Don't miss a Double Feature of 1984 classics "The Terminator" and "Purple Rain" at The Plaza this Saturday!
This Saturday, The Plaza Theatre Foundation is hosting a 30th anniversary double feature of "The Terminator" and "Purple Rain" to serve as the official launch party for the organization.
This Saturday, we're gonna party like it's 1984. The Plaza Theatre Foundation is hosting a 30th anniversary double feature of "The Terminator" and "Purple Rain" to serve as the official launch party for the organization.
What better way to make their presence known than with a series of special screenings! The Class of 1984 series celebrates some of the biggest and best films from thirty years ago. This double feature kicks things off, but next month, we will see "Romancing the Stone" on the big screen, followed by "Gremlins" in December.
The Terminator
Directed by James Cameron
7:30PM
Purple Rain
Directed by Albert Magnoli
9:30PM
The bar is open and just like in 1984, tickets are only $3.50 each (additional donations accepted). Atlanta Film Festival and Plaza Theatre Foundation members get in free! Use the email address associated with your membership as the discount code to register your free ticket. Free tickets are limited, so act fast!
"Pump" to Screen at The Plaza Theatre for One Week Only—Starts This Friday!
"Pump"—an inspiring, eye-opening documentary that tells the story of America’s addiction to oil—will screen in Atlanta from October 24th through October 30th at The Plaza Theatre.
"Pump" is an inspiring, eye-opening documentary that tells the story of America’s addiction to oil, from Standard Oil’s illegal tactics to the monopoly oil companies enjoy today. The film explains clearly and simply how we can end this monopoly—and finally win choice at the pump.
Today gasoline is our only option for transportation fuel. With global demand surging, and with no other alternative, our dependence on gasoline has drained our wallets, increased air pollution and sent our sons and daughters to fight in faraway lands to protect the flow of oil. "Pump" shows us how making a variety of replacement fuels widely available to consumers will reduce fuel prices across the board. Diversifying the market with replacement fuels that are cheaper, cleaner and American made will also create jobs, strengthening the economy at home and promoting stability abroad.
"Pump" features experts like John Hofmeister, former President of Shell Oil Co.; Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, Inc.; Peter Goldmark, former president of the Rockefeller Foundation; and other noteworthy figures who share their passionate views and knowledge.
Right now we have the ability to change our country’s future, but oil companies will fight to protect the status quo and keep prices high.
If you’re tired of being taken for a ride, go see "Pump." Let’s drive the conversation toward fuel choice in America.
"Pump" will screen in Atlanta from October 24th through October 30th at The Plaza Theatre at 5:30pm and 7:00pm, daily.
Don't miss the first ever VICE screening in Atlanta! "Fishing Without Nets" shows at The Plaza on October 9th
Award-winning Sundance selection "Fishing Without Nets" screens at The Plaza on Thursday, October 9th at 9:30 PM as part of VICE's first ever Atlanta screening. Tickets available now.
Shot in East Africa using Somali non-actors, "Fishing Without Nets" tells the mesmerizing and sobering story of maritime bandits from the Somali point of view. First-time feature filmmaker Cutter Hodierne combines the epic cinematic vision of a glorious action-thriller with intimate, textured qualities of an art film, humanizing the pirates by bringing us inside their moral dilemmas and gut-wrenching struggles.
The movie won the Directing Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and is based on a short film of the same name which took home the Grand Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
“Fishing Without Nets” exemplifies Vice’s commitment to immersive investigative journalism, explaining why the acclaimed organization funded Hodierne to return to Somalia and turn his award winning short into a feature length film.
Vice represents an international network of media channels dedicated to the frank discussion of topics in news, art, and culture. Originally founded as a magazine, Vice has expanded to become Vice Media and now includes a website, film production company, record label, a publishing imprint, and an in-house creative services agency. The offbeat culture at Vice can be distinguished by a disdain and subsequent disregard for the conventions and politics that bog down mainstream media sources.
The Atlanta Film Festival is partnering with Vice to bring this haunting story to audiences in the ATL with an exclusive screening of "Fishing Without Nets." Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to see an exceptional film presented by Vice and The Atlanta Film Festival in a first-time partnership at The Plaza Theatre on October 9th at 9:30 PM.
Get your tickets now! ATLFF members, be on the lookout for a email showing how you can get tickets for only $8!
WonderRoot is back—Get your local film fix at The Plaza next Thursday!
Come check out our latest local short film selections at WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series! All filmmaker participants receive a fee waiver to submit to the Atlanta Film Festival.
Come check out our latest local short film selections at WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series, Thursday, September 25th, at 9:30pm at The Plaza Theatre! Tickets are $10.
WonderRoot received a bevy of amazing submissions and is excited to screen these ten films:
- Vessels as Shadows by Alex Zhuravlov and Arkia Jahani
- Dog Hears Helicopter by Aj Holder
- Verloren by Jennifer Hancock
- Wheelchair Sicko Supreme by Joshua Winters
- The Grey Area by Ebony Blanding/ House of June
- Honor the Father by Christopher Tevebaugh
- The Leaping Place by Michelle Ionescu
- Dry Ice In My Spine by Casey Duran
- Backtrack by Kristina Adler, Jump Cut Collective
- Avengers Assemble The Series: Apuppetclypse Now! by new Puppet Order
Congratulations to all the filmmakers!
Proceeds go towards paying submission fees for the Jury Prize Winner to submit to outside film festivals. All participating filmmakers will receive a fee waiver to submit their short to the Atlanta Film Festival.
Special Guest Juror Jim Farmer from Out On Film.
Farm Burger presents HAMBURGER AMERICA screening & tasting event!
As you may know from our regular Eat, Drink & B-Indie gatherings or our recent Food on Film event at the 2014 Festival, at ATLFF we’re always game for a social gathering – especially if it involves victuals and visuals. So when Farm Burger approached us with the concept for “Meat Up at the Movies,” how could we say no?
As you may know from our regular Eat, Drink & B-Indie gatherings or our recent Food on Film event at the 2014 Festival, at ATLFF we’re always game for a social gathering – especially if it involves victuals and visuals. So when Farm Burger approached us with the concept for “Meat Up at the Movies,” how could we say no?
Here’s an update from the folks at Farm Burger - we think they say it best.
Here we are almost two thirds through the year and we realized we have yet to have a farm burger event. Time to plan something new and different. Farmers dinner - done that. Block party - done that. Beer dinner - done that. Dinner and a movie - now that is something different. (We like new and different).
We came up with a “Meat up at the Movies” event. Not just any movie, but Hamburger America, an iconic documentary about hamburgers. Keeping in the iconic spirit, we decided that what better place to host our movie then the Plaza Theatre. And, just for fun, we are bringing in the filmmaker and burger expert himself, George Motz. With grills in hand, Farm Burger will arrive at the Plaza to cook and serve grassfed burgers during the film. Yes, you drool over the burgers featured in the film and eat it at the same time. That’s our interpretation of Dinner and a Movie. Local beer, popcorn and movie treats will be available as well. Come join us for our well-overdue 2014 Farm Burger event. Get your tickets here, it’s a small theatre so don’t delay!
The details:
On September 9, Farm Burger will pay tribute to one of America’s favorite food documentaries by hosting a 10th Anniversary screening of Hamburger America and a tasting event in conjunction with The Atlanta Film Festival. George Motz, the documentary’s creator and America’s foremost hamburger expert will be in attendance to guide guests as they watch the film and taste burger samples provided by Farm Burger.
The screening will take place at Midtown’s iconic Plaza Theatre, located at 1049 Ponce de Leon Avenue. While guests view the film, Farm Burger will pass out samples of two of the burgers included in the film, the Green Chile Burger and Goober Burger topped with soft peanut butter. Following the screening, a third sample of the Butter Burger will be served in the lobby. George Motz will lead a Q&A session after the film and his book, “Hamburger America,” will be available for purchase and signing.
Hamburger America was released in 2005, and tells the story of eight unique hamburger joints across the country and the people behind the burgers. The film is a celebration of American entrepreneurism, nostalgia and family-run business and has received praise from outlets including The New York Times, The New York Post and Saveur. The film was also nominated for a James Beard Award in 2006. Since the release of the film, George Motz has received three New York Emmy awards and co-founded the Food Film Festival.
See you at the Movies!
Fri & Sat: Mountainfilm on Tour ATL. It's about adrenaline. It's about the planet. It's about you.
Tonight and tomorrow at the Plaza: Mountainfilm on Tour ATL 2014. Even if you see it you might still not believe it.
Tonight and tomorrow at the Plaza: Mountainfilm on Tour ATL 2014.
Ever watched an 11-year old girl shatter climbing records? We got that.
How about an old-school cowboy and a buffalo stampede? We got that too.
(Come talk to the cowboy for yourself, he'll be there.)
Come to think of it, there are a lot of sights on display at Mountainfilm on Tour ATL that you just won't see anywhere else. You can get a taste of them in the trailer below.
It all kicks off Friday night with our opening night set of short films featuring 14.c, the story of teenaged climber Kai Lightner. (Lightner is scheduled to attend.)
Saturday morning we'll kick things off for the wee ones with our Kidz Kino program, with the ever-extraordinary Captain Planet keeping things lively.
On Saturday night things end on a high note with our Closing Night block of shorts, featuring WWII veteran fly-fishing film Mending the Line and buffalo-herding cowboy tale Duke and the Buffalo. Local World War II veteran Carl Beck will be in attendance for Mending the Line, and Duke Phillips himself will be there to answer questions about life as a bison herder.
Buy a pass and enjoy all three shows with complimentary drinks included! We’ll have singers, drummers, door prizes (who wants to win a kayak?), and a whole lot more.
What the heck is a “Mountainfilm?” This amazing trailer is the best answer we can give.
Mountainfilm on Tour ATL is a little hard to describe in one sentence, but if you check out this trailer you’ll see what we see: a special film event that you won’t want to miss.
One of our biggest events of the “off season” is Mountainfilm on Tour ATL. MfoTATL, as we like to jokingly abbreviate it, is a celebration of the outdoors, the spirit of adventure, and the preservation of our planet. It’s a little hard to describe in one sentence, but if you check out this trailer you’ll see what we see: a special film event that you won’t want to miss.
Get your tickets for Mountainfilm on Tour ATL here.
Special thanks to AJ Holder for his re-edit of the original Mountainfilm teaser (edited by Ben Knight with music by Ryan Taubert) to include the films that will play at Mountainfilm on Tour ATL.
The films included in the trailer are:
Love on the Tetons
Mending The Line
Valhalla (Forest Segment)
The Balloon High-line
Stars over Lofoten
Light Goes On
Into The Mind (Bella Coola)
Dubai: A Skier's Journey
Duke and The Buffalo
Dream
Caliber Truck Co Featuring Tyler Howell
Learn more about them at the Mountainfilm on Tour ATL web site.
Pan African Film Festival returns to Atlanta this weekend
The historic Plaza Theater will be the site of the 2014 Pan African Film Festival Atlanta, featuring 40+ films and a bevy of African-American film industry talent.
The historic Plaza Theater will be the site of the 2014 Pan African Film Festival Atlanta, featuring 40+ films and a bevy of African-American film industry talent. Over at Shadow and Act, Tambay A. Obenson has an in-depth writeup of the event.
In its 17th year of presenting films to the Atlanta community, PAFF is kicking off this year’s festival with actor and political activist Danny Glover in the Opening Night Atlanta Premiere of director Deon Taylor’s “Supremacy” on Thursday, August 7th at 7:25pm. Glover, who stars in the racially fueled dramatic thriller, has been generating award season buzz for his performance and will be attending the film’s premiere along with Taylor.
Additional film showings include the PBS documentary special "Freedom Summer," the critically acclaimed "Of Good Report" from South Africa, TV One’s new feature film "Grown Girl Getaway," and, in partnership with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, a special Closing Night Special Presentation of the 2014 British drama, "Belle" with director Amma Asante, on Sunday, August 10th at 5:40pm. Award-winning filmmaker and Spelman Professor Ayoka Chenzira will be in conversation with Asante immediately following the "Belle" screening. There will be a pre-screening reception for "Belle" at 2:30pm, featuring Dr. Gerald Horne at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The Closing Night is sponsored by Fox Home Entertainment.
Tickets and passes may be purchased online at PAFF.org or at the door.
BREAKING BAD’s Aaron Paul stars in HELLION, starting Friday at Plaza
When motocross and heavy metal obsessed, thirteen-year-old, Jacob's increasing delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother, Wes, with his aunt, Jacob and his emotionally absent father, Hollis, must finally take responsibility for their actions and for each other in order to bring Wes home.
Writer/director Kat Candler’s HELLION paints the powerful portrait of a family on the brink of dissolution set against the haunting backdrop of the refineries of Southeast Texas.
Obsessed with heavy metal, dirt bike racing and partaking in the occasional act of vandalism with his band of delinquents, the behavior of 13-year-old Jacob Wilson (Josh Wiggins in his feature film debut) has begun to raise concerns around town, especially when it starts to involve his younger brother Wes (newcomer Deke Garner). While the boys’ father Hollis (two-time Emmy Award-winner Aaron Paul) loves his sons, he is still reeling from the loss of their mother, spending more time drowning his sorrows at the local bar and working on his damaged beach house than being an active parent.
When the local authorities catch wind of the increasingly volatile situation, Wes is taken into custody by his Aunt Pam (Academy Award nominee Juliette Lewis), leaving Jacob and Hollis to fend for themselves. In Wes’ absence, Jacob becomes increasingly obsessed with two things: winning a local motocross championship and getting his brother back.
With a scorching central performance by Wiggins and heart-wrenching raw turns by Paul and Lewis, HELLION is impossible to shake. Executive Produced by Jeff Nichols (MUD) and Sarah Green (THE TREE OF LIFE).
Featuring music by Metallica, Whiplash, The Sword, Lucero and Toxic Holocaust.
Some words from critics:
“Lyrical doesn’t have to be quiet and atonal. With Hellion, Kat Candler proves heavy metal works too… Hellion is beautiful and harrowing. [Wiggins] is a revelation, reminiscent of a teenage Leonardo DiCaprio in his breakout role in This Boy’s Life.”– Lindsey Bahr, Entertainment Weekly
“An artful exploration of small-town America’s working poor that packs a real emotional punch.”– Scott Foundas, Variety
“The ability to write and direct in this way is something I don’t see enough of in independent film, and it marks Candler as not just a filmmaker to watch, but one who’s landed, and is here to take us along for the ride with her.”– Kim Voynar, Movie City News
“Boasts a stunning breakthrough performance from newcomer Josh Wiggins.”– Peter Debruge, Variety
“This film, and breakout star Wiggins, will break your heart… Filled with insightful writing and directing by Kat Candler that really gets to the heart of father-son-relationships.”– Erin La Rosa, BuzzFeed
Homespun returns this month to highlight Atlanta's most unique characters
Created by ATLFF Filmmakers in Residence Jon Watts & Brantly Watts, Homespun is a curated series of short documentary films profiling unique individuals around the metro Atlanta area. This installment features three subjects who live on the outskirts of our society. Arguably one of the best local film screenings of the year, this is an event you don’t want to miss.
Created by ATLFF Filmmakers in Residence Jon Watts & Brantly Watts, Homespun is a curated series of short documentary films profiling unique individuals around the metro Atlanta area. Partnered by the Atlanta Film Festival, the series features local filmmakers who highlight the characters and neighborhoods that give Atlanta its distinctive culture. Through these individual character studies, Atlanta will be revealed as the Homespun phenomenon it has become.
This installment of Homespun celebrates imagery in Atlanta. Featuring three subjects who live on the outskirts of our society, these films challenge viewers to find beauty in the places and the characters of our city that are often dismissed. In addition to the films and Q&As with the award-winning filmmakers, a special mobile gallery exhibit will follow the screening from We Love ATL that has been curated specifically for the Homespun audience. Arguably one of the best local film screenings of the year, this is an event you don’t want to miss.
Films in this installment:
Thomas Bennett
Directed by Nathan Honnold
Thomas Bennett is a hymn-singing Vietnam War veteran with a love for costume jewelry and war medals. An intimate and empathetic portrait of a man who lives on the fringes of our society, “Thomas Bennett” promises to elicit both compassion and intrigue from its viewers.
Adrian
Directed by John Merizalde
Adrian is a teenager who lives in “The Bluff", a neighborhood in northwest Atlanta notorious for drugs and violence. This short is a tone poem documentary that attempts to capture an essence of Adrian and what it's like living in his neighborhood.
Tommy (World Premiere)
Directed by John Merizalde
Tommy Nease is a free spirit—equal parts vagrant, photographer, and philosopher. His artwork is critically acclaimed and has been featured in both local and international galleries. Tommy lives by his own rules, creating art and traversing the world through any means - be it walking, hitchhiking, or even train-hopping. Utilizing some of his own personal footage, this short documentary attempts to piece together a portrait of a young artist that lives on the fringes of our society.
About the Filmmakers:
Nathan Honnold is an emerging local Atlanta film director with a degree in film and video from Georgia State University. His films have premiered at South by Southwest Film Festival and the Atlanta Film Festival. His latest film "Thomas Bennett" won the jury prize for Best Documentary Short at the 2014 Atlanta Film Festival.
John Merizalde is a 24 year-old director from Atlanta, Georgia. His work has been screened both nationally and internationally at various festivals including the Atlanta Film Festival and the Cannes Short Film Corner. In 2011 he co-directed an international feature documentary about sex trafficking and slavery entitled "Freedom", which helped raise millions of dollars in aid. His music videos have been featured on Vimeo Staff Picks, VEVO, MTV and more, where they have amassed millions of combined views.