The Atlanta Film Society kicked off the 46th annual Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference (ATLFF) with an Opening Night presentation of the narrative feature “892” and the announcement of its news Board of Director appointments on Friday, April 22, 2022 at the Plaza Theatre. Fatimah Abdullah, Ly Bolia, Danielle Deadwyler, Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Scott Woelfel will join the board of the non-profit organization that provides year-round educational and enriching film programming, highlighted by the annual centerpiece film festival and Creative Conference. Additionally, Heather Rowles, Tyler Edgarton and Josh Harris have been named Interim Board Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer respectively.
“The start of the annual Atlanta Film Festival is an occasion for our community to celebrate filmmaking and all of the people – in front of the camera and behind the scenes – who make it possible,” said Christopher Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Society. “The Atlanta Film Society’s on-going mission is to provide education, resources and a platform for the filmmaking and arts community, and our Board of Directors are integral to our success. We celebrate the current and new members and officers, who have and will continue to support and uplift this mission through their year-round leadership.”
Fatimah Abdullah is a series producer at 9 Story Media Group, animation enthusiast and a graduate of Georgia State University’s College of Arts & Sciences, specializing in Film & Video. Ly Bolia is an Associate Professor of Film, Media, & Theatre, at Georgia State University with creative specializations as a writer, director, editor and cinematographer. Danielle Deadwyler is a multidisciplinary performance artist, filmmaker and actor, who most recently starred in The Harder They Fall. Lydia “Sue-Ellen” Chitunya is a post production coordinator at Marvel Studios, a Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship award recipient and a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Scott Woelfel is a 15 year CNN production veteran, who currently serves as Chief Content Officer of WABE.
The Atlanta Film Society’s Board of Directors new executive leadership is led by Heather Rowles, who will assume the role of Interim Board Chair after holding the position of Secretary and serving on the board for 5 years. Rowles is the Executive Director and CEO of The Multi-Agency Alliance for Children. Tyler Edgarton, who is the founding partner of GA Prop Works, will serve as Vice Chair. Edgarton’s film and television production industry work includes the ownership and management of Mailing Avenue Stageworks, Westside Stageworks, Atlanta Stageworks and Eastside Stageworks. The new Treasurer of the Atlanta Film Society is Josh Harris, who brings his extensive experience as Senior Vice President of City National Bank’s Entertainment Banking team to the role.
Members of the Atlanta Film Society’s Board of Directors support the organization’s efforts to connect, educate, and engage audiences within the creative industry by supporting artists and providing a platform for their work. The role of a Board member is to provide organizational leadership and strategic vision, create connections to other organizations and individuals through personal outreach and promotion, and raise funds for the non-profit. In addition to the 21-person Board of Directors, Atlanta Film Society’s 7-person Advisory Board and 6-person Ambassador Council support this work.
The Atlanta Film Society’s Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference will run through Sunday, May 1, 2022 both virtually and in-person at multiple venues in Atlanta. This year’s lineup of 153+ selected works was chosen from a record-breaking nearly 10,000 submissions, including 20% with ties to Georgia and a combined total of 74% directed by filmmakers who identify as female or non-binary and/or are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Among the highlights of the festival are Opening and Closing Night Presentations, as well as 9 additional Marquee titles from celebrated filmmakers and Hollywood studios.
For more information on the Atlanta Film Society’s leadership, visit www.atlantafilmsociety.org/leadership. For schedule and ticket information for the 2022 Atlanta Film Festival + Creative Conference, visit www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com.