Celebrating its 43rd year, the Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) runs through the weekend, culminating with a presentation of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” Season 8 premiere at the Plaza Theatre on Sunday night. The festival started on April 4th and will close out Sunday with a wrap party for festival badge holders following Game of Thrones.
The festival is an opportunity for local and independent filmmakers to both showcase their work and network with peers on a number of topics related to the industry. Seminars or sessions on budgeting, screenwriting, cinematography and many more were also on offer for budding filmmakers.
“In our 43 years, we have made enormous strides in providing not only top-notch film programming, but also hosting special presentations and educational events that enrich Atlanta’s film and arts community,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the ATLFF. “Year after year, we are even more thrilled to showcase our remarkable slate of films and welcome exceptional filmmakers into Atlanta’s booming film industry, which has no doubt grown each year in tandem with the festival.”
One of many popular events during the festival is Food on Film, which this year featured the documentary “The Biggest Little Farm” and featured an after party catered by Decatur-based Farm Burger, “paying homage to the sustainable practices demonstrated in the film. The film follows a couple attempting to transform a dilapidated property outside of Los Angeles into a diverse, eco-friendly farm.
In total, there are more than 180 films screened during the 10 days of the festival. A record-breaking 8.414 films were submitted for consideration, nearly 1,000 more than 2018. Besides feature-length films, the festival also showcases short films, special presentations and creative media, including an array of music videos, virtual reality and episodic pilots. Out of these selected films, 20 percent of them were Georgia-based or Georgia born – further cementing Georgia’s role as a powerhouse of the entertainment industry.
Opening night of the festival featured “The Farewell,” written by writer-director Lulu Wang, with the screenplay based on her real-life experiences. The film stars Awkwafina, known for Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s 8, and follows a Chinese family and their process of saying goodbye to their grandmother following a terminal diagnosis.
Georgia native Walton Goggins is the star of the concluding film on Saturday night, “Them That Follow.” Also starring Academy Award winner Olivia Colman, the film takes a look at the snake handling community in deep Appalachia.
The Game of Thrones closer is a special treat this year for festival goers and fans of the show, although the screening is free to the public. In years past, HBO and ATLFF have teamed up to bring fans exclusive experiences and special sneak previews of season premiere episodes. Costumes for the screening are encouraged, but weapons – even Oathkeeper or Needle – of the real or prop variety will not be allowed.
