A new film festival is coming to Atlanta on April 5– 6^th at the Tara Theatre. The Atlanta Film and WebFest (AFWI) provides an opportunity for artists to showcase their work and will offer year-round programs and educational opportunities for film and content creators. 

Doors will open at 10am, and attendees will have the opportunity to attend screenings, panel discussions, seminars, and Q&A sessions with industry leaders. Attendees will also have an opportunity to attend network parties, and the awards show, which will be held on Saturday, April 6^th with a red-carpet event that begins at 4pm. 

The festival and its partner, UDmand, serves as a nexus where independent creators, from intimate small-scale projects to ambitious large-scale productions, will converge to share their stories with the world.

"As the founder and director of Atlanta Film and Webfest and co- founder of the UDmand Network, our mission is to create a platform that celebrates diverse voices and visions of filmmakers, regardless of the scale of their production,” explains Jeanette Matté, “We believe in providing a platform for powerful storytelling to transcend boundaries. It's about fostering a community where creativity knows no bounds and where the passion for filmmaking unites us all."

The festival organizers chose to develop a new paradigm of festival where web series meets film from creative filmmakers from across the globe. The event brings a group of award-winning studio executives, filmmakers, writers, and producers who backed Emmy Award television series and films for domestic and international distributors.

"Regardless of background, independent filmmakers deserve the chance to share their unique voice with the world,” says filmmaker and social impact ambassador, Amanda Kazzy Cryer, “It is truly an honor to be part of the Atlanta Film and WebFest, a platform where our shared values resonate through every film format. Here, the transformative power of cinema paves the way for a brighter future, uniting us in the collective pursuit of empowering dreams."

AFWI is partnering with over 35 Webfests in the world, including the LA Webfest, KWebfest, British Web Awards, Asian Web Awards, Marseille Webfest, and many more. 

Featured panelists include the following:

• Legendary actress, Sean Young (Blade Runner, Fatal Instinct, Star Trek)

• Actor, Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Bad Company)

• Filmmaker and social impact influencer, Amanda Kazzy Cryer (The Lord of Catan, Luz: The Flower of Evil, What They Wanted, What They Got)

• Director, actor and producer, Bill Duke (Bird on a Wire, Menace II Society, Black Lightning)

• Producer, Susan Ilot (Afterwards, The Performance, The Martini Shot)

• Actress Dawn Halfkinny (Saints & Sinners, Hyde Park, Bid for Love 2)

• UDmand CTO, writer, author of Kid Combat, and producer, Chris Helwink

• Former executive producer with Warner Bros and the CEO of UDmand, Gus Blackmon

• Winston Johnson with Digital Distribution

• Chairman of UDmand, producer, and ambassador to Zambia, Kenneth Dixon

• Film distributor, Barrett Dungy

• Director of LA Webfest and KFest, and filmmaker, Young Man Kang

• Film distributor, Barrett Dungy

• Attorney, filmmaker, and Fulton County Commissioner, Marvin Arrington Jr.

• TV comedy writer and producer, Rich Halke (Panel Moderator)

• Comedian and host for the Vanessa Jackson Show and host for the AFWI Awards Show, Vanessa Jackson

Carole Joyce is a filmmaker and executive producer on Stairway To The Stars, which is an official selection of the AFWI. "The power of short films these days will help us in recognizing the importance of stories to gather support,” she adds. “Short films are a way to spark interest, so people can create movement and concrete action."