Alumni, faculty and students participate in Athens Film Festival

Fresh off a successful first year, the Athens Film Festival returns Aug. 14-17 and will feature involvement from several students, alumni and faculty of Grady College.

Grady College is one of the sponsors of the festival which features more than 80 screenings and multiple panel discussions in various categories including animation, women in film, films created in Georgia, shorts, horror and a student showcase, just to name a few.

Lauren Musgrove, assistant professor in the Department of Entertainment and Media Studies (EMST), screened her feature film, “Ugly Sweater” at the festival last year and returned this year as a board member, festival producer and the filmmaker liaison. 

“I had such a great time as a filmmaker last year I knew I wanted to help continue this opportunity for others and help the festival grow as the industry in the state grows,” Musgrove says. “My focus this year is to ensure filmmakers experience the joy of an audience reaction and feedback to their art, and the chance to share in fun and growth with likeminded creatives in a cool city I am proud to call home.”

Kelsey Schmitt (MFA ’23), a lecturer in EMST, is also participating as jury member for the narrative short, narrative feature and documentary categories. Jury members have screened the top film submissions prior to the screenings and will award the winners during festival.

Schmitt won an award for “Best Georgia Short” alongside writer-director, Albin Pepe, in last year’s festival for their film, “Chessboxer.”

“It’s been an honor to serve as a jury member in this year’s Athens Film Festival and to have been recognized last year,” Schmitt said. “Working as a jury member this year, I’ve have had the opportunity to screen incredible films from all over the world. Receiving submissions from countries like Iran, Turkey, Hong-Kong, Cuba, France, Spain and Kenya, I am amazed at the quality of submissions and the global reach this very new festival has had.” 

Xavier Brown (MFA ’23) is also a festival juror of documentary films.

In addition, several other faculty, alumni and students through the EMST and the UGA MFA in Film, Television and Digital Media program have films that will be screened at the festival and panels they will participate in. The MFA Film program is a joint degree with Grady College and Franklin College and educates students in above-the-line film careers as directors, writers and producers.

A sampling of films screenings and panels include:

Friday, Aug. 15 at 2:15 p.m. at Ciné

Screening of “Whistle in the Dark,” directed, produced and written by current MFA student Connor Pannell (ABJ ’16).

Saturday, Aug. 16 at 9:15 p.m. at the Morton Theater

“Diviners,” co-produced by part-time EMST instructor, Stephen Bailey.

Sunday, Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m. at The Globe

All of the films in the Athens Student Showcase feature Grady College students or alumni. Films will be screened by recent graduates including Taylor Shults (AB ’25), Collin Young (AB ’25), Lucas Nyman (AB ’25), Sanaa Wright (AB ’25), Sienna Moore (AB ’25), Hannah Sowell (AB ’25) and Lily Blumenthal (AB ’25). “Watched” was directed and written by current MFA Film student, Brianna Barros.

A special student discount is offered for passes to the Athens Film Festival.

Finally, for those who miss the Athens Film Festival but want to support alumni in film, a special screening of The Green Flash will be shown Thursday, Aug. 21, at 5 p.m. at Ciné in downtown Athens. The Green Flash has won several film festival awards and was directed, produced and written by alumna Jodi Cash. Alumnus Ethan Payne (ABJ ’07) served as a director and editor of the film and Gresham Cash, another UGA alumnus, was composer and producer for the film.

Author: Sarah Freeman, freemans@uga.edu