2025 Global South Film Festival

The Global South Film Festival is the principal platform for international and independent cinema, hosted in the City of South Fulton. Designed to connect creators with industry leaders, the festival features world-class film screenings, immersive VR and art installations, and high-level industry panels on film making, distribution, and emerging technologies.

Info: Please join the Global South Film Festival for the Opening Night World Premiere of
A Soulful Christmas starring Shanice Wilson, Kenny Lattimore, Kaci Walfall, and Myles Truitt

Info: This interactive workshop taught by Nathan Wallace invites participants to explore creative writing as a tool for self-expression, liberation, and transformation. Using art as both inspiration and catalyst, we will write, reflect, and share stories that imagine new possibilities of freedom.

Info: Led by the City of South Fulton’s Community Development & Regulatory Affairs (CDRA) Department, this session introduces filmmakers to the basics of film permitting. Learn the step-by-step process for securing permits, understanding regulations, and working with the city to bring your production to life smoothly and legally.

Info: This immersive installation reimagines the voices of tomorrow. A wall of CRT televisions will showcase short films created by South Fulton youth that were not selected for the main screening, ensuring every story has a place to be seen. Guided by local filmmaker Almighty Zion, attendees will also be invited to record personal video messages addressed to their future selves—transforming the exhibit into a living time capsule of dreams, reflections, and visions of what’s to come.

Info: Open to high school students in South Fulton, this competition invites young filmmakers to showcase their original short films on the big screen. Selected films will premiere at the Global South Film Festival, giving students the chance to share their stories, creativity, and vision with the community.

Info: Experience the heartbeat of West African tradition with this participatory drumming session led by Wontanara, Inc. Using the djembe, a drum known for its deep cultural roots and powerful sound, participants will learn rhythms that connect community, history, and spirit. This hands-on workshop invites everyone—regardless of skill level—to play, move, and feel the collective energy that drumming creates.

Info: Kidnapping INC is a masterpiece-a bold mix of Haiti’s harsh realities, dark humor, and sharp satire. It captures the country’s struggles, resilience, and the humor found in chaos. It’s a stunning movie with gripping storytelling, sharp dialogue, and a raw yet immersive experience. The visuals and performances bring Haiti’s complex reality to life.

Info: Led by filmmaker Rowena Portier Sutherland, this panel explores the art of telling stories across the African and global diaspora. Panelists will discuss how themes of identity, migration, memory, and cultural continuity shape their work, while highlighting the challenges and opportunities of creating films that connect communities across borders.

Info: Enjoy hor-d'oeuvres and mingle with the stars of the Brand New Film Scheme Queens 2: The Caribbean Heist

Info: Experience the vibrant rhythms, colors, and energy of the Bahamas with the Atlanta Junkanoo Group. Through dynamic music, dance, and elaborate costumes, this performance brings the spirit of Junkanoo to life, celebrating cultural heritage and community through movement and celebration.

Info: What happens when the urban classic Set It Off crashes with the slick heist comedy of Ocean’s 11? You get Scheme Queens; a soon to be cult classic about Sam, Lauryn, Zoe and Audra, four girlfriends, who find themselves down on their luck and decide to rob Trip, a ruthless Rastafarian jewel thief, by conning his second in command, Mark.

Written & Directed: Cas Sigers Beedles
Starring: B Simone, Brii Renee, Ernestine Johnson, Jacky Oh, Jason Louder and Andreas Thomas.

Info: This interactive workshop taught by Nathan Wallace invites participants to explore creative writing as a tool for self-expression, liberation, and transformation. Using art as both inspiration and catalyst, we will write, reflect, and share stories that imagine new possibilities of freedom.

Info: Led by Krome Studios, this workshop breaks down the business side of filmmaking—where creativity meets strategy. Participants will gain practical insights into financing independent projects, building sustainable budgets, and navigating the complex world of film distribution. From funding sources to streaming platforms, this session equips emerging filmmakers with the tools to bring their stories to market and ensure their work reaches the audiences it deserves.

Info: Experience the heartbeat of West African tradition with this participatory drumming session led by Wontanara, Inc. Using the djembe, a drum known for its deep cultural roots and powerful sound, participants will learn rhythms that connect community, history, and spirit. This hands-on workshop invites everyone—regardless of skill level—to play, move, and feel the collective energy that drumming creates.

Info: This immersive installation reimagines the voices of tomorrow. A wall of CRT televisions will showcase short films created by South Fulton youth that were not selected for the main screening, ensuring every story has a place to be seen. Guided by local filmmaker Almighty Zion, attendees will also be invited to record personal video messages addressed to their future selves—transforming the exhibit into a living time capsule of dreams, reflections, and visions of what’s to come.

Info: The Eternal Song is a cinematic journey through timeless lands and their Indigenous cultures. Voices from around the world and across generations call us to witness the deep, ongoing scars left by colonization on lands and people, and the healing that comes through ancestral wisdom.

Info: Led by Yonasda Lonewolf, this panel explores the stories, perspectives, and creative practices of Indigenous artists and filmmakers. Attendees will gain insight into cultural preservation, representation, and the ways Indigenous communities are shaping contemporary storytelling.

Info: The talented students of Tri-Cities High School Band bring energy, precision, and passion to the stage. Their dynamic performance showcases the power of music to inspire, unite, and celebrate community, highlighting the next generation of young musicians.

Info: An obsessive young director and his crew plunge into a frantic night long odyssey of desperation to finish his film no matter the cost.

Info: Moderated by Tisha Smith, Fulton County’s Public Art Manager, this discussion examines how artists and creators adapt stories across different mediums—film, visual art, performance, and digital platforms. Panelists will share strategies for maintaining authenticity, engaging audiences, and expanding the reach of their work.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

City of South Fulton Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road Southwest, Atlanta, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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