The 50th Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) unveiled its highly anticipated opening and closing Night selections, along with a slate of legacy screenings and special presentations for its landmark anniversary edition. The 2026 festival will take place in person April 23 – May 3 at the historic Plaza and Tara Theatres, followed by virtual screenings from May 4 -11.
Kicking off the festival, Opening Night will feature Idiots, directed by Macon Blair and filmed in Georgia. The high-energy narrative comedy, formally titled The Sh**heads showcases an all-star ensemble including Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thams, Kiernan Shipka, Nicholas Braun, Peter Dinklage and Killer Mike, bringing together major talent and local movie-making spirit. The film follows two wildly unqualified hires tasked with escorting a wealthy teen to rehab. Their simple assignment quickly spirals into chaotic and dangerous territory. Emmy-winning Producer Alex Orr and Executive Producer Joshua Harris will attend the Opening Night red carpet screening on Thursday, April 23.
Following the screening of Idiots, the premiere of limited series documentary The Birth of Trap Music makes its debut. Stars and Executive Producers T.I. and Drumma Boy, among other cast members, will walk the red carpet ahead of the Opening Night film and participate in a post screening Q&A following the documentary screening.
Closing Night on Saturday, May 2 will feature I Love Boosters, from Award winning writer/director Boots Riley and starring Keke Palmer, with Riley and Taylour Paige scheduled to appear in person. The film follows a fearless crew of young women who shoplift designer fashion across the Bay Area and resell it at steep discounts. When a powerful fashion mogul catches on, the stakes escalate, leading to an audacious plan for one final high-risk heist. A crew of professional shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It’s like community service.
Among other announced programming highlights is If I Go Will They Miss Me, followed by a post screening conversation with one of the film’s stars and Executive Producers, Oscar-nominated and Grammy-winning actress and singer Danielle Brooks. The film centers on a young boy who begins seeing ghostly figures of other boys in his neighborhood while grappling with his father’s emotional distance. These visions reveal haunting connections to their shared past. The film will screen April 29 at the Tara Theatre.
This year’s special presentations also celebrate standout works connected to Atlanta’s film legacy, including The Signal, with appearances by directors David Bruckner, Jacob Gentry and Dan Bush; That Evening Sun, with appearances by writer/director Scott Teems joined by cast members Oscar-winner Ray McKinnon and Emmy-winner Carrie Preston; and V/H/S in 35mm, with appearances by star Hannah Fearman, director David Bruckner, special guest Drew Sawyer and producer Linda Burns. McKinnon will also present The Accountant, the 2001 Oscar-winning short film starring and created by him and his co-star Walton Goggins. The festival will also present a special screening of Mark Mori’s Oscar-nominated documentary Building Bombs, a powerful look at life in Aiken, South Carolina, home to a major U.S. hydrogen bomb facility, and the human impact of living in the shadow of nuclear production.
The festival’s legacy screenings bring a special sense of occasion this year, spotlighting influential films alongside the artists who helped shape them. Audiences will have the rare opportunity to revisit The Spectacular Now with director James Ponsoldt in attendance, offering insight into the film’s enduring emotional resonance. The 2007 Atlanta Film Festival-winner, Great World of Sound will be re-presented with the film’s three-time Emmy-nominated writer/director Craig Zobel in attendance. Emmy-winner Paul Walter Hauser joins a screening of Richard Jewell, timed just under 30 years after the Atlanta Olympics. Meanwhile, Julie Dash will present Daughters of the Dust, a Sundance Film Festival winning landmark work whose poetic storytelling continues to inspire generations of filmmakers. Together, these appearances transform each screening into a living conversation between past and present, celebrating the lasting impact of these films and the voices behind them.
The ATLFF has also announced the honorees for its 2026 IMAGE Film Awards Gala, to be held Friday, May 1 at Assembly Atlanta, recognizing standout contributions to film, television, and Georgia’s creative community. This year’s honorees include Will Packer (Ossie Davis Award); Josh Brolin, Carrie Preston, Hilton Howell and Georgia Entertainment (IMAGE Film Awards); David Cross (Rebel Award). Alex Orr will receive the inaugural Will Packer Award. Additional festival honors will be presented to Danielle Brooks (New Maverick Award), Mckenna Grace (Phoenix Award) and RZA (Originator Award) during special screenings and events throughout the festival. Named for the organization’s original title (IMAGE: Independent Media Artists of Georgia, Etc.), the gala celebrates the legacy and continued impact of the Atlanta Film Society and serves as its primary annual fundraiser.
The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com and through the ATLFF 2026 app. Festival badges and individual tickets are now available for purchase.
