The 49th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will return in-person and virtually with a lineup of 132 selected works, including 24 World Premieres.
ATLANTA, GA (March 24, 2025) — The 49th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) revealed key programming highlights, including the full lineup of selected works from over 6,000 submissions. The 11-day film festival and educational conference will take place Thursday, April 24 through Sunday, May 4, 2025, with screenings primarily held at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta.
"In its 49th year, the Atlanta Film Festival is not only a global celebration of storytelling with 35 countries of origin represented in selections but also a powerful showcase of Atlanta's growing impact on the film industry. This year, we're especially excited to spotlight 40 films with ties to Georgia, including our Opening Night presentation of “Color Book,” which was shot entirely with a local Atlanta crew—demonstrating the incredible talent and creativity thriving right here in our city,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Festival. “It’s a thrilling time to be part of this vibrant, artistic community, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences back to the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre and further solidify Georgia as a hub for film and innovation.”
On Opening Night, Thursday, April 24, Atlanta's own film scene shines as “Color Book,” directed by Atlanta native David Fortune, kicks off the Marquee programming for the festival at the Plaza Theatre. This heartwarming story follows a father and his son with Down syndrome on their journey to an Atlanta Braves game. Recognized as one of Variety’s 2025 Directors to Watch, Fortune is expected to attend along with cast members Will Catlett and Jeremiah Alexander Daniels, who received an NAACP Image Award nomination for his work in the film.
In a Special Presentation, the documentary “The Games in Black & White” will debut at the festival on Saturday, April 26 at the Rialto Center for the Arts. It tells the story of University of Georgia football hero-turned Atlanta real estate attorney Billy Payne, who proposed bidding for the 1996 Olympics, and Mayor Andrew Young, the civil rights icon who supported the vision. Both are expected to attend the screening event. The documentary features over 40 prominent figures from Atlanta and beyond, including Olympians, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Martin Luther King III.
“We’re thrilled to present another edition of the Atlanta Film Festival, filled with bold, thought-provoking, and truly entertaining films. As always, our selection process is guided by a passion for discovering what’s next in cinema—films that will shape the future of storytelling,” said Jon Kieran, Programming Director, ATLFF, “This year’s lineup promises to leave audiences inspired, with a renewed sense of excitement for where the medium is headed.”
The 15th annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, returns Tuesday, April 29 - Friday, May 2, at the Tara Theatre. The Creative Conference offers educational programming for up-and-coming filmmakers and performers, festival goers and film lovers, and members of the greater community at large to learn from industry experts. There are approximately 36 in-person events and 10 virtual panels, for a total of 46 unique educational offerings, planned during the festival. The Creative Conference lineup announcement is forthcoming.
Atlanta Film Festival is presented by Rendezvous and will again offer a mix of in-person and virtual screenings. Screenings will be primarily held at the Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE) and The Tara Theatre (2345 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324), with additional screenings at events held at The Rialto, The Supermarket, and Scout Atlanta. Most official selections will be available to watch virtually following the in-person events; the virtual screenings and events will be presented via Eventive.
The full lineup of selected films is available for preview here. The schedule is expected to be released on Monday, March 24, and will be available atwww.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2025 app. Festival badges are on sale now, and individual screening tickets will be available starting Wednesday, March 26 here.
The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).
Applications for press credentials for ATLFF 2025 are now open and can be submitted here. Press materials and assets, including past press releases, logos, and film stills can be found here.
About Atlanta Film Festival
The Atlanta Film Festival is an Academy Award-qualifying festival and the area’s preeminent celebration of cinema. ATLFF is one of the largest and longest-running festivals in the country, welcoming an audience of over 28,000 to discover hundreds of new independent, international, animated, documentary, and short films, selected from 8000+ submissions from all over the world. It is also the most distinguished event in its class, recognized as Best Film Festival by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, 10Best, and Atlanta Magazine.
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. Major funding for ATLFS is provided by Rendezvous, the Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 Atlanta Film Festival.
Kyra Robinson
Junior Account Executive
Atlanta, GA
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