Atlanta Film Festival
A major Southern US festival reflecting Atlanta's booming film production industry
Overview
The Atlanta Film Festival is one of the most significant film events in the American South, held annually in a city that has become one of the busiest film production hubs in the world. The festival is Oscar-qualifying for its short film selections.
Programming spans narrative features, documentaries, shorts, music videos, and screenplays across competitive and showcase sections. The festival also includes industry panels, workshops, and pitch sessions that provide professional development opportunities.
How It Works
Atlanta's emergence as a major production center, sometimes called the Hollywood of the South, means the festival attracts a growing number of industry professionals. The city's diverse population and culture are reflected in the festival's programming choices.
Submission fees range from approximately $25 to $55 depending on category and deadline. Atlanta offers more affordable accommodation and dining compared to New York or Los Angeles festival cities.
Who Uses It
Highly recommended for filmmakers interested in the Southeast US market and Atlanta's thriving production community. The Oscar-qualifying status for shorts adds significant value for short filmmakers.
Pricing & Plans
Atlanta Film Festival submission fees range from approximately $25-55 depending on category and deadline tier, making it one of the more affordable major regional festivals for filmmakers. Festival passes and individual screening tickets are available at various price points, with full festival passes providing access to all screenings, panels, and events. Atlanta offers significantly more affordable accommodation than coastal festival cities, with hotel rates during the festival typically ranging from $100-250 per night in the downtown and Midtown areas where festival activities are concentrated. The city's MARTA public transit system and rideshare availability keep transportation costs manageable. The festival's screenplay competition runs alongside the film program with separate entry fees, providing additional opportunities for writer-filmmakers. The Oscar-qualifying status for short film selections means award winners gain eligibility for Academy Award consideration, adding significant prestige and strategic value to the short film competition.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
Atlanta's status as one of the busiest film and television production centers in the world — sometimes called the Hollywood of the South, with major studios including Tyler Perry Studios and Pinewood Atlanta — means the festival provides direct access to a massive and growing production ecosystem that includes crew, facilities, post-production houses, and production companies actively seeking new talent and projects. The Oscar-qualifying status for short films makes the Atlanta Film Festival one of the most strategically important regional festivals for short filmmakers, as the Academy Award eligibility pathway provides a concrete career benefit that elevates the festival above many other regional events. The festival's programming across narrative, documentary, music video, and screenplay categories creates a comprehensive creative community that encompasses multiple filmmaking disciplines and provides diverse networking opportunities. Atlanta's diverse population and cultural richness are reflected in the festival's programming, which actively seeks out stories from underrepresented voices and communities, making it a welcoming environment for diverse filmmakers. The affordability of attending the Atlanta Film Festival compared to coastal events makes it one of the best-value festival experiences for independent filmmakers who want professional programming and industry exposure at accessible price points. The growing Southeast production industry means festival connections can lead to practical production opportunities including crew positions, facility access, and local production support for future projects.
What Could Be Better
The Atlanta Film Festival's industry profile, while growing rapidly alongside the city's production boom, still carries less weight with major acquisitions executives and national entertainment press than top-tier festivals, meaning selection alone is unlikely to generate significant distribution interest or deals. The Southeast US, despite its production growth, still has less developed independent film distribution and sales infrastructure compared to New York and Los Angeles, meaning the concentration of agents, sales agents, and distributors at the festival is lower than at industry-center events. The festival's broad programming across many categories can dilute the impact of individual selections, and the multiple competition sections create more award winners, which can reduce the perceived exclusivity of any single award. Atlanta's sprawling geography means festival venues may be spread across different neighborhoods, requiring transportation between screenings and creating logistical challenges for attendees without cars. National press coverage of the Atlanta Film Festival is limited compared to festivals in New York, Los Angeles, or at destination events like Sundance, meaning the critical visibility from selection is primarily regional. The summer timing of the festival coincides with Atlanta's hot and humid season, which can be uncomfortable for visitors from cooler climates.
Our Recommendation
Atlanta Film Festival is highly recommended for filmmakers targeting the Southeast US market, particularly those interested in building relationships with Atlanta's booming production community and accessing the crew, facilities, and industry infrastructure that have made the city a major production center. The festival is essential for short filmmakers seeking Oscar-qualifying status, as the Academy Award eligibility pathway makes the short film competition one of the most strategically valuable in the regional festival landscape. Filmmakers from underrepresented communities should prioritize Atlanta, as the festival's commitment to diverse programming and the city's cultural diversity create a welcoming and supportive environment for stories from all backgrounds. If you are considering shooting future projects in Georgia, the festival provides direct access to local production professionals, facility tours, and information about the state's production incentives that can inform your production planning. For filmmakers building a national festival run, Atlanta provides strong Southeast regional coverage that complements coastal festival screenings.
Pro Tips
Submit to both the film festival and screenplay competition if applicable, and emphasize any connections to the Southeast US, Atlanta's production community, or themes relevant to the region in your submission materials. If selected, extend your Atlanta trip to tour local production facilities, meet with Atlanta-based production companies, and research the city's crew base and production infrastructure, as the festival week concentrates the local industry in a way that makes networking and research maximally efficient. Attend the festival's industry panels and pitch sessions, which connect filmmakers with Georgia-based production resources, financing opportunities, and distribution contacts that can support both current and future projects. Leverage your Atlanta selection to build relationships with Southeast-based press, film bloggers, and regional entertainment media, as these contacts provide ongoing coverage opportunities in a growing market. If your short film wins an award and gains Oscar eligibility, immediately research the Academy's submission requirements and begin planning the qualifying campaign to capitalize on the recognition.