2026 Macon Film Festival

TITLE: In the Shadow of the Mountain
DIRECTOR: Nathan Knox
TRT: 71:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: In the Shadow of the Mountain follows John Adams, a first-time playwright from Southwest Virginia, as he stages his ambitious Civil War musical in a small Southern town. What begins as one man’s creative leap becomes a collective act of courage, as the diverse cast commits to giving life to a painful, divisive moment in American history. For Adams, the story is personal—his own ancestors enslaved people and carried them into battle. For the ensemble, the project is more than performance: it is a chance to reach audiences across political and racial lines and foster empathy where division has long taken root. Blending rehearsal struggles, performance footage, and candid reflections, the film captures how a community of artists used theater to confront legacy, invite dialogue, and remind audiences that unity is still possible, even when history’s weight feels heaviest.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Crime & Parody
DIRECTOR: Will Thwaites
TRT: 87:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Nearly a decade before Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert came under attack for their political humor, an unknown comedian from Ohio finds himself in even more serious trouble for making fun of the government. Crime & Parody opens with the story of Anthony Novak, an amateur comedian who creates a parody Facebook page mocking his local police department. The page is satire, but the police take it very seriously. They raid Anthony’s home with guns drawn, throw him in county jail, and charge him with a felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison. In the years that follow, Anthony fights in court to defend his First Amendment right to criticize the government. With support from The Onion, his case is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, just as debates around free speech and political expression are reaching a boiling point in America. Anthony’s case helps raise two questions that continue to grow more urgent: how do you hold the government accountable when they violate your rights, and what responsibility does law enforcement have to its citizens?
RATINGS: Strong Language, Adult Situations