Independent film festivals in Georgia mark cusp of summer and fall 

Forty-six seconds on black-and-white film have spawned countless works of greatness. Those seconds ticked down in 1894 when the Lumière brothers filmed what’s considered to be the very first motion picture: Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory (La Sortie des ouvriers de l’usine Lumière). It was a visual feast of small proportions but of huge significance. Just four years after the Lumières shot it, the very first film festival cropped up in Monaco. Add another nine years, and the brothers themselves organized the first film festival with prizes in Italy.

As anyone who’s ever made a film knows, if you’re passionate about what you’ve created, you can’t wait to show it on the big screen. It was true in Monaco in 1898, and it’s just as true today.

Here are three August film festivals where cinephiles around Atlanta — and slightly beyond — can experience independent filmmakers’ latest efforts.

BronzeLens Film Festival 2024

One of three film festivals in the United States focused on Black filmmakers, the BronzeLens Film Festival has been eligible for Academy Awards in the shorts category since 2017. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2024, the schedule is packed with films, and audiences can choose to watch online August 26 through September 4 or in person at the Tara Theater August 21 through August 25. 

Films are awarded on August 25 at the Morehouse College Ray Charles Performing Arts Center, and, new in 2024, an inaugural filmmakers ball, “Sneaker Ball at City Hall” will take place August 24 in the City Hall atrium. 

This year’s highlights include the feature documentary Farming While Black, depicting the pioneers of New York’s urban community gardens; City of Kings: Atlanta, a short documentary on street art from historian, archivist and educator Antar Fierce; and Live at Club Zebra, all about Atlanta’s bohemian speakeasy of the ’80s and ’90s and starring Pearl Cleage and Zaron “Zeke” Burnett. 

Macon Film Festival 2024

Held August 15 through August 18 in Macon at locations such as the Douglass Theatre; Georgia Sports Hall of Fame; Theatre Macon; and the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences, the 19th annual Macon Film Festival screens documentaries, narratives, Georgia-made films, student films and more. Included in the weekend events are filmmaker workshops and the inaugural Film Impact Georgia award ceremony, recognizing Georgia-native producer Dallas Austin. 

Highlights include the screening of a new feature-length documentary titled The South Got Something to Say, an exploration of hip-hop in Atlanta and its impact on culture and music. The film is the first release from the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s new division, AJC Films. 

Also on schedule is Stax: Soulsville U.S.A., showcasing the archival footage and interviews about how Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, went from being a family-owned record store and studio to one of the top producers of soul music. Stax is known for launching greats such as Otis Redding, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Issac Hayes and others. 

Atlanta Underground Film Festival 2024

Visit Limelight Theater August 16 through August 18 for the 21st annual Atlanta Underground Film Festival, billed as a celebration of “independent artists who serve up the future of cult classics.” The festival promotes artists who, according to the website, work outside of the system to create grassroots films and break boundaries. This large selection of screenings showcases a number of shorts, as well as feature films from independent artists worldwide. 

Highlights of the weekend schedule include the feature-length film A Song for Imogene, a female-driven drama set in the rural South depicting the story of a young pregnant woman who is faced with difficult decisions. Another feature-length flick, Sitting in the Fire, examines the connection between rehabilitation programs in prisons and gun safety in communities. 

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Carol Badaracco Padgett is an Atlanta freelance writer who specializes in film and television coverage. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, her work has appeared in publications nationwide.