Reel Friends, Atlanta’s one-of-a-kind film collective championing a new generation of filmmakers, is hosting a special presentation of A24’s The Spectacular Now with a Q&A from the film’s director, James Ponsoldt to follow. Destined to be an unforgettable night for Georgia film lovers, the event takes place at the historic Tara Theater on November 29th, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Filmed right here in Georgia and brought to life by the nuanced direction of Athens’ own, Ponsoldt creates this modern coming-of-age classic that still hits with the force of a first heartbreak and the hope of a second chance. A tender, clear-eyed portrait of young love, small-town drift, and the moments that shape who we become.
The Tara Theatre is honored to welcome Ponsoldt back to Atlanta for a live, in-person conversation following the screening, in partnership with A24 and Reel Friends. Moderated by filmmaker Rocco Shapiro, the Q&A will dive into the film’s origins, James’s creative process and the emotional honesty that’s made it an essential text of the 2010s.
“The year was 2013, and I was a high school junior partying at the exact same watering hole that Sutter Keely parties at — which, yes, was a mind-melting moment to see on the big screen. I had never seen a place so close to where I grew up in Lawrenceville captured so accurately on screen… and while I was still experiencing it, no less!” said Reel Friends founder, Rocco Shapiro.
“The Spectacular Now is a formative film for me. So if you’ve ever fallen in love at a movie, recognized a piece of yourself on screen, or found an unexpected connection, then this night is for you. I hope everyone can come celebrate a film that captures the messy, beautiful, perfectly imperfect ‘now’ of growing up — with the man who made it spectacular.”
With deep Georgia roots, a director returning home, and a collective committed to elevating local voices, this one-night event embodies the spirit of Reel Friends: creating meaningful experiences to unite artists, audiences, and the stories that shape them. As the Atlanta film community continues to ebb and flow with the nature of the industry, Reel Friend is helping reinforce Atlanta’s position as a bustling film hub with one unique, independent cinema event at a time.
Tickets are now on sale at: https://www.taraatlanta.
