love for her bedridden Papa inspires a town in lockdown to make music from their balconies.
#WorldPremiere #AnimatedShort #Noire

MY EX BOYFRIEND
directed by Cissi Efraimsson
Sweden/USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
Two lovers face a dilemma when one undergoes a strange transformation and begins leaking water.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MY FAT ARSE AND I
directed by Yelyzaveta Pysmak
Poland, 2020, Polish, 10 minutes
After dieting to the point of extreme thinness, a girl is given a royal invitation to a kingdom by the Angel of United Bitches of Slimbuttlandia– but are the Skinny Buttangels as lovely and harmless as they appear?
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MY GRANDMOTHER IS AN EGG
directed by Wu-Ching Chang
Taiwan/UK, 2021, Mandarin, 9 minutes
Guided by family interviews, the filmmaker explores her grandmother's life as a T'ung-yang-hsi, or "future daughter-in-law", while reflecting on women's oppression and the struggle for freedom.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

MY PET VENUS
directed by Ariel Paxton
USA, 2020, English, 3 minutes
A little girl buys a Venus Fly Trap that she doesn't know how to care for.
#AnimatedShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

NEW TRICKS
directed by Matt Corsillo
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
After accidentally hitting a dog with her car, a woman attempts to take the animal to the vet, but is impeded by its gruesome transformation.
#AnimatedShort

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREAD
directed by Ida Melum
UK, 2021, English, 11 minutes
When a power outage ruins Ruby's bedtime routine, she finds herself haunted by some unwanted guests.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

THE OCEAN DUCK
directed by Huda Razzak
USA, 2021, English, 7 minutes
A woman visits her ailing grandmother in a hospital during a flood, as an ancient tale comes to life.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

PEOPLE PERSON
directed by Rymalena
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
Desperate to escape her reality, a young woman discovers a program that immerses her in her own subconscious through a myriad of virtual personas.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort

PIVOT
directed by Ana Gusson
Canada, 2021, English, 7 minutes
Growing up isn’t easy, and it’s no exception for 12-year-old Ashley whose well-meaning Mom has her own ideas about who Ashley should be. Finding herself in an impossible situation, Ashley must decide whether to wear a gaudy dress she hates or find the courage to stand up for herself and fight the inner monster that is holding her back.
#AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

SPROUT
directed by Nayt Cochran
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
When a prize-winning plant causes self-doubt, a kind-hearted gardener nurtures a botanical-child’s individuality.
#AnimatedShort

A TINY TALE
directed by Sylvain Cuvillier, Chloé Bourdic, Théophile Coursimault, Noémie Halberstam, Maÿlis Mosny & Zijing Ye
France, 2020, No Dialogue, 8 minutes
An abandoned dog meets a young astronaut wannabe and a professional cyclist who keeps on trying to beat her highest score.
#AnimatedShort

THE VISIT
directed by Morrie Tan
Singapore, 2021, English/Mandarin, 9 minutes
Month after month, Ting visits her father in prison where they are only able to connect through a glass panel in a windowless cell. Despite these trying conditions, Ting is determined not to let anything come between their kinship.
#InCompetition #AnimatedShort #NewMavericks

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

BAD DREAM
directed by Camilo Diaz
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Bad Dream is a visual representation of the black zeitgeist processing the violence of white supremacy. Impressionistic yet visceral in nature, Bad Dream is not only a representation of this experience, but a confrontation that forces viewers to consider their role in the racial structure of America.
#WorldPremiere #ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

ETERNITY ON A LOOP
directed by Isabela Costa
Brazil/USA, 2021, Portuguese, 12 minutes
An employee of God takes a break from heaven’s bureaucracy and spends some time on Earth.
#ExperimentalShort #NewMavericks #CineMás

ETHEREAL
directed by Isabelle Kanapé
Canada, 2019, Innu-Aimun/English/French, 3 minutes
A man spreads rumors about a local elder. To be forgiven, he will be put to the test. Ka tatishtipatakanit (Ethereal) is a poetic lesson about respect.
#ExperimentalShort

EYES AND HORNS
directed by Chaerin Im
Germany/South Korea/USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
Exploration of masculinity begins with the Minotaur, a mythical creature Picasso used to portray himself in his etching print series. The Minotaur goes through a violent struggle between being male and female. Finally, lines blur and boundaries of sexes disappear.
#ExperimentalShort #PinkPeach

FREE NOIR PAPILLON
directed by Lev Omelchenko
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
A mother explores her relationship to her pregnancy through dance, as she deals with her fear and hope about bringing a Black baby boy into the world in 2020.
#WorldPremiere #ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

GLADIOLUS
directed by Azadeh Navai
Iran/USA, 2022, Farsi, 5 minutes
An ode to a flower that once enjoyed prominence in Iranian culture, Gladiolus tells the story of its ubiquitous role in life’s important ceremonies and how it became a victim of its own popularity.
#ExperimentalShort #NewMavericks

HOW TO BEHAVE AT A PARTY
directed by Allison Radomski
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
Do you feel weird around other people? Are you anxious at social gatherings? Do you often find yourself trying to seem like a normal, happy person, and then coming up short? Look no further, friend. Even though I’ve never, ever had those problems in my whole life, "How to Behave at a Party" is here to help.
#ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie #NewMavericks

IN THE FUTURE
directed by Kelly Gallagher
USA, 2021, English, 4 minutes
Knowing that another world is possible, individuals young and old share their hopes and dreams for the future.
#ExperimentalShort

KILL TIME
directed by Benjamin Rinehardt
USA, 2021, English, 8 minutes
An exploration of various realms, places which could be parking lots and alleyways, bars and hotels, as well as personal places such as our bedrooms and even our minds. Using painting, animation and mixed media it strives to look at and understand time and its strange elusive qualities.
#ExperimentalShort #WorldPremiere

LÁCRIMAS
directed by Jeremy Moss
USA, 2021, English, 14 minutes
The plants, they shine at night. A melodrama of wavering moths, sparrows, cicadas, shadows, streams, and towering trees. A dizzying and displacing garden in a lower-key. Joan, don’t despair, tear down that tree. Paul, keep running, just flee. Burt, you ignorant f*** - it’s not your adding machine. Montgomery, stop knocking and leave.
#ExperimentalShort

MAY WE KNOW OUR OWN STRENGTH
directed by Jih-E Peng
USA, 2022, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
An abstract, hybrid narrative document centered around artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya’s similarly-titled piece exploring collective healing after sexual assault within AAPI communities, created tragically in the wake of the Atlanta spa shootings. In the spirit of the installation itself, this film recreates the process of trauma, the hurdles of healing, and the strength that can be found in sharing and community.
#WorldPremiere #ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

PANDROG
directed by Jard Lerebours
USA, 2021, English, 1 minute
A poetic treatise on masculinity and the trappings of gender. Two lovers seek freedom away from Babylon.
#ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie #Noire

WHISPER, RUSTLE
directed by Maureen Zent
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
Order gives way to chaos. Chaos becomes ferment. Ferment spurs fecundity. 'Whisper, Rustle' depicts this cycle with natural and stylized elements drawn primarily from the poems and prose of W. B. Yeats. Stop motion animated objects include sand, pebbles, flower petals, oak bark, leaves, gravel, sponges, seeds, egg shells, a rotting log.
#ExperimentalShort #GeorgiaTie

EPISODIC

BRIDESMAN
directed by Julian Buchan
USA, 2022, English, 57 minutes
Bridesman follows Terry, a self-obsessed gay man, as he is forced to fulfill his bridesmaid duties for his unhinged best friend, despite his disdain for the construct of marriage and a secret romantic history with the groom. When Terry threatens to upstage the control freak Maid of honor, secrets are made public, parties are ruined and every relationship is pushed to its breaking point.
#Episodic #PinkPeach

CHIQUI
directed by Carlos Cardona
USA, 2022, Spanish/English , 30 minutes
It's 1987. Chiqui and Carlos immigrate from Colombia to New Jersey to find a better life for themselves and their unborn son. Upon their arrival, they quickly realize that the American dream is not as easy to achieve as they thought.
#Episodic #CineMás

I AM: JALAIAH
directed by Kayla Johnson
USA, 2021, English, 38 minutes
Jalaiah Harmon created one of the most viral dances of all time — the Renegade — at just 14 years old, yet she hardly reaped the fruits of her labor. But who is Jalaiah beyond this global dance phenomenon?
#WorldPremiere #Episodic #Noire #NewMavericks #GeorgiaTie

SOMETHING UNDONE
directed by Nicole Dorsey
Canada, 2021, English, 10 minutes
When a Foley artist goes home to settle her late mother's estate, she discovers a dark family secret and becomes obsessed with finding the truth.
#Episodic #NewMavericks

METTA DA FEIN
directed by Carlo Beer, Urs Berlinger
Switzerland, 2020, Rhaeto-Romanic, 22 minutes
In the most beautiful village in the world, every day seems the same - until peace is shattered by a series of mysterious animal killings.
#Episodic

MUSIC VIDEOS

AMBER MARK - 'COMPETITION'
directed by Cara Stricker, Amber Mark
USA/UK, 2021, English/German, 4 minutes
‘Competition’ comes from a state of always comparing yourself to others and how ruthless that competitive nature can be towards yourself and towards others. The film is a reminder of how much stronger we are together.
#MusicVideo #Noire #NewMavericks

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT - ‘VIBE’
directed by Tony Reames
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Georgia's own Arrested Development is back for the final album and this is the lead single and video, "VIBE".
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

BABY TATE - ‘PEDI’
directed by Norton
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
F*** the high road, embrace the petty. In her video for "Pedi", Baby Tate literally pops into awkward situations to deliver an unhealthy dose of "karma".
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

BLANC’
directed by Wenkai Wang
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
A couple went through emotional turbulence as if they lived in two different time zones during lockdown. #WorldPremiere #MusicVideo #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

COUNT IT ALL
directed by Joshua Cleveland
USA, 2021, English, 7 minutes
A dream-like journey into the consciousness of a black woman as she navigates identity under the mental and emotional harms surrounding institutional violence and Alienation within the American system.
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie #Noire

DON LIFTED - ‘GOLDEN (THE WAIT) FT. MADAMEFRAANKIE’
directed by Joshua Cannon & Nubia Yasin
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
“This visual is everything I saw in my head as I wrote the song. It’s confident, it's extra, it's decadent; it’s a fantastical version of how I see myself every time I sing those lyrics.”
#MusicVideo #Noire

DTG - 'I GET HAPPY WHEN I THINK OF YOU’
directed by Pong Tulyathan
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
An intoxicated and controlling man who is trying to show love in something that is not there anymore physically in human form, but is there to him mentally.
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

FLORENT VOLLANT - ‘NENANTUAPMANAN’
directed by Isabelle Longnus
Canada, 2021, Innu, 4 minutes
Florant Vollant, an Innu singer songwriter goes on a quest in honour of his ancestors during which he performs a ritual.
#MusicVideo

HANA VU - ‘KEEPER’
directed by Maegan Houang
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
No one notices when Hana Vu erupts into a cathartic breakdown at a family event.
#MusicVideo #NewMavericks

MICHAEL MYERZ - ‘DON’T GIVE UP’
directed by Kevin Daniel Lonano
USA, 2022, English, 3 minutes
Michael Myerz is locked in the fight for his life against the reigning Monster Boxer champion, the Moxer!
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

MIPSTERZ - ‘ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM’
directed by Abbas Rattani
USA, 2021, English/Arabic, 5 minutes
“ALHAMDU | MUSLIM FUTURISM” is a musically-driven vision of Muslim joy as resistance and liberation—an imaginative future where Muslims exist boldly.
#WorldPremiere #MusicVideo #Noire

NAOMI ALLIGATOR - ‘CONCESSION STAND GIRL’
directed by Corrinne James
USA, 2021, English, 2 minutes
A frog morphs through a colorful animated world, transforming into a variety of characters and landscapes. #MusicVideo #NewMavericks

OBOROZUKI
directed by Joseph Ros
Cuba, 2021, Spanish/Japan/Yoruba, 5 minutes
Katsushika Hokusai’s tentacular “Dream of the fisherman’s wife” and Afro Cuban drums are the protagonists of a syncretic ritual; music and dance lead this interesting cultural intermixing music video.
#MusicVideo #CineMás

PEACH PURÉE DE PÊCHES
directed by Stephanie Burbano
Canada, 2021, French/English, 3 minutes
Band stand fever dream with goddess Elle Barbara serenading you through the new/old sexual politic.
#WorldPremiere #MusicVideo #PinkPeach #NewMavericks

ROCHELLE BLOOM - ‘STORIES I CREATE IN MY HEAD’
directed by Derek Evans
USA, 2021, English, 4 minutes
The video is stark and unsettling, as is the video’s emotional narrative about the struggles of family life, what defines success and living up to the expectations of others.
#MusicVideo #GeorgiaTie

SOMEONE - ‘STRANGE WORLD’
directed by David Spearing
UK, 2021, English, 4 minutes
Stuck indoors during lockdown, a young woman uses her imagination to evoke magic and playfulness in the world around her, translated in a moving, modern dance.
#MusicVideo

SYD - ‘FAST CAR’
directed by Ethan Nelson and Graham Epstein
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
Syd (of The Internet) and her girlfriend, Ariana Simone, try their very best to film a steamy sex tape in the hills of Malibu. What starts as a seemingly impossible task ends in utter sonic bliss.
#MusicVideo #PinkPeach

VIRTUAL REALITY

CHILD OF EMPIRE
directed by Sparsh Ahuja, Erfan Saadati
UK, 2022, English, 17 minutes
An animated virtual reality (VR) docu-drama experience which immerses viewers in one of the largest forced migrations in human history: the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan.
#VirtualReality

GREENWOOD AVENUE: A VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE
directed by Tarik Jackson, Talibah L. Newman, Spade Robinson
USA, 2021, English, 20 minutes
"Greenwood Avenue: A Virtual Reality Experience" brings us into the 1920’s world of a 14-year-old Black girl experiencing first love & devastating loss in America’s Black Wall Street.
#VirtualReality #Noire

HYDROCOSMOS
directed by Milad Tangshir
Italy, 2021, No Dialogue, 19 minutes
An immersive experience which recounts the arrival of water and the emergence of conscious life on a remote corner of the universe. It’s an abstract tale, told through a symphony of performative bodies, images, sounds, lights and shadows.
#VirtualReality

MONTEGELATO
directed by Davide Rapp
Italy, 2021, Italian, 28 minutes
A montage film in VR, the first of its kind. Hundreds of cinematic sequences define a three-dimensional collage of the Monte Gelato waterfalls (Rome, Italy) as they have been filmed in more than 180 productions including films, TV series and commercials. From peplum to western, from comedy to thriller, from science-fiction to erotica: sounds and videos expand in an immersive landscape that transports the Falls in time and space.
#VirtualReality

VIRTUALLY THERE
directed by Leon Oldstrong
UK, 2021, English, 23 minutes
Imagine seeing a tragic incident from many different angles – stepping into the shoes of everyone affected? Virtually There allows viewers to experience the effects on the people behind the statistics in an immersive 360-degree film that aims to build an emotional understanding of the devastating impact of knife crime amongst young people.
#VirtualReality #Noire

Kevon Pryce 3/28/22 Kevon Pryce 3/28/22

46th Annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference Announces Complete Lineup

ATLANTA, GA (March 28, 2022) — The Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) announced the lineup of selected works from submissions today for the 45th annual event, which will take place Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, May 1, 2022. This year we had 7786 total film submissions. This included 152 total programmed films, including 27 Feature Films and 124 Short Films.

ATLANTA, GA (March 28, 2022) — The Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) announced the lineup of selected works from submissions today for the 46th annual event, which will take place Thursday, April 21 through Sunday, May 1, 2022. This year we had 7786 total film submissions. This included 152 total programmed films, including 27 Feature Films and 124 Short Films.

A forthcoming slate of Marquee screenings, including Opening and Closing Night presentations, will be revealed in the coming weeks. Five winning screenplays from the screenplay competition will also be announced at a later date.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

NARRATIVE SHORTS

ARTISTIC
directed by Nina Lee
USA, 2021, English, 12 minutes
Billie Thomas is a lonely teenage artist. Longing for a friend she finds one in an unlikely person.

THE BOND
directed by Jahmil Eady
USA, 2022, English, 18 minutes
An incarcerated pregnant woman goes into labor and fights to stay connected to her baby.

EMPTY NESTERS
directed by Devon Solwold
USA, 2021, English, 15 minutes
A young expecting couple comes to terms with their relationship and their loss.

GLITTER AIN’T GOLD
directed by Christian Nolan Jones
USA, 2022, English, 14 minutes
A sixth grader takes a trip with his best friend to the flea market in order to buy his first fake chain.

LEASING SPACE
directed by Giovanni Tortorici
USA, 2022, English, 10 minutes
A couple navigates their commitment to their relationship when they adopt a star together.

MAN OR TREE
directed by Varun Raman & Tom Hancock
UK, 2021, English, 4 minutes
In the wilderness, a tree begins to question whether it may actually be a man tripping on hallucinogens.

ROY
directed by Tom Berkeley & Ross White
UK, 2021, English, 16 minutes
When a reclusive widower accidentally calls an adult hotline worker, an unlikely friendship is born.

SPAGHETTER GETTER
directed by Jared Lapidus
USA, 2022, English, 8 minutes
The man-in-infomercials-who-can't-do-anything-right discovers he is trapped in a prison of his own uselessness.

SUPERFAN
directed by Karina Lomelin Ripper & Marc Ripper
USA, 2021, English/Spanish, 15 minutes
A tween celebrity obsession pushes the boundaries of friendship during an ill-fated sleepover.

SWIPE
directed by Anthony Sneed
USA, 2021, English, 5 minutes
A delinquent teenage boy draws the shortest straw and must commit a petty theft.

THEREFORE, SOCRATES IS MORTAL
directed by Alexandre Isabelle
Canada, 2021, French, 12 minutes
Facing the climate crisis, Louise, a philosophy teacher, turns words into action.

TITAN
directed by Valéry Carnoy
Belgium/France, 2021, French, 19 minutes
Driven by his new friend Malik, Nathan prepares himself for a strange ritual to join a teens gang.

TRYING
directed by Jason Park
USA, 2022, English, 17 minutes
Inside a cheap motel room, Danny plans to take his own life…it’s quite hard.

WOLFDOG
directed by Nick Snow
USA, 2022, English, 11 minutes
Two women cross paths along a rural road on a night that changes both of their lives.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

DEERWOODS DEATHTRAP
directed by James P. Gannon
USA, 2022, English, 9 minutes
50 years ago Jack and Betty were hit by a train and survived. This is their story.

REBYRTH
directed by Cydney Tucker
USA, 2021, English, 6 minutes
An Atlanta-based Doula works to save the lives of Black mothers as they journey from their pregnancies into motherhood.

SOME KIND OF INTIMACY
directed by Toby Bull
UK/France, 2021, English, 6 minutes
A filmmaker tries to communicate with the sheep living where his parents are buried.

YOU CAN’T STOP SPIRIT
directed by Vashni Korin
USA, 2021, English, 16 minutes
For a community of Black women, dressing up as baby dolls is a Mardi Gras tradition and a celebration of freedom.

ANIMATED SHORTS

BIGFOOT TOOK MY PHOTO!
directed by Sasha Espinosa
USA, 2021, English, 6 minutes
Johanna has photographic proof that Bigfoot is real! That is, until Bigfoot himself steals it.

HOPPER’S DAY
directed by Jingqi Zhang
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 5 minutes
A cricket wants to achieve its dream in an abandoned quarry.

MY EX BOYFRIEND
directed by Cissi Efraimsson
Sweden/USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
Two lovers face a dilemma when one undergoes a strange transformation and begins leaking water.

MY PET VENUS
directed by Ariel Paxton
USA, 2020, English, 3 minutes
A little girl buys a Venus Fly Trap that she doesn't know how to care for.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREAD
directed by Ida Melum
UK, 2021, English, 11 minutes
When a power outage ruins Ruby's bedtime routine, she finds herself haunted by some unwanted guests.

THE OCEAN DUCK
directed by Huda Razzak
USA, 2021, English, 7 minutes
A woman visits her ailing grandmother in a hospital during a flood, as an ancient tale comes to life.

SPROUT
directed by Nayt Cochran
USA, 2021, No Dialogue, 6 minutes
When a prize-winning plant causes self-doubt, a kind-hearted gardener nurtures a botanical-child’s individuality.

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

ETERNITY ON A LOOP
directed by Isabela Costa
Brazil/USA, 2021, Portuguese, 12 minutes
An employee of God takes a break from heaven’s bureaucracy and spends some time on Earth.

IN THE FUTURE
directed by Kelly Gallagher
USA, 2021, English, 4 minutes
Knowing that another world is possible, individuals young and old share their hopes and dreams for the future.

PANDROG
directed by Jard Lerebours
USA, 2021, English, 1 minute
A poetic treatise on masculinity and the trappings of gender. Two lovers seek freedom away from Babylon.

EPISODIC

MUSIC VIDEOS

BLANC’
directed by Wenkai Wang
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
A couple went through emotional turbulence as if they lived in two different time zones during lockdown.

HANA VU - ‘KEEPER’
directed by Maegan Houang
USA, 2021, English, 3 minutes
No one notices when Hana Vu erupts into a cathartic breakdown at a family event.

PEACH PURÉE DE PÊCHES
directed by Stephanie Burbano
Canada, 2021, French/English, 3 minutes
Band stand fever dream with goddess Elle Barbara serenading you through the new/old sexual politic.

VIRTUAL REALITY

Kevon Pryce 3/23/21 Kevon Pryce 3/23/21

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PROGRAMMING FOR 2021 CREATIVE CONFERENCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kevon Pryce 3/12/21 Kevon Pryce 3/12/21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Film Guide

Creative Conference

Cameron McAllister 12/15/17 Cameron McAllister 12/15/17

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.

Cameron McAllister 3/13/17 Cameron McAllister 3/13/17

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.

Passes for the festival are available for purchase now.

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 â€œbackstage tourâ€ 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