The 48th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) is proud to announce the award winners for the 2024 festival, which took place from Thursday, April 25 – Sunday, May 5, 2024. ATLFF is currently accepting submissions for the 49th annual festival, which is confirmed to take place April 24 – May 4, 2025.
Today’s announcement recognizes filmmakers in 15 categories for their achievements and cinematic excellence. The winners of the Narrative Short, Animated Short, and Documentary Short Jury Awards proudly took home their awards and now also qualify for the 2024 Academy Awards®. Now in its fifth decade, ATLFF is one of only a handful of film festivals worldwide that is Academy Award-qualifying in all three categories (live-action short, animation short, and documentary short subject).
Most award winners were chosen by distinguished jurors from all backgrounds across the film industry. The Audience Awards were determined by in-person attendees.
With 118 countries represented in the selections, more than 24% of films had ties to Georgia filmmakers. The 142 total creative works from submissions featured diverse filmmakers who continue to uplift voices and stories worldwide. Of the selections, 49% are directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary, and 59% are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Eleven Marquee screenings combined Hollywood star power with the best of independent film.
Continuing with a hybrid model of in-person screenings and digital screenings, the 2024 event drew in over 20,000 total attendees. Over 16,000 people attended 153 screenings, panels, and events held primarily at The Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre with select events at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Fox Theatre, and Fulton County Airport in addition to a variety of restaurants and bars across the city, during the 11-day festival. Nearly 4,000 people streamed screenings from ATLFF’s virtual catalog of 142 films and 13 virtual Creative Conference workshops, panels, or Masterclasses.
2024 ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS
SPECIAL AWARDS
The Rebel Award
Presented To: Michael Showalter, Director of “The Idea of You”
Ossie Davis Award for Innovation in Filmmaking
Presented To: Bill Duke, Director of “DEEP COVER”
JURY AWARDS
Best Documentary Feature
Special Mention: HAPPY CAMPERS, dir. Amy Nicholson
Winner: AMAKKI, dir. Célia Bousebaa
Best Narrative Feature
Jury Special Mention: ATIKAMEKW SUNS, dir. Chloe Leriche
Winner: THE BATTLE, dir. Vera Egito
Best Animated Short
Winner: THE SUN IS BAD, dir. Rachel Mow
Best Documentary Short
Winner: GOODBYE MORGANZA, dir. Devon Blackwell
Best Narrative Short
Jury Special Mentions: ONE HAPPY CUSTOMER, dir. WATTS (Jenna & Tripp Watt) and MR. BOLD, dir. Aiman Mimiko
Winner: SHUT UP AND FISH, dir. Raul Sanchez & Pasqual Gutierrez
Best Cinematography (Presented by Panavision and Light Iron)
Jury Special Mention: THE BATTLE, Cinematographer – William Etchebehere, dir. Vera Egito
Winner: ATIKAMEKW SUNS, Cinematographer – Glauco Bermudez, dir. Chloe Leriche
Georgia Feature Film Award
Winner: FACELESS AFTER DARK, dir. Raymond Wood
Georgia Short Film Award
Jury Special Mentions: DEFINITELY NOT A MONSTER, dir. Brea Cola Angelo and PRELUDE OF A STORY, dir. Ashley Salman
Winner: MAKAYLA’S VOICE, dir. Julio Palacio
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Feature Audience Award
Winner: THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, dir. Tyson Horne, Ryon Horne
Short Audience Award
Winner: MAKAYLA’S VOICE, dir. Julio Palacio
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Feature Screenplay
Winners: “Belonging” by Liz Fields, “HEARTRACE” by Will Bermender, and “Lo & Em” by Claire Audrey Aguayo
Pilot Screenplay
Winner: “Gallatin” by Ryan Skinner
Short Screenplay
Winner: “Handle With Care” by Allison Orr Block
[…] The Idea of You gets a 9.5 out of 10. There’s lots of love and laughter in this 115-minute flick. There’s a lot of implied sex and innuendo but there isn’t any nudity. It’s a good film with good acting and a good ending. We’re only five months into 2024 and I’ve already had my fill of book adaptations but this was thoroughly enjoyable. It was the perfect film to open the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival. […]