The Atlanta Film Festival is turning 50 and celebrating like it means it, rolling out a 154-film lineup and a multi-part program for its milestone edition. The 11-day in-person festival kicks off April 23 at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre and runs through May 3, followed by a virtual slate of selected titles from May 4 to 11. Programmers whittled the roster down from more than 5,500 submissions, mixing distributor-backed features with Georgia-made projects and work from emerging filmmakers. The golden-anniversary edition also leans into its past, with legacy screenings and the Creative Conference bringing panels and industry sessions into the mix.
Marquee titles and a high-profile return
At the top of the bill are new offerings from Lionsgate, Magnolia Pictures, Focus Features and Janus Films, including Rose of Nevada, Power Ballad, Obsession, I Want Your Sex and Caroline. The slate blends world and regional premieres with films that already have distributor support, giving Atlanta audiences a mix of discoveries and titles that are likely to land in theaters soon.
Filmmaker Mark Mori is also coming back to the festival with a special presentation of Baristas Vs. Billionaires, narrated by Susan Sarandon. “Bringing the story of this generational uprising of young workers to the 50th Annual Atlanta Film Festival is a true homecoming,” Mori said, as reported by WABE.
Fifty years and what it means
Now in its fifth decade, the Atlanta Film Festival remains one of the Southeast’s largest film events and is an Academy Award qualifying festival, according to the Atlanta Film Festival. Organizers say the anniversary programming includes legacy screenings that trace Atlanta's film history and salute the films and filmmakers that helped put the city on the cinematic map. Through the Creative Conference and industry sessions, the festival aims to keep building bridges between local filmmakers and distributors, mentors and peers.
How to see the films
Badges and individual tickets are already on sale, and the full film guide and schedule are live on the festival’s Eventive page. The complete lineup is available on Eventive, according to WABE. Attendees should check the schedule for screening times and details on Creative Conference registration.
