ATLANTA — Audiences now have their fist look at the slate of films set to play at the 47th annual Atlanta Film Festival next month.
The festival will run from Thursday, April 20 until Sunday, April 30 with titles playing at various venues across the city, as well as virtually.
“We are thrilled to return for our 47th annual festival with both an in-person and virtual format, allowing our films and content to be more accessible than ever,” said Christopher Escobar, executive director of the Atlanta Film Festival.
“This year’s lineup is once again full of unique programming from a variety of diverse voices from the local Atlanta community and around the world," Escobar said. "We can’t wait to welcome audiences back this April.”
In total, 40 feature-length films, 84 short films and 27 creative media selections from a diverse array of filmmakers will be featured.
The festival further noted that 30 different countries are represented among the lineup and "over 20% of this year's selections have ties to the state of Georgia."
Where will screenings be held?
In person screenings will be at the following locations:
- Plaza Theatre (1049 Ponce De Leon Ave NE)
- Dad’s Garage (569 Ezzard St SE)
- The Carter Center (453 Freedom Parkway)
- The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University (80 Forsyth St NW)
Meanwhile, virtual screenings and events will be presented through the site Eventive.
How to get tickets
The full schedule is already available online or on the ATLFF 2023 app. Those wishing to purchase festival passes can do so now; however, tickets for individual events and screenings will not go online until the beginning of April.
How much will it cost?
- In-person screening tickets range from $12 to $15
- Virtual access is $9.99 per film/panel
- Unlimited virtual all-access pass is $85 for both films and Creative Conference
Notable additions to the lineup
While there's always something thrilling about throwing caution to the wind and taking a chance on a title at random - discovery is, after all, part of the fun - here are a few features and documentaries that have already generated buzz after playing at other festivals:
"Polite Society" (opening night film): Ria Khan believes that she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting her friends' help, she attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists, in the name of independence and sisterhood.
"This World is Not My Own": The documentary traces the lifespan of Nellie Mae Rowe, an artist who struggled to dedicate her life to art while exploring the personal and political events that shaped her singular body of work. In detailed film sets that recreate Nellie’s home, the actress Uzo Aduba embodies an animated version of the subject. Her recorded dialogue, movement and song make Nellie come to life.
"It's Only Life After All": Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, better known as The Indigo Girls, have made their mark as musicians, songwriters, and dedicated activists. Still, Amy and Emily battled misogyny, homophobia, and a harsh cultural climate chastising them for not fitting into a female pop star mold. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
"Master Gardener": Narvel Roth is the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens, a beautiful estate owned by wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she orders Roth to take on her troubled great-niece Maya as his apprentice, his life is thrown into chaos and dark secrets from his past emerge. A new film by master writer & director Paul Schrader ("First Reformed," "Taxi Driver")
"Passages": In contemporary Paris, German filmmaker Tomas (Franz Rogowski, "A Hidden Life") embraces his sexuality through a torrid love affair with a young woman named Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos,"Blue Is the Warmest Color"), an impulse that blurs the lines which define his relationship with his husband, Martin (Ben Whishaw, "Women Talking"). When Martin begins an extramarital affair of his own, he successfully gains back his husband’s attention while simultaneously unearthing Tomas’ jealousy. Grappling with contradicting emotions, Tomas must either embrace the confines of his marriage or come to terms with the relationship having run its course. A new film by indie mainstay Ira Sachs ("Little Men," "Keep the Lights On")
"Sanctuary": Confined to a claustrophobic hotel room, the heir to a hotel empire (Christopher Abbott, "Girls") and the dominatrix who has primed him for success (Margaret Qualley, "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood") become locked in a battle of wits and wills as he tries to end his relationship with her.
"Showing Up": A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt's vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft. Stars Academy Award nominee Hong Chau, André "André 3000" Benjamin of Outkast, and five-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams.
"Being Mary Tyler Moore": With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her.
"Judy Blume Forever": Judy Blume and the generations of readers who have sparked to her work. It will examine her impact on pop culture and the occasional controversies over her frankness about puberty and sex.
"Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie": Incorporating documentary, archival and scripted elements, "Still" recounts Michael J. Fox’s extraordinary story in his own words — the improbable tale of an undersized kid from a Canadian army base who rose to the heights of stardom in 1980s Hollywood. The account of Fox’s public life, full of nostalgic thrills and cinematic gloss, unspools alongside his never-before-seen private journey, including the years that followed his diagnosis, at 29, with Parkinson’s disease. Intimate and honest, and produced with unprecedented access to Fox and his family, the film chronicles Fox’s personal and professional triumphs and travails, and explores what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease.
"The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster": Death surrounds everything in Vicaria's world. All around her are the fatal outcomes of chronic gang violence, drugs, and police brutality. After watching her mother and brother succumb, Vicaria decides to put an end to all this death...by curing it. Drawing deeply from Black cinema of the 90s, the movie wraps systemic terrors up inside thrilling scares and suspense.
For more, visit the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival website.