The Atlanta Film Festival has announced the lineup for its landmark 50th anniversary event.
The 50th Atlanta Film Festival and its corresponding Creative Conference will take place from April 23 – May 3 at the Plaza and Tara Theatres, according to a press release. Screenings of select films will be available virtually from May 4-11.
To celebrate 50 years, the film festival will present a selection of legacy screenings of films that have helped shape Atlanta’s film landscape. These events will often include special guests like James Ponsoldt, who will appear alongside a screening of his 2013 film “The Spectacular Now.” Ponsoldt, who is from Athens, was among the first cohort of Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition winners. Julie Dash will also appear alongside her 1991 film “Daughters of the Dust,” which was filmed in the Sea Islands of Georgia.
Craig Zobel, who grew up in Atlanta and is known for movies like “The Hunt” and “Z for Zachariah,” will screen his 2007 breakthrough “Great World of Sound.” Filmmaker, actor and Georgia native Ray McKinnon will appear alongside a screening of his 2001 short film “The Accountant.”
“Reaching our 50th anniversary is both a celebration and a reflection of the creative community that has blossomed alongside the Atlanta Film Festival,” Christopher Escobar, executive director of the Atlanta Film Festival, said in the release. “This year’s programming honors that legacy while also looking ahead–spotlighting bold new choices, groundbreaking stories, and the next generation of storytellers and filmmakers shaping the future of the industry.”
The festival will program 154 films this year. Marquee screenings include Gregg Araki’s new film “I Want Your Sex,” which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; “Power Ballad” from director John Carney, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas; and “The Brittany Greiner Story,” director Alex Stapleton’s documentary about basketball star Greiner’s detention in Russia.
This is the festival’s 16th year holding its Creative Conference, an educational programming series for filmmakers. This year, the conference will feature 36 in-person and 14 virtual events including panels, workshops, and presentations.
The full schedule of films can be found on the Atlanta Film Festival’s website. Additional programming, including the full lineup for the Creative Conference, will be announced in the coming weeks. Festival badges and individual tickets are also on sale online.