Atlanta Film Festival Celebrates 50th Anniversary Edition With Lineup of Over 150 Films

Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) revealed the lineup for its 50th-anniversary event, which will take place Thursday, April 23 – Sunday, May 3, 2026, alongside the 16th annual Creative Conference.

Virtual screenings of selected films will be available from Monday, May 4, to Monday, May 11.

The Festival’s full slate of official selections includes over 150 films across a mix of narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and episodic content.

“Reaching our 50th anniversary is both a celebration and a reflection of the creative community that has blossomed alongside the Atlanta Film Festival,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of ATLFF. “This year’s programming honors that legacy while also looking ahead–spotlighting bold new choices, groundbreaking stories, and the next generation of storytellers and filmmakers shaping the future of the industry.”

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Atlanta Film Festival will also present a special selection of Legacy Screenings, honoring films that have helped shape Atlanta’s film landscape. Special Presentations this year will also include films that were either shot in Atlanta or created by filmmakers with strong ties to the city, underscoring ATLFF’s deep roots in the local creative community. Many of the Legacy Screenings will be complemented by special appearances from notable talent, including Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, and filmmaker Carrie Preston (Elsbeth, The Good Wife, The Good Fight and ATLFF ‘09 winner That Evening Sun), filmmaker James Ponsoldt (Shrinking, Daisy Jones, Marvel’s Wonder Man and ATLFF ‘13 Opening Night The Spectacular Now), and Emmy-nominated director Craig Zobel(ATLFF ‘07 Winner Great World of Sound, HBO’s The Penguin, Mare of Easttown), among others.

With the 50th milestone, the Festival is celebrating the filmmakers who have grown alongside it. Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Mark Mori, whose filmmaking career began with the premiere of Building Bombs at the 1989 Atlanta Film and Video Festival (now ATLFF), returns this year with a special presentation of Baristas Vs. Billionaires. Narrated by Academy Award-winner Susan Sarandon, the documentary chronicles the early days of the nationwide Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) movement.

“Bringing the story of this generational uprising of young workers to the 50th Annual Atlanta Film Festival is a true homecoming,” said Mori. “Years ago, I was a union steelworker in Atlanta before opening the ’89 festival with ‘Building Bombs. I credit Atlanta’s film community and that festival experience with helping launch my career—including our Academy Award nomination—and it’s incredibly meaningful to return, see how much both the city and festival have grown, and share the baristas’ fight with new audiences.”

Marquee programming highlights include Rose of Nevada, Power Ballad, Obsession, I Want Your Sex, Caroline, Late Fame, Silent Friend, and Romería, representing a diverse and highly anticipated cross-selection of new releases and acclaimed festival titles from around the world.

Complementing the film programming, the ATLFF Creative Conference, presented by CineFi, returns in 2026 with a dynamic lineup designed to empower filmmakers at every stage of their careers. Anchored by three core themes—outside-the-box tools for creative development, evolving approaches to film finance, and Atlanta’s signature micro-budget filmmaking mindset—the conference challenges creators to rethink traditional pathways and embrace innovative storytelling. Celebrating the South’s rich creative community, this year’s program features 36 in-person and 14 virtual events, totaling 50 panels, workshops, and presentations in honor of ATLFF’s 50th anniversary.

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, ATLFF will also spotlight SOUND+VISION at The Goat Farm Arts Center, an immersive, multidisciplinary experience blending film, music, and art.

MARQUEE SCREENINGS

Rose of Nevada
Dir. Mark Jenkin
Cast: George MacKay / Callum Turner / Rosalind Eleazar / Francis Magee // 1-2 Special // 1hr 54mins
A mysterious boat returns to a village 30 years after vanishing. Two men join its crew hoping for better fortune. After one voyage, they find themselves transported back in time, mistaken for the original crew.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Silent Friend
Dir. Ildikó Enyedi
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai / Luna Wedler / Enzo Brumm / Léa Seydoux // 1-2 Special // 2hrs 24mins
Set in the botanical garden of a medieval town in Germany. Three epochs, three personalities, three sometimes clumsy but sincere attempts to free themselves and to create links with the plants and the world of the garden. An encounter.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Power Ballad
Dir. John Carney
Cast: Paul Rudd / Nick Jonas / Peter McDonald // Lionsgate // 1hr 38mins
Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick’s song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

I Want Your Sex
Dir. Greg Araki
Cast: Olivia Wilde / Johnny Knoxville / Mason Gooding / Charli XCX // Magnolia // 1hr 30mins
Elliot lands a job for Erika Tracy as her sexual muse.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Caroline, Caroline
Dir. Adam Carter Rehmeier
Cast: Samara Weaving / Kyra Sedgwick / Kyle Gallner // Magnolia // 1hr 45mins
A young woman joins a charming con man on the run, leaving a trail of crime and passion as they hustle through the Southeast in search of her estranged mother.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Late Fame
Dir. Kent Jones
Cast: Willem Dafoe / Jake Lacy / Greta Lee // Magnolia // 1hr 36mins
Legendary New York poet Ed Saxberger’s forgotten works captivate an eccentric group of young creatives, reigniting his artistic passion. Their intrigue intertwines with the bewitching presence of actress Gloria.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Romeria
Dir. Carla Simón
Cast: Llúcia Garcia / Mitch Martín / Tristán Ulloa // Janus // 1hr 54mins
With her mother’s diary in hand, Marina’s search for official documents for university leads her to her biological family on the Atlantic coast. What starts as an administrative quest reveals long-buried family secrets.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Obsession
Dir: Curry Baker
Cast: Michael Johnston / Inde Navarrette / Cooper Tomilson // Focus Features // 1hr 48 mins
After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic gets exactly what he asked for. However, he soon discovers that some desires come at a dark and sinister price.
#NarrativeFeature #MarqueeScreening

Paralyzed By Hope: The Maria Bamford Story
Dir. Neil Berkeley, Judd Apatow
Cast: Judd Apatow / Joel Bamford / Maria Bamford // 1hr 56mins
Comedian Maria Bamford weaves her mental health experiences into hilarious, uplifting comedy, showing how she channels personal vulnerability into artistic power through raw authenticity.
#DocumentaryFeature #MarqueeScreening

The Brittany Griener Story
Dir. Alex Stapleton
Cast: Brittney Griner / Cherelle Griner / Lindsay Kagawa Colas / Raymond Griner // ESPN // 1hr 47mins
WNBA star Brittney Griner’s journey from playing abroad to her detention in Russia, her fight for freedom, and her work to help other wrongfully detained Americans.
#DocumentaryFeature #MarqueeScreening

LEGACY SCREENINGS

Daughters of the Dust
with special guest Julie Dash
Julie Dash // 1991 // English, French// Kino Lorber // 1h 53m
A languid, impressionistic story of three generations of Gullah women living on the South Carolina Sea Islands in 1902.
#NarrativeFeature #LegacyScreening

The Spectacular Now
with special guest James Ponsoldt
James Ponsoldt // 2013 // English // A24 // 1h 35m
A hard-partying high school senior’s philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical “nice girl.”
#NarrativeFeature #LegacyScreening

The Accountant
with special guest Ray McKinnon
Ray McKinnon // 2001 // English // Warner Bros. // 35m
The O’Dell farm is on the rocks. A non-traditional accountant comes with a variety of ways to save the farm.
#NarrativeFeature #LegacyScreening

Great World of Sound
with special guest Craig Zobel
Craig Zobel // 2007 // English // Magnolia // 1h 46m
When a man answers an advertisement to train as a record producer, he’s excited by the prospect of signing undiscovered musicians, only to discover his new job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
#NarrativeFeature #LegacyScreening

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Plazadrome Presents EXISTENZ
with special guest Violet Lucca, author of David Cronenberg: Clinical Trials
David Cronenberg // 1999 // English // Dimension Films // 1h 37m=
A game designer on the run from assassins is forced to playtest her latest virtual reality creation after it’s sabotaged by “Realist” activists hellbent on destroying the virtual world.
#NarrativeFeature #SpecialPresentation

Richard Jewell
with special guest Paul Walter Hauser
Clint Eastwood // 2019 // English // Warner Bros. // 2h 11m
Security guard Richard Jewell is an instant hero after foiling a bomb attack at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but his life becomes a nightmare when the FBI leaks to the media that he is a suspect in the case.
#NarrativeFeature #SpecialPresentation

Baristas vs Billionaires
with special guest Mark Mori
Mark Mori // 2025 // English // 75m
Starbucks baristas in Buffalo, N.Y., unite against corporate exploitation, sparking a nationwide uprising among working-class Millennials and Gen Z as they challenge a powerful billionaire CEO and fight for their rights.
#DocumentaryFeature #SpecialPresentation

Brannu: The Urban Horseman
Adelin Gasana // 2025 // English // 1h 48m
Atlanta horseman Brandon Fulton battles with local government as he builds a 27-acre horse ranch in southwest Fulton County
#DocumentaryFeature #SpecialPresentation

Bo Legs: Marvin Arrington, Sr., An Atlanta Story
Adelin Gasana // 2023 // English // 1h 56m
Born in Atlanta, then a segregated city of the Deep South, Marvin Arrington grew up to help galvanize the city of his birth into the international, cosmopolitan metropolis that it is today.
#DocumentaryFeature #SpecialPresentation

2026 Official Selections

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Babystar
Joscha Bongard // 2025 // German // 98 minutes
Born into her parents’ influencer empire, 16-year-old Luca spirals when a new baby “star” threatens her identity and commodified life.
#NarrativeFeature

Berehezade
Danae Reynaud // 2026 // Spanish // 91 minutes
Bere, a stand up comedian, has to win her kidnappers over to be released from her entrapment. A strange and absurd bond forms between them.
#InCompetition #NewMavericks #NarrativeFeature

Danny Is My Boyfriend
Lucy Sandler & Mechi Lakatos // 2025 // English // 100 minutes
After discovering they’re dating the same man, two misfits fumble their way through a half-baked mission to get revenge.
#InCompetition #NewMavericks #NarrativeFeature

Elsewhere at Night
Marianne Métivier // 2025 // French, Tagalog, English // 106 minutes
From countryside calm to urban unrest, strangers’ lives cross, torn between staying and leaving, chasing new dreams.
#NewMavericks #NarrativeFeature

Frogtown
Costa Karalis // 2026 // English // 85 minutes
A slice-of-life exploration of the weird and wonderful residents of a small town in North Florida and what they believe in.
#GeorgiaFilm #NarrativeFeature

Lesson Learned
Bálint Szimler // 2024 // Hungarian // 119 minutes
Young teacher Juci attempts to challenge the outdated methods in her school, while new student Palkó, recently relocated from abroad.
#NarrativeFeature

Montréal, ma belle
Xiaodan He // 2025 // French, Mandarin Chinese // 117 minutes
A 53 year old Chinese immigrant in Montreal finally confronts her repressed desire for women and begins an affair with a young Québécoise.
#InCompetition #NewMavericks #PinkPeach #NarrativeFeature

Mudville
Adam Pinney // 2026 // English // 87 minutes
Ray Patterson, a struggling aging dad, attempts to make it back into the major leagues, while fending off an encroaching metaphysical force.
#GeorgiaFilm #NarrativeFeature

Party USA
Jared Sprouse // 2026 // English // 90 minutes
When Taylor can’t get her shift covered, she makes a deadly mistake that sparks a downward spiral of red, white and blue-collared chaos.
#GeorgiaFilm #NarrativeFeature

Seahorse
Aisha Evelyna // 2026 // English // 84 minutes
A sous chef’s pursuit of stability is tested by the return of her estranged father, now living on the streets of Toronto.
#InCompetition #Noire #NewMavericks #NarrativeFeature

STARJUICE
Austin Coombs-Perez // 2026 // English // 79 minutes
An energetic comedy following community college acting students in a surprising intergalactic love story.
#InCompetition #NarrativeFeature

SUMMER LOST
Timothy Hall // 2026 // English, Catalan // 82 minutes
A man attempts to keep his terminal illness a secret while attending a wedding, but an unexpected romance reshapes his future and his past.
#GeorgiaFilm #PinkPeach #NarrativeFeature

The House Was Not Hungry Then
Harry Aspinwall // 2026 // English // 93 minutes
A young woman takes refuge in an empty house in the Scottish countryside but soon starts to feel something watching her.
#PinkPeach #NarrativeFeature

Third
Alexander Parkinson // 2026 // English // 84 minutes
When Ernesto mysteriously falls into their lives, Thomas and Sandra begin to shake the middle-age malaise clouding their marriage.
#Georgia Film #PinkPeach #NarrativeFeature

Valentina
Tatti Ribeiro // 2025 // English, Spanish // 84 minutes
A series of bureaucratic mishaps plagues Valentina as she tries to tackle a simple to-do list at the El Paso-Juarez border.
#InCompetition #NewMavericks #¡CineMás! #NarrativeFeature

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

¡Quba!
Kim Anno // 2024 // spanish // 70 minutes
¡Quba! is an LGBTQ revolution, where music becomes manifesto and theater becomes a weapon of love in the face of Cuba’s evangelical church.
#¡CineMás! #PinkPeach #NewMavericks #DocumentaryFeature

B. F. Skinner Plays Himself
Ted Kennedy // 2025 // English // 73 minutes
If the psychologist B. F. Skinner is right about human behavior, this is a biographical film of a nonperson.
#DocumentaryFeature

CHILD OF DUST
Weronika Mliczewska // 2025 // English, Vietnamese // 92 minutes
After a lifetime of longing, Sang, an unwanted child from the Vietnam War, finally meets his newly found, ailing father in the U.S.
#InCompetition #NewMavericks #DocumentaryFeature

Dwarf Neon Mayfield
Leland Nally // 2026 // English // 80 minutes
Intimate and personal moments from rural Kentucky as people struggle to live in the aftermath of a series of cataclysmic storms.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryFeature

Far from Maine
Roy Cohen // 2026 // English, Hebrew, Arabic // 99 minutes
Haunted by the killing of a Palestinian friend from his youth, an Israeli filmmaker embarks on a cinematic dialogue across time
#InCompetition #PinkPeach #DocumentaryFeature

LAND WITH NO RIDER
Tamar Lando // 2025 // English // 86 minutes
The last cowboys of New Mexico eke out a fragile survival in a world of isolation and rugged beauty as drought devastates the American West.
#New Mavericks #DocumentaryFeature

Maintenance Artist
Toby Perl Freilich // 2025 // English, Japanese // 95 minutes
Chronicles the extraordinary life and work of Mierle Laderman Ukeles, the New York City Sanitation Department’s first artist-in-residence.
#NewMavericks #DocumentaryFeature

Riverkeeper
Jason Goldman // 2026 // English // 86 minutes
A veteran riverkeeper joins the resistance against Atlanta’s Cop City, exposing a troubled reality of race, politics, and the environment.
#GeorgiaFilm #DocumentaryFeature

Steal This Story, Please!
Tia Lessin, Carl Deal // 2025 // English // 101 minutes
Amy Goodman takes on soldiers, politicians, and corporate media in a fearless pursuit of truth.
#NewMavericks #DocumentaryFeature

The Eyes of Ghana
Ben Proudfoot // 2025 // English, Twi, Ga // 90 minutes
Chris Hesse, personal cinematographer to the forgotten African icon Kwame Nkrumah, races to save over 1,000 films that reveal the hidden origin story of African independence.
#Noire #DocumentaryFeature

The Gas Station Attendant
Karla Murthy // 2025 // English // 83 minutes
A daughter reflects on her father’s life‚ weaving the story of his journey from the streets of India with the realities of life in America
#NewMavericks #DocumentaryFeature

TheyDream
William D. Caballero // 2026 // English, Spanish // 89 minutes
A director and his mother use animation to revive a lost Puerto Rican family, learning art means both remembering and releasing loved ones.
#InCompetition #PinkPeach #¡CineMás! #DocumentaryFeature

When We Were Live
John Moore // 2025 // English // 93 minutes
A found footage documentary about the nation’s longest-running public access TV channel and the unique Austin folks who brought it to life.
#InCompetition #DocumentaryFeature

Y Vân: The Lost Sounds of Saigon
Khoa Ha & Victor Velle // 2025 // English, Vietnamese // 94 minutes
A young Vietnamese American artist searches for her late grandfather’s lost music, uncovering family stories and forgotten cultural history.
#InCompetition #NewMavericks #DocumentaryFeature