Resurging after a three-year hiatus, the preeminent awards ceremony for the moving image in the state of Georgia, the IMAGE Film Awards Gala has recognized people who made outstanding contributions to building the state’s film industry and community.
Previous recipients include industry and community leaders like Dallas Austin, Attorney General Chris Carr, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, the Georgia Film Office, Clifford “T.I.” Harris, Virginia Hepner, Betsy Holland, Diane Ladd, Spike Lee, Tom Luse, Governor Zell Miller, Will Packer, Parker Posey, Burt Reynolds, Michael Stipe, Tyler Perry Studios, and Cicely Tyson among others.
Retaining its original name, the IMAGE Film Awards Gala pays tribute to Atlanta Film Society’s (ATLFS) original name, IMAGE Film & Video. In the time that this event has been on hiatus, both Georgia’s film community & industry have gone through tremendous transformation.
Annual spending on production has increased from $200 million to over $2 billion. Meanwhile, ATLFS has undergone some of the most significant evolutions since its formation: a name change from IMAGE to Atlanta Film Society, experienced some of the most longevity in organization staff and leadership in five decades along with new events and programs like the Creative Conference, SOUND+VISION, New Mavericks, CineMás, PA Academy as well as increased profile, visibility and attendance at the annual Academy Award qualifying Atlanta Film Festival.
These programs have been a platform for sharing, celebrating and elevating the work of hundreds of artists each year, workforce development of over 5,000 participants in ATLFS’ education and networking programs, and allowed for cultural engagement and enrichment of over 50,000 audience members annually. The IMAGE Film Awards Gala serves as the only fundraising event for the ATLFS and will be instrumental in growing the organization’s reach, impact and service to the community and artists it serves.
