This week kicks off the iconic annual Atlanta Film Festival, and for its 50th anniversary, the festival is bigger and better than ever before! Keep scrolling to learn all the details about how to snag a badge, what’s playing, who’s going to be there… and so much more!
What is the Atlanta Film Festival?
As one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the country, the Atlanta Film Festival is the envy of film festivals all across the U.S. — in fact, it’s one of only two-dozen Academy Award® qualifying festivals in the nation.
And this year, the festival is celebrating 50 years of championing filmmakers’ growth and development, engaging audiences, and promoting indie film!
Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of ATLFF, said in a statement,
Reaching our 50th anniversary is both a celebration and a reflection of the creative community that has blossomed alongside the Atlanta Film Festival. 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.
ATLFF has been named a “Top 50 Festival Worth the Entry Fee” and one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker magazine.
What can festival-goers expect at this year’s Atlanta Film Festival?
Well… the best indie film in the southeast (and the world, tbh), of course! This year, the Atlanta Film Festival is offering TONS of amazing fun, including:
- an opening night film festival party
- a happy hour cash bar
- filmmakers lounges
- Atlanta creative sustainability summits
- filmmaking workshops
And when it comes to film, you can expect film blocks including:
- narrative features
- narrative shorts
- documentaries
- experimental film
- made in Georgia film
- music video
- Student films
- special presentations
… and SO much more! You can check out the whole breakdown of films, events, and happenings on the Atlanta Film Festival’s website, here!
Which celebrities will be there?
With such a star-studded lineup, there are also going to be some celebrities in attendance at the Atlanta Film Festival, including:
- Josh Brolin for Weapons
- McKenna Grace for Gifted
- T.I. and Drumma Boy, for the opening night debut of The Birth of Trap Music
- Danielle Brooks for If I Go Will They Miss Me
- David Cross for ‘A Conversation with David Cross’
- Jacob Gentry for The Signal
Along with SO many more.
Okay, okay! I NEED to go. Give me the details.
When: April 23rd – May 3rd, 2026
Where: Multiple Locations in Atlanta (mostly the Plaza Theatre and the Tara)
You can by a film or all-access badge on their website, here. Badges range from $100 to $475.
If you don’t want to get a badge, you can also buy individual tickets for each screening by clicking on the film you want to watch / film block, and buying tickets directly.
Learn more about the festival by heading to their website, here!Don’t miss out on all the fun, Atlanta! Head to the Atlanta Film Festival this year and celebrate indie filmmaking!
