Atlanta Film Festival

MASTERS OF FILM

COMMUNITY | SCREENINGS | CLASSES | WORKSHOPS | JUDGING

2018 Atlanta

Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) is one of the oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the promotion and education of film in the United States. ATLFS aims TO unite the Atlanta community by serving artists in creative growth and inspiring audiences through the power of the moving image, Enriching the community through screenings, classes, workshops and other events year-round, the chief operation of ATLFS is the Atlanta Film Festival.

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Believe it or not, the Atlanta Independent Film & Video Festival began in the bathhouses of Piedmont Park in the spring of 1977. It was hot, it was stuffy, it was strange—it was amazing. “It was the first time the bathhouse had been used as anything but a bathhouse. So there we were, showing these films and videotapes in a place that smelled like old tennis shoes,” recalls Gayla Jamison, a founding member of IMAGE’s board of directors and its first executive director from 1977 to 1980.

The atmosphere could have used some improvement, but the energy was electric.

In the late 1960s, the Atlanta International Film Festival was born, playing early works from the likes of Steven Spielberg. It took place annually in August, making use of Atlanta’s famous fiery hot summers and equally fiery phoenix iconography—the same that we still use today in our laurels and trophies.

Unfortunately, the Atlanta International Film Festival was dissolved by the mid-1970s, then just a couple of years following Georgia’s first homegrown blockbuster, “Deliverance,” and the subsequent establishment of the Georgia Film Office by then-governor Jimmy Carter.

But considering Georgia’s budding film industry and the now lack of a centralized festival or an educational institution dedicated to film in Atlanta, it came as no surprise that a group of scrappy, independent filmmakers and film lovers gathered together and founded The IMAGE Film & Video Center in 1976.

IMAGE—an acronym for Independent Media Artists of Georgia, Etc.—was both a labor of love and an outgrowth of the need for equipment access, networking, information dissemination, and support among Georgia media artists and producers. IMAGE was the first media arts center in the state of Georgia. Less than a year after doors opened, IMAGE launched the Atlanta Independent Film & Video Festival in those stinky Piedmont Park bathhouses on May 14, 1977 and the rest was history.

Gold was struck at the third annual Atlanta Independent Film & Video Festival in 1979. A young, Atlanta-born, Brooklyn-bred student named Spike Lee submitted his first ever film titled “Last Hustle in Brooklyn.” Lee had been taking film classes at Clark Atlanta University while he worked on his degree in mass communication at Morehouse.

It was after his Atlanta Independent Film & Video Festival world premiere screening that Lee decided he wanted to be a filmmaker. In 1982, we screened the film that won him a Student Academy Award, “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.” Today, Spike Lee is a two-time Academy Award-nominee and a global icon.

In 1984, the festival’s name was truncated to Atlanta Film & Video Festival, and again in 2002 to the Atlanta Film Festival.

While the name changed several times over the years, the quest for discovery and drive to showcase innovative new voices never did. In 1980, the festival screened the feature film debut of Victor Nunez, “Gal Young ‘Un.” The film was critically acclaimed and Nunez would go on to direct several features, all of which would screen in Atlanta—including 1997’s Oscar-nominated “Ulee’s Gold.”

In 1987, the Atlanta Film & Video Festival became a different type of pioneer and created Out on Film, the first LGBT film festival in the state. After operating Out on Film for more than two decades, the festival was spun out on its own in 2008, becoming one of the largest and oldest LGBT festivals in the country. Now the AFF designates LGBT films are designated as Pink Peach entries.

In the 1990s, several acclaimed filmmakers saw their debut works screen at the Atlanta Film Festival prior to seeing immense career success in the following years. In 1991, Stephen Gyllenhaal’s Georgia-lensed “Paris Trout” opened up the festival before going on to receive five Emmy Award nominations. In 1993, Robert Rodriguez stormed Atlanta with his breakthrough film “El Mariachi.” 1994 brought us “Spanking the Monkey,” our Opening Night presentation from writer-director David O. Russell, who has since gone on to be nominated for five Academy Awards for mammoth hit films like “The Fighter,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle.”

Throughout the 2000s, winds of change blew through both the organization and the independent film world. In addition to the final name change to Atlanta Film Festival and the spinning off of Out on Film, IMAGE experienced changes and leadership as well as a renewed effort in the membership program and educational offerings year-round.

In the indie film community, women filmmakers and more ethnically diverse voices began to rise to prominence. At the Atlanta Film Festival, an emphasis on female directors started to come into focus with works like Miranda July’s “Me and You and Everyone We Know” in 2005, Tina Mabry’s “Mississippi Damned” in 2009 and Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone” in 2010. In 2012, the New Mavericks program was born out of a short film block, shining a bright spotlight on female-directed films with a strong female lead. There were well over 40 films with the New Mavericks designation and over 50 percent of all official selections were directed by women.

Unique indie voices like David Gordon Green, Joe Swanberg and James Ponsoldt would also come into mainstream view in the 2000s, after their early works were featured at the Atlanta Film Festival. Ponsoldt—who is Athens, Georgia-born—was among the very first winners of the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition in 2008, years before his feature films would win awards at Sundance. Additionally, several ATLFF films would go on to receive Oscar nominations and wins, such as Zana Briski & Ross Kauffman’s “Born Into Brothels” in 2004, Craig Brewer’s “Hustle & Flow” in 2005, Olivier Dahan’s “La Vie en Rose” and Sean Fine & Andrea Nix’s “War Dance” in 2007, Tom McCarthy’s “The Visitor” in 2009 and Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone” in 2010.

In 2002, Georgia-born Ray McKinnon won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film after his film, “The Accountant,” qualified for the award by winning the Narrative Short Jury Prize the 2001 Atlanta Film Festival. Since then, McKinnon has starred in and created several renowned works, including his acclaimed television series “Rectify,” which had its world premiere at the 2013 festival.

After six years of using Landmark Midtown Art Cinema as the main festival venue, the festival moved the base of its operations to the historic Plaza Theatre in 2013. Additionally, venues such as 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points, Hiland Theater, Dad’s Garage, Druid Hills Presbyterian have also been a primary venues for films and workshops since then, making the Atlanta Film Festival a largely walkable event for the last six years.

From its inception as IMAGE and through four decades of venue changes and several name changes, the community focus and year-round programming remained the same. In 2015, we became known as the Atlanta Film Society to better reflect our work throughout the year, in addition to the annual festival.

In the last several years, we’ve seen the number of submissions grow from less than 2,000 to more than 7,600 in 2018. We’ve seen festival attendance rise from 15,000 to more than 27,000. We are so grateful to the local filmmaker and film lover communities for helping us continue to build on this momentum.

For over a century, our city has been a threshold of both business and the arts. Combine this reputation with the immortality of our phoenix spirit, and you have the Atlanta we’re proud to call home. We smile when someone calls Atlanta ‘the Hollywood of the South,’ but truth be told, we’re building a powerhouse all our own. Atlanta is currently in the top three for number of productions in the nation and that number keeps growing. This calls to mind the diversity of the city and how we are home to numerous creatives. Atlanta is a marker for change and progression as the city is dedicated to constituting itself as a home for forward-thinking artistry and creativity through the moving image. We have our own unique voice and now Georgia made and featured films are highlighted as a festival category as well.

We put our all into every festival—even a few tears—but that falls short when compared to the hours and immense effort that our filmmakers put into their films. When the lights dim and the curtains part, a filmmaker’s heart is projected on that screen. We’re honored to be the ones to present you with such fervid projects. We hope each festival leaves you inspired and well-informed.

This brings us to the most the important part of the festival and our year-round operations—you! None of this would be possible without you. Thank you for showing up for the independent films from the independent voices. Thank you for allocating your time and money to this effort. It brings us joy to see your faces at the screenings, seminars and parties; to watch you appreciate, absorb and consider. It’s the little things, the laughs, gasps and sighs, that make it all worth it. No matter your role—whether you are a board member, student, community partner, sponsor or friend—you’re family when you join us in these spaces.

Positioned at the intersection of art, culture and commerce, the Atlanta Film Society brings meaning to the moving image by championing the shared community experience, fostering the free exchange of ideas, and nurturing the development of a thriving industry. Now celebrating a 42-year history, the Atlanta Film Society is one of the oldest and largest organizations dedicated to the promotion and education of film in the United States. We aim to unite the Atlanta community by serving artists in creative growth and inspiring audiences through the power of the moving image, enriching the community through screenings, classes, workshops and other events year-round.

The Atlanta Film Festival is now one of only two dozen Academy Award-qualifying events in the country, and we showcase over 200 films annually to more than 27,000 attendees across an 11-day event each spring. The festival has been distinguished as the “Best Film Festival” by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, 10 Best & Atlanta Magazine, “Best Spring Festival” by Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as well as one of the ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ and one of ‘50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee’ by MovieMaker Magazine.

Atlanta Film Society screenings and events often include in-person dialogue with filmmakers, providing audiences, artists and industry professionals with meaningful opportunities to network, interact and engage. Throughout the years, we have hosted a diverse selection of films from emerging, contemporary and renowned filmmakers including Spike Lee, Ray McKinnon, Craig Brewer, Victor Nunez, Miranda July, Mario Van Peebles, Aaron Katz, Lynn Shelton, James Ponsoldt, Carrie Preston, James Moll, Robert Rodriguez, Tina Mabry, Carlos Cuarón, Marc Webb, Debra Granik, Bill Plympton, David Gordon Green, David O. Russell and Stella Meghie,. Recently celebrity guests include James Franco, William H. Macy, Sherri Shepherd, Josh Brolin, Chris Tucker, Richard Chamberlain, Jack McBrayer, Margaret Cho, Abigail Spencer, Jeff Foxworthy, Burt Reynolds, Jasmine Guy, Kara Hayward, Martin Henderson, Georgie Henley, Chris Lowell, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Pras Michel, Julianne Nicholson, Tye Sheridan, Eddie Vedder and many others.

Christopher Escobar, Executive Director

Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Society, began his film career in high school through Georgia’s Governor’s Honors program and then at Georgia State University where he studied not just filmmaking, but also the film and entertainment industry, film history, theory, and aesthetics. As the head of a 42-year old organization, Chris is deeply committed to tradition, legacy and heritage, as he says, “celebrating the things in our past that reflect our past and showing them in unique places.” Thus screenings and parties for the Atlanta Film Festival occur in beloved Atlanta locations such as the Plaza Theater, Hilan Theater, Dad’s Garage, the Woodruff Arts Center, Rialto Center for the Arts, Paris on Ponce, Callenwolde, and the Highland Inn. To Chris, “these locations serve as highlights of the unique neighborhoods they inhabit.”

The Atlanta Film Festival is for the people, both moviegoers and creators. “It’s incredibly heartwarming,” says Chris, “to see a community that gets re-discovered and reunited each year. People at the Festival can connect and share what they’ve experienced, the incredible films they saw that day, and how inspired they are now. That’s really where the sparks start to fly at our festival.”

Though the Festival is one of two dozen Academy-Award qualifying festivals, “that’s not who we are. We celebrate the works by and of people who have been historically passed over by the traditional ‘Hollywood system’: people of color, women, gender minorities, and anyone from the American South. This starts with us not pretending to be something we aren’t. We work to be genuine, real, authentic. At the end of the day, we are an independent, scrappy organization, the film festival for everyone else.”

NOTE: Chris Escobar personally purchased the Plaza Theater in 2017. Former owner Michael Furlinger, president of Furlinger Cinema Services, called Escobar “a tireless advocate” of the Plaza, saying “It’s time to pass the torch so that Christopher can take the theatre to the next level.”

Cameron McAllister, Associate Director

Cameron McAllister, Associate Director of the Atlanta Film Society, came to the Society through a true passion for film. He attended his first Atlanta Film Festival in 2007, having fallen in love with French actress Marion Cotillard, the star of “Big Fish,” “A Very Long Engagement” and “A Good Year,” and having learned that her upcoming film, “La Vie en Rose,” was going to screen in Atlanta. “I don’t know which I was happier about,” he says, “seeing the movie early or finding out that an Atlanta Film Festival existed. So of course, I grabbed several friends and dragged them to Landmark Art Cinema in Midtown. I recall it was a Saturday afternoon, and it was sunny as we stood in line and rainy as we exited the cinema. The movie was fantastic. My mind was racing. I was hooked.”

Cameron became immersed in the Atlanta Film Festival for five years before launching a website, Reel Georgia, dedicated to Georgia’s burgeoning film industry and film festival circuit. He toured state film festivals, covering and reviewing films for the press and getting access to interviews, screenings, and even red carpet events. By 2014, he was eager to play a bigger role and was thrilled to be named Marketing Manager of the Film Festival. As Marketing Manager, Cameron oversaw development of the impressive AFF program guide and the accompanying website, both of which are now essential complements to the 11-day event. “I’m thankful to have been here when we launched out new Atlanta Film Society in 2015. This hard-working group of filmmakers, community members, fans, and sponsors surround us and are pivotal to the festival experience. We all do it for the love of film. And to think, it all began because of a little movie star crush.”

Alyssa Armand, Programming Director

Alyssa Armand, Programming Director of the Atlanta Film Society, earned her film degree from Georgia State University. For four years now, Alyssa has been part of the Atlanta Film Festival programming team of screeners, interns, and programmers who experience the crafting of the festival for a full year. They review each and every film (over 7,600 in 2018!). Essentially, they binge-watch content for a living. The festival programming team strives to help independent filmmakers tell their own stories, to encourage creators from around the world to remove borders and bring people together, and to bridge the gap between artist and audience. Especially rewarding is when filmmakers come to Atlanta to present their own work. At that time, the audience gets to witness a filmmaker’s heart and soul on the screen and the impact of the film is enhanced immensely. Says, Alyssa, “Films are never more human than when you get to meet the humans that created them.”

Alyssa loves being part of an historic organization that strives to promote conversation, discovery, and connection. “It is a privilege to be able to choose and screen the films that make up the Atlanta Film Festival each year,” she says, “but our greatest joy is bridging the gap between the artist and the audience. Programmers often experience these films for the first time with tired eyes, washed in the glow of our computer screens. It brings us such joy to hear the gasps and the sighs in the dark theater and the lively discussion in the lobby after the credits roll. To see films projected in all of their glory on the big screen, to witness audiences react passionately to them, and to meet the filmmakers who allowed them to exist is truly magical.”

Films & Special Presentations

Welcome to the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival! We invited Atlanta Film Festival staff and supporters to follow strands of films this year and give us their expert opinions in their own unique voices. Each section begins with plot summaries of major films in this category, followed by the reviews, and concluding with a brief biography of the writer. Enjoy planning your film watching for the coming year.

CineMás

CineMás films celebrate Latin American culture, identity, and experience through film.

CineMás Summaries:

Nos Llaman Guerreras (They Call Us Warriors), Venezuela/USA/Mexico/Jordan. In a country torn apart by political and economic upheaval, a team of young women finds refuge in a sport that rises above their personal poverty and gendered social status. But when this new soccer team goes undefeated in all of South America, these women find themselves in the position to win Venezuela’s first World Cup and gain a new acceptance and voice in their home country.

Los Años Azules (The Blue Years), Mexico. Four young adults as different as the four seasons have managed to craft a home for themselves in the shattered relic of a once beautiful house. When a new tenant throws a wrench into their precariously balanced dynamic, the group will both grow closer and drift apart as they journey into adulthood.

Cabeza Madre (Mother’s Head), Cuba/France. John, a first-generation American, travels to visit his estranged mother in her home country of Cuba for the first time in years. John is shocked to learn that not only was his mother mixed up with a checkered group of criminals, but she has died in incredibly extreme circumstances. Desperately seeking answers, John is forced to reckon with the realities of his mother’s life and answer to his own responsibility in her fate.

Melocotones (Peaches), Dominican Republic/UK. In the retrofuture, Diego attempts to salvage his relationship with girlfriend Laura by taking her to the hotel where they once vacationed as a happy couple. But when they arrive, the hotel is no longer in business and Laura’s ex-boyfriend shows up, demanding to have her back. In an attempt to rectify the situation, Diego accidentally traps himself and Laura in a continuous time loop.

Restos De Viento (Wind Traces), Mexico. In the wake of losing their father and patriarch, a family drifts aimlessly through life. The mother, Carmen, struggles with depression and the task of caring for her children in the wake of her abandonment. Disappointed by the adults in her life, oldest daughter Ana shuts down while her brother opens himself up to the mysterious otherworldly figure that has suddenly appeared in his life. Together, the family will have to grow and let go of their fears in order to survive.
(Also a New Mavericks selection)

Tigre, Argentina. 65-year-old Rina visits her home in the Tigre Delta accompanied by her forty-something friend Elena. They await the arrival of their estranged children, hoping that the island sanctuary will create a space for reconnection. Instead, they find that the home is threatened by encroaching industrialization and their children feel more distant than ever. The two women struggle to hold onto a way of life that may be already out of reach.
(Also a New Mavericks selection)

Cocaine Prison, Bolivia/Australia/France/USA. In a world dominated by drug trade and ineffectual police forces, it is often the lowest, replaceable workers in the hierarchy who find themselves imprisoned. Enter the claustrophobic world of Bolivia’s infamous San Sebastian prison. This detailed look at a broken system of arrests and jail time follows the story of one young cocaine mule, Hernan, as he suffers the same fate as countless other disposable workers. At the same time, his sister, Deisy, treds a careful line between freeing her brother and avoiding entanglement in the same cocaine trade that destroyed his life.

Cinemas reviews by Christina Nicole:

The Long and Short of It. Every year the Atlanta Film Festival brings magnificent independent films for Atlanta audiences to enjoy. Over the past few years, there have been more and more Hispanic films making the cut. About three years ago, the programming team started curating the Latin American films into a collection called, CineMás. This year, the 42nd Annual Atlanta Film Festival featured more Latin American films than ever before. There were six feature-length films and 10 shorts both narrative and documentary about a wide range of subjects from a variety of countries: Cuba, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru and Brazil and more.

French?. Latin America primarily speaks Spanish and while the language of most of this year’s CineMás selections is Spanish, the selections included two films made by French dudes: “Cabeza Madre” (Mother’s Head) and “Onibo.” “Cocaine Prison” also has a French connection. The films were very different; “Cabeza Madre” is a narrative comedy, while “Onibo” and “Cocaine Prison” are documentaries. For “Cabeza Madre”, the writer and director, Edouard Salier, had spent time in Cuba working on a documentary and fell in love with the culture, so he decided to write and shoot a film there. Edouard had written the film in French, and then worked with a translator to put it into Spanish. The “Onibo” filmmakers said they are obsessed with shamanism, and while they had intended to shoot a film spanning several different countries, they got to Peru, fell in with the Shipibo people, and found their film.

The Future is Female. The CineMás films are doing what Hollywood isn’t–showing representation for women and filmmakers of color. This selection of films had a few that double dipped as #NewMavericks films, films that are written and directed by or tell female-driven stories. It was great to see that “Tigre” and “Restos de Vientos” were double coded, but they were not the only ones with female filmmakers at the helm. “Los Años Azules” and “Nos Llaman Guerreras” are female-driven films. Sofia Gomez Cordova directed, co-wrote and edited “Los Años Azules.” Violeta Ayala wrote and directed “Cocaine Prison.” Women are making names for themselves in the film industry, and the programming team at the Atlanta Film Festival is paying attention and ready to present these beautiful masterpieces to the world.

This year’s selections of CineMás films were great; there was a wide range of films- narratives and documentaries, including the jury prize winner for best narrative feature, the poignant “Restos de Viento.” My favorite from the CineMás films was “Melocotones” (Peaches) from the Dominican Republic. It was a fun, funny, and un poco neurotic retro-futuristic love story that had the audience in stitches. The filmmakers from “Melocotones” did a lot in the film with very few characters and sets. I gave it 5 of 5 stars. The CineMás selection of 2018 will be tough to beat, but the Atlanta Film Festival programming team is amazing, and the crop of films is consistently getting better.

If you are interested in seeing more Latin American films, the Atlanta Film Society puts on an annual CineMás series in October/November. For more information, visit www.atlantafilmsociety.org/cinemas/.

Christina Nicole is a film critic with Georgia Entertainment News, festival junkie and the executive director of the newly created Rejected Reels Film Festival from Atlanta.

Georgia

Georgia films are either made in Georgia or feature distinct Georgia ties.

Georgia Summaries:

Still. When Lily loses her way on a hike through the Appalachian wilderness, she is rescued by a peculiar married couple who have isolated themselves from the outside world. As they nurse Lily back to health, she discovers a dark and dangerous secret a century in the making.
(Also a World Premier)

It’s A Party. Successful Atlanta rap artist Cory Masters is late for his own surprise birthday party, but as the night drags on, hilarity ensues amongst the partygoers as they ponder life, careers, and relationships with Cory.
Summer ’03. Inspired by true events, Jamie, a 16-year-old girl, and her extended family are left reeling after her calculating grandmother unveils an array of family secrets on her deathbed.
(Also a New Mavericks selection)

Lamp Light. Crippled by insecurity and doubt, Don Gos contemplates his failures while driving home one evening when a tunnel collapses on top of him. Buried alive, he ceremoniously bids adieu to the rest of his life.
(Also a World Premier)

Tell Me Your Name. Abused by her father and abandoned by her mother as a child, Ashley is sent to live with her estranged Aunt Tanya where she becomes obsessed with investigating her mother’s disappearance. When she calls upon the spirit world to answer her questions, she becomes ensnared by a powerful demon who refuses to leave its host.

Maynard. In 1970, Maynard Jackson Jr. was elected as mayor of Atlanta, sparking a revolution in the black community. As the first black mayor elected in a major Southern city, his campaign ignited African American voter turnout and his service in office paved the way for the creation of diversity and inclusion norms still practiced and revered in the present day.

Georgia Reviews by Jenny Jackson

Still, USA. “Still” transports us into an undisturbed world deep in the Appalachian mountains where we all wish we could live, even if just for a moment. Director Takashi Doscher daringly delivers a captivating and unparalleled story of love and survival through his use of stunning geographical imagery, solid cast of characters, and unique dialogue that flawlessly reflects the story’s timelessness and beauty. Few elements drew me away from the story, but they were minor and mostly in the vein of costume design, which could have been more era-specific to better compliment the plot. Despite its minor shortcomings, Doscher’s peculiar but extraordinary story leaves us pondering our own place and fate in the world and presents to us the paradoxical question of how long we would to live, if only given the leisure to choose.

It’s A Party, USA. “It’s a Party,” based in Atlanta, hilariously tells the story of a group of friends who throw a surprise birthday party for a guest of honor who never shows. It’s funny, it’s humorous, it’s a raucous good time… but it’s also plagued with underdeveloped plotting and character inconsistency. Blame it on the script or blame it on the improv, the only salvageable character in the movie is the hero of the film, Cory Masters (Open Mike Eagle) and (spoiler alert!) we don’t get to meet him until the end. That said, watch it for its sporadic moments of belly-aching, tear dropping laughs and take home worthy one-liners.

Summer ’03, USA. Remember those awkward days of high school when you’d do just about anything to understand the meaning of life? Mastermind writer/director Becca Gleason takes us back to those days with cell phone snake, one woefully soulful heart throbbing poster of Orlando Bloom, and the character of Jamie (Joey King, “Independence Day”; “Resurgence”; “Wish I Was Here”), who beautifully smashes this tale of a young woman’s adventure of self-discovery in the wake of her grandmother’s death. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll re-live the shame, the trial, and ultimately the overwhelming victory of love and acceptance. Though set in suburban Ohio, Summer ’03 was filmed and produced with local crew in Georgia. Stand tall and proud, ye women (and men). This is one you won’t want to miss.

Lamp Light, USA. In his debut feature film, Mason Rey spins us the melancholy tale of Don Goss, a man who suffers from crippling depression. Set in suburban Georgia and produced on a shoestring budget, Rey both directs and portrays the main character himself! It’s pretty incredible. Rey largely succeeds in delivering heavy emotion and character depth to the forefront of each scene, as his character contemplates life while trapped in his car from a tunnel collapse with no means of escape. Rey’s portrayal of Goss teaches us a steady, quiet empathy for the underdog and pulls us into a renewed reverence of the age-old battle for hope’s triumph, even in the dawn of life. It’s melancholy. It’s witty. It’s beautiful.

Tell Me Your Name, USA. Filmed in Atlanta, this horror-thriller film was written and directed by husband and wife team Jason and Heather DeVan. With a fairly notable cast (Matt Dallas, “Kyle XY”; Jessica Barth, “Ted 2”) the movie starts out promising by giving us the backstory of Ashley (Sydney Sweeney, “The Handmaids Tale”), which is a rare treat for any film of this genre. But as high as it swings early on in the film, it soon falls short in terms of story arc and pacing, giving us a predictable tale where most of the scare and thrill is in its cheesy sound effects and overly ominous score. Plot points that appear out of nowhere and fizzle to nothing while crucial questions are left unanswered, serve to deliver a tale that’s heavy on the front end, slow in the middle, and rushed at the payoff.

Maynard, USA. Told through interviews and archived photographs and footage, Maynard triumphs in its quest to intimately showcase and celebrate the life and legacy of Atlanta’s first African American mayor, Maynard Holbrook Jackson. Undeniably high stakes and rising tension cast us into election day, 1973, where voters squeeze their fists, hold their breaths, and anxiously question whether their support of Maynard will prevail. Maynard allows us to get a close-up, behind-the-scenes look at the sometimes sad, sometimes humorous but forever victorious results of the election and its effects on Maynard’s family, friends, and the Atlanta community at large.

Jenny Jackson is a screenwriting-grad student at Kennesaw State University and a proud supporter of all things Georgia-made. She currently interns as marketing associate for Atlanta Film Society, and you just might spy some of her writing efforts on social media or in the Atlanta Film Festival’s 2018 spread in Oz magazine. By trade, Jenny is a teacher of small children, having taught for nine years. She spent six of those years as a primary teacher in international schools across Asia, where she was presented with the unparalleled gift of teaching and befriending children and families from around the world. At heart, Jenny is a writer/creator/inspirator and she uses her unique and diverse experiences to invent, write, and refine endearing and unforgettable children’s stories in hopes of future episodic and feature film production. Follow her on instagram @jjacksy as she journeys into the world of making her writing and creating a full time profession.

 

World Premieres

World Premiers are introduced for the first time at the Atlanta Film Festival

World Premier Summaries:

Waiting for David, USA/Sweden. After a grueling 51-day standoff between the FBI and the Branch Davidian cult in 1993 in Waco, Texas, over 70 members of the cult perished when their compound went up in flames. Now 25 years later, survivor Clive Doyle is still waiting for cult leader and messiah David Koresh to resurrect alongside Clive’s own deceased daughter.

Are You Glad I’m Here, USA / Lebanon. Kirsten, brazen American post-grad, befriends her next-door neighbor, Nadine, an intelligent mother relegated to full-time Beirut housewife. The greater the unlikely friendship grows, the harder it becomes for the women to dismiss the obvious abuse and neglect of Nadine’s husband. As the final days of Kirsten’s life in Beirut draw to a close, Nadine must face her husband and settle things once and for all.
(Also a New Mavericks selection)

Man Made, USA. At the world’s only all-transgender bodybuilding competition, four male bodybuilders take the stage. What precedes this triumphant moment are a set of personal and diverse journeys taken on the path to self-identity and empowerment. Told through the intimate and honest lens of a trans filmmaker, this documentary intertwines the nuances of manhood, the drive for social justice, and the competitive desire to forge our own paths and be our personal best.
(Also a Georgia & Pink Peach selection)

Nos Llaman Guerras (They Call Us Warriors), Venezuela/USA/Mexico/Jordan. In a country torn apart by political and economic upheaval, a team of young women finds refuge in a sport that rises above their personal poverty and gendered social status. But when this new soccer team goes undefeated in all of South America, these women find themselves in the position to win Venezuela’s first World Cup and gain a new acceptance and voice in their home country.
(Also a CineMás selection)

What is a World Premiere? “A World Premiere is when a film has never played another festival or played theatrically. It is the first time an audience is intentionally getting to see it as a finished work.” says Cameron McAllister, the associate director of the Atlanta Film Society, “We look for quality and ingenuity. We look for new stories and voices. We like to showcase unique perspectives, no matter what genre the film may fall into.”

The Atlanta Film Society has had nearly 7600 films submitted from all over the world to them over the last year, from which they have curated their seven world premieres. The breadth and variety of the Atlanta Film Festival’s programming has been nothing short of spectacular. The staff and volunteers of this organization have done a stellar job this year bringing incredible and noteworthy art from around the world here to Atlanta. The festival and the Atlanta Film Society itself is a real feather in Atlanta’s cap as a steward to the arts and an institution to cultivate the arts. I hope to be a lucky audience member for many successive years.

World Premiere Reviews by Noah Lamport

“Waiting For David” takes the perspective from a bird’s eye view of the standoff and siege between the Branch Davidians and the local and federal law enforcement at Mt. Caramel in Waco, Texas.
In this documentary, it becomes clear that both the cult leader and followers demonstrated a profound achievement in a prolonged mass-dissociation, then and now, when met with a very confrontational reality.

We find Clive Doyle, the documentary’s primary testimonial, seemingly living in a kind of time capsule from the year 1993, as he still watches movies on his VHS player while archiving all the books that he owns in his sizable library on his old desktop. Clive continues to mourn the loss of his daughter Shari as he awaits the return of his messiah, David Koresh, in order to reunite him with her. While Clive tries to reconcile the claims against his savior, who allegedly had a relationship with his daughter and who certainly did with other young women on the compound, he braces against a creeping sense of being the potential victim of a con artist.

Like all those who have come before him who have submitted to truth through revelation, we watch as time erodes what was so indisputably true to Clive that he endured a 51-day siege that ended in a hellacious explosion and left 70 cult members dead.

Clive is withdrawn, somewhat combative and somewhat ambivalent in his later years. He loosely remembers his secular days, neither fawning over them nor condemning them as he appraises his current spiritual life with a remote dispassion. While listening to Clive it becomes clear that he is still grasping to find words that can generate some kind of meaning as to what happened in Waco. One gets the notion that he knows he will never be able to move on from what happened. Trapped, he cannot continue his walk with confidence because there is no resolution 25 years after his savior’s unfulfilled promise. To which, Clive seems to peripherally recognize that Koresh’s prophecy might have been one of the core tenants of his faith. And that is where we leave Clive, hanging in the balance between searching for what may be beyond expression and clinging to the words that have long been prescribed to him, even in the wake of all the destruction it brought in his life.

“Waiting for David” is a worthwhile documentary that offers the sad opportunity to peek inside several generations of minds, both the children and the adults, who survived a horrible and uncertain tragedy and how different minds can reel in different directions in the aftermath.

“Are You Glad I’m Here” is a sultry-colored film that follows a linear patchwork of two neighbors in Lebanan: Nadine, a multi-faceted woman relegated to being a full-time housewife and Kirsten, a young American who teaches English at Nadine’s son Rami’s school.

The rules of this film and world are dictated by a clear-cut dualism. Nadine is detail-oriented, exacting, cagey and responsible, whereas Kirsten is myopic, so direct to be imprecise when communicating, flighty and irresponsible.

The two women, not too distant in age, come closer to one another as evidence of abuse from Pierre, Nadine’s husband, becomes all too clear.
In the final days of her stay in Lebanon, Kirsten attempts to help Nadine sort out her life, and does so with a patented American incredulity that Nadine could be so completely fixed in her own life. Herein lies the overall dynamic.

Duality dictates the story between rural and urban, naivety and maturity, between meaningful experience and a spectator’s yearning for something meaningful, which creates a strange ambiguity that is artfully cultivated by the director Noor Gharzeddine. The title of the film is demonstrative of this sentiment as “Are You Glad I’m Here” begs a question, yet lacks the punctuation to make it clear that it is one, and it embodies Kirsten’s function in this story as a kind of interloper in Nadine’s world.

As a resolution between Nadine and Pierre boils to a head, the story spills out of Beirut and into the countryside where we meet a host of people who all apparently address marital strife and abuse with great seriousness while other forms of violence are just something to be endured.

“Are You Glad I’m Here” gets lost at moments and meanders into a territory of becoming so intent on being inconspicuous that you feel as though the film is trying to convince you that nothing may have actually happened, but luckily these pockets are short and restricted to sensible lapses in the pace of the film.

It’s interesting to note that this story could have taken place almost anywhere, but it is incredibly refreshing that it took place in Beirut, where the film brandishes a playful color palette and lets people move in spaces and environments that are aesthetically unfamiliar, at least to this American eye, and it adds a good amount of ease and tension to the piece.

“Man Made” takes an intimate look into the lives of four transgender body builders readying for the only transgender competition, TransFit Con, in Atlanta, GA.

The four competitors live very different lives. Some struggle to maintain relationships while others are happily married. Dominic, who is getting set for a double mastectomy says something interesting and disheartening at the very start. As he is rapping on stage he states how as a woman who could rap, he was unique, yet now as a male, he is invisible. Similarly, Kennie–a sweet and sensitive individual whose process of transitioning potentially jeopardizes the relationship he has with his girlfriend D.J. who strongly identifies as a lesbian–relates a story of getting jumped for looking at a woman the wrong way. There is a real component of entering the world of males that is hostile and violent towards other males. This is the fascinating stage we start with, the struggle to be seen while in some ways remaining inconspicuous.

There is Mason, who also competes in mainstream competitions. Mason is a first-time competitor in TransFit Con and is happily married. Mason sees bodybuilding not just as a pastime but also as a way of life inherent to his transition. Then there is Rese, who struggles with homelessness as he was ostracized from his community and family. Rese finds himself rejected from shelters because the women feel unsafe boarding with him and the potential threat of rape boarding with men leaves him with nowhere to go, as he juggles caring for his son and getting ready for the competition.

All of the subjects in this documentary are exceptionally brave to be so willing to open the door to their private lives, to their motivations and insecurities. T Cooper, the director and cinematographer, does a fantastic job of insinuating himself into the lives of these competitors and captures small moments in time that create a very human and compelling story.

At the root of these four stories, there is something for everyone to identify with which is the ever-present internal struggle to be true to oneself and to pursue what is most meaningful, even at a cost. It’s a heartfelt film that considers what drives people to sacrifice, work tirelessly, and will themselves into places of great discomfort in order to abide their obsessions.

The film, as any story surrounding competition should, contains an element that demonstrates the love for the higher forms of experience in competition, win or lose. The beauty of all sports and competitive activities is being able to watch someone lay their passion bare to the world. In this particular case, there is an extra layer to the act of baring oneself, and it drives humanely to a close with awesome optimism. “Man Made” shines a light on an interesting section of the LGBTQ community with humor and tenderness that also tows the line to keep us fixed in the current cultural climate without losing sight of the most important part of the story, its contestants and their goals.

“They Call Us Warriors”, is a fast-paced documentary following the Venezuelan Under 17 women’s football team. The maturity of these young women, who persevere through extreme poverty, discrimination and physical privations, is stupendous. Through sports, they have cultivated lives and futures for themselves and their families. It is a real treat to watch a team who was so passionate about the game of football that it shifted the culture of the whole country, and perhaps eventually, all of the Americas.

With dreamy cinematography and exquisite editing, the story becomes compelling and fraught with tension as the team embarks all the way to Jordan in an attempt to win the FIFA World Cup.
“They Call Us Warriors” delves into the psyche of these women and what compels them to compete, despite the adversities and disadvantages they must endure to get there. Often times the mantra is militaristic, performing for the team and for their country of Venezuela. This is a great documentary for sports fans who enjoy the inner lives of athletes and to hear from them what spurs them to strive for greatness.

Noah Lamport, after graduating from the University of Florida, jet set to Guatemala to work on a short documentary and then moved to Israel to intern at Green Productions, where he worked on short film distribution. After returning to the States, he found himself in Gainesville, Florida, where he shot his first two short films.

A recent Atlanta resident, Noah volunteers for the Atlanta Film Society when he can while working as an editor for the production house Lyda Fire.

Americana

Americana: materials concerning or artifacts related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States.

Americana Summaries

Thy Kingdom Come, USA. A priest visits the residents of a small town and demonstrates the healing power of listening. From prisons to living rooms, the priest compassionately listens to people from all walks of life openly reveal their deepest secrets, hopes, and dreams as they struggle to reconcile their past with their present.

Man on Fire, USA. Grand Saline seemed like an average Texan small town, until Charles Moore, an elderly white preacher, publically set himself ablaze to protest the town’s systematic racism. A battle ensued between those who would sanitize both history and present and those who would acknowledge the truth.

Black Memorabilia, USA/China. Racial oppression in the United States is often perpetuated through the romanticism of black memorabilia. What once delighted white buyers has fallen into a combative limbo of historical preservation and addressing present-day racism. Reform is complicated by production in China and a desire to preserve cultural context.
(Also a Cinemas selection)

Ingrid. A meditative documentary about a woman who drops family and career to live in isolation. What drives someone to leave life’s comforts to spend a life in solitude?
(Also a New Mavericks selection)

Waiting for David, USA/Sweden. After a grueling 51-day standoff between the FBI and the Branch Davidian cult in 1993 in Waco, Texas, over 70 members of the cult perished when their compound went up in flames. Now 25 years later, survivor Clive Doyle still waits for cult leader and messiah David Koresh to resurrect alongside Clive’s own deceased daughter.
(Also a World Premiere)

Island Soldier, USA/Federated States of Micronesia/Afghanistan. Every year, young Micronesian citizens leave their homes on military deployment as United States soldiers caught between jobs and security and fighting for a country they neither belong to nor have any rights in.

 

Madeinusa, AMERICANA short Films

Footprint, USA. A purely observational meditation on how different people engage with the World Trade Center Memorial, exploring the ways we choose to commemorate tragedy in the age of technology, social media, and changing attitudes toward patriotism.

Shot, USA. Footage from every police shooting over the last two years, taken unedited and aligned and synchronized to be the moment of the first gunshot.

Nuuca, USA/Canada. The oil boom in North Dakota has brought tens of thousands of new people to the region and with that has come an influx of drugs, crime and sex trafficking.

Socks on Fire: Uncle John and the Copper Headed Water Rattlers, USA. A failed poet takes up cinematic arms when he returns home to Hokes Bluff, Alabama, to discover his homophobic aunt has locked his drag queen uncle out of the family home.

The Fourth Kingdom, Spain/USA. The kingdom of plastics, a redemption center in NY for immigrants and underdogs where the American Dream becomes possible indeed.

Brooklynn, USA. A deeply personal look into how gun violence impacted a family long after the media spotlight fades away.

Towards the North, Mexico/USA. With their sights set on the U.S., mother and daughter cover the length of Mexico, facing immigration officials and taking selfies along the way only to arrive in Tijuana where the U.S. border suddenly becomes a dark reality.

 

Americana Reviews by Lauren Rector

“Americana” is loosely defined as objects pertaining to the cultural heritage of the United States. Think blue jeans. Apple pie. Coca-Cola. Cookouts and cowboys hats. White picket fences and rolling hills. Football. It’s a simple straightforward definition.

Colloquially though, the term expands to mean a distinct feeling of place and identity, a national ideal concerning who we are and where we are from. It is a liminal space between our past and present or rather how we collectively (or not so collectively) remember and imagine those things. Here, the definition broadens to a complex spectrum.

Enter this year’s Atlanta Film Festival Spotlight on “Americana” and the films which seek to deconstruct and rebuild our very notions of it. These films cast aside rose-colored glasses, which may see a universal forthright way of life, in order to mine for the real gems of what it means to be American. Neither congratulatory homages nor damning portrayals, these films eschew the preconceived to search for much more nuanced and salient truths. Six features and seven shorts pursue a better understanding of this social landscape we all share.

No film better embodies the diversity of Americana this year than Eugene Richards’ “Thy Kingdom Comes” which stars Javier Bardem as a sage priest attentive to the hardships of rural America. This film blurs fiction with documentary. Bardem’s character is fictional, but the people who open their lives to him and the comfort he returns are very much real. What results is the power of compassion in breaking down walls and laying the groundwork for people of all walks of life to affirm their most intimate secrets. From a fatigued mother whose child drowned under her care to a man hesitantly resurfacing from a white nationalist spiral, these small town residents allow a man and a camera to bear witness to an American tragedy: the willfully forgotten lives of America’s most common man and woman.

Many of these spotlight films hinge on rural life in America, for it is there it seems where Americana both lives and is laid bare. Often equated with the provincial, two of these films aim to understand the prevalent heart of racism in the microcosm that is a small community. Joel Fendelman’s “Man on Fire” situates itself in Grand Saline, known as the most racist town in Texas, to tell the story of Charles Moore, the town’s pastor, who set himself ablaze in a parking lot to protest the community’s deeply ingrained racism. The most haunting aspect of this documentary is not Charles’ emboldened act but rather the remaining town members’ insistence that it meant nothing and could mean nothing because racism simply doesn’t exist in the town. An unlikely story. It was an act of mental illness or a shout into the void, or so the elderly white town leaders would have you believe. Their disillusioned interviews are intercut with African American voices who relay intrepidation to even set foot within a mile of Grand Saline’s borders.

A further decompression of racism comes in Chico Colvard’s immensely thoughtful and striking “Black Memorabilia ,” a documentary examining blackface decor sold throughout the last two centuries to white households. Now considered antiques, these deeply offensive and harmful items still find their ways into the American home as storied items of the past. Iron lawn jockeys in white neighborhoods. Mammy tropes in white kitchens. These objects have yet to be reexamined by many in a nation of persistent racial oppression. And to dispel the idea these “antiques” are just a reminder of the past, the film begins in China where black memorabilia is manufactured new and sold online to American dealers.

The rural becomes more obscure in Morrisa Maltz’s “Ingrid,” a stunning documentary about solitary life that intimately follows a woman who lives alone in the woods of her own volition. Coming from a traditional American life of picket fences, a growing family, and an entrepreneurial career, Ingrid empoweredly leaves the life many yearn for behind to pursue her own happiness. This happiness is crafted and enjoyed solely by her. She not only redefines the American dream by casting it aside, but she forges a new ideal of womanhood distinctly by being her own kind of woman. Her story is a rarity. In film and the American story, it is so often men who are the pioneers and the isolationists. The woods are a man’s wilderness to be conquered by acts of masculinity. Yet, among those same trees, Ingrid thrives creatively and independently. She too is a homesteader, a residual being of manifest destiny.

Of colonizers and idealists, the American ethos has also spawned a very different type of pioneer: the charismatic and provocative cult leader who promises the American Dream to their eager followers. Take David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians who led them to mass suicide by fire after a multi-week standoff with the FBI. You’ll find traces of Americana not just in the harrowing details of the case, now facts of history, but by what the fire left behind: survivors still waiting for their famed messiah to resurrect. That’s where Emelie Svensson and Karin Oleander’s documentary “Waiting for David” takes off. Odd and enigmatic, survivor Clive Doyle is very much a product of a sullied American story, and their cameras are there to capture his persistent faith and his conflicting grief at having lost his own daughter in the fire. Now 25 years later, this film had the unique opportunity to play on the exact anniversary of this national shock. The fire consumed 71 lives on April 19th, 1993. The film world premiered here in Atlanta April 19th, 2018.

It would be remiss to discuss Americana without talking about our armed service members. A distinct culture of admiration and patriotism for them abounds. What most do not know though is that our revered military men do not just come from America’s towns but also from an entirely different nation: Micronesia. Nathan Fitch’s “Island Soldier” departs for Kosrae, a Micronesian island with a population of 6,000 where the youth deploys in vast numbers to serve in the U.S. military. Due to residual effects from World War II treaties, Micronesians can fight militarily alongside U.S. men and women in American conflicts. Many choose to do so as a way to support their families overwhelmed by a dying island economy. The film lends a voice to these forgotten service members and highlights how their American duties leave an island robbed of their youth and what is ultimately the preservation of their future as an island nation. “Are they too Americana, it asks,” fighting for an American Dream that easily eclipses them from national prosperity.

The 2018 Americana spotlight is rounded out by a collection of short films curated to play together in a block titled Madeinusa. These seven shorts each contribute an intrinsic voice that jointly paint a picture of America as it stands today. From an observation on how Americans interact with New York’s 9/11 memorial in surprising and sometimes unsettling ways to a young girl fatally shot by her own friend playing with an unsecured weapon, these shorts embrace cumbersome subjects with an open heart and an insightful lens. The block also includes reflections on recorded police shootings, vibrant southern family dynamics, a national kingdom of plastics, sex trafficking in oil country, and most poignantly, those who are fighting for a chance to be in this country and work towards the American Dream.

The lasting impression from all of the above films is that while these stories come from overlooked corners in America, their acute sensibilities speak to the widespread truths of who we are. We find the real Americana in the forgotten. These films are all made with honest lenses and striking aesthetics which cannot help but to draw the viewer into the neighboring worlds they explore. With that power of illumination that film so often brings into our lives, these films independently and collectively as a spotlight urge the audience to reimagine the present and lay the groundwork for the future.

Lauren Rector is a Programmer for the Atlanta Film Festival focusing on documentary features and shorts. A recent graduate of Agnes Scott College, Lauren is a film enthusiast and proud Atlantan (who in true vernacular spirit actually hails from the metro area). You can find her around town watching and discussing films nonstop.

PINK PEACH FILMS

PINK PEACH SUMMARIES

Venus, Canada. Having recently embraced her own identity, Sid, a transgender woman, finds herself tangled in a complex web of expectations and aspirations when she discovers she has a 14-year-old son. With new relationships adding to the struggle of culture, religion, and romance in Sid’s journey to acceptance, everyone’s in for a wild ride.

ABU, Canada/Pakistan. Using home videos and classic Bollywood films, a filmmaker crafts an intimate portrait of his Pakistani-Muslim family grappling with the realities of having a gay son in a modern world. Torn between sexuality and religion, tradition and migration, a gay son and his father test the boundaries of love, home, and the meaning of family.

Mermaids, USA/Canada. All throughout the United States, there exists a vibrant and mythical subculture dedicated to the existence of real-life mermaids. In the exploration of the history and present of this peculiar passion, Mermaids takes us on a journey into the lives of five incredible women who spend their free time, and sometimes work hours, donning full-size tails at pools, beaches, and bars.
(Also a New Mavericks selection)

Man Made, USA. At the world’s only all-transgender bodybuilding competition, four male bodybuilders take the stage. What precedes this triumphant moment are a set of personal and diverse journeys taken on the path to self-identity and empowerment. Told through the intimate and honest lens of a trans filmmaker, this documentary intertwines the nuances of manhood, the drive for social justice, and the competitive desire to forge our own paths and be our personal best.
(Also a Georgia selection & a World Premiere).

 

PINK PEACH REVIEWS BY CHRISTO STEVENS

Amidst the whirlwind of creativity, entertainment and straight up fun that is the annual Atlanta Film Festival, there is one group of films that I am consistently excited to experience each year. The batch of LGBTQ projects that the festival curates continues to be an exciting and unique representation of the city and its people. The festival has a history of shining a spotlight on the LGBTQ community and this year was no different. Offering a number of short and feature-length films, this year’s selections showcased the experiences of people from all over the world. What I found so special about these films was the wide-range of perspectives. As we do with all great films, we’re able to witness and experience something we otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

There is no better example from this year’s line-up than Arshad Khan’s “Abu”. “Abu”, equal parts heart-warming and heart-breaking, takes the viewer inside the life of a young Pakistani boy (and director of the film), Arshad Khan. Using collected footage from his own personal childhood home videos mixed with footage from Bollywood films he grew up with, Khan crafts a singular and specific image of his experiences as a young gay man growing up in a world he didn’t necessarily feel part of. Khan’s use of personal home videos showing his relationships with his siblings, his mother and his Abu (father) give the audience a glimpse of what his life was like and how he became the man he is today. The other clever device Khan uses to tell his story is the intercutting of clips from classic Bollywood cinema. These collections help to fill in the blanks of Arshad’s inspirations and interests, as well as give us even more context into his life. Arshad navigates religion, tradition, and his parents’ expectations in his life-long journey to understanding himself. “Abu” is extremely personal, and all the more potent for it.

Two more LGBTQ-focused documentaries made a splash at the festival throughout the week. The first being “Mermaids”, which was introduced by a short live burlesque show that really set the tone. The film follows a group of women who find peace and power in dawning actual mermaid tales. The transformation into the mythical creatures for them is not only empowering, but freeing. One of the women, whose recent decision to come out to her family as trans has shaken up her life in more ways than one and her passion for mermaids has been a huge part of her process to self-acceptance and healing. Director Ali Weinstein shines a light on a seemingly bizarre group of individuals and slowly but surely pulls back layer after layer until all we’re left with is an extremely human and relatable story about self-discovery and passion.

“Man Made”, directed by T Cooper and produced by Tèa Leoni, follows four transgender men as they prepare for a bodybuilding competition. The competition, which is exclusively for anyone who self-identifies as male, is the only transgender bodybuilding competition in the world. Held in Atlanta, Trans Fit Con welcomes trans men to compete for the title. T Cooper, a transgender man himself, welcomes us into the lives of these four men who live very different lives and are all in varying stages of their own transitions. T Cooper’s personal insight shines through as these intimate snapshots reveal the struggles and pain that transgender people face on a daily basis. What makes “Man Made” really stick with you is the strength, both in and out, exhibited in these men who are consistently brave, steadfast and powerful.

Among dozens of other films, masterclasses, shows, and events, the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival once again delivered fantastic LGBT content for its attendees. Giving voices to those who may not always have one and projecting them loudly and proudly is what the festival is all about. The Atlanta Film Festival continues to encourage and inspire incredible LGBTQ talent and I can’t wait for next year’s line up!

Christo Stevens is a photographer specializing in drone photography in and around Atlanta, GA. He has been a contributing writer for ReelGA/Georgia Entertainment News for about four years. Thanks to an early exposure to Hitchcock and Kubrick, his love of film runs deep. He loves short walks on the beach and all things comedy, music, and cinema.

New Mavericks

Include films directed by women & featuring strong female lead characters.

NEW MAVERICKS SUMMARIES

Ingrid, English. A meditative documentary about a woman who drops family and career to live in isolation. What drives someone to leave life’s comforts to spend a life in solitude?
(Also an American selection)

Are You Glad I’m Here, USA/Lebanan. A study of two women in Beirut: an American post-grad and an intelligent Lebanese housewife struggling with her husband’s abuse and neglect.
(Also a World Premiere)

RGB, USA. An inspiring and multidimensional portrait of the personal journey of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg as she created a breathtaking legal legacy for women’s rights and became an unexpected pop culture icon.

Never Steady, Never Still, Canada. A family struggles with the mother’s Parkinson’s disease, her husband’s sudden death, and their grown son’s challenges between responsibility for his mother and forging his own life.

Strange Colours, Australia. A young woman travels to opal mining country where her estranged father has fallen ill, and together they discover that the here and now are more valuable than any unearthed gem.
(Also a CineMas selection)

Mermaids, Argentina. A journey into the lives of five incredible women who spend their free time, and sometime work hours, donning full-size tails at pools, beaches, and bars as they are drawn to the same ideal of unearthly beauty and freedom.
(Also a Pink Peach selection)

Tigre, Argentina. Two women travel from their traditional home to reconnect with their estranged children who now live in a world threatened by encroaching industrialization.
(Also a CineMas selection)

Nobody’s Woman. In a group of six films around the theme of “Nobody’s Woman”, women struggle with family, sexual issues, romance, renting a house, and relationships. Films include “Not Daddy” from France; “Highlight” from Iran; “Tracks” from Greece; “Nevada” from USA; “Counterfeit” from India; “To Pluto” from Taiwan/UK.

NEW MAVERICKS REVIEWS BY ANN VECCELIO

In 2012 the Atlanta Film Festival programming team crafted a block of films directed by women and starring women as the lead characters. Their hope was to highlight the gender gap within the film industry and bring often ignored filmmakers and stories into the spotlight.

In subsequent years, that block became known as New Mavericks. By 2015, this program had grown into a track at the festival that designated all films directed by and about women. It even expanded into a year-round program dedicated to helping women in the Atlanta film industry network, learn, and grow as artists.

This year’s festival contained an astonishing 14 features and 35 short films that earned the title of New Mavericks. Here are the highlights:

Nobody’s Woman. The short film block that started it all still lives. This year the New Maverick’s block took its name (like all short film blocks in the 2018 festival) from a film by a filmmaker of color, in this case, Adela Sequeyro, who directed the original film Nobody’s Woman in 1937.

Despite the changing name, however, the requirements for inclusion in this block remain the same: the films must be crafted by and starring women.

Originating in six different countries including France, Greece, USA, Iran, India, and Taiwan, these films explored the spectrum of women’s lives around the world from children dealing with divorce, to virginity requirements, to emergency contraception, to women’s role as caretaker, to society’s treatment of divorce. Each short film gave the viewer a glimpse into the microcosm of one woman that, when curated together, also reflected the greater worldwide experience of women.

Clara’s Ghost. In her first foray as a director, Bridey Elliott chose her family as her cast and a mother as her subject. But not just any mother, Clara is a cruelly ignored and overlooked figure whose misery manifests in an apparition in her home. The film is a very unique brand of comedy that relies on the repellent personalities of those around Clara to entertain. You’re asked to laugh at the elitist superiority of Clara’s husband and daughters and delight in Clara’s own odd reactions to their neglect.

Despite the skill of filmmaking, this style and story is far from everyone’s cup of tea. Yet, the longer you sit with the film, the more it begins to expand in thought and theme. In a stunning transition from beginning to end, I found myself moving from dislike to a strong emotional appreciation, as the extreme relationships of the family began to reflect more universal themes. In the end, the characters and narrative converged into a highly relatable tale of a mother being ignored by the very people who should love her most, that any woman could find their own life reflected in.

Never Steady, Never Still. This quiet, contemplative film is both a visual masterpiece of atmosphere and an emotional resplendent example of writing and acting. With her debut feature, based her earlier short film, Hepburn has earned her place among the greats of Canadian cinema.

The story, centering on a woman with advanced Parkinson’s, is both a respectful portrayal of a woman’s will to maintain independence and a careful portrait of what losing one’s life really looks like. Hepburn’s characters are raw, real people trying to carve out an existence at the intersection between caretaker and autonomy. But where the film really shines is in the normalcy of the its events. Other than the death of Judy’s husband, which sets the conflict of the film in motion, the film lives in the ordinary, daily struggle that is far removed conventional Hollywood glamour but no less stunning and evocative.

You leave the film wondering where the future will take Judy and her son, but with a defiant sense that their strength will see them through the many trials of body and circumstance. This makes the film an impressive addition of the New Maverick’s track, presenting a leading woman who is flawed and frustrating within a tale that clearly displays the experience of its director as a woman living in the modern world.

RBG. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is perhaps one of the most well known living feminist icons. From her colorful personality, to her fashion choices, to her giant intellect, “the Notorious RBG” has earned her place as a pop culture phenomenon more times over than I can count. Yet, as a female icon, her story is still one that remains shrouded. There’s constant talk of her Supreme Court decisions and even more talk of a looming future without her, but few could really speak to the life leading to her status today.

Whether that is due to her personal privacy or her gender, I can’t say, but West and Cohen’s documentary sets out to right that wrong and bring Ginsburg’s singular journey from ordinary woman to Supreme Court legend to center stage. The film achieves that in every way, recounting the inspiring story with all the flare and care that you would expect in a documentary about a beloved figure. While there may be some walls remaining around Ginsburg’s mind and heart that not even the filmmakers could crack, the documentary is one that will bring smiles to the faces of even the most hardened cynics and make young girls everywhere feel more confident in reaching their dreams. After all, if a woman in the 1960s can defy misogyny and culture to pursue her career while still maintaining her family, then any American women today can find the strength to do the same.

Wind Traces (aka Restos De Viento), WINNER, Best Narrative Feature. Told from the point of view of Carmen and her children, “Wind Traces” takes the specifics of one Mexican housewife’s grief and transforms them into a universal tale of motherhood. It’s far from an easy film to watch. Loyo expects her audience to linger in Carmen’s agonizingly slow processing of loss and also make narrative leaps without direct answers. In that way, the film demands intelligence and careful attention that could be too much for casual viewers.

For those who can take the time and focus, however, the story will burrow deep into your bones and remain there long after the film is over. Watching a mother work through her grief, while her children struggle to reach her through the cloud of depression, is a heavy subject. Not only does the film resist the temptation to make that conflict more palatable, but it throws itself headlong into the art of making it realistic.

Carmen is not a heroine whose pain is glamorized. She’s born-crushingly sad, irresponsible, distant, frustrating, and at times, seemingly unsalvageable. But it’s that very realism that punches out from the screen and into the viewer’s heart. Pair the film’s portrayal of depression with a stunning interpretation of how children experience death through a fantastical, paranormal force, and you have a film that will take you down a path that may be hard to watch, but will be all the more rewarding for its emotional accuracy and powerful resolution.

Nothing Without Us: The Women Who Will End AIDS. Rounding out the New Mavericks spotlight for this year is “Nothing Without Us”, a moving documentary about the fight women are currently waging to end AIDS worldwide. This film is one that works on multiple levels in its representation of women. As a documentary, it tackles the very common, but often under-reported, stigma that surrounds women with HIV or AIDS. The film charges, rightly, that women are an often overlooked population of victims in the HIV epidemic and, through a historical lens and a dissection of current problems, begins to chip away at the walls of silence and ignorance that surround the issue.

It also operates on a masterful level when it comes to balancing heartbreaking stories of women who have been abused, neglected, and shunned with an inspiring message that leaves the viewer with the sense that this film is, in many ways, a rallying cry. It’s not meant to just evoke sympathy from the viewer but to empassion them and challenge them to do something. The women of this film are not content with just explaining the problem to you; instead, they demand that you help them do something about it as well, or admit yourself a hypocrite. For documentaries that fall more onto the educational side, this focus on action is a refreshing addition to the narrative, and the New Maverick’s track, championing the idea of women as their own heroes rather than just victims.

Anna Vecellio is a member of the Atlanta Film Festival Programming Team specializing in Screenplays and Short Film. A graduate of Boston College, she returned to her home state of Georgia with a degree in Film Studies and English in 2016 to explore the exponential rise in the Atlanta-based filmmaking industry and continue working on her own screenwriting projects.
She took over the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition in 2017 and oversaw a 250 percent growth in submissions, the introduction of a short film screenplay category, and the inaugural partnership with Screencraft to produce the Screencraft Writers Summit at the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival. As a short film programmer, Anna watches and evaluates over 1,400 films a year, and works with the other shorts film programmers to choose the best films and build the festival’s thematic short films blocks.

2018 Film Festival Spotlight Events

Creative Conference

by Linda Burns

When I moved to Georgia in 1992 to pursue a career in film, I had no idea where to begin. This was before the internet age, social media, and cell phones. After asking around, I discovered an organization called I.M.A.G.E. Film & Video. They not only put on the Atlanta Film Festival, but offered workshops, screenings, and networking opportunities. And here, I found my people.

Fast forward 25 years and I.M.A.G.E. is now called the Atlanta Film Society, a 5-day educational Creative Conference has been added to the festival line-up, and after 42 years, the organization is stronger than ever.

And I’ve evolved right along with them, from the clueless newbie attending screenings to a producer and director premiering my indie films, from taking class to teaching them, and from member to board member to the director of the Atlanta Film Festival Creative Conference.

As I look back at this year’s conference, and my career, it’s certainly all a blur of knowledge gained, inspiration attained, and lifelong friendships made. Day-long panels, and nights filled with movies and late night parties always make it a whirlwind! But I’m so proud to be a part of a ragtag group of indie kids that are now the professional actors and crew members inspiring the next generation of filmmakers at the festival.

The theme of the Creative Conference is collaboration – build your tribe – and you could see and feel it all around you as new projects came together, deals got made, and new alliances were created.

One new alliance highlight; Sesame Street came to Atlanta looking for new talent. Nine independent filmmakers were invited to pitch ideas for their classic one-minute number and letter films. They received direct feedback from the on-staff producer, and if lucky, they’ll be chosen to pitch projects for Sesame Street’s 50th season next year.

AMC, HBO, Showtime, TubiTV, Crogan Filmworks, and You42 talked network acquisitions and digital distribution, Media Services showed us how to create and actualize film budgets using Showbiz software, SAGIndie sponsored an incredible talent agent and casting director panel, StoryFit taught us how AI puts numbers to why and how men and women are portrayed differently in screenplays, Seed&Spark held an amazing workshop on pitching projects, and Film Independent educated filmmakers on new ways to fund their films. These groups provided a wealth of information for attendees, and with masterclasses from 4-time Academy Award® nominee Jason Reitman, “Prison Logic” filmmaker and star Romany Malco, and Dad’s Garage and Atlanta’s own “Archer” star Amber Nash, audiences had incredible opportunities to learn about the industry in new ways.

ASIFA-South taught us all about animation techniques with a hands-on workshop, even offering 3D scans of attendees. The podcasting panel, with HowStuffWorks, Tenderfoot TV (the makers of Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished), the creator of Tribulation Seasons 1 & 2, The Credits Podcast, and ATLFilmChat, was podcasted (because we’re meta like that) and should be a fascinating listen when it airs for the general public.

Local and out-of-town filmmakers learned all kinds of things about the industry like how to jump-start a film career, low budget tips and tricks, planning and executing a production properly, how to give good creative criticism and create solid stories, the basics of production legal, how to light and shoot an indie, gear that rides on a 5-ton grip truck, why sales agents are important, the psychology of lenses, the science of sound, how to find financing, how to stop sexual harassment and keep your cast and crew safe on set, how direction, props, and wardrobe can alter the meaning of a script in numerous ways, the challenges and joys on directing documentaries, organizations that support and mentor women in the industry, and post-production tips for indies.

Panels this year were filled with not only festival filmmakers, but cast and crew with credits that include “The Walking Dead”, “Goosebumps”, “Atlanta”, “Ozark”, “Hidden Figures”, “The Quad”, “Ride Along”, “The Accountant”, “Ant-Man and the Wasp”, “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Black Panther”, “Stranger Things”, “Black Lightening”, “Creed”, “Superfly”, “Tag”, “Avengers: Infinite War”, “Dynasty”, “Baby Driver”, “Greenleaf”, “Halt” and “Catch Fire”, “24: Legacy”, “Venom”, “Vampire Diaries”, “Sully”, “Star”, “I-Tonya”, “Being Mary Jane”, “Bessie”, “The Internship”, “Anchorman 2”, “Lincoln”, “The Lego Movie”, “Moana”, “Empire”, “The Gifted”, “The Spy Who Dumped Me”, “Pitch Perfect 3”, and “Mulan 2”. Frankly, the panels were filled with an embarrassment of riches and we are so grateful that Atlanta’s top talent takes such pride in giving back to the community.

Each year we work hard to increase opportunities for filmmakers to learn and grow, to make new connections and find inspiration, and to gain advice and insight from professionals, and this year was no exception. As the director of the Creative Conference, I want panels that don’t just entertain and educate, but that share proven strategies and best practices, trigger new ideas, and give filmmakers concrete suggestions they can walk out and implement tomorrow on their next production to craft stronger content and create safer sets.

And the learning doesn’t end just because the festival has to. The Atlanta Film Society is open year-round, offering workshops for beginners and professionals, screenings of indie films and studio features, and special events and free networking opportunities like the monthly Eat, Drink, and B-Indie and New Mavericks programs.

You can sign up for a free newsletter to keep you informed at http://www.atlantafilmsociety.org/fan, become a member at http://www.atlantafilmsociety.org/membership, and sign up for classes at http:// www.atlantafilmsociety.org/classes-workshops.

And of course, we’re always looking for Creative Conference sponsors that are the right fit, so if you missed the fest this year, check out some of our other events and see the benefits of sponsorship up close. Or maybe you have an idea for a workshop or panel discussion. We’d love to hear from you and we hope to see you next year at the 43rd annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference!

Linda Burns, Director of the Atlanta Film Festival Creative Conference Charter Member of the Producer’s Guild of America – Atlanta.

The Inaugural Screencraft Writer’s Summit

by Anna Vecellio

During the first weekend of the Atlanta Film Festival, 300 writers came from all over the country, and in some cases the world, for the Screencraft Writers Summit: a weekend of screenwriting education, networking, and career advice. Co-presented by the Atlanta Film Society (operators of the Atlanta Film Festival) and Screencraft (a boutique screenplay consultation and competition organization), the Summit brought together over 35 industry panelists to share their knowledge in panels, networking events, and parties including:

Laeta Kalogridis – Writer, “X-Men”, “Shutter Island”, “Altered Carbon”
Wendy Calhoun – TV Showrunner “Justified”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Nashville”
Eric Heisserer – Oscar Nominated Writer, “Arrival” and “Lights Out”
Cate Adams – VP Film Production, Warner Bros. Pictures
Scott Carr – Literary Manager
Max Borenstein – Writer, “Kong: Skull Island”, “Game of Thrones Spinoff”
Eric Haywood – Writer, Co-Executive Producer “Empire”
JJ Klein – Vice President, Current Programming FX Networks
Diana Ossana – Oscar-Winning Writer, “Brokeback Mountain”
Mika Pryce – Creative Executive, Universal Pictures
Keya Khayatian – Agent, UTA
Matt Dy – Austin Film Festival Director of Script Competitions

The weekend opened with the “Hollywood TED’s: The Best Lesson I Ever Learned” in which five panelists, each from a different side of the industry including managers, showrunners, writers, and executives, gave an abbreviated “TED talk” on their experience. The mini-talks were met with enthusiasm from the summit attendees, who listened raptly to each speaker’s unique perspective and advice.

One standout of the weekend was the “Creator Track.” In keeping with ATLFF’s devotion to promoting filmmaking and uplifting indie artists, the “Creator Track” was designed by Summit Director Emily Dell as the be all, end all of education for those seeking to create their own content. The track covered topics such as: Development 101, Writing Independent Film, The Writer’s Room, Web Series, Stand Up, Podcasts, and Georgia Development.

In an industry where the cost of equipment is at an all-time low and avenues for self-distribution at an all time high, the main barrier to content creation becomes knowledge and experience. By crafting a track that covered industry staples, but also addressed new cutting-edge content creation like podcasts and webseries, the summit was able to offer its attendees the tools they need to go out into the world and start creating inside and outside the Hollywood system.

The “Science & Entertainment Exchange” panel was a personal favorite of mine. This government branch’s mission is to promote science literacy through media. To that end, they help pair up scientists and film productions to advise on scientific theory and application. Rick Loverd – from the exchange – spoke with Wendy Calhoun, Cate Adams, and Eric Heisserer at the Summit about their experiences with science and technology in media, how science literacy can produce unique and powerful stories, and where productions can find the line between scientific accuracy and story.

One of the most lauded panels was “Diversity in Leadership in the Entertainment Industry.” This was a no-posting panel, meaning no recording or photos allowed, which allowed the panelists to talk openly about their experience with diversity both as rising figures in the industry and as established figures trying to open the door for others. Eric Haywood, Mika Pryce, and Wendy Calhoun talked honestly with the crowd about what it was like to be a minority in Hollywood, their journeys to the top, what barriers still remained, and how they can be overcome by a new generation of creators.

The ban on phones in select events also gave panelists the cover they needed to talk about one of Hollywood’s most sensitive topics: Failure. At “The F Word” panel, attendees got a serving of cold hard truth about just how much creators go through before they get the fabled “big break.” Industry mega-giants Eric Heisserer, Keya Khayatian, Laeta Kalogridis, and Max Borenstein talked with the attendees about what it’s really like to rise up through the industry on a road paved with failure. From projects that died forever, to conflicts with studios and industry leaders, to the simplest of creative blocks, they got real with attendees in a way that demystified the process and helped writers feel more comfortable with their own shortcomings.

The capstone of the Creators Track and the final panel of the summit was crafted with Atlanta in mind. “The Georgia Development or Bust” panel featured a host of people involved in or experienced with the barriers facing the Atlanta film industry in its quest to develop its own content. While the film industry, particularly production, has exploded in recent years, most of the content being shot in Georgia was developed elsewhere. In an effort to build its own voice, Atlanta filmmakers have finally begun the conversation on how to use the Georgia production machine to tell Georgia grown stories as well. While the path is an uphill one, that most on the panel agreed has not even taken solid shape yet, the conversation was one that felt grounded in the realities of the industry but still hopeful for the future.

In addition to the panels and other events open to all summit attendees, the weekend also featured two incredible events reserved solely for those who were part of the “elite” badgeholders group.

First up on Saturday was the industry lunch. While the food arrived a little late, it didn’t stop the conversations that took place. A host of panelists descended on the Highland Ballroom and took up their places at assigned tables and seating. Elite badgeholders were then invited to find their favorite panelists and strike up a conversation, ask their questions, and get facetime with the very people they’re working to be one day. The space was crowded with great conversation and an intense creative energy.

The other major elite badgeholders event was the Sunday Mentor Sit-downs. This brand new event was a play on the popular speed-dating formula. Four to five attendees were assigned to a table where they spent 20 minutes talking with a visiting panelist. By the end, the attendees were given once in a lifetime access to five unique panelists, giving each and every attendee the chance to ask the question one-on-one that had plagued their minds the whole weekend. Not even a bout of chilling rain, which forced the Sit-downs to a new venue, could sour the event.

The most popular event of the Summit by far was the Pitch Competition. All weekend, people signed up and lined up to take part in the preliminaries. On the last day, the best of the best, pitched before the entire summit in an energy-filled bonanza. In the end, three winners emerged. While not every pitcher may have won, countless writers got a chance to practice talking about themselves and their projects and hopefully gained the confidence they’ll need to move forward with their careers.

In the end, it was a stellar weekend, that could become an industry staple in future iterations. Both ATLFS and Screencraft proved that they aren’t afraid to go big to give writers a chance to find the knowledge and connections they need to get their stories and voices heard.

Linda Burns at the University of Michigan, took radio and TV classes for fun. After graduation, with no clue what she wanted to do, she saved $500, grabbed a backpack and a tent, and moved to Hawaii with no job or place to stay. Four months later, she earned enough money to quit her glamorous career pulling weeds at a 5-star hotel golf course overlooking the Kauai coastline and bought a VW van.

Although Linda shot the occasional local TV commercial, first birthday party, and cable access lifestyle show, she lived nomadically in that van as a commercial fisherman, setting and casting nets, and spearing lobster and octopus before eventually moving back home to Michigan a little over a year later.

Driving an inherited Chevy Cutlass Supreme, Linda then escaped to Key West. Once again, with no job or place to live, she found work as an on-air radio DJ and waitress. Two years later, bored of the crazy Keys, she relocated to Atlanta.

Linda now consults and produces award-winning indie features, TV series, and national commercials. She’s a member of the Producers Guild of America and Film Fatales, a board member of Atlanta Film Society and Georgia Production Partnership, she runs the nationally renown PAAcademy.org and teaches entry and advanced level film classes.

Linda is currently directing and editing a documentary series on commercial fishing and culture in the Florida panhandle, and she created Atlanta’s first and only writers room, The D-Girl Project, which is developing a TV series set along The Forgotten Coast. She enjoys long walks on the beach, good tequila, fishing with her hubby on their boat, casting a net for shrimp, and cooking the amazing meals that make all her friends want to visit Linda’s Fish Camp. www.plexuspictures.com.

Masterclasses

by Jamie Traner

There’s something in a Masterclass that cannot be replicated online, in a workshop, or even in a conference panel. A Masterclass brings guests to an intimate conversation, void of traditional instruction. It isn’t a class that addresses a process a-though-z; it’s a sit-down with a close relative, giving life advice and telling stories of their struggles and greatest accomplishments, all in the timespan of one hour.

After a delay in schedule due to some poor Canadian weather, the long-anticipated Jason Reitman Masterclass for the Atlanta Film Festival 2018 switched from 4p.m. on Sunday, to a Monday morning at 9a.m. Sharp.

Moderated by Atlanta Film Society Executive Director Christopher Escobar, the Festival leaders had already collected and sifted through questions to keep a smooth run of show.

Reitman started off the hour with an assurance that he wasn’t here to schmooze us, but that he truly loves Atlanta. He’s been here recently filming “Front Runner” and commented that “Atlanta reminds me of Austin; it’s a city of movie fans. You can tell when people are there for a job or because they love it.” Which is a pretty encouraging tip of the hat to a roomful of local Georgia filmmakers who, truly, are movie fans.

It was easy to feel like a part of the conversation. Reitman carried himself like an old friend, and Escobar like a professional of southern hospitality. The renowned golden curtains of the refurbished Plaza Theater warmed the room, and the palette was wrapped together with The Plaza’s classic leather armchairs. In this cozy and inviting space, Reitman joked with slight self-deprecation of his work in comparison to his father (Ivan Reitman), referencing times he had passed a script on to the elder and received notes as simple as “Jason, a film needs a plot. People want plot,” and continuing to reference the relationship and inspiration by “My father wants to take your favorite song and play it better than you’ve ever heard it. I want to take your least favorite song and play it to make you like it.”

Despite the elder Reitman having a hefty resume, it goes without question that Reitman is making a name for himself in the film world. His most recent film, “Tully,” had screened to a thoroughly pleased audience the night prior. And with a few remaining comments and shared laughs with Escobar, Reitman was whisked away to catch his next flight.

While Reitman was warm and somewhat reserved, that evening was seemingly the opposite with Mr. Romany Malco’s Masterclass, moderated by Atlanta Film Society’s Associate Director Cameron McAllister. If Reitman was the friend you catch up with in a soft-lit pub, Malco was the pal counting down the minutes till happy hour.

After being once again ushered through the doors into the Plaza Theatre, Malco’s energy lit up the room and reeled us into an hour-long whirlwind of what it was like skipping the indie-circuit acting and being pulled straight to the mainstream. From “WEEDS,” to “Baby Mama,” and “Think Like a Man,” Malco spun tales of inside jokes with Paula Abdul with subtle references to her previous MTV work with Scat Cat and then back to his big break with Judd Apatow’s “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” His mastery is clear when he describes the audition process with Apatow. Malco was brought into the audition room three separate times and was instructed to improv for nearly three hours each time. And after all was said and done, a last-minute call to do a chemistry read with Steve Carrell tied the knot.

Such is life for an improviser. To say the conversation was uncensored would be a bit of an understatement. He had audience members in stitches over first loves and Hammer-age, youth-filled debauchery. But perhaps the greatest golden nugget audience members took, was the story of when Mr. Malco set sails for the beach. It had been a while since the comedian had worked, business was falling apart, a girl had just left him, he had but a three-digit bank account, and yet he grabbed his surfboard and headed to the beach. During this time, he cleared his head and made a plan. He needed an assistant. How was he to focus on acting with “all this other stuff?” Upon returning from his getaway, he put an ad on Craigslist (in spite of only having $973 to his name), and hired an assistant. She came in, told him to leave and focus on acting while she organized his office. Immediately the calls started coming in.

What this story boiled down to is “We confuse effort with achievement.” In our respective lines of work, we should not be killing ourselves to make ends meet; we should “clear our minds to be able to shine.”

Of course, that wasn’t the entire conversation. There were more anecdotes not meant to be repeated in print, and a rapid-fire question-answer period, and by the end our cheeks and sides had gotten their workout from Mr. Romany Malco.

The final installment of the Atlanta Film Festival 2018 Masterclass series was with Ms. Amber Nash, known to most as Pam Poovey on FX’s “Archer.” If we’re making “Where would you catch a drink with this friend?” analogies, Nash would be the one to invite you over to her backyard with a chilled case of beers sitting readily between some lounge chairs.

Instead of the Plaza’s armchairs, Nash and moderator Ed Morgan, Associate Artistic Director of Dad’s Garage, took their places in angled director’s chairs on the stage in Dad’s Garage with a simple enough question to start, “What got you into performance?” This kicked off the conversation with some insight into the Georgia native’s history. From her first taste of the spotlight in her first grade play, licking a chocolate-covered spoon on stage, to getting her psychology degree, one might wonder what happened in that time span. Well, we all find our paths in life, and after her friend took her to improv one night in college, Nash immediately signed up for classes. Though she continued with school and completed her psychology degree to then go on to work as a counselor, the stage called her back and she wound up quitting her job to work with education at Dad’s Garage.

From there she was introduced to the world of voice-over via Adult Swim’s “Frisky Dingo.” Through the network of friends, Nash didn’t even audition for the part of Pam. She was simply asked to play the role!

When asked if she ever grows tired of Pam, (with “Archer” in its 9th season) Nash responded, “ No! The characters change so much! In the first season Pam was described as ‘mousy’.” Needless to say, those who have seen the show know that Pam Poovey is far from “mousy.”

The two old friends continued through their loosely structured banter and audience members took note of the far-from ‘family friendly’ conversation. We learned of Amber Nash’s voice over education, consisting of nothing, and how she continues to learn each time she steps into the booth. Advice on her vocal health and maintenance? Also nothing, as this spitfire lady jokes of her old ritual smoking two cigarettes and downing a coffee on her way to work. The actress commented on how she’s made efforts to not allow the potential end of “Archer” to derail her, and then wrapped the mind train up with her less-than-nerdy take on ‘cons’ (see: ComicCon, DragonCon, etc.). Throughout the event, the actress maintained the laidback, humble demeanor one would hope to encounter, bringing a sense of pride to the locals in the audience.

By the end of Morgan’s questioning, the audience was invited to pose their queries. With each question, Nash leaned in, not to hear better, but to engage with each individual! She would laugh and answer each person with beauty and grace, despite the repetition of some folks who clearly hadn’t been paying attention. All the same to Nash, she made everyone feel as though perhaps she’d come to encounter them, instead of the reverse of us coming for her.

Then of course, after the shortest hour of the week, audience members were left wondering whether they had a new girl-boss crush or a new best friend.
With each year of the Atlanta Film Festival increasing in content and bridging network contacts and relations, the stacked Masterclass series was the best yet. We are excited to see the growth over the years and in upcoming festivals and want to give greatest thanks to Festival Director Christopher Escobar, and Associate Director Cameron McAllister for their efforts and success in this 42nd fest.

Jamie Traner, an Atlanta-native, plays her role as a marketing coordinator in her second year on staff of the Atlanta Film Festival. She began as a marketing and design intern in the fall of 2015 and also spends time writing for Georgia Entertainment News while finishing her degree in Film and Video at Georgia State University.

2018 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS

Atlanta, Ga (April 24, 2018) — Capping a successful final weekend, the 42nd annual Atlanta Film Festival, held April 12-22 at key venues for the arts around the city, is pleased to announce the 2018 ATLFF award winners.
In addition to taking home the awards, winners of the Narrative Short, Animated Short and Documentary Short Jury Awards now qualify for the 2018 Oscar® short list. ATLFF is one of only 14 festivals in the country that is Oscar qualifying in three or more categories.

JURIED PRIZE WINNERS

Narrative Feature Jury Award – “RESTOS DE VIENTO (WIND TRACES)”
Narrative Feature Special Jury Prize – “DISAPPEARANCE
Documentary Feature Jury Award – “MAN MADE
Documentary Feature Special Jury Award – “NOS LLAMAN
GUERRERAS (THEY CALL US WARRIORS)
Narrative Short Jury Award – “FOR NONNA ANNA
Documentary Short Jury Award – “ZION
Animated Short Jury Award – “FUNDAMENTAL”; Additional 2018 ATLFF Awards
WonderFilm Award (presented by WonderRoot): “WALLS OF HOPE”
Georgia Film Award – “STILL”
Filmmaker-to-Watch Award – “Connor Simpson (KUDZU)”
Innovator Award – “Daveed Diggs (BLINDSPOTTING)”
Rebel Award – “Jason Reitman (TULLY)”
Phoenix Award – “Kiersey Clemons (HEARTS BEAT LOUD)”

Every year, the Atlanta Film Festival is pleased to showcase diverse feature and short films that connect audiences to filmmakers from around the world. In 2018, ATLFF screened a record 208 films after receiving more than 7,600 submissions from 56 countries. More than 55 feature-length films and 150 short films were selected, making this year’s film festival the most diverse, by number of countries represented, and the largest, by number of films, in Atlanta history.

Highlights included Opening and Closing Night presentations and galas, seven feature-length World Premieres and ten Marquee screening events. Notably, 68 percent of this year’s selected submissions were directed by either a woman or filmmaker of color, and a record 49 films had had production or filmmaker ties to the Peach State – reflecting the growing role of Georgia to the filmmaking industry.

This year, ATLFF launched a new initiative to honor Originators, Innovators and Rebels in the film industry. On April 13, ATLFF awarded its inaugural Innovator Award, created to recognize visionaries and those forging their own path within the film industry, to Daveed Diggs for his work on Broadway’s “Hamilton” and ATLFF Opening Night film BLINDSPOTTING.

Prior to the April 15 ATLFF Marquee screening of TULLY, the festival also awarded Academy Award-nominated director Jason Reitman with the ATLFF Rebel Award for writing and directing films like THANK YOU FOR SMOKING (2005), JUNO (2007) and UP IN THE AIR (2009) about characters that defied expectations and cut against the grain.

Actress Kiersey Clemons, known for her roles in FLATLINERS and THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK and set to star in the upcoming DC Comics’ Flash movie, received the inaugural ATLFF Phoenix Award prior to the April 20 red carpet screening of HEARTS BEAT LOUD.

Select photos from this year’s Atlanta Film Festival are available at http://www.tinyurl.com/ATLFF2018PressAssets. Additional information on the festival and the Atlanta Film Society can be found at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com.

NARRATIVE FEATURE JURY AWARD

RESTOS DE VIENTO (WIND TRACES)
Directed by Jimena Montemayor Loyo
Mexico, 2017, Spanish, 93 minutes
In the wake of losing their father and patriarch, a family drifts aimlessly through life. The mother, Carmen, struggles with depression and the task of caring for her children in the wake of her abandonment. Disappointed by the adults in her life, oldest daughter Ana shuts down while her brother opens himself up to the mysterious otherworldly figure that has suddenly appeared in his life. Together, the family will have to grow and let go of their fears in order to survive.
#Competition, #CineMás, #NewMavericks

NARRATIVE FEATURE JURY AWARD

DISAPPEARANCE
Directed by Ali Asgari
Iran/Qatar, 2017, Persian, 88 minutes
When a young virgin decides to sleep with her boyfriend, she finds herself under threat from her conservative society. Desperate for a solution, the couple travels from hospital to hospital searching for help and finds their relationship tested in the face of the consequences of their actions.
#Competition

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE JURY AWARD

MAN MADE
Directed by T Cooper
USA, 2018, English, 93 minutes
At the world’s only all-transgender bodybuilding competition, four male bodybuilders take the stage. What precedes this triumphant moment are a set of personal and diverse journeys taken on the path to self-identity and empowerment. Told through the intimate and honest lens of a trans filmmaker, this documentary intertwines the nuances of manhood, the drive for social justice, and the competitive desire to forge our own paths and be our personal best.
#Competition, #Georgia, #PinkPeach, #WorldPremiere

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

NOS LLAMAN GUERRERAS (THEY CALL US WARRIORS)
Directed by Jennifer Socorro, Edwin Corona Ramos, David Alonso
Venezuela/USA/Mexico/Jordan, 2018, Spanish/English, 81 minutes
In a country torn apart by political and economic upheaval, a team of young women finds refuge in a sport that rises above their personal poverty and gendered social status. But when this new soccer team goes undefeated in all of South America, these women find themselves in the position to win Venezuela’s first World Cup and gain a new acceptance and voice in their home country.
#Competition, #CineMás, #WorldPremiere

NARRATIVE SHORT JURY AWARD

FOR NONNA ANNA
Directed by Luis De Filippis
Canada, 13:17
A trans girl cares for her Italian grandmother. She assumes that her Nonna disapproves of her but instead discovers a tender bond in their shared vulnerability.
#Competition, #PinkPeach

DOCUMENTARY SHORT JURY AWARD

ZION
Directed by Floyd Russ
USA, 10:25
A portrait of Zion Clark, a young wrestler who was born without legs and grew up in foster care.
#Competition

ANIMATED SHORT JURY AWARD

(FUNDAMENTAL)
Directed by ShihChieh Chiu
Taiwan, 7:10
A story of a teenager who discovers the strange and terrifying reality behind fundamentalism.
#Competition

WONDERFILM AWARD (PRESENTED BY WONDERROOT)

WALLS OF HOPE
Directed by Elisabeth Pritchett
Documentary Short, USA, 8:16
A short documentary about the Walls of Hope project in Savannah, Georgia and its creative and inspiring impact on the community.
#Georgia

GEORGIA FILM AWARD

STILL
Directed by Takashi Doscher
Narrative Feature, USA, 2018, English, 88 minutes
When Lily (Madeline Brewer) loses her way on a hike through the Appalachian wilderness, she finds rescue in the form of a peculiar married couple, Ella (Lydia Wilson) and Adam (Nick Blood), who have completely isolated themselves from the outside world. As the couple nurses Lily back to health, she begins to discover evidence of a dark and dangerous secret a century in the making. As Ella and Nick’s mystery begins to unravel, Lily comes to understand the couple’s desperation to keep themselves hidden from the world.
#Georgia, #WorldPremiere

FILMMAKER TO WATCH AWARD

Connor Simpson for KUDZU
Directed by Connor Simpson
Narrative Short, USA, 14:50
During a scorching summer in rural Alabama, a young boy wrestles with a deepening sense of remorse after the disappearance of his friend.

INNOVATOR AWARD

Daveed Diggs, presented at BLINDSPOTTING
Directed by Carlos López Estrada
USA, 2018, English, 95 minutes
Collin (Daveed Diggs) must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning. He and his troublemaking childhood best friend, Miles (Rafael Casal), work as movers and are forced to watch their old neighborhood become a trendy spot in the rapidly gentrifying Bay Area. When a life-altering event causes Collin to miss his mandatory curfew, the two men struggle to maintain their friendship as the changing social landscape exposes their differences.

REBEL AWARD

Jason Reitman, presented at TULLY
Directed by Jason Reitman
USA, 2018, English, 94 minutes
A new comedy from Academy Award-nominated director Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”). Marlo (Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis).
#Marquee

PHOENIX AWARD

Kiersey Clemons, presented at HEARTS BEAT LOUD
Directed by Brett Haley
USA, 2018, English, 97 minutes
Frank (Nick Offerman) and his daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) form a songwriting duo shortly before she leaves for college. As they grow closer through their music, Frank must come to terms with letting go of his daughter. Toni Collette, Ted Danson, Sasha Lane and Blythe Danner also star.
#Marquee

 

The Atlanta Film Festival, now in its fifth decade, is an Academy Award-qualifying festival and one of the region’s largest and longest-running preeminent celebrations of cinema in the Southeast United States. More than 25,000 festival attendees enjoy independent, animated, documentary and short films each year, selected from more than 7,600 submissions from 120 countries.

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. It is also the most distinguished event in its class, recognized as the ‘Best Spring Festival’ by Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ‘Best Film Festival’ by Creative Loafing and Atlanta Magazine, as well as one of the ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ by MovieMaker Magazine. Major funding for the Atlanta Film Society is provided by Turner, XFINITY, Delta Airlines, MailChimp and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners through the Fulton County Arts & Culture Department and the National Endowment for the Arts through the Art Works category.

www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com