Atlanta Film Festival
Encyclopedia
The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is an Academy Award qualifying, international film festival
held in Atlanta, Georgia
. Started in 1976 and occurring every April, the festival shows a diverse range of independent films, including genre films such as horror and sci-fi. Since 2008, the festival has presented the Pink Peach, which is awarded to the best LGBTQ film as chosen by the Pink Peach jury. The Accountant
won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
in 2002 after qualifying at the 2001 Atlanta Film Festival.
As of 2007, the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
, in Atlanta's Midtown, serves as the official venue of the festival. The Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16 Theater
and The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State have served as official opening night venues in recent years.
gay film festival. In the Fall of 2008 the Atlanta Film Festival gave Out on Film to the LGBT
community. Out on Film became an independent, 501(c)(3) gay/lesbian operation.
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
held in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Started in 1976 and occurring every April, the festival shows a diverse range of independent films, including genre films such as horror and sci-fi. Since 2008, the festival has presented the Pink Peach, which is awarded to the best LGBTQ film as chosen by the Pink Peach jury. The Accountant
The Accountant (2001 film)
The Accountant is a 2001 short comedy film directed by Ray McKinnon. It won an Academy Award at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002 for Best Short Subject....
won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
This name for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film was introduced in 1974. For the three preceding years it was known as "Short Subjects, Live Action Films." The term "Short Subjects, Live Action Subjects" was used from 1957 until 1970. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate...
in 2002 after qualifying at the 2001 Atlanta Film Festival.
As of 2007, the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
Landmark Theatres
Landmark Theatres is the largest art house movie theater chain in the United States. It is owned by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner through their 2929 Entertainment. The chain shows mostly first run independent, foreign film, and restored classics though some Landmark theaters also show more mainstream...
, in Atlanta's Midtown, serves as the official venue of the festival. The Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16 Theater
Atlantic Station
Atlantic Station is a large brownfield redevelopment project at the northwestern edge of Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. Atlantic Station is being master developed by AIG Global Real Estate and local development partner Jacoby Development, Inc...
and The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State have served as official opening night venues in recent years.
Move to Landmark Midtown Art Cinema
In 2007, the festival partnered with the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema to centrally locate the festival to Midtown, dubbed the Heart of Atlanta’s Arts and home to a wide array of restaurants, bars and shops. Making the change allowed attending filmmakers and audience members more opportunities to interact and to attend the myriad of panels, screenplay readings, film discussions and parties that accompany the fest.Spin Off of Out on Film
For years the Atlanta Film Festival organization produced Atlanta's Out on FilmOut on Film
Out on Film, Atlanta, Georgia's gay film festival, was established in 1987 and is one of the oldest gay film festivals in the United States devoted to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The festival is now held in Midtown Atlanta in October to coincide with LGBT History Month...
gay film festival. In the Fall of 2008 the Atlanta Film Festival gave Out on Film to the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community. Out on Film became an independent, 501(c)(3) gay/lesbian operation.
Notable films that have played the festival
| Year | Films | |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Chicken Ranch Chicken Ranch (film) Chicken Ranch is a 1983 documentary film by Nick Broomfield about the famous legalised brothel, the Chicken Ranch, in Pahrump, Nevada.The documentary, which remains purely observational for the most part, depicts the prostitutes as likeable characters often looking for a way out of the remote... |
|
| 1993 | El Mariachi El Mariachi El Mariachi is a 1992 Mexican-American action film that is the debut of writer/director Robert Rodriguez. The Spanish language film was shot in the northern Mexican bordertown of Ciudad Acuña with a mainly amateur cast... |
|
| 2002 | West 47th Street | |
| 2004 | Primer Primer (film) Primer is a 2004 American science fiction drama film about the accidental discovery of a means of time travel. The film was written, directed, and produced by Shane Carruth and was completed on a budget of $7,000... , Control Room, Born into Brothels Born into Brothels Born into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids is a 2004 American documentary film about the children of prostitutes in Sonagachi, Kolkata's red light district... , Baadasssss! BAADASSSSS! BAADASSSSS! is a 2003 American biopic, written, produced, directed by, and starring Mario Van Peebles. The film is based on the struggles of Van Peebles' father Melvin Van Peebles , as he attempts to film and distribute Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, a film that was widely credited with showing... , Bomb the System Bomb the System Bomb the System is a drama film written and directed by Adam Bhala Lough, which was released to film festivals in 2002 and American theaters in 2005. It revolves around a group of graffiti artists living in New York City who decide to make a mark on the city, and stars Mark Webber, Gano Grills,... , Zatoichi Zatoichi is a fictional character featured in one of Japan's longest running series of films and a television series set in the Edo period. The character, a blind masseur and swordmaster, was created by novelist . This originally minor character was developed for the screen by Daiei Studios and actor... , Dirty Work Dirty Work - Films and television :*Dirty Work , a 1933 American comedy short starring comic duo Laurel and Hardy*Dirty Work , a 1934 British comedy film... , Dear Pillow |
|
| 2005 | Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a 2002 South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook which follows the character Ryu trying to earn enough money for his sister's kidney transplant and the path of vengeance that follows. It is the first part of The Vengeance Trilogy and is followed by Oldboy and... , The Puffy Chair The Puffy Chair The Puffy Chair is a 2005 comedy film written and directed by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass. It screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the 2005 SXSW Film Festival. It is considered part of the mumblecore movement... , Emmanuel's Gift Emmanuel's Gift Emmanuel's Gift is a 2005 documentary narrating the life of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a disabled man born in Ghana. It is narrated by Oprah Winfrey, and it follows Emmanuel as he attempts to overcome the stigma associated with physically disabled people in Ghana.... , The Boys of Baraka The Boys of Baraka The Boys of Baraka is a 2005 documentary film produced and directed by filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady . Twenty at-risk boys from Baltimore attend the seventh and eighth grades at a boarding school in Kenya. The documentary follows them in Kenya and in Baltimore, before and after attending... , Hustle & Flow Hustle & Flow Hustle & Flow is a 2005 independent drama film written and directed by Craig Brewer and produced by John Singleton. Terrence Howard stars as a Memphis hustler and pimp who faces his aspiration to become a rapper... , Me and You and Everyone We Know Me and You and Everyone We Know Me and You and Everyone We Know is a 2005 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Miranda July and stars July, John Hawkes, Miles Thompson, Brandon Ratcliff, Natasha Slayton, Najarra Townsend, Carlie Westerman, and JoNell Kennedy.-Plot:The structure of the film consists of... |
|
| 2006 | Quinceanera Quinceañera Quinceañera , sometimes called "Fiesta de quince años", "Fiesta de Quinceañera", "Quince años" or simply "quince", is the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America and elsewhere in communities of immigrants from Latin America... , Who Killed the Electric Car? Who Killed the Electric Car? Who Killed the Electric Car? is a 2006 documentary film that explores the creation, limited commercialization, and subsequent destruction of the battery electric vehicle in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the mid 1990s... , Factotum Factotum (film) Factotum is a 2005 film directed by Bent Hamer, adapted from the novel of the same name by Charles Bukowski. The script also makes use of poems published in What Matters Is How Well You Walk Through the Fire and The Days Run Aways Like Horses Over the Hill as well as some of Bukowski's notebook... , The Other Side |
|
| 2007 | The Signal The Signal The Signal may refer to:* The Signal , a Canadian radio program on CBC Radio Two* Signal, one of several Canadian newspapers* The Signal , a 2007 horror film* The Signal , 2007... , Hannah Takes the Stairs Hannah Takes the Stairs Hannah Takes the Stairs is a 2007 independent mumblecore film by Joe Swanberg.-Synopsis:The movie tells the story of Hannah, a recent college graduate living in Chicago who works as an intern at a production office, as she begins to develop crushes on Matt and Paul, two scriptwriters she works with... , Kamp Katrina, Blood Car Blood Car Blood Car is a 2007 black comedy film set in the not-too-distant future where gasoline prices have become exorbitant . Things take a turn for the worse when a kindergarten teacher invents a car that runs on a different fuel source: blood.-Plot:Archie Andrews is a vegan kindergarten teacher who... , Great World of Sound Great World of Sound Great World of Sound is a 2007 comedy film directed by Craig Zobel. Zobel won Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Awards and the film also won the Grand Jury Award at the Atlanta Film Festival.-Plot:... , Fay Grim Fay Grim Fay Grim is a 2006 film written and directed by Hal Hartley. The film is a sequel to Hartley's 1997 film Henry Fool, and revolves around the title character, played by Parker Posey, the sister of Simon Grim . The plot revolves around Fay's attempt to unravel an increasingly violent mystery in Europe... , The Last Days of Left Eye The Last Days of Left Eye The Last Days of Left Eye is a documentary directed by Lauren Lazin which premiered on VH1 and VH1 Soul on May 19, 2007. It is centered around the life, last days spent in spiritual retreat in Honduras, and April 25, 2002 accidental death of rapper/singer/actress Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes , featuring... , King of Kong, Murder Party Murder Party Murder Party is an American comedy-horror film directed by Jeremy Saulnier. It was shot in Brooklyn, New York. It was given the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival. -Plot:... , Away From Her Away From Her Away from Her is a 2006 Canadian film which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played in the Premier category at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival... , Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life, Killer of Sheep Killer of Sheep Killer of Sheep is a 1977 American film written, directed, produced and shot by Charles Burnett. It features Henry G. Sanders, Kaycee Moore, and Charles Bracy, among others. The drama depicts the culture of urban African-Americans in Los Angeles' Watts district... , August the First, La Vie En Rose La vie en rose "La Vie en Rose" was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.-Signature song of Édith Piaf:Édith Piaf first popularized La Vie en Rose in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" . Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song... , War/Dance War/Dance War/Dance is a 2007 American documentary film written and directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine and produced by Shine Global's Susan MacLaury, a professor at Kean University, and Albie Hecht... |
|
| 2008 | The Lena Baker Story The Lena Baker Story Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story is a 2008 film adaptation of the book by Lela Bond Phillips that chronicles the life and death of Lena Baker. It was written for the screen and directed by Ralph Wilcox. It was the sold out opening night premiere film for the 2008 Atlanta Film Festival... , Dance of the Dead Dance of the Dead (2008 film) Dance of the Dead is a 2008 American independent zombie comedy, directed by Gregg Bishop and written by Joe Ballarini. The film featured Jared Kusnitz, Greyson Chadwick, Chandler Darby, and Carissa Capobianco... , MAKE-OUT with VIOLENCE Make-out with Violence -Plot synopsis:The film tells the story of twin brothers Patrick and Carol Darling, newly graduated from high school and struggling to come to terms with the mysterious disappearance of their friend, the bright and beautiful Wendy Hearst... , Mongol, American Teen American Teen American Teen is a 2008 documentary film directed by Nanette Burstein and produced by 57th & Irving. It competed in the Documentary Competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Directing Award: Documentary... , At the Death House Door At the Death House Door At the Death House Door is a 2008 documentary film about Carroll Pickett, who served as the death house chaplain to the infamous "Walls" prison unit in Huntsville, Texas. It was produced and directed by the team of Steve James and Peter Gilbert... , The Visitor The Visitor (2008 film) The Visitor is a 2008 American drama film written and directed by Thomas McCarthy and produced by Michael London and Mary Jane Skalski. Executive producers were Jeff Skoll and Omar Amanat... , Land of Confusion Land of Confusion "Land of Confusion" is a rock song written by the band Genesis for their 1986 album Invisible Touch. The song was the third track on the album and was the fourth track from the album to become a single, which reached #4 in the US and #14 in the UK in early 1987. It made #8 in the Netherlands... , Nerdcore Rising Nerdcore Rising Nerdcore Rising is the official debut album by nerdcore rapper MC Frontalot. The album was first released on August 27, 2005 at the Penny Arcade Expo.... , My Effortless Brilliance, The Project The Project The Project can refer to:*The Project , an Australian talk show*The Project , a British drama... , The Cake Eaters The Cake Eaters The Cake Eaters is a 2007 American independent drama film about two small town families who must confront old issues with the return of one family's son. The film was directed by Mary Stuart Masterson and stars Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, and Jayce Bartok... , XXY |
|
| 2009 | 500 Days of Summer 500 Days of Summer Days of Summer is a 2009 comedy drama film. It was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, directed by Marc Webb, produced by Mark Waters, and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. The film employs a nonlinear narrative structure, with the story based upon its male protagonist... , The People Speak The People Speak (film) The People Speak is a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S... , Rudo y Cursi Rudo y Cursi Rudo y Cursi is a 2008 Mexican film starring Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal and Guillermo Francella. It is directed by Carlos Cuarón and produced by Cha Cha Cha Films... , That Evening Sun That Evening Sun (film) That Evening Sun is a 2009 film based on a 2002 short story I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down by William Gay. The movie, produced by Dogwood Entertainment, stars Hal Holbrook as Abner Meecham and is directed by Scott Teems who also wrote the screenplay... , Tyson, Moon Moon (film) Moon is a 2009 British science fiction drama film about a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the far side of the Earth's moon. It is the feature debut of director Duncan Jones. Sam Rockwell stars as the employee Sam Bell, and... , Beeswax, Alexander the Last, Art & Copy, Mississippi Damned, Neshoba Neshoba (film) Neshoba is an award winning documentary film about events and attitudes in Neshoba County, Mississippi, 40 years after the 1964 Mississippi civil rights workers murders.- Synopsis:... , Idiots & Angels, Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death A Matter of Loaf and Death A Matter of Loaf and Death is an animated television short created by Nick Park, and the fourth of his shorts to star his characters Wallace and Gromit... , Naturally Obsessed Naturally Obsessed Naturally Obsessed: the making of a scientist is a one hour documentary film that opens a view on the training of scientists and the process of discovery. Shot over three years’ time in the molecular biology laboratory of Dr... |
|
| 2010 | Winter's Bone Winter's Bone Winter's Bone is a 2010 American independent drama film, an adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's 2006 novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Debra Granik and stars Jennifer Lawrence... , The Square, 8: The Mormon Proposition 8: The Mormon Proposition 8: The Mormon Proposition is an American documentary written by Reed Cowan, directed by Cowan and Steven Greenstreet, and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. The film documents The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' involvement in the 2008 California Proposition 8... , Racing Dreams Racing Dreams (film) Racing Dreams is a 2009 documentary film directed by Marshall Curry. It follows two boys and one girl through a season of World Karting Association racing... , Horn Dog, Pigeon: Impossible, I Am Comic, Family Affair, 9500 Liberty, Cropsey, Putty Hill, American Jihadist, Yellowbrickroad, Handsome Harry, Freedom Riders, Godspeed, Wheedle's Groove |
|
| 2011 | Terri Terri (film) Terri is a 2011 independent comedy-drama film about the relationship between Terri, an oversized teen misfit, and the garrulous but well-meaning assistant school principal John C. Reilly who takes an interest in him... , Sahkanaga, The First Grader The First Grader The First Grader is a 2010 film directed by Justin Chadwick, starring Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo, and Tony Kgoroge, and based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, a Kenyan man who enrolled in elementary education at the age of 84 after the Kenyan government announced universal and free elementary... , White Irish Drinkers White Irish Drinkers White Irish Drinkers is a 2010 film directed by John Gray. It stars Nick Thurston and Geoffrey Wigdor.Brooklyn, 1975: two brothers looking for a way out of their working-class neighborhood make a pact to rob a local theater on the night of a Rolling Stones concert.The film premiered at the 2010... , Incendies Incendies Incendies is a 2010 Quebec film written and directed by Denis Villeneuve. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's play, Scorched, Incendies follows the journey of twin brother and sister as they attempt to unravel the mystery of their mother's life. The film premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals... , Young Goethe in Love Goethe! Goethe! is a German historical drama film directed by Philipp Stölzl and starring Alexander Fehling, Miriam Stein, and Moritz Bleibtreu... |
Grand Jury Narrative Award winners
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 1999 | The Double Life of Ernesto Gomez-Gomez |
| 2000 | Good Housekeeping |
| 2001 | Hybrid |
| 2002 | My Father, the Genius |
| 2003 | Zero Day |
| 2004 | Dear Pillow |
| 2005 | Most High Most High Most High is a 2004 film starred in, written by, and directed by Marty Sader. The film deals with the descent of the main character, Julius, into drug addiction.-Plot:The main character Julius loves helping people, so he works at a clinic... |
| 2006 | Pope Dreams Pope Dreams Pope Dreams is a 2006 film written and directed by Patrick Hogan. The film won five awards at various film festivals.-Tagline:"He's dealing with love... fighting with his dad... caring for mom... and making music... |
| 2007 | Great World of Sound Great World of Sound Great World of Sound is a 2007 comedy film directed by Craig Zobel. Zobel won Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Awards and the film also won the Grand Jury Award at the Atlanta Film Festival.-Plot:... |
| 2008 | MAKE-OUT with VIOLENCE Make-out with Violence -Plot synopsis:The film tells the story of twin brothers Patrick and Carol Darling, newly graduated from high school and struggling to come to terms with the mysterious disappearance of their friend, the bright and beautiful Wendy Hearst... |
| 2009 | That Evening Sun That Evening Sun (film) That Evening Sun is a 2009 film based on a 2002 short story I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down by William Gay. The movie, produced by Dogwood Entertainment, stars Hal Holbrook as Abner Meecham and is directed by Scott Teems who also wrote the screenplay... |
| 2010 | Putty Hill |
| 2011 | Prairie Love |
Grand Jury Documentary Award winners
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 2002 | West 47th Street |
| 2004 | Dirty Work |
| 2005 | The Boys of Baraka The Boys of Baraka The Boys of Baraka is a 2005 documentary film produced and directed by filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady . Twenty at-risk boys from Baltimore attend the seventh and eighth grades at a boarding school in Kenya. The documentary follows them in Kenya and in Baltimore, before and after attending... |
| 2006 | What Remains |
| 2007 | Protagonist Protagonist (film) Protagonist is a 2007 documentary film about the parallels between human life and Euripidean dramatic structure. The film was written and directed by Jessica Yu. It featured extensive interviews with German terrorist Hans-Joachim Klein, ex-gay Christian evangelist Mark Pierpont, Mexican bank robber... |
| 2008 | At the Death House Door At the Death House Door At the Death House Door is a 2008 documentary film about Carroll Pickett, who served as the death house chaplain to the infamous "Walls" prison unit in Huntsville, Texas. It was produced and directed by the team of Steve James and Peter Gilbert... |
| 2009 | The Way We Get By The Way We Get By The Way We Get By is a 2009 documentary film directed by Aron Gaudet and produced by Gita Pullapilly, about a group of senior citizens in Bangor, Maine who greet U.S. troops at the Bangor International Airport. The Way We Get By had its world premiere at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival,... |
| 2010 | Family Affair |
| 2011 | An African Election An African Election An African Election is a political documentary film of 2011 directed by Jarreth and Kevin Merz.-Synopsis:An African Election is a political documentary that exposes the never-before-seen, nitty-gritty of political electioneering in Africa... |
Pink Peach Feature Jury Award winners
| Year | Film |
|---|---|
| 2008 | XXY XXY (film) XXY is a 2007 Argentine film written and directed by Lucía Puenzo. The film stars Ricardo Darín, Valeria Bertuccelli, Inés Efron and Martín Piroyansky... |
| 2009 | Training Rules |
| 2010 | 8: The Mormon Proposition 8: The Mormon Proposition 8: The Mormon Proposition is an American documentary written by Reed Cowan, directed by Cowan and Steven Greenstreet, and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. The film documents The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' involvement in the 2008 California Proposition 8... |
| 2011 | Bear Nation |
Festival dates
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2007 | April 19-28 |
| 2008 | April 10-19 |
| 2009 | April 16-25 |
| 2010 | April 15-23 |
| 2011 | April 28-May 7 |
| 2012 | March 23 - April 1 |
External links
- Atlanta Film Festival website
- 2009 Site Hosted By B-Side website
- 2008 Site Hosted By B-Side website
- 2007 Site Hosted By B-Side website
- 2006 Site Hosted By B-Side website
- Out on Film