Atlanta Film Series
Atlanta Film Series: Atlanta Film Festivals Celebrating Indie Films
The Atlanta Film Series isn’t just a collection of festivals. It’s a movement. A year-round celebration of creative voices, unfiltered storytelling, and true indie spirit.
Whether you're creating or just watching, there’s nothing quite like it.
A Year-Round Celebration of Film
Atlanta Documentary Film Festival (ATL DOC or DocuFest): Held in March, ATL DOC showcases the best short and feature-length documentaries from around the world, highlighting compelling stories and powerful narratives.
Atlanta Shortsfest: (ATL Shorts) The longest running Atlanta short film festival is the top Georgia short film festival spotlighting innovative storytelling in films under 40 minutes.
Atlanta Underground Film Festival (AUFF): Hosted in August, AUFF provides a platform for cutting-edge short and feature films from some of the most talented independent filmmakers worldwide.
Atlanta Horror Film Festival (ATL HorrorFest or ATL Horror): Every October, HorrorFest delivers thrills and scares with the best independent horror films, drawing genre fans from across the region.
Atlanta Micro Short Film Festival (ATL Micro Shorts): Held in May, MicroShorts is dedicated to films under five minutes, showcasing the craft of ultra-short storytelling from filmmakers across the globe.
Atlanta Experimental Film Festival (ATL EXP) We explore the weird and wild world of experimental narratives, documentaries, animations, and more.
Atlanta Spotlight Film Festival: (ATL Spotlight) Closing the year in December, the Spotlight Film Festival honors the best short films of the season with a live showcase and awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in independent filmmaking.
History
The Atlanta Film Series began in 2002 with WellFair, a monthly event at MJQ Concourse that mixed independent film screenings, live music, and art to highlight new voices in the city’s creative scene.
In 2004, the Atlanta Underground Film Festival (AUFF) was launched, building on WellFair’s momentum and giving independent filmmakers a larger annual event to showcase their work.
As the audience grew, the series expanded into genre-specific festivals:
- 2006: Atlanta Documentary Film Festival and Atlanta Horror Film Festival launched, focusing on documentary and horror films.
- 2010: Atlanta Shortsfest debuted as the city’s first short film festival dedicated exclusively to films under 40 minutes.
- 2015: The Atlanta Spotlight Film Festival was launched to honor the best short films of the year with top awards. It has since evolved into a live, year-end showcase celebrating the standout short films of the season.
- 2023: The Atlanta Micro Short Film Festival was created to showcase ultra-short films under five minutes.
- 2025: Things get weird as we unleash the Atlanta Experimental Fest
Today, the Atlanta Film Series continues to offer a platform for filmmakers across genres to connect, screen their work, and reach new audiences.
A Thriving Film Community
Over the past 20 years, the Atlanta Film Series has played a significant role in transforming Atlanta into a hub for independent cinema. Its festivals provide opportunities for filmmakers to connect with audiences, celebrate their craft, and gain recognition on a global stage.
Looking for something different?
Our festivals deliver must-see cinema: underground gems, daring shorts, powerful documentaries, and genre-defying horror. Curated for the big screen and brought to life in front of a live audience.
Film Festivals in Atlanta Georgia
