VALDOSTA, GA – Filmmakers can begin submitting for the 2024 South Georgia Film Festival April 17. In preparation for the 8th Annual event, the festival will begin accepting submission via FilmFreeway for feature films, short films from professionals and students.
“Our festival depends on the amazing films and filmmakers sharing their work,” said Jason Brown, South Georgia Film Festival Director. “As the industry continues to grow here in Georgia, we are working to nurture those native and independent voices along with shining a light on how those in our community can be involved.”
To encourage more early submissions, feature films (anything over 50 minutes) are only $5 until August 4, and all shorts (professional, student, narrative, documentary) are free for the same period. Submission costs go up as the festival approaches, with the Early Deadline being September 30 and Regular Deadline Dec. 18, 2023. The submission page is https://filmfreeway.com/SOUTHGEORGIAFILMFESTIVAL
The festival has eight defined categories: Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Animated Short, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, Graduate Student, Undergraduate Student, and High School Aged Student. Along with awards in all of these categories, the South Georgia Film Festival also distributes other awards to recognize filmmakers’ hard work.
The 2023 festival concluded this past March with Costa Karalis’s film CHIPPED winning the award for Best in Fest. Karalis was part of a large contingent of filmmakers who graduated from Florida State University but now live in the Atlanta area. Filmmakers from as far as Nashville, TN and as near as Bemiss participated in the festival. Attendees discussed enjoying the variety of films, as well as the educational opportunities of the panels and the many networking opportunities.
After the festival, public voting determined the winner of the Best Poster competition, which went to Trinity Ansah and her film OVERCOME. Winners from around the world were recognized at the end of the festival. The festival maintains a presence on IMDB where the public can view a list past and present winners. https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0026797/2023/1/?ref_=evov_eh
The 2024 South Georgia Film Festival will be held March 1, 2, & 3 in Valdosta, GA. Details will be released regarding participating panelists and filmmakers at www.SouthGeorgiaFilm.com.
The South Georgia Film Festival is proudly sponsored by Georgia Power, Valdosta State University, South Georgia Studios, the Georgia Film Office, the Valdosta Mall, Wild Adventures Theme Park, Workhorse Cinema, VLPRA, VisitValdosta.org, the City of Valdosta, and Film Impact Georgia.
South Georgia Studios Brings Pitchfest to 2023 SGFF
February 15, 2023
VALDOSTA, GA – South Georgia Studios is looking for your best movie pitches. Saturday March 4, during this year’s South Georgia Film Festival, participants will be able to spend 3 minutes pitching their film and television ideas to producers who can help turn their films into reality as part of the 2023 SGFF Pitchfest.
“As we grow the film industry in South Georgia, we are thrilled to be able to support local filmmakers in telling their own unique and inspiring stories,” Honnie Korngold of South Georgia Studios said. “This is only the beginning and we want South Georgians interested in working in film to know just what is possible for them here in their own backyard.”
The Pitchfest will be limited to 20 participants who will buy their spot for $25. A winner will receive a $250 cash prize and a one-hour consulting session with the panel of judges with advice on strategy to move their project forward. Participants will be contacted by Feb. 25 to give them enough time to put together their three-minute pitch. Festival passholders will be able to sit-in on the pitches. At the beginning of the two-and-a-half hour event, producers will give the audience some quick pointers on how to present their ideas. After each pitch the producers will be giving participants feedback.
Along with Korngold, Alexander Kane of Workhorse Cinema and Tamara Bell of the distribution company Koan will be evaluating the participants’ ideas for the best project within narrative film, television, and documentary.
Korngold and South Georgia Studios are in the process of building a film production campus with soundstages and an educational program in partnership with PhilanthroFilms in Quitman, GA. She’s currently producing NORTHERN LIGHTS, the story of how Valdosta’s Cathy Parker was instrumental in transforming a small Alaskan town with football. The movie is proposed to film in South Georgia in 2023.
Along with working as an actor, Kane has produced $61 million dollars worth of films in South Georgia during the last four years.
“At Workhorse Cinema, we have a big slate of films planned for 2023 that continues to prove to the film industry is not only viable but thriving here in South Georgia. Our company and team is largely built on a foundation of local talent from the area and our door is always open as we constantly survey the community to find passionate and talented locals that want to join the film industry, pursue their dreams, goals, or just find a more fulfilling career.”
Koan has 30 years experience in entertainment distribution, reaching every corner of the world. Founded in 1990, it continues to be one of the longest running worldwide sales, film finance and production companies. Their diverse catalog of award winning projects have broad appeal to worldwide audiences.
The festival kicks off March 3 on the campus of Valdosta State University with screenings and panels on documentary photography and with casting director Chase Paris of Fieldstein | Paris Casting before concluding at the Valdosta Mall plaza watching The Holiday Dating Guide for a touch of the holidays. The event is free to the public. Produced by Workhorse Cinema, the film starring Maria Menounos premiered on Lifetime television in December 2022. The free Mall screening will also include the films: The Buick Special, from PhilanthroFilms and director Levi Johnson; the animated film A King I Once Knew from Joshua Myers and Grayson Durham of Thomasville; and The Curse directed by Jae Yoo from Ringling College. Festival and VIP passholders will also be able to participate in the evening’s party at the mall.
Saturday, attendees can spend the entire day attending panels, watching films, meeting filmmakers and attending the Pitchfest. Saturday March 4 will be bursting at the seams with feature films, shorts, student films, and animated films, along with amazing panels from visiting filmmakers. Two Georgia made feature films, The Lost Cause and The Long Way Up will screen, along with panels with visiting filmmakers, VSU alums, and Melissa Simpson of Film Impact Georgia with grant recipients Jeremy Thao and Shandrea Evans.
After starting their day at the Mayor & Chairman’s Paddle, attendees can end the evening with The Wintering Grounds, about the world class kayakers who spend their time in Columbus, GA when it’s too cold to be anywhere else. Because the freestyle kayak world championships will be taking place this spring in Columbus, we hope to have some of these professionals visiting us as well. After screening the feature documentary Jack Has a Plan, festival and VIP passholders can join us at the Rainwater Conference Center for our Saturday night party.
Sunday March 5 will wrap up with our awards ceremony followed by a few remaining blocks and a re-cap of the winners from the weekend. Our family friendly block on Sunday showcases the feature film RINGO, along with a group of animal friendly documentaries.
Don’t miss our two other out-of-competition screenings – The Sim Racer from VSU’s Brock Drury and The Middle Child: The Story of Tevin King by Wiregrass’s Demiven Knighton. Both are local graduates telling very different but uniquely local stories.
You don’t want to miss this!
Celebrating the art and industry of film, the South Georgia Film Festival is celebrating its seventh annual event March 3, 4 & 5, 2023. Hosted on the campus of Valdosta State University, the festival has received thousands of entries and brought hundreds of filmmakers and filmgoers to town over the last decade.
“We are putting on a party for the community,” Brown said. “Showcasing films from across the country and the world, we want to introduce Valdosta to great films, some great filmmakers to Valdosta, and let everyone have a good time.”
The three day South Georgia Film Festival includes screenings of 95 films from around the world, the country and the region. Along with categories for high school, college and graduate students, the festival features shorts and feature length films. Films are screened in the VSU Student Union, at the corner of Oak St and Baytree, an outdoor screening at the Valdosta Mall, along with being available online through the Eventive platform. The festival presents filmgoers with the opportunities to see documentaries, animation and much more that they would not be able to see anywhere else.
Visit http://SGFF23.Eventive.Org to purchase your Pitchfest ticket, your festival pass and see the full film guide.
Pitchfest tickets are $25 and guarantee a three-minute opportunity in front of professional movie producers and distributors. Passes for the festival are $40, which includes access to all the virtual films, the in-person screenings, and the parties. If you’re not able to attend all weekend, you will be able to purchase a Daily Pass for $15, which gives you access to all the in-person screenings and panels for that day. The Eventive platform allows you to rent any individual film for only $5. All college and high school students can get in to the screenings and panels for free by providing their school ID.
VALDOSTA, GA – The South Georgia Film Festival announces the films selected for the 2023 event – with 95 totally films, with three locally produced films, including The Holiday Dating Guide, which will be screened free to the public at the Valdosta Mall.
Don’t miss THE SIM RACER by Brock Drury, THE HOLIDAY DATING GUIDE w/ Maria Menounos, or THE WINTERING GROUNDS about world class kayakers from Columbus, GA.
“These are some of the best films we’ve ever had in the South Georgia Film Festival,” said Festival Director Jason Brown. “We can’t wait for people to see them.
The festival kicks off March 3 on the campus of Valdosta State University with panels and screening before ending the day at the Valdosta Mall plaza watching The Holiday Dating Guide for a touch of the holidays. The event is free to the public. Produced by Workhorse Cinema, the film starring Maria Menounos premiered on Lifetime television in December 2022. Alexander Kane of Workhorse Cinema expects to be producing films regularly across our Region, from Fitzgerald to Valdosta to Tifton and the border. The free Mall screening will also include the films: The Buick Special, from South Georgia Studios and director Levi Johnson; the animated film A King I Once Knew from Joshua Myers and Grayson Durham of Thomasville; and The Curse directed by Jae Yoo from Ringling College. Festival and VIP passholders will also be able to participate in the evenings party at the mall.
Attendees can spend the entire day attending panels, watching films, and meeting filmmakers. Saturday March 4 will be bursting at the seams with feature films, shorts, student films, and animated films, along with amazing panels from visiting filmmakers. Two Georgia made feature films, The Lost Cause and The Long Way Up will screen, along with panels from Chris Paris of Fieldstein | Paris Casting and Melissa Simpson of Film Impact Georgia.
After starting their day at the Mayor & Chairman’s Paddle, attendees can end the evening with The Wintering Grounds, about the world class kayakers who spend their time in Columbus, GA when it’s too cold to be anywhere else. Because the freestyle kayake world championships will be taking place this spring in Columbus, we hope to have some of these professionals visiting us as well. After screening the feature documentary Jack Has a Plan, festival and VIP passholders can join us at the Rainwater Conference Center for our Saturday night party.
Sunday March 5 will wrap up with our awards ceremony followed by a few remaining blocks and a re-cap of the winners from the weekend. Don’t miss our two other out-of-competition screenings – The Sim Racer from VSU’s Brock Drury and The Middle Child: The Story of Tevin King by Wiregrass’s Demiven Knighton. Both are local graduates telling very different but uniquely local stories.
You don’t want to miss this!
Celebrating the art and industry of film, the South Georgia Film Festival is celebrating its seventh annual event March 3, 4 & 5, 2023. Hosted on the campus of Valdosta State University, the festival has received thousands of entries and brought hundreds of filmmakers and filmgoers to town over the last decade.
“We are putting on a party for the community,” Brown said. “Showcasing films from across the country and the world, we want to introduce Valdosta to great films, some great filmmakers to Valdosta, and let everyone have a good time.”
The three day South Georgia Film Festival includes screenings of 95 films from around the world, the country and the region. Along with categories for high school, college and graduate students, the festival features shorts and feature length films. Films are screened in the VSU Student Union, at the corner of Oak St and Baytree, an outdoor screening at the Valdosta Mall, along with being available online through the Eventive platform. The festival presents filmgoers with the opportunities to see documentaries, animation and much more that they would not be able to see anywhere else.
Passes for the festival are $40, which includes access to all the virtual films, the in-person screenings, and the parties. If you’re not able to attend all weekend, you will be able to purchase a Daily Pass for $15, which gives you access to all the in-person screenings and panels for that day. The Eventive platform allows you to rent any individual film for only $5. All college and high school students can get in to the screenings and panels for free by providing their school ID.
VALDOSTA, GA – The South Georgia Film Festival is extending its Regular Submission deadline until Dec. 16 to better accommodate filmmakers. Along with announcing this extension, the festival is announcing the first selected film of this year’s festival “The Wintering Grounds.”
“We are excited for our seventh annual festival coming back this Spring. We have received so many more films this year as people have returned from COVID,” said Festival Director Jason Brown. “But we know everyone could use a little more time at the last minute.”
Celebrating the art and industry of film, the South Georgia Film Festival will be celebrating its seventh annual festival this March 3, 4 & 5, 2023. Hosted on the campus of Valdosta State University, the festival has received thousands of entries and brought hundreds of filmmakers and filmgoers to town over the last decade.
“We are putting on a party for the community,” Brown said. “Showcasing films from across the country and the world, we want to introduce Valdosta to great films, some great filmmakers to Valdosta, and let everyone have a good time.”
“The Wintering Grounds,” a short documentary about the growing international significance of freestyle kayakers from Columbus, GA, will be screening at the South Georgia Film Festival. Producer Paige Swift, along with kayakers from the film, will be participating in Mayor Scott Matheson’s annual “Mayor’s Row” on March 4. “Wintering Grounds” director Jeff Springer is an alum of the festival, having attended and screened the film “Rodents of Unusual Size” previously. The film has previously screened at the 2022 Sidewalk Film Festival. The 2023 ICF World Championship Freestyle Canoe event will be held June 27 – July 2 in Columbus, GA and Phenix City, AL with over 300 participants from more than 20 countries.
The three day South Georgia Film Festival includes screenings of films from around the world, the country and the region. Along with categories for high school, college and graduate students, the festival features shorts and feature length films. Films are screened in the VSU Student Union, at the corner of Oak St and Baytree, an outdoor screening, along with being available online through the Eventive platform. With over 100 films on display, the festival presents filmgoers with the opportunities to see documentaries, animation and much more that they would not be able to see anywhere else.
Submissions can only be made through FilmFreeway.com. Students from VSU, Wiregrass, VHS, and Lowndes are eligible for discounted rates. Passes to the festival will be available beginning February 1.
Passes for the festival are $40, which includes access to all the virtual films, the in-person screenings, and the parties. If you’re not able to attend all weekend, you can purchase a Daily Pass for $15, which gives you access to all the in-person screenings and panels for that day. The Eventive platform allows you to rent any individual film for only $5. All college and high school students can get in to the screenings and panels for free by providing their school ID.
The South Georgia Film Festival continues to promote the regional film industry with panelists discussing both the art and industrial impact of film for local businesses. Panelists and guest speakers will be announced in February.
VALDOSTA, GA – Back again, the Sixth Annual South Georgia Film Festival returns in-person, online, and outside! Featuring some amazing guests and attending filmmakers, the area’s top event for the film industry is back March 4, 5, & 6 to celebrate the art and industry in South Georgia.
After last year’s hybrid festival, this year expects to incorporate what people liked and bring back what people loved. Films and filmmaker interviews will return on the Eventive platform so that people can enjoy the festival from anywhere. Returning are the in-person screenings on the campus of Valdosta State University, along with panels by top professionals from across the region. We will again be recognizing the best in competition in various award categories.
“We are putting on a party for the community,” Jason Brown, Festival Director said. “Showcasing films from across the country and the world, we want to introduce Valdosta to great films, some great filmmakers to Valdosta, and let everyone have a good time.”
Thursday night will kickoff with our introductory event for passholders and the community at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, introducing a community project from Steven Heddon and Angela Ward. Friday will conclude with our annual kickoff party at Georgia Beer Company. Saturday night will feature an outdoor screening on the lawn behind the VSU College of the Arts. Films will be screened in the Valdosta State University Student Union Friday through Sunday, while the virtual platform will be available March 1 through March 10.
Passes for the festival are $40, which includes access to all the virtual films, the in-person screenings, and the parties. If you’re not able to attend all weekend, you can purchase a Daily Pass for $15, which gives you access to all the in-person screenings and panels for that day. The Eventive platform allows you to rent any individual film for only $5. All college and high school students can get in to the screenings and panels for free by providing their school ID.
This year’s festival could not happen without the support of our community sponsors, including Georgia Power, Valdosta State University, the City of Valdosta, the Georgia Film Office, Georgia Beer Company, the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority, the Turner Center for the Arts, Valdosta Main Street, the Valdosta Daily Times, Georgia Production Partnership, Fairway Outdoor, and MUBI.
The South Georgia Film Festival continues to promote the regional film industry with panelists discussing both the art and industrial impact of film for local businesses. Panelists and guest speakers will be announced soon. For more information about tickets, visit SGFF22.Eventive.org.
This year, we’re asking YOU to choose the winner of the best poster from the 2021 South Georgia Film Festival.
Check out the survey below and vote for your favorite poster from over 100 films in the 2021 South Georgia Film Festival. If your favorite didn’t load – please be sure to add it at the bottom!
Some of the posters from the 2021 South Georgia Film Festival
VALDOSTA, GA – The fifth Annual South Georgia Film Festival will features judges from across the country this year, including previous winners, feature filmmakers, comedians, Oscar nominees, and much more. With 109 films in this year’s festival, awards will be given for each of the following categories: Feature Film, Short, College, High School, Family Friendly, Poster, and Best in Fest.
“Celebrating the hard work of filmmakers is important to us,” Jason Brown, Festival Director said. “Along with showcasing films from across the country and the world, we strive to work with recognizable film professionals to judge our work.”
Previous South Georgia Film Festival winners top the list of judges for this year’s festival. Liz Manshil’s SPEED OF LIFE won Best in Fest at the 2020 South Georgia Film Festival. The feature film starring Ann Dowd and Allison Tolman about a woman being ripped through time when dealing with the death of David Bowie currently is available on Showtime.
Along with winning the College award in 2018 for FIRST MONTH, Laura Holliday has had her film GIRLFRIEND play the 2019 festival. Holliday’s work has appeared at many festivals and on Funny or Die. Along with being a director and actress, Holliday has been working recently as a musician. This will be her first year as a judge at the festival.
Professor Dave Brock joins the South Georgia Film Festival for the first time this year. His short film THE ROAD VIRUS HEADS NORTH, adapted from a Stephen King short story, was nominated for a Student Academy Award. Brock currently teaches at WV State University, where he made THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM, another King adaptation.
Another Student Academy Award nominee is cinematographer Justin Litton. Litton, COO of Mountain Craft Productions, proudly creates content all over Appalachia. His work on BORDER PATROL was nominated in 2013 for a Student Academy Award. Mountain Craft continues to produce quality industrials, shorts, and PSAs for business and civic groups.
Stand-up comedian and podcaster Michael Shea joins as a judge this year. Hailing from Dayton, OH, Shea has performed as a stand-up for over 15 years. His podcast, The Ultimate Schmoedown Aftershow can be heard nationwide through The Outlaw Nation podcasting network.
J.T. Arbogast is a Los Angeles-based writer/producer and actor. Prior to arriving in Los Angeles, J.T. spent four years as the Associate Director of the critically acclaimed National Comedy Theatre in New York. He produced the films Angel’s Perch and Auld Lang Syne while successfully crowdfunding both of them. He might be best known as an actor in the film WHEN IN ROME or the TV show 30 ROCK. He holds a B.A. from Penn State University and an M.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
AFC Indie Filmmaking podcast Chuck Thomas will participate as a judge for this year’s festival along recording his podcast on Saturday March 6. Returning as festival judges this year include Community Board President and Channel 17 host Marcus McConico, Turner Center for the Art’s Jessica Ganas, University of Findlay professor Chris Medjesky, and former SGFF Student Director, Jennifer Rainer. Due to COVID all of our judges will participate virtually to view the films and discuss the eventual winners.
Along with our nightly open-air screenings, over 100 films will be available virtually through our partnership with Eventive. Like hundreds of other festival around the country, the South Georgia Film Festival will be available through your computer and over your smart TV. Passes for $40 includes all the virtual films, virtual panels and preferred seating to the in-person events. Students of all ages can get a discounted pass for $25. You can get a ticket to any screening (in-person or virtual) for only $5.
This year’s festival could not happen without the support of our community sponsors, including Georgia Power, Valdosta State University, the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority, Wild Adventures, the Turner Center for the Arts, Valdosta Main Street, the Valdosta Daily Times, the City of Valdosta, Georgia Production Partnership, Fairway Outdoor, the Georgia Film Office, Georgia Beer Company, and MUBI.
The South Georgia Film Festival continues to promote the regional film industry with panelists discussing both the craft and industrial impact of film for local businesses. For more information about tickets, visit SGFF21.Eventive.org. Passes for all open-air and virtual events are $40, $25 for students. You can purchase a ticket for any single screening for $5.
For more information on the South Georgia Film Festival, visit SouthGeorgiaFilm.com or contact Prof. Jason Brown at 229-219-1298 or jasonebrown@valdosta.edu.
– 20 –
Director Liz ManshilFilmmaker/Actress/Musician Laura HollidayWriter/Producer J.T. ArbogastCinematographer Justin LittonPodcaster Chuck ThomasComedian/Podcaster Mike Shea
VALDOSTA, GA – As part of the Family Friendly block, the 5th Annual South Georgia Film Festival will be screening DOLPHIN ISLAND, March 7 to wrap up the 2021 festival. Running March 5 – 7, this year’s South Georgia Film Festival will incorporate open-air screenings like DOLPHIN ISLAND on the campus of Valdosta State University as well as virtual screenings of over 100 films.
Starting at 7:30 pm, the Family Friendly Block screening will include two short films as well. Director Mike Disa’s feature film DOLPHIN ISLAND is about fourteen-year-old Annabel strives to live with her grandfather on a Caribbean Island after her parents pass away. Next up is CALF ROPE, about a rodeo champion grandfather teaching his suburban grandson some new tricks, and then HANGRY, about a reverend fighting for adequate food at the nursing home.
Due to COVID, this year’s South Georgia Film Festival will look a bit different. DOLPHIN ISLAND is one of only four feature films we’ll be screening in the open-air, on the campus of Valdosta State University. Beginning March 5, we will screen a feature film each night of the festival along with relevant short films beginning at 7:30 pm.
Friday night, we will feature BLEEDING AUDIO, a rock documentary about the band THE MATCHES. Saturday night, director Carter Adkins will be showing his film JENNA BUMS THE LOVESEAT, along with the feature film ADRIFT UNDER LIGHT and some short films by Valdosta State University alums, Abbey Spacil’s SONYA SLIDEZ and Lucas Hicks’ YOUR NAME. During the day Saturday March 6, Chuck Thomas of the Atlanta Film Chat podcast will be recording interviews with visiting filmmakers to be broadcast on WVVS radio Valdosta.
Along with our nightly open-air screenings, over 100 films will be available virtually through our partnership with Eventive. Like hundreds of other festival around the country, the South Georgia Film Festival will be available through your computer and over your smart TV. Passes for $40 includes all the virtual films, virtual panels and preferred seating to the in-person events. Students of all ages can get a discounted pass for $25. You can get a ticket to any screening (in-person or virtual) for only $5.
This year’s festival could not happen without the support of our community sponsors, including Georgia Power, Valdosta State University, the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority, Wild Adventures, the Turner Center for the Arts, Valdosta Main Street, the Valdosta Daily Times, the City of Valdosta, Georgia Production Partnership, Fairway Outdoor, the Georgia Film Office, Georgia Beer Company, and MUBI.
The South Georgia Film Festival continues to promote the regional film industry with panelists discussing both the craft and industrial impact of film for local businesses. For more information about tickets, visit SGFF21.Eventive.org. Passes for all open-air and virtual events are $40, $25 for students. You can purchase a ticket for any single screening for $5.
For more information on the South Georgia Film Festival, visit SouthGeorgiaFilm.com or contact Prof. Jason Brown at 229-219-1298 or jasonebrown@valdosta.edu.
In collaboration with thirty other film festivals across the country, the South Georgia Film Festival is celebrating #FilmFestivalDay on April 11 with a digital screening event and fundraiser for Second Harvest.
As a member of the Film Festival Alliance, the South Georgia Film Festival is participating in the streaming of the new film Phoenix, Oregon, April 11, along with a question and answer session with the filmmakers. The online event costs $6.50, with the proceeds being split between the filmmakers and whichever festival viewers chose to support.
“As people are home, we believe this is a way for us to reach our local audience and allow them to support our community in a fun way,” said Jason Brown, Festival Director of the South Georgia Film Festival.
The South Georgia Film Festival will be donating all of the proceeds received to Second Harvest to support those locally hardest hit by the COVID-19 closure. Unlike many festivals, the South Georgia Film Festival was one of the last festivals that was able to be held before widespread quarantining took hold. More than 175 film festivals have been hit with cancellations and postponements since COVID-19 began to spread across the country.
Wide-spread social distancing has encouraged many people to stay at home where they are streaming entertainment from such platforms as Netflix, Hulu, and many others. The South Georgia Film Festival has begun by sharing links to previous filmmakers’ work on their social media where audiences can support them directly. Participating with the Film Festival Alliance, this screening allows local viewers to discover a new film and contribute back to their local organizations.
Phoenix, Oregon is the story of two middle-aged friends, one a graphic novelist and the other a chef, who quit their jobs to restore an old bowling alley and serve the “world’s greatest pizza.” Starring James Le Gros (Living in Oblivion, Drugstore Cowboy), Lisa Edelstein (House, Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce), Jesse Borrego (Fame), Diedrich Bader (American Housewife, Beverly Hillbillies, Napoleon Dynamite) and Kevin Corrigan (The Departed, True Romance, Pineapple Express), the film had a planned film festival distribution plan.
“Film festivals and community cinemas are the backbone of the independent film industry. They introduce audiences to stories which nurture, nourish and encourage new perspectives,” said Annie Lundgren, producer of Phoenix, Oregon.
Along with the streaming of the film, viewers will be able to enjoy a Q&A session moderated by Melanie Addington of the Oxford Film Festival and later download the film.
The festival will soon be asking for submissions for the 2021 festival, which will be the fifth edition. Along with feature films, the festival is looking for shorts, documentaries, college, and high school films. Specifically, the festival is looking for both family friendly films and those produced regionally.
For more information, please contact the festival at southgeorgiafilm@valdosta.edu, use their social media @SouthGeorgiaFilm or call 229-219-1298.
VALDOSTA, GA – The South Georgia Film Festival
presents a special work-in-progress screening of the definitive history of
black dolls, Black Barbie, celebrating the 40th anniversary
of the dolls introduction in 1980. Filmmaker Lagueria Davis’ film about her
aunt Beluah Mae Mitchell, who helped introduce the first black version of
Mattel’s Barbie, explores the struggle for representation.
“It took a Black woman in the design and leadership position to get a Black
Barbie,” Davis said. “That very first doll really is validation that my aunt
and Kitty Black Perkins were seen and heard.”
Along with the support of the Valdosta State University African-American
Studies Department, this screening of Black Barbie is part of the project’s
development process. Having participated in several prestigious
work-in-progress retreats and labs over the last year to fully fund the
documentary, Davis is continue to rework the project looking for feedback and
conversation on the topic.
“Unlike Hollywood blockbusters, independent films need community support,”
said Jason Brown, South Georgia Film Festival director. “They need feedback to
tell the best story and funding to make the best film.”
Davis has found success with Black Barbie as she continues to grow in
her career. Graduaing from the University of Oklahoma, Davis feature screenplay
Maid of Honor was a Quarter-Finalist for the highly acclaimed Nicholls
Fellowship. After Black Barbie allowed Davis to be chosen as a BAVC
Mediamaker fellow, a 2019 Logan Nonfiction Fellow, and to be a finalist for the
Screencraft Film Fund, she was hired to write for an upcoming network
television program.
Moderated by Alicia Pryor, of the Valdosta State University Mass Media
program, the work-in-progress screening will include portions of the film,
along with time for feedback from those in attendance. Davis, currently working
as a writer on an upcoming cable television program, plans to be Skyping into
the presention.
Along with the support of the African-American studies department, the South
Georgia Film Festival includes sponsorships from Georgia Power, Georgia Beer
Company, the Georgia Council for the Arts, Valdosta State University, the
Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority, Wild Adventures, the Turner Center for
the Arts, Valdosta Main Street, the Valdosta Daily Times, Ashley Street
Station, the City of Valdosta, the Williams Hotel Group, MUBI, and the
Criterion Channel.
Festival screenings will take place at the VSU Student Union Theater at the
corner of Baytree and North Oak Street. Over the three days, visitors can park
at both the Oak Street Parking Deck and the University Center parking lot. With
numerous panels and screenings, attendees will find plenty to do.
Promoting entrepreneurship through filmmaking, the festival continues to
promote the regional film industry with panelists discussing both the craft and
industrial impact of film for local businesses. This year’s festival has also
includes panelists Richard Baxter to discuss Columbus, GA new tax incentives
for film, Brent Simond of Illinois State University to discuss crowdfunding his
documentary on country music, the Georgia Production Partnership’s South
Regional meeting, and much more.
Passes to this year’s festival are currently available. The All Access VIP
pass, which includes a t-shirt and access to the VIP areas costs $100. The
Festival Pass which offers access to all screenings, panels and daily events
are $40. Day Passes are $15 for all screenings and panels. Both High School and
College students can get a free Day Pass with their school id to all screenings
and panels.
For more information on the South Georgia Film Festival, visit
SouthGeorgiaFilm.com or contact Prof. Jason Brown at 229-219-1298 or jasonebrown@valdosta.edu.
