Sept. 12 marked the first day of the 2o24 Georgia Film Festival. Running from the Sept. 12 – 14, this year’s festival showed 43 films from many different sources on the University of North Georgia’s Gainesville campus.

Attendees found themselves on their own red carpet upon entering the festival. They were greeted with photo opportunities, filmmakers from all walks of life and many connections to be made.

Night one of the festival saw the opening of the Bob and Wanda Swoszowski Auditorium. The venue offers a more traditional movie theater setting than the screening rooms in the Ed Cabell Theater. For Jeff Marker, Director of the UNG School of Communication, Film & Theatre, this space has been a fruition many years in the making.

“We are opening this space… we’re filling it with a bunch of excitement and love and good energy for the very first time people come in here and see something, and that’s really important to me.” – Jeff Marker, Director of the UNG School of Communication, Film & Theatre

Marker gave thanks to the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters Christopher Jespersen and Provost Chaudron Gille for finding funding for the theater. He also thanked Assistant Performing Arts Professor Zack Bennett for his contributions in building the auditorium.

“As the theater was being built, [Zack] proved he is so talented… the whole reason for the lighting set-up here is because of him,” Marker said about Bennett.

The first film shown in the auditorium, “My Old Ass,” proved to be a favorite among GFF weekend pass holders and UNG students. Performances from Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza drew many laughs from the audience.

Day two of the festival began with the high school shorts block, featuring films made by highschoolers from all over Georgia. The shorts told stories of many types, from spy work to driftwood related artistry all the way to apocalypse stories written by the director’s 9-year-old self.

Following these films were two panels, the first of which was led by Melissa Simpson of Film Impact Georgia & Atlanta Film. Her panel led students through the nitty-gritty of how to get through their first festival run. The second panel saw Maxwell Bentley of Bentley Media teaching students how to get paid well while doing freelance work.

Shortly after these panels were the showings of “Longleaf Forever” and “ᏩᏯ Waya, Saving Our Red Grandfather.” Both of these films center around cultural and environmental conservation efforts.

Next was the Nighthawk Shorts block of the festival, focused on showing off the works of the university’s students. With nine student films being shown, there was ample amounts of talent on display.

“There are so many distinct voices at the UNG film program that it’s hard to describe all the talent that comes from it.” – Cameron Artman, junior film major

The second night of the festival concluded with the film “Guacamole Yesterdays,” a film detailing a woman’s journey following her separation from her partner.

Day three of the festival began with back to back blocks of short films. The first, College Shorts, showcased more college student crafted films from other institutions. Shortly after was The Sounds of Images block, which focused on sound design in filmmaking. Both of these segments included Q&A segments for viewers looking to know more.

The Embracing AI in Post Production panel took place next, hosted by Kristina Kromer and Patrick Perry from Moonshine Post. This panel focused on the use of AI in film making and the larger creative world as a whole.

For the final film block of this years GFF, the Connections block showcased eight films focused on community building and interpersonal relationships. The longest of theses films was “The Loved and Lost,” a domestic drama of a family facing financial crisis that kept the audience’s eyes glued to the screen.

To close out the festival’s showings was “Our Movement Starts Here,” an emotional film about a community’s fight with the state of North Carolina to protect their city from the construction of a toxic landfill.

Wrapping up the festivities, the awards ceremony began. The awards handed out are as follows:

• Best College Short: “That Place You Hate,” directed by Evyn J Barron
• Best Indie Short: “Vile,” directed by Casey Glazer
• The Priya Mellott Award for Best Nighthawk Short: “Pineapple Soda,” directed by Julian Towns
• Best Feature Film: “Guacamole Yesterdays,” directed by Jordan Noel & Hudson Phillips

With the conclusion of this year’s event, students and organizers alike are looking forward to the next Georgia Film Festival.