The 47th Annual Atlanta Film Festival & Creative Conference April 20 - April 30, 2023

It’s time for my favorite event in Atlanta, the Atlanta Film Festival! Chosen from over 10,000 submissions, the festival brings both feature and short films to Atlanta, including 17 Marquee screenings, 39 world premieres, and 155 creative works from around the world. The Atlanta Film Festival is an event film lovers won’t want to miss. ATLFF is presenting some of the best upcoming films that Hollywood has to offer, including movies from top studios and films, along with films from over 30 countries.

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 long-running festival has always been a distinguished event, recognized as one of the “Ten Best Film Festivals in the U.S.” by USA Today readers and one of the “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker Magazine.

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.

The Closing Night Presentation on Saturday, April 29th at the Rialto Center for the Arts is “Big Boss". The film is the remarkable true story of Keke Palmer, a young woman from Chicago who faces immense challenges in the male-dominated music industry. Written and directed by Keke herself, the film showcases her perseverance, self-love, unyielding faith, and indomitable spirit. Throughout her journey, Keke discovers that the greatest obstacle she must overcome is learning to trust her instincts. Keke Palmer will be in attendance for a conversation and extended Q&A.

Some highlights of the festival’s programming from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios include narrative features and documentaries that are sure to thrill, entertain and inform. “This World Is Not My Own” is 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” is 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 a poignant story of grief and hope, in which a teenage anti-hero goes on a desperate quest to cure death. “Still: A Michael J Fox Movie” is a film that incorporates documentary, archival and scripted elements, recounting 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.

In conjunction with Videodrome, Atlanta’s last video store, is the Atlanta premiere screening of a brand-new restoration of “Party Girl”, director Daisy 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.

The festival is also known for its short film categories and is one of the few festivals in the country that offer Academy Award-qualifying for all three short categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Animated.

The  Atlanta Film Festival IMAGE Film Awards Gala will be held at the Fox Theatre on Sunday, April 23rd. This year’s IMAGE Film Award honorees include President Jimmy Carter, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (2011-2019), Atlanta-based entertainment and technology company Trioscope, and BronzeLens Film Festival. The IMAGE Film Award on behalf of President Jimmy Carter will be accepted by a special guest soon to be announced. 

Additional award recipients include George R. R. Martin, honored with the Originator Award, which recognizes visionaries who are often imitated, never duplicated, and always responsible for setting new industry standards in the film industry. Keke Palmer, honored with the Ossie Davis Award, which recognizes creative excellence and dynamic contributions to the art of cinema, for her achievements across film, television, and music, all while bringing truth, vulnerability, and power to her roles. And Vincent D’Onofrio, honored with the Phoenix Award, which recognizes Vincent for his 20+ years of acting and now his directorial debut with “Night of the Cooters.”

The popular Creative Conference will be ongoing again at the festival, with workshops, panels, talks, and demos that will delve into the world of filmmaking, focusing on topics such as screenwriting, pitching, acting, producing, casting, funding, and distribution, and how they all come together to make a film or television episode. This will be the 13th year for the Creative Conference, offering over 25 in-person panel discussions, eight virtual panels, and in-depth conversations with industry experts from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

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 online. 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.

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 Magnificent Seven

My View:  The Magnificent Seven  (2016) PG-13  The small, western town of Rose Creek is under the clutches of industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard).  In desperation, the townspeople turn to employing seven outlaws, bounty hunters, and hired guns, to protect them. Against the odds, the seven gunfighters may win this battle, but, at what cost?  This film is a little bit of a letdown.  It’s too long and not enough of the characters, especially Bogue, the villain of the story, are terribly interesting or intriguing. I was disappointed especially in Chris Pratt’s performance which is very low key. I wanted him to be much more fun and over the top. Vincent D’Onofrio steals the movie as a bombastic trapper.  D’Onofrio looks like he is the only one in this film who is actually enjoying his part. I did get into the well-choreographed big fight sequence at the end, but it took way too long to get there.  The title of the film should have been The Ordinary Seven.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Magnificent Seven Facebook Page

Family Faire:  Queen of Katwe  (2016) PG The film follows the life of Phiona Mutesi (Madina Natwanga), a Ugandan chess prodigy from Katwe who becomes a Woman Candidate Master after her performances at World Chess Olympiads.  This film works because the film treats its subject with such a loving touch. The fact that this is a true story makes it all the more uplifting and impressive. It’s a charming and inspirational film that will have you rooting for the underdog, a young woman with an extraordinary skill and an impressive drive to be the best. It’s a movie you can take your whole family to (though young kids will be bored at times) and enjoy this extraordinary and moving tale of triumph over unbelievable odds.   My Rating:  Full Price   Queen of Katwe Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Tanna  (2015)  Set in the South Pacific, Wawa, is a young girl from one of the last traditional tribes. She falls in love with the chief’s grandson, but, when an inter-tribal war starts up, she may be wed to a rival group to make the peace.  The young lovers must decide to run away or put their love of their tribe ahead of their love for each other.  This is a beautiful looking film, but unfortunately, the film isn’t a documentary but a fictional work about two star-crossed lovers. The film is slowly paced and spends much of its time following the day to day operations of the tribe, making the film seem almost like a travelogue rather than a touching love story.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Tanna Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Author: The JT LeRoy Story  (2016)  R  JT Leroy was the hit of the literary world. Having lived a life of prostitution, drug addiction, and vagrancy, he hit the literary scene with a series of articles and his first novel, “Sarah.” Then it was discovered that JT LeRoy wasn’t a real person but the creation of author Laura Albert. This documentary explores this fascinating story.  This is an improbable and absurd story that, if you made it into a fictional narrative, you wouldn’t believe that it could happen. The film is greatly enhanced by all the phone calls that Albert recorded (most apparently, without their knowledge), including those with celebrities such as singer Tom Waits, director Gus Van Sant, singer Courtney Love and even U2 lead singer Bono. Through those phone calls, we see just how much everyone that “JT” talked to wanted to believe that he was real. The web of lies that Albert weaves is immense and goes on far longer than you think it could. This is one of the most engaging and engrossing film I have seen in quite a while and should not be missed.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Author: The JT LeRoy Story Website

Indiefest:  Goat  (2016)  R  After getting over a terrifying assault during the summer, 19-year-old Brad (Ben Schnetzer) starts college.  His older brother, Brett (Nick Jonas), is in a fraternity and very popular on campus. Brett talks Brad into pledging to his fraternity and what happens during “Hell Week” will change both their lives forever. I have never been a fan of fraternities and this film just reaffirms my dislike. That being said, this is an intense and scintillating film that explores a young man’s attempt to deal with the attack while all the while enduring the hazing of the frat. Schnetzer gives an impressive performance as the damaged Brad, creating a character that seems to observe more than participate. Nick Jonas, as the protective and much cooler brother, is perfect in the role. Goat is an engaging and thought-provoking film. You might not want to pledge, but you will want to know what happens to Brett and Brad.  My Rating:  Full Price   Goat Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  One False Move  (1992)  R  A trio of criminals (Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Beach, Cynda  Williams) commit a string of murders in L.A. to grab a large batch of drugs.  They intend to sell the drugs in Houston but end up in a small town in Arkansas on the run.  A local Chief of Police (Bill Paxton) is aided by two L.A. cops (Jim Metzler, Earl Billings), and the chief is hell bent on taking the trio down.  Bill Paxton is brilliant as the small town chief who is smarter than he looks. The plot is tense and builds to a violent and well-crafted ending. The film takes plenty of twists and turns with a big one at the end that you won’t see coming.  My Rating:  Full Price    One False Move Info  

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Magnificent Seven:  Mechanical Design: Mechanical Horse

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Loving  (2016) PG-13   Richard and Mildred Loving (Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton), an interracial couple are sentenced to prison in Virginia in 1958 for the crime of getting married to each other. The film has been the talk of film festivals and was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.   Loving Info

Until Next Time!