Founder Drew Sawyer talks the ATLFF opening night premiere of Idiots The Atlanta premiere of Idiots at ATLFF 50 (Photo by Mikey Smith) “It takes a village, and sometimes a village of lunatics to make a movie,” Moonshine Post Production founder Drew Sawyer humorously said upon taking the stage at the Atlanta Film Festival Opening Night, where he helped introduce a screening of Idiots to a sold-out crowd. Idiots – which follows two down-on-their-luck men forced to work togeth

The pop singer/producer goes stateside for a well-deserved victory lap PinkPantheress in Atlanta at Coca-Cola Roxy (Photo by Fabian Fernandez) The modern pop world is a difficult game to win. With the rise of viral TikTok cravings and style-over-substance brands that plague the industry, it’s hard to find artistry that feels authentic (and when it does, these artists are often criticized for “trying too hard.”) For years, Victoria “Vicky” Walker, professionally known as PinkP

A hidden-gem documentary that’ll make you yearn for yesteryear When We Were Live screens at ATLFF 50 The in-person run of the 50th Atlanta Film Festival has officially concluded, but the festivities are far from over. The virtual fest is in full swing, inviting audiences from all across the globe to watch some stellar selects from this year’s lineup. As you peruse the catalog, I’d like to recommend a lovely little documentary from the heart of Austin, Texas. When We Were Live

The festival ended with a screening of one of the year's most anticipated features Boots Riley and Taylour Paige's Q/A at ATLFF 50 (Photo by Mikey Smith) Boots Riley is back and he’s taking no prisoners. The multi-hyphenate artist appeared for the closing night of the 50th Atlanta Film Festival at the historic Plaza Theatre to present his latest film, I Love Boosters. Boots Riley at ATLFF 50 (Photo by Mikey Smith) In typical Boots Riley fashion – the same auteur that brought

The pop-rap superstar spins tracks from BEFORE I FORGET on his latest tour The Kid LAROI performing live in Atlanta (Photo by Mikey Smith) Stopping through Atlanta on his A Perfect World Tour, The Kid LAROI had Coca-Cola Roxy singing through his catchy yet honest pop-rap catalog for the whole night. With immersive stage-production and camera-work, fans were able to step into LAROI’s world and feel his latest release on a deeper level. The Kid LAROI at Coca-Cola Roxy (Photo by

Writer-Director Jared Sprouse and co. give the inside scoop on their zany dark comedy The cast and crew of Party USA (Photo by Nico Hawthorne) Party USA is a firework of a film: it’s bold, it’s colorful, and it sure knows how to pack a punch. The dark comedy describes itself as “a downward spiral of red, white, and blue-collared chaos,” charting a disgruntled retail worker’s (Ainsley Seiger) journey to undo the fallout following an uncovered shift at a party store. Ahead of t

13 years after its initial release, Ponsoldt's Georgia-based love story still remains a landmark in the state's filmmaking journey ATLFF's revival screening of James Ponsoldt's The Spectacular Now When you search the keywords “Georgia filmmaker” or “Directors from Georgia,” you will almost always come across the name James Ponsoldt. Ponsoldt, an Athens native, has been directing feature films and television for over twenty years. From his first film, Off the Black, to 2015’

Four panelists gather at ATLFF 50's Creative Conference to discuss the importance of audio in filmmaking The Audio Post panel at the Atlanta Film Festival (Photo via My Global Presence) Filmmakers, editors and sound engineers filled the Jack Auditorium at the Tara Theater this week during the Atlanta Film Festival to learn about audio from four seasoned veterans, with over a hundred years of experience combined. Elise Riley, CEO and founder of My Global Presence, served as mo

Writer-director Costa Karalis invites audiences to experience this North Florida “magic trick” Frogtown director Costa Karalis promoting the film at ATLFF 50 (Photo by Mikey Smith) If there’s one mission on filmmaker Costa Karalis’ mind, it’s to make movies unlike anything audiences have seen before. Karalis’ debut feature, Frogtown, had its Atlanta premiere on Saturday at the 50th Atlanta Film Festival. The film played to a sold-out audience, with a line of s

The Florida singer defies the odds at her Altar show Gatlin performing at The Masquerade (Altar) in ATL (Photo by Joe Chiarella) Just weeks before Gatlin's 2026 US tour was set to begin, an injury sustained while rescuing her escaped cat put the whole tour at risk. When she took the stage in Atlanta, she joked that she overheard people at the previous night's show recounting how she was attacked by a coyote. While it's true that she was rescuing her cat from coyotes, it was t

The writer-director crafts a darkly funny tale of love, secrets, and corporate power The cast and crew of Third at ATLFF 50 (Photo by Mikey Smith) A husband stuck in a rut. A wife hungry for more. A handsome stranger falling from the sky. What could possibly go wrong? Atlanta-based feature Third had its world premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival on Friday. Created with an insanely talented local crew, the film is a shocking tale of twists and turns that holds far more than

The indie vocalist and songwriter lets fans bask in the quiet moments in Atlanta Eliza McLamb performing at Terminal West in ATL (Photo by Noah De Los Rios) On April 17th 2026, North Carolina born indie rockstar Eliza McLamb took over Terminal West and produced an atmosphere so good it felt like we were in her childhood room. Eliza McLamb in ATL (Photo by Noah De Los Rios) There wasn’t an over-the-top intro, but she didn’t need one. Within the first song, it was clear McLamb

The program kicks off with two projects proudly produced in the heart of the ATL ATLFF preparing for their 50th film festival (Photo by Mikey Smith) As the sun set over Poncey-Highland on Thursday, the 50th Atlanta Film Festival kicked off at the historic Plaza Theatre. Arguably the city’s biggest film event, the 11-day festival runs from April 23 to May 3 and is set to welcome a plethora of creatives from all across the globe. From screenings and Q&As to filmmaker meetups an

The R&B-pop hitmaker dishes on her newest album ATL's Jai'Len Josey releases her newest record Serial Romantic (Photo by Respective Collective) With her bold Southern flair and bubbly personality, Jai’Len Josey is a multi-talented artist from the heart of East Atlanta. The rising starlet is charming audiences with her brand-new album, Serial Romantic, and thanks to °1824, Art Seen ATL had the chance to chat with Josey ahead of the project’s release. Josey’s love of music bega

The genre-bending artist brings together fans from ATL at her sold out Masquerade show Lexa Gates performing at The Masquerade (Heaven) in ATL (Photo by Javier Bastidas) Lexa Gates in ATL (Photo by Javier Bastidas) Brooklyn native Lexa Gates took to The Masquerade this week in what can only be called a celebration of her new album, I AM. Upon arriving at the venue to prepare for the show, I was overcome with an energy stemming from the fans, who were lined up far down the doo

The New York rock outfit stops through Smith's ahead of their upcoming album Telescreens performing at Smith's Olde Bar in ATL (Photo by Magali Rivera) New York-based band Telescreens brought their first-ever Atlanta show to Smith’s Olde Bar on April 9th. The alternative rock four-piece were on tour supporting Quarters, their NYC neighbors, and decided to drop in to our city to headline Smith’s Music Room stage. The set was rambunctious and sweaty from the first song. An en

The band muses on Muscle ahead of their headlining gig at Eddie’s Attic Perfect Animal ahead of their headlining Eddie's Attic show (Photo by Mikey Smith) Perfect Animal is, in every sense, a dream team. The four-piece rock group has developed a reputation in the scene for their introspective lyrics, genre-bending instrumentation, and stellar production. Armed with a brand-new release (and several more on the way), the band is fully in their element and are gearing up for an

Reflections Ahead of Reel Friends’ One-Night-Only Event Haynes and Bale doing press for Velvet Goldmine (from MovieStillsDB) “The idea is to create a world in which reality, fantasy, and memory each have equal weight.” - Todd Haynes, Velvet Goldmine commentary track There is a scene early on in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America in which two characters, both strangers, share a dream. In this dream they encounter a phenomenon they call the “threshold of revelation,” which al

The singer's first show in Atlanta reminds fans what makes her music timeless Hannah Cohen performing live at Aisle 5 (Photo by Joe Chiarella) On the day of Hannah Cohen 's first-ever show in Atlanta, I was asked by several people to describe her sound. I struggled with this at first, not because I lacked familiarity with her 2025 release, Earthstar Mountain. Although I'd only discovered the album recently, it was on steady rotation over the last few months. I kept drawing

The alternative R&B artist invites a sold-out ATL crowd to his apartment Jordan Ward at The Loft @ Center Stage (Photo by Mikey Smith) This month, Jordan Ward hit The Loft @ Center Stage in ATL for a sold-out tour stop on his Apartment Tour. With a performance that radiated hangout vibes from the mix of live instrumental jams and DJ tracks, Ward’s journey into his 2026 record, BACKWARD , fed fans with a laid-back night of music. Here are 3 takeaways from my time at The Lof