The South’s Premiere Film Festival a Major Success

June 20, 2005

ATLANTA, Ga.— Ticket Alternative handled their most complex project to date with the 29th Annual Atlanta Film Festival featuring over 150 films and videos from around the world showcased in four different Atlanta theatres.

Film buffs across the Southeast flocked by the thousands to enjoy a weekend full of top-notch independent cinema and cinema discussion.

In addition to award-winning programming, the Atlanta Film Festival featured an informative line-up of panel, discussion forums and returning events. Topics ran the gamut from working with small budgets, documentary filmmaking, and crossing over from film to television.

The festivities kicked off with the Atlanta premiere of the highly acclaimed independent film "Hustle & Flow." The sold-out screening gave locals an exclusive preview of the film that will be hitting major markets later this summer. As an added bonus, director Craig Brewer was in attendance, and entertained the audience with an extensive Q&A.

Many of the screenings this year sold out, including "The Dying Gaul", "The Lady From Stockholm", "Rize", "9 Songs" and "Yes". Other programs of note included the short film favorite, "Animation Extravaganza," the centerpiece documentary "Murderball" and this year's Carter Center screening, "Emmanuel's Gift."

Hitchcock fans got a special treat this year with a unique open-air screening of "The Birds" at Piedmont Park. The Turner Classic Movies sponsored event reportedly drew an audience of nearly 10,000.

Young filmmakers were also given a voice through several teen-oriented programs at the festival. In addition to the Teen Screen series, the M.E.D.I.A. SAVVY presentation featured works created by graduates aged 15 to 19 from the Spring 2005 term of IMAGE Film & Video Center's Media Education Initiative-Atlanta (MEDIA) Project.

Ticketing for all major screenings and parties was handled by Atlanta's own Ticket Alternative.

"With a such a large number of films, screening times, and ticket promotions, this was by far the most complex project we have undertaken," said Ticket Alternative President Iain Bluett. "It was certainly challenge but our staff rose the occasion and the weekend went off without a hitch. It was well worth the effort."

Closing the weeklong event was an elegant Gala featuring the Spanish period piece "Unconcicious", the Atlanta Film Festival Awards Ceremony, and Miranda July's "Me You and Everyone We Know."

The Atlanta Film Festival is produced annually by IMAGE (Independent Media Artists of Georgia, Etc.) Film & Video Center. IMAGE is a non-profit organization, and one of the few resources in the Southeast dedicated to the independent film community.

For more information about IMAGE or the Atlanta Film Festival, visit www.atlantafilmfestival.com.