Georgia Entertainment and AMA Atlanta will open the 50th annual Atlanta Film Festival with SEAT | Sports, Entertainment, Art & Tourism, an inaugural industry gathering examining the convergence of sports, entertainment, arts and tourism at a moment when Atlanta is preparing to host FIFA World Cup matches this summer.
Georgia is at an inflection point. A business economy that draws global attention, brands turning to cinematic storytelling and a landmark sporting event arriving on the state’s doorstep have positioned Georgia as one of the country’s most important creative and cultural hubs. The Atlanta Film Festival’s 50th anniversary is the right moment to put that momentum in context.
Founded in 1976, the Atlanta Film Festival is one of the largest and longest-running in the country and one of only two dozen Academy Award qualifying festivals in the United States. Presented by the Atlanta Film Society, a nonprofit arts organization, the festival draws more than 28,000 attendees annually and selects from more than 8,000 submissions worldwide. Past festival guests have included Josh Brolin, Eddie Vedder, Walton Goggins, Margaret Cho and Howard Zinn.
“Fifty years of the Atlanta Film Festival is not just a milestone for cinema in Georgia,” said Christopher Escobar, executive director of the Atlanta Film Society. “It is a testament to the creative community that has built something lasting here. SEAT reflects exactly the kind of cross-sector energy that has always made this festival more than a screening program. We are proud to open our 50th season with this gathering.”
SEAT’s programming will bring together leaders from film, sports, brand storytelling, tourism and the arts for industry conversations exploring how Georgia’s creative economy is evolving. The program will include panels, special presentations connected to the festival’s 50th anniversary and a VIP networking reception.
“The Atlanta Film Festival has spent five decades building the cultural foundation that makes Georgia’s creative economy possible,” said Randy Davidson, CEO and founder of Georgia Entertainment. “Supporting ATLFF at this milestone is about honoring that work and recognizing what it signals. Georgia is not just a place where content gets made. It is a place where culture gets shaped. SEAT is our opportunity to bring that conversation into the room.”
SEAT is presented by Discover DeKalb and Universal Production Services in partnership with AMA Atlanta. Additional partners include CineFi, Ramo Law, Quixote, Resolve Media, ABS Payroll and others to be named soon.
The event takes place April 22, 2026, at Assembly Studios, Atlanta. To request an invitation, click here.
