Atlanta Film Festival 2024
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Festival
Documentary, Drama
The 2024 Oscar-Qualifying Atlanta Film Festival is coming, and it's our mission again to put on an 11-day fest to showcase great independent films from around the world. For the last 10 years, the community has come together to help us fund this momentous event, and we're asking for your help again!
Atlanta Film Festival 2024
Atlanta, Georgia | Film Festival
Documentary, Drama
1 Campaigns | Georgia, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $22,500 for festivals. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
93 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
The 2024 Oscar-Qualifying Atlanta Film Festival is coming, and it's our mission again to put on an 11-day fest to showcase great independent films from around the world. For the last 10 years, the community has come together to help us fund this momentous event, and we're asking for your help again!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Thank you all!
For the first time in a long time, the Atlanta Film Festival felt like the Atlanta Film Festival. In this post-Covid world, being surrounded by thousands of independent film lovers seemed like a dream. But for 10 days, the world felt normal. And it was amazing! To all those who attended, sponsored, worked, volunteered, and, of course, created the spectacular films - thank you. Thank you for allowing the Atlanta Film Festival to exist. And thank you for allowing us to entertain you. There is a saying, “It takes a village.” Traditionally, this statement is reserved for those bringing a child into this world. But, for us, it’s appropriate. Because we are nothing without our community. Our tribe. And because of you, ATLFF’23 was a smash hit.
The Stars Burned Bright In Atlanta!
When you’re one of USA Today’s 10 Best Film Festivals and also Moviemaker Magazines' 25 Coolest Film Festivals - people are going to not only submit, but the stars are going to want to show up! ATLFF’23 had over 9,000 film and screenplay submissions from over 200 countries across the world. And films from people like Vincent D’Onofrio, George RR Martin, and Keke Palmer were not only worthy of being screened but attended! And they weren’t alone - over 27,000 people flocked to the ATLFF to see what films were selected from those submitted.
ATLFF’23 had over 7K films submitted. Out of those, 151 films from 30 countries - including 39 world premieres - were programmed for this year's festival. This includes 40 feature films, 84 Short Films, and 27 Creative Media (Music Videos, Episodic Pilots, and Virtual Reality).
And at the ATLFF, we make sure voices are heard, and all stories are told. That’s why we had:
- 47% BIPOC Directed
- 49% women + non-binary Directed
- 23% of the total lineup programmed from submissions are Georgia films
We also have specialty tracks at the ATLFF, which include New Mavericks, which highlights strong female filmmakers or lead roles; Pink Peach, which shines a spotlight on LGBTQ narrative features, documentaries, or short films; and ¡CineMás!, which highlights Latin American programming, and Noire, which highlights films led by Black filmmakers.
ATLFF’23 had 17 Marquee Screenings, with our Opening Night film “Polite Society” kicking things off with the directorial debut of Keke Palmer, “Big Boss” closing things up with Keke in attendance for a live Q&A. We also had our 13th Annual Creative Conference with both in-person and virtual panels.
But none of this would have been possible without all of the support from all of you!
Why the ATLFF? Because We’re Here to Support Indie Filmmaking!
ATLFF, we pride ourselves on championing the voices of independent filmmakers. Whether they’re from our home state of Georgia or from one of the 30 countries that submitted to ATLFF’23 - we showcase stories of all sizes and colors. It’s our mission to empower the independent film community and to launch film careers. And thanks to our supporters, we’ve been able to do that for over 47 years!
The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).
As some of you may know, and many of you don’t - the ATLFF is an Academy Award®-qualifying festival, which means winners of our animated short, documentary short, and narrative short jury awards may qualify to be on a shortlist for Oscar® nominations. And at the 94th Academy Awards, thanks to winning the ATLFF’21 Jury Award Winner for Best Narrative Short, THE DRESS was nominated for Best Live Action Short.
Our goal is $20,000, but with your continued support, we hope to hit stretch goals of $25,000 and $30,000—releasing exciting perks and announcing details of the upcoming festival with each new goal!
As we said before, Georgia has become the powerhouse in production (Top 3, as a matter of fact), but you can’t have film & tv productions without content creators. For nearly 48 years, ATLFF has been a platform for empowering filmmakers.
And did we mention the perks?
Many of you give just as a way to give back. And many of you are a backer because it includes some impressive benefits. We’re a judgment-free zone, so why you give is totally up to you; just know we appreciate you. That’s why we will provide some pretty sweet perks, from your name on the big screen to special VIP treatment. So, if you are definitely planning to attend the 2024 festival? Pledge today and save more on your pass than at any other time of the year. Year-round member? Pitch in $85 and get your 2024 membership to the Atlanta Film Society, which comes with all kinds of year-round perks, like invitations to free advance screenings, member-exclusive events, and more.
Risks and challenges
If we don’t raise 80% of $20,000, we don’t get a single penny pledged. This is our 11th year running a crowdfunding campaign, but the pandemic has created new challenges for us to overcome. COVID-19 has impacted us financially, limiting our impact on the film community. ATLFF has made some astonishing accomplishments over the last four decades, and the success of this campaign could play a big part in what we're able to do in the future. Additionally, it is easier than ever to be an Atlanta Film Society member or to buy a badge for the Atlanta Film Festival... meaning some people who have done so through previous campaigns may already be set for 2024. We also face the challenge of trying to raise this money while the whole nation is going through an economic crisis. We know you have a choice of organizations to support, and we are so thankful to be considered!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Filmmaker Travel
Costs $8,000
$8,000 of the funds goes to covering the cost of flying filmmakers into the festival.
Filmmaker Cash Prizes
Costs $9,000
Filmmaker cash prize awards to help festival winners continue their dream of making content.
Filmmaker Lodging
Costs $3,000
Cover the hotel costs to bring filmmakers in to the festival.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Chris Escobar, Executive Director
Serving since 2011, Christopher Escobar is the longest serving and first minority Executive Director of the 44-year old Atlanta Film Society, the media arts organization named “Best Nonprofit” by Creative Loafing and producer of the Academy Award-qualifying Atlanta Film Festival named “Best Spring Festival in Atlanta” by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker Magazine and "10 Best Film Festival" by USAtoday two years running. He has been named a “40 under 40” and “CFO of the Year” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, “Best of Atlanta” by Atlanta Magazine and the “Creativity & Arts Award for Community Impact Arts Administrator” from the Emory College Center for Creativity & Arts. Escobar has been featured in Vice, Variety, Slate Magazine, The New York Times, TIME, ABC, PBS, NPR, NBC, Fox News, NPR, The Wallstreet Journal, The Washington Post, CBS and CNN.
He has served on boards for Georgia Production Partnership, Plaza Theatre Foundation, Rialto Center for the Arts and Georgia State University’s College of the Arts. He has also served on grant review panels for Fulton County Arts & Culture, Georgia Council for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts many time. In 2017, he purchased the historic Plaza Theatre—Atlanta’s oldest cinema and converted the theatre from being a strategic partner of the ATLFS to making the theatre’s number one philanthropic priority. In 2023, he reopened the Tara Theatre after the previous owners had to close unexpectedly. Christopher holds a B.A. in Film & Video as well as an M.A. in Moving Image Studies with a concentration in Production both from Georgia State University. He is lucky to be married to his lovely wife of over a decade, Nicole and they have three amazing children, Olivia, Aiden, and Amelia.
Marguerite Mancini, Managing Director
Marguerite Daniel Mancini (Managing Director) is a graduate of Hampton University and Emory Law School and was previously the Business Director for the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Prior to ATLFS, Marguerite was involved in the theatrical side of things for over a decade with Theater of the Stars. Her skill set includes non-profit administration, human resources, grant writing, event planning and stage management. Marguerite is a grant panelist for the City of Atlanta and Fulton County, is a member of the 2018 Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta class and is currently on the Advisory Council of the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards – the Shuler Hensley Awards.
Jon Kieran, Programming Director
Jonathan Kieran is a film programmer hailing from Essex County, Massachusetts. After making a start as an amateur filmmaker at the tender age of 22, he moved across the country to take a spot at the Master of Fine Arts program in Film Production at the University of New Orleans. At the same time, he started as a volunteer for the New Orleans Film Festival, which slowly grew to become his professional home over the next decade and where he wore many hats, from organizing panels, to assisting the festival’s technical department, to finally settling into the role of Programming Manager. He also lent a hand at other regional festivals including Court 13’s Always for Pleasure fest in New Orleans, Borscht Corporation’s “Borscht Diez” in Miami, and the Camden International Film Festival. He was also a longtime contributor to online indie-film showcase NoBudge. In 2021 Jon returned to New England to serve as Director of Cinema Programming at Cinema Salem, an independent three-screen cinema located in Salem, MA. In between programming jobs, he had side-gigs as a pedicab driver in the French Quarter, a sound recordist on indie film crews, and a tour guide in Salem, where he educated the public about the city’s notorious witch trials. When he’s not working, Jon is a slow reader, bike rider, drink mixer, Letterboxd try-hard, Eurovision superfan, sometimes diarist, novice synthesist, and cat person.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Thank you all!
For the first time in a long time, the Atlanta Film Festival felt like the Atlanta Film Festival. In this post-Covid world, being surrounded by thousands of independent film lovers seemed like a dream. But for 10 days, the world felt normal. And it was amazing! To all those who attended, sponsored, worked, volunteered, and, of course, created the spectacular films - thank you. Thank you for allowing the Atlanta Film Festival to exist. And thank you for allowing us to entertain you. There is a saying, “It takes a village.” Traditionally, this statement is reserved for those bringing a child into this world. But, for us, it’s appropriate. Because we are nothing without our community. Our tribe. And because of you, ATLFF’23 was a smash hit.
The Stars Burned Bright In Atlanta!
When you’re one of USA Today’s 10 Best Film Festivals and also Moviemaker Magazines' 25 Coolest Film Festivals - people are going to not only submit, but the stars are going to want to show up! ATLFF’23 had over 9,000 film and screenplay submissions from over 200 countries across the world. And films from people like Vincent D’Onofrio, George RR Martin, and Keke Palmer were not only worthy of being screened but attended! And they weren’t alone - over 27,000 people flocked to the ATLFF to see what films were selected from those submitted.
ATLFF’23 had over 7K films submitted. Out of those, 151 films from 30 countries - including 39 world premieres - were programmed for this year's festival. This includes 40 feature films, 84 Short Films, and 27 Creative Media (Music Videos, Episodic Pilots, and Virtual Reality).
And at the ATLFF, we make sure voices are heard, and all stories are told. That’s why we had:
- 47% BIPOC Directed
- 49% women + non-binary Directed
- 23% of the total lineup programmed from submissions are Georgia films
We also have specialty tracks at the ATLFF, which include New Mavericks, which highlights strong female filmmakers or lead roles; Pink Peach, which shines a spotlight on LGBTQ narrative features, documentaries, or short films; and ¡CineMás!, which highlights Latin American programming, and Noire, which highlights films led by Black filmmakers.
ATLFF’23 had 17 Marquee Screenings, with our Opening Night film “Polite Society” kicking things off with the directorial debut of Keke Palmer, “Big Boss” closing things up with Keke in attendance for a live Q&A. We also had our 13th Annual Creative Conference with both in-person and virtual panels.
But none of this would have been possible without all of the support from all of you!
Why the ATLFF? Because We’re Here to Support Indie Filmmaking!
ATLFF, we pride ourselves on championing the voices of independent filmmakers. Whether they’re from our home state of Georgia or from one of the 30 countries that submitted to ATLFF’23 - we showcase stories of all sizes and colors. It’s our mission to empower the independent film community and to launch film careers. And thanks to our supporters, we’ve been able to do that for over 47 years!
The Atlanta Film Festival is the annual centerpiece of educational and enriching film programming that is provided year-round by its parent organization, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).
As some of you may know, and many of you don’t - the ATLFF is an Academy Award®-qualifying festival, which means winners of our animated short, documentary short, and narrative short jury awards may qualify to be on a shortlist for Oscar® nominations. And at the 94th Academy Awards, thanks to winning the ATLFF’21 Jury Award Winner for Best Narrative Short, THE DRESS was nominated for Best Live Action Short.
Our goal is $20,000, but with your continued support, we hope to hit stretch goals of $25,000 and $30,000—releasing exciting perks and announcing details of the upcoming festival with each new goal!
As we said before, Georgia has become the powerhouse in production (Top 3, as a matter of fact), but you can’t have film & tv productions without content creators. For nearly 48 years, ATLFF has been a platform for empowering filmmakers.
And did we mention the perks?
Many of you give just as a way to give back. And many of you are a backer because it includes some impressive benefits. We’re a judgment-free zone, so why you give is totally up to you; just know we appreciate you. That’s why we will provide some pretty sweet perks, from your name on the big screen to special VIP treatment. So, if you are definitely planning to attend the 2024 festival? Pledge today and save more on your pass than at any other time of the year. Year-round member? Pitch in $85 and get your 2024 membership to the Atlanta Film Society, which comes with all kinds of year-round perks, like invitations to free advance screenings, member-exclusive events, and more.
Risks and challenges
If we don’t raise 80% of $20,000, we don’t get a single penny pledged. This is our 11th year running a crowdfunding campaign, but the pandemic has created new challenges for us to overcome. COVID-19 has impacted us financially, limiting our impact on the film community. ATLFF has made some astonishing accomplishments over the last four decades, and the success of this campaign could play a big part in what we're able to do in the future. Additionally, it is easier than ever to be an Atlanta Film Society member or to buy a badge for the Atlanta Film Festival... meaning some people who have done so through previous campaigns may already be set for 2024. We also face the challenge of trying to raise this money while the whole nation is going through an economic crisis. We know you have a choice of organizations to support, and we are so thankful to be considered!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Filmmaker Travel
Costs $8,000
$8,000 of the funds goes to covering the cost of flying filmmakers into the festival.
Filmmaker Cash Prizes
Costs $9,000
Filmmaker cash prize awards to help festival winners continue their dream of making content.
Filmmaker Lodging
Costs $3,000
Cover the hotel costs to bring filmmakers in to the festival.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Chris Escobar, Executive Director
Serving since 2011, Christopher Escobar is the longest serving and first minority Executive Director of the 44-year old Atlanta Film Society, the media arts organization named “Best Nonprofit” by Creative Loafing and producer of the Academy Award-qualifying Atlanta Film Festival named “Best Spring Festival in Atlanta” by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker Magazine and "10 Best Film Festival" by USAtoday two years running. He has been named a “40 under 40” and “CFO of the Year” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, “Best of Atlanta” by Atlanta Magazine and the “Creativity & Arts Award for Community Impact Arts Administrator” from the Emory College Center for Creativity & Arts. Escobar has been featured in Vice, Variety, Slate Magazine, The New York Times, TIME, ABC, PBS, NPR, NBC, Fox News, NPR, The Wallstreet Journal, The Washington Post, CBS and CNN.
He has served on boards for Georgia Production Partnership, Plaza Theatre Foundation, Rialto Center for the Arts and Georgia State University’s College of the Arts. He has also served on grant review panels for Fulton County Arts & Culture, Georgia Council for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts many time. In 2017, he purchased the historic Plaza Theatre—Atlanta’s oldest cinema and converted the theatre from being a strategic partner of the ATLFS to making the theatre’s number one philanthropic priority. In 2023, he reopened the Tara Theatre after the previous owners had to close unexpectedly. Christopher holds a B.A. in Film & Video as well as an M.A. in Moving Image Studies with a concentration in Production both from Georgia State University. He is lucky to be married to his lovely wife of over a decade, Nicole and they have three amazing children, Olivia, Aiden, and Amelia.
Marguerite Mancini, Managing Director
Marguerite Daniel Mancini (Managing Director) is a graduate of Hampton University and Emory Law School and was previously the Business Director for the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS). Prior to ATLFS, Marguerite was involved in the theatrical side of things for over a decade with Theater of the Stars. Her skill set includes non-profit administration, human resources, grant writing, event planning and stage management. Marguerite is a grant panelist for the City of Atlanta and Fulton County, is a member of the 2018 Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta class and is currently on the Advisory Council of the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards – the Shuler Hensley Awards.
Jon Kieran, Programming Director
Jonathan Kieran is a film programmer hailing from Essex County, Massachusetts. After making a start as an amateur filmmaker at the tender age of 22, he moved across the country to take a spot at the Master of Fine Arts program in Film Production at the University of New Orleans. At the same time, he started as a volunteer for the New Orleans Film Festival, which slowly grew to become his professional home over the next decade and where he wore many hats, from organizing panels, to assisting the festival’s technical department, to finally settling into the role of Programming Manager. He also lent a hand at other regional festivals including Court 13’s Always for Pleasure fest in New Orleans, Borscht Corporation’s “Borscht Diez” in Miami, and the Camden International Film Festival. He was also a longtime contributor to online indie-film showcase NoBudge. In 2021 Jon returned to New England to serve as Director of Cinema Programming at Cinema Salem, an independent three-screen cinema located in Salem, MA. In between programming jobs, he had side-gigs as a pedicab driver in the French Quarter, a sound recordist on indie film crews, and a tour guide in Salem, where he educated the public about the city’s notorious witch trials. When he’s not working, Jon is a slow reader, bike rider, drink mixer, Letterboxd try-hard, Eurovision superfan, sometimes diarist, novice synthesist, and cat person.