Animated Feature Films Find a Welcome Home at ATLFF
Animated features have become a staple in recent years at ATLFF, signifying a healthy and growing animation industry in Atlanta and beyond.
Animated features have become a staple in recent years at the Atlanta Film Festival, signifying a healthy and growing animation industry in Atlanta and beyond. Animation studios pump out family-friendly blockbusters every few weeks at your local cinemas, but the indie animated scene is working hard to produce beautiful and complex features and short films and ATLFF is pleased to showcase as much as we can.
In 2014, two-time Academy Award-nominee Bill Plympton brought his latest feature film "Cheatin'" to the Atlanta Film Festival. A dialogue free film, the rapturous artistry and beautiful music propels the film into a league of its own. Earlier this year, ATLFF helped spread the word about Plympton's efforts to crowd fund his next feature film, "Revengeance." We hope that whenever he wraps work on that, we will be among the first to screen it!
Ari Folman's "The Congress" was another example of feature animation at ATLFF '14 and became one of the most attended screenings that year. Folman previously directed the Israeli animated documentary film "Waltz With Bashir," which received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. "The Congress" is a live action/animation hybrid, starring Robin Wright, Jon Hamm and Paul Giamatti. Having also screened at the Cannes Film Festival, "The Congress" was one of 2014's art house hits, playing several festivals and select theaters across the globe.
At ATLFF '15, it was stop-motion animation that held the spotlight. In the Spanish film "Possessed (Pos Eso)," a retired flamenco dancer and a disillusioned priest deal with death and demon possession. The Buried Alive Film Festival partnered with us to present "Possessed," directed by Sam, on the first night of the festival.
Do you have an animated feature or short film that you are ready for the world to see? We are ready to watch it!
We are now accepting submissions for the Animated Feature category and all other categories for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival. The Regular Deadline is September 18.
Screenwriting Master Michael Lucker Breaks Down a Script at This Month's Eat, Drink, & B-Indie!
Join screenwriting expert Michael Lucker and ATLFF Screenplay Programmer Ali Coad for an Eat, Drink, & B-Indie dedicated to the foundation of a good film—the screenplay. Not to mention, there will be lots of free Stella Artois!
Fresh off hosting his Screenwriter School this weekend (July 18-19), acclaimed screenwriter and industry expert Michael Lucker will join us for a special EDBI all about Screenwriting. We will break down a script using 12 actors and a scene written by Lucker himself. ATLFF Screenplay Programmer Ali Coad will also be on hand to answer questions!
It all happens Tuesday, July 21 at 7:30 PM at Manuel's Tavern.
Once you learn from Lucker and finish your own film, television or webseries screenplay, make sure you submit it to the 2016 ATLFF Screenplay Competition!
Join us on the third Tuesday of every month at Manuel's Tavern for Eat, Drink, & B-Indie presented by Stella Artois! The first 40 (age appropriate) attendees will receive a ticket good for a free Stella Artois.
Russell Sheaffer's Experimental Feature "Masculinity/Femininity" (ATLFF '15) is Available for Free
An example of ATLFF's dedication to both feature and short experimental films, 2015 selection "Masculinity/Femininity" from Russell Sheaffer is available for free on Vimeo On Demand.
"Masculinity/Femininity" is an experimental documentary feature from renowned filmmaker Russell Sheaffer that played this year's ATLFF. Picking up where "Masculinity & Me"—his short film starring James Franco—left off, "Masculinity/Femininity" is presented as a series of monologues, stories and performance pieces by artists, academics and gender theorists.
Sheaffer also had an experimental short film play this year's festival. "Broken Jaw" is a mediation on physical and psychological trauma.
To celebrate the United States Supreme Court's decision on marriage equality, Sheaffer decided to release "Masculinity/Femininity" without cost through Vimeo On Demand. Click here to rent the film free of charge, using Promo Code: Equality.
ATLFF is dedicated to experimental film programming—both features and short films. Our annual experimental shorts block consistently exceeds expectations, and "Masculinity/Femininity" is just one example of an ATLFF experimental feature official selection. Additionally, partnerships with local organizations like Contraband Cinema help keep us focused on experimental film year-round.
We are now accepting submissions for the Experimental Features, Experimental Shorts and all other categories for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival. The Regular Deadline is September 18.
ATLFF Now Accepting Pilot Episodes in Both Film and Screenplay Submissions
While ATLFF has screened network television shows for years and indie pilot "Pepper's Place" in 2015, we are now opening up both film and screenplay submissions to pilot episodes for the first time ever!
"Pepper's Place," from Zombie Cat Productions and Fake Wood Wallpaper.
Through partnerships with cable networks such as HBO, Starz, SundanceTV, ESPN, Fox Sports, FX, AMC and BBC America, the Atlanta Film Festival has been screening amazing television programming for years. Earlier this year, at the 39th annual ATLFF, we showcased our first ever indie television pilot—"Pepper's Place," directed by Atlanta's own Molly Coffee of Zombie Cat Productions.
Incorporating colorful set pieces, skillful puppetry, and catchy music, "Pepper's Place" was a pitch-perfect and hilarious compliment to our annual Touch the Puppet Head event.
Having seen the success of "Pepper's Place" at ATLFF '15 and the growing number of pilots produced annually, we are now opening up both film and screenplay submissions to pilot episodes for the first time ever!
Working on a one-hour drama pilot? Maybe it's a 30-minute sitcom? Have a great web series idea? We are looking for great works in all categories. Haven't shot your pilot yet? No problem—we have a screenplay competition as well.
The Call for Entries is now open for Pilot Episodes and all other categories for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival and for the 2016 ATLFF Screenplay Competition. The Regular Deadline is September 18.
Christina Humphrey and Alyssa Armand Step Into New Roles as ATLFF Shorts Programmers
The Atlanta Film Festival is pleased to announce the expansion of our programming department, including new titles for two of our talented programmers, Christina Humphrey and Alyssa Armand.
Alyssa Armand (left) and Christina Humphrey (right) have a gravely serious discussion... Probably about Film.
Photo: Portraits by Isadora
The Atlanta Film Festival is pleased to announce the expansion of our programming department, including new titles for two of our talented programmers. Christina Humphrey will now move into the role of Senior Shorts Programmer and Alyssa Armand will take the title of Shorts Programmer.
"I couldn't be any happier to work alongside Christina and Alyssa on ATLFF's female-led programming team. Their dedication to showcasing quality filmmaking and providing outlets and resources to filmmakers will allow these two to continue to expand on our already strong film program."
—Kristy Breneman, ATLFF Creative Director
Christina Humphrey began her ATLFF career in 2011 as an intern. Back then, ATLFF's offices were still housed in the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center. In 2012, she moved into the role of Shorts Programmer and has now overseen ATLFF's Oscar-eligible short film program for several years running. Christina graduated from the University of West Georgia with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Communications and a Minor in Film. Currently, she is pursuing her Masters of Arts in Film Studies from Georgia State University. Having formerly worked as stage security for Lil Wayne, Christina now spends her off-hours as a part of Contraband Cinema and New Mavericks, swimming across lakes with board members, and as a contributing writer for Reel Georgia.
Alyssa Armand first joined the ATLFF family as a volunteer during the 2013 and 2014 festivals. In the fall of 2014, Alyssa began an internship with the festival before joining the staff as Assistant Programmer in January 2015. Alyssa initially attended Savannah College of Art and Design to study photography before transferring to Georgia State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Film & Video. Although she once slapped her own mother during a Candyland-induced rage, Alyssa insists her wild days are behind her and that her post-work activities mostly consist of binge-watching any-and-every television show ever produced.
Congratulations, Christina and Alyssa! We are grateful for your hard work.
The Earlybird Deadline is About to Fly By!
Save some money and submit your film to ATLFF '16 before Midnight on Saturday, June 20!
The Earlybird Deadline is this Saturday, June 20th! This year will be our 40th annual film festival and we need your help to make it the best yet. We are looking for groundbreaking and creative films to show in-and-out of competition.
Submit your Feature film for only $35 or your short film for only $25. We accept submissions through FilmFreeway and Withoutabox. Fees, application and information need to be uploaded by 11:59pm on Saturday.
Be ahead of the game and submit yours today!
For more information check out our submissions page or our submissions FAQ page.
ATLFF '15 Best Documentary Short Award-winner Jesse Kreitzer Updates Us on His Next Project
"'The Murder Ballad of James Jones,' ATLFF’s Jury Award-Winner for Best Documentary Short, was a byproduct of fool’s luck and good fortune."
The Murder Ballad of James Jones, ATLFF’s Jury Award-Winner for Best Documentary Short, was a byproduct of fool’s luck and good fortune.
James “Tail Dragger” Jones, a protégé of legendary Chicago bluesman Howlin’ Wolf, had been cast in my short film Lomax, a spirited reimagining of folklorist Alan Lomax’s 1941 journey through the Mississippi Delta. An Arkansas mule driver at age seven and a natural-born showman, James’ life experience superseded every line on the page. James didn’t like the idea of rehearsing and I agreed to roll with it. Well, come production day, James didn't quite "have it". We improvised, shot wide, and grabbed as many cutaways as we could justify.
Unsure if I had a film, I brought the script and a bottle of whiskey to James’ hotel room to record a clean read that night. With the lavalier still clipped to his collar and half a bottle down, we were bullshitting about working with The Wolf and the heyday of South Side Chicago Blues. James asked if I knew about his record. I knew of the albums he produced for Delmark, but that wasn’t what James was talking about. He proceeded to tell me of his rising feud with “Boston Blackie,” a guitarist who was better known for cutting and shooting. As James spoke with a slang and vernacular that disappears with the passing of every elder bluesman, the recorder rolled and preserved a little-known piece of Chicago folklore. So there you have it. Lightning in a bottle.
My next film currently in post-production explores another slice of Americana. Black Canaries, a 1900s coal mining folktale inspired by my maternal ancestors, is the story of the Lockwood family coal miners who operate a private drift mine in rural Iowa. After a mine collapse blinds the youngest son and kills the hauling mule, the family must continue to drudge the depths, extract coal and keep warm against the winds of the vacant prairie.
In collaboration with the Berklee College of Music’s Film Scoring Program, Composer Jose Parody and Music Supervisor Austin DeVries are putting the final touches on the score and sound design as we prepare for festival submissions this fall. In the meantime, I’m organizing a grassroots film tour at arthouses, makeshift venues, backyards, and living rooms, to present advance screenings of the film to raise the necessary finishing and distribution funds.
Click here to watch the trailer and learn more about "Black Canaries."
— ATLFF '15 Award-Winning Filmmaker Jesse Kreitzer
We are now accepting submissions for the Oscar-qualifying Documentary Short category and all other categories for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival. The Earlybird Deadline is June 20, Regular Deadline is September 18.
Call for Entries now open for 2016 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition!
We are looking for innovative and compelling storytelling, for characters that surprise and challenge you, for words that pop off the page, and for narratives that twist and turn like a country back road. Submit your screenplay now!
The Call for Entries for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition is now open! From April 1 to April 10, 2016, we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary, and we’re looking to you to help us make it our best festival yet.
We are looking for innovative and compelling storytelling, for characters that surprise and challenge you, for words that pop off the page, and for narratives that twist and turn like a country back road. This year we’re accepting both feature scripts and pilot scripts; you’re more than welcome to submit in both categories.
We accept screenplay submissions only through FilmFreeway. To save money, consider submitting your completed film by the Earlybird Deadline on June 20. The Regular Deadline is September 18, the Late Deadline is set for October 23 and the Extended Deadline is November 6.
Films must comply with category requirements and filmmakers must complete the process and payment to be considered for ATLFF '16. Have questions? Check out our Screenplay Submission FAQ.
Want to Help Us Watch Movies? Join Our Screening Committee!
We get thousands of submissions every year and need lots of help watching them! Apply to be a part of our Screening Committee now!
Last year alone, the Atlanta Film Festival received 3,761 film entries from filmmakers around the globe. From these hopefuls we have only the capacity to program a little more than 200 films. How do we decide which films to play? How do we go through those thousands of entries to sort the ones that will please our local audience the best?
We get help. A lot of help.
Most of that help comes from our volunteer screening committee. Members of this team watch dozens (sometimes hundreds) of short and feature films each, evaluating them along the way. This helps the programming team sort out the worthy from the not-so-worthy so they can make the final decisions.
Seeing as the first submissions for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival are already rolling in, we'd like to offer you the chance to join this elite team. Volunteer screeners can earn a variety of perks (free tickets and passes to the festival) based on how many films they watch, and films can be watched most anywhere you have an internet connection.
If you feel like you have the fortitude, the courage, and the spare time required to sail the oceans of independent cinema with us, tell us more about you! We look forward to hearing from you.
Call For Entries Now Open for 2016 Atlanta Film Festival!
We want your films! Submissions are now open for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival.
The Call for Entries for the 2016 Atlanta Film Festival is now open! From April 1 to April 10, 2016, we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary and we are looking to you to help us make it our best yet.
Last year, we received 3,761 submissions from more than 120 countries across all 6 populated continents (sorry, Antarctica). Over 200 films featured in ATLFF '15 and 80% of those came from submissions! We are looking for groundbreaking works in narrative and documentary features, short films, experimental films, puppetry films, music videos and television pilots. In addition to our annual film festival, short films will also be considered for our year-round programs like Airport SHORTS or the Film Festival Collective OnDemand channel.
We accept submissions through both FilmFreeway and Withoutabox. To save money, consider submitting your completed film by the Earlybird Deadline on June 20. The Regular Deadline is September 18, the Late Deadline is set for October 23 and the Withoutabox Extended Deadline is November 6. Discounts are available for students and ATLFF members.
Films must comply with category requirements and filmmakers must complete the process and payment to be considered for ATLFF '16. We know you've got some great work, now let us help you show it off!