Submitted photoGeorgia Power awards a $2,500 check to the South Georgia Film Festival on Jan. 29 and is a major partner in the regional economic and community event. Pictured from left: Sementha Mathews, City of Valdosta Public Information Officer; Jason Brown, Assistant Professor of Mass Media, Valdosta State University; Audrey King, Georgia Power Regional Director; Ike Harbuck, Region External Affairs Manager; and Steven Heddon, Director of Fusion Creative Marketing.

VALDOSTA — The 2018 South Georgia Film Festival will showcase the creative spirit of the region and its people with featured film screenings, panels of industry professionals and networking events, March 2-4.

The film festival will kick off on Friday, March 2, at 1 p.m., at the Valdosta State University Mass Media building with a media networking event organized with local partners Valdosta Daily Times and WCTV-TV. 

Students and pass holders will be encouraged to meet and talk with media professionals in the university’s recently renovated television studios. 

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, Filmmaker Brantly Jackson Watts will screen her acclaimed film “Birthday Cake,” and her husband, Jon Watts, will share his film “Matthew’s Gift.” Both recently served as Filmmakers-In-Residence with the Atlanta Film Festival and will discuss growing a filmmaking economy locally.

Events on Saturday, March 3 begin at 11 a.m. and run through the After Party held at 9 p.m. at the Holiday Inn & Conference Center. 

In between is a day filled with regional high school and college films and professional films, the Georgia premiere of the documentary “Rodents of Unusual Size” at 1 p.m., and a panel of industry leaders that includes composer Mark Anthony Chubb, comedians and filmmakers Fray Forde and Catherine Dee Holly, Brad Kennedy and Luke Pilgrim of Sozo Bear Films, and VSU alum and Macon Film Commissioner Terrell Sandefur. 

The Saturday screenings will conclude with the Georgia produced film “The 12 Lives of Sissy Carlyle” from writer/director Fran Burst Terranella. As a former president of the Georgia Production Partnership, Terranella will discuss how important the tax incentive has been to the Georgia film industry.

Sunday, March 4 will begin with a series of curated short films and idiosyncratic documentaries from regional filmmakers before the presentation of the awards to the winning films.

Event passes are currently available through the South Georgia Film website for $35. Participants can also purchase a Day Pass for $15, which will grant them access to all screenings, panels or events for any single day of the festival. VIP Pass holders will receive a festival T-shirt and a special thank you from the event staff.

High school and college students can attend all of the day’s events by showing a valid ID. All events after 5 p.m., however, will require a pass.

Visit http://southgeorgiafilm.com to purchase tickets.