Dahlonega-based filmmakers Brad Kennedy and Luke Pilgrim are getting ready to roll out the red carpet once again as Sozo Bear Presents: A Night At The Movies will take place Friday, August 20.
The Sozo Bear Films co-founders are excited to be holding the event at The Holly Theatre again this year after COVID forced an online-only edition in 2020.
"You couldn't see the audience members' reactions unless people typed them," Pilgrim said.
But this year the return of audience interaction will make the event what it's truly meant to be.
A total of 10 short films will be shown. The entire event should add up to the length of a typical feature film, Pilgrim said.
Films can range from about three to five minutes.
Pilgrim said this length is easier to produce given the limitations that are common in the pandemic era.
"The shorts have all the elements that go into making a real movie, such as writing, editing, etc.," Pilgrim said. "You can tell a lot in a short film. They are to the point without fluff."
Kennedy said this year they have tailored the lineup to be more comedy based.
The Sozo Bear team will show two of their own comedy shorts and the film festival—"Amazon Primal" and "Souperman" (directed by Pilgrim and Kennedy).
Kennedy explained that "Souperman" begins with a couple arguing about what superpower would be the best, and get more comical from there.
He said that with the addition of VFX Artist & Editor Ellis Treece to the team, their new films have a lot more visual effects.
Kennedy said that they have added Project Manager Amanda Shadmani, who is able to focus on publicizing the event, leading to a total of 40 films being submitted for consideration.
The festival will feature filmmakers from the local area as well as around the state and country, and even as far away as Australia, Kennedy said.
This will be the festival's fourth year and about 100 films have been submitted for consideration over those years, Kennedy said.
The event will also feature a Q&A time with the filmmakers.
"It's nice because if you go to the AMC theater you don't have the ability to ask the filmmaker about their film," Pilgrim said.
Doors open at 7 p.m. for the red carpet, with showtime at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance online and $15 at the door and are available at sozobearfilms.com.
