ATLANTA FILM SOCIETY PRESENTS LOCALS ONLY

It’s cold outside, and it’s time to cozy up to our favorite stories. This Winter, LOCALS ONLY, our recurring screening of short films from Georgia’s independent filmmakers, gets back to the core of cinema - the drama. Each event has a distinct theme and focus. Featured short films come entirely from submissions. Does your film include a love story that transcends time and space? Does your main character have to make an important decision changing the trajectory of their lives - after the blood-pumping plot twist?

Winter 2026 LOCALS ONLY Presents: LET’S GET SOAPY. We want your tear-jerkers and heart-wrenchers.  We want your soap operas and romantic dramas.  We dare you to make us cry! Send us your coming-of-age, spicy romance, back-stabbing families, and other heartfelt drama films! Submitted films must be at least partially filmed in Georgia AND come from a director who resides in the state of Georgia. Maximum runtime is 20 minutes. If you submit in this category without meeting the necessary criteria, you will be disqualified from consideration and will not be issued a refund.

  • Submitted films must be at least primarily filmed in Georgia AND come from a come from a director, writer, and/or producer who resides in the state of Georgia with a maximum runtime of 20 minutes. If you submit in this category without meeting the necessary criteria, you will be disqualified from consideration and will not be issued a refund.

    Dates to Remember

    • Submission Deadline: January 5th, 2026

    • Notification Date: January 16th, 2026

    • Screening Date: January 29th, 2026
      Filmmakers should plan to send one representative to the screening to represent the film during our Q&A and to accept awards

  • All selected films will screen at the event at the Tara Theatre and receive Official Selection laurels. Additionally, selected filmmakers will receive a waiver to submit their LOCALS ONLY entry to the next Atlanta Film Festival. Each selected film will receive 5 free tickets to attend the screening as well as two free tickets to the Tara Theatre ($30 value).

    Jury and Audience prizes will be awarded. Each will come with a $100 cash prize. Winning films will also receive winner laurels, 2 All-Access badges each to the next Atlanta Film Festival ($800+ value) and 2 Tara Theatre ticket/popcorn/drink combos ($54 value).

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Have questions? Email localsonly@atlantafilmsociety.org

 

Past Finalists & Winners

  • BIG DAWG THEORY, Directed by rubnogs
    EYES, Directed by Rebecca Levy
    IS YOUR BLOOD RED?, Directed by Beanz Ramirez
    LOVE IN THE TIME OF ZOMBIES, Directed by Sam Costantino
    MY BLACK IS CRACKING, Directed by Bianca D. Lambert
    PATIO CIGARETTE, Directed by Win Marks
    RETAIL THERAPY, Directed by Aaron Parrish-Dean
    SAKAZUKI, Directed by Walker Whited
    TELEPHONE TROUBLE, Directed by Shannon Ford Thompson
    THE HUNTED, Directed by Anissa Matlock and Leonardo Leonie
    TO HELL WITH YOU, Directed by Jason Sheedy
    WHO’S HAUNTING WHO, Directed by Adam Fallah

    Jury Award Winner: TENDER, Directed by Josh Kirkland
    Audience Award Winner: BFF GIRLS, Directed by Brian Lonano

  • SOUNDS OF THE FOREST, directed by Zachary Stephens

    TRIP-TYCH!, directed by Brian Lonano, Kevin Daniel Lonano

    FANTOMET, directed by Rob Tiffin, Mitchell Hardage

    KLARK SOUND - RED SPOT SUN, directed by John R Roche

    THE INTERSECTION AT REBECCA STREET AND SHIPMAN AVENUE, directed by Deitrah Taylor

    MORNING-BIRD, directed by Lorin R Dent

    FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE, directed by Jonathan Milograno

    IRIDESCENCE, directed by Max Arnzen

    EATING 38 CHEESEBURGERS, directed by Andrew Schwab

    BANANA DOG'S REVENGE, directed by Esperanza Gabriel

    SEA LEGS, directed by Laurie Garner

    Jury & Audience Award Winner: FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE, directed by Jonathan Milograno

  • Red Light Green Light - Dir: Corey Grispo
    A Grim Diagnosis - Dir: Nicole Kemper, Sarah Alison Hodges
    Sweaty Larry - Dir: Vanessa Ionta Wright
    Who’s Gonna Sleep First? - Dir: Carter Trey Smith
    Tango Sparks - Dir: Maureen Zent
    Middle Manifesto - Dir: Brent Lambert Zaffino
    Goo Darts - Dir: Connor Christensen
    FAFO (Fuck Around and Find Out) - Dir: Rocco Shapiro
    RAMP - Dir: Kadeen Marron
    Hula Hoop - Dir: Katie Ivey
    True Crime Fan - Dir: Justin H Reich
    Chipotle - Dir: Brent Lambert-Zaffino

    Jury Award: To the Window - Dir: Zachary Stephens
    Audience Award: Super High: A Period Piece - Dir: Bianca Lambert

  • MANSECT! - Dir: Jared P. Foust

    TRICK’ R TEETH - Dir: Lex Lauletta

    BLUE IS THE NIGHT - Dir: Mikael Trench

    HOME/BODY - Dir: Paul Tartaglia

    DEPRESSION IS A BEAST - Dir: Courtney Dixon

    COULD THIS HAVE BEEN AN EMAIL - Dir: Sarah Alison and Nicole Kemper

    THE MONSTERS WE CARRY - Dir: Justin Melson

    Jury Award: THE INSECT GOD - Dir: Paul Woolman Preston

    Audience Award: SOLITA - Dir: Carlos Diaz

  • Grandpa - Dir: Jennifer Dunn

    If The Creek Don’t Rise - Dir: Andrew Stevens

    Last Phone Call - Dir: Mackleen Desravines Sparkman

    Let’s Do a Cult - Dir: Brent Lambert-Zaffino

    The Name - Dir: Aaron Strand

    Reggie & Rainbow - Dir: Aaron G. Hale

    Jury Award: Goro Goro - Dir: Ryotaro Sawada, Agatha Tiara Christa
    Audience Award: Cooking with Claudia - Dir: Priscila Torres

 

Upcoming Screenings:

Featured
LOCALS ONLY: Let’s Get Soapy
Jan 29
LOCALS ONLY: Let’s Get Soapy

This January, LOCALS ONLY, gets back to the core of cinema - the drama! Winter 2026 LOCALS ONLY Presents: Let’s Get Soapy. This season is all about your tear-jerkers and heart-wrenchers, from soap operas to romantic dramas. Grab your tissues and meet us at the cinema!

Previous Screenings :

Featured
LOCALS ONLY: Eye Candy
Oct 23
LOCALS ONLY: Eye Candy

This October, LOCALS ONLY, brings you a screening of everything fun and fantastic to look at! Fall 2025 LOCALS ONLY Presents: EYE CANDY. This recurring curated screening of short films from Georgia’s independent filmmakers with a distinct theme and focus, created entirely from submissions, is all about gore, guns, fists, and glitz!

LOCALS ONLY: Trippin’
Jul 24
LOCALS ONLY: Trippin’

Bon Voyage, Filmmakers! LOCALS ONLY returns this July with our recurring curated screening of short films from Georgia’s independent filmmakers. For July 2025, LOCALS ONLY Presents: TRIPPIN’. Every story is a journey. This season, queuing up short films depicting travel of all kinds - road trips, cruise ships, and 10-minute space landings!

LOCALS ONLY: Shorts & Giggles
Feb 13
LOCALS ONLY: Shorts & Giggles

LOCALS ONLY is a recurring screening of short films from Georgia’s independent filmmakers, with each event having a distinct theme and focus. Featured short films come entirely from submissions. This February, LOCALS ONLY presents SHORTS AND GIGGLES, a screening for comedy shorts of every kind. For this go-round, we’re throwing down a challenge: make us laugh!

LOCALS ONLY: What Haunts You
Nov 21
LOCALS ONLY: What Haunts You

LOCALS ONLY is a recurring screening of short films from Georgia’s independent filmmakers, with each event having a distinct theme and focus. Featured short films come entirely from submissions. This November, we’re stretching spooky season into overtime with FALL 2024 LOCALS ONLY: WHAT HAUNTS YOU?

LOCALS ONLY: Near and Dear
Sep 5
LOCALS ONLY: Near and Dear

Summer 2024 LOCALS ONLY Presents: NEAR AND DEAR. This season, we’re bringing down the house with short films about all the love and chaos that can play out under one roof! Join us for a showcase of family dramas, documentaries about unlikely sisterhoods, short-form telenovelas starring your favorite cat and stories that drive us crazy about our loved ones.