2026 Macon Film Festival

More information coming soon! 

TITLE: Check Please
DIRECTOR: Shane Chung
TRT: 9:38
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Two headstrong Koreans can't agree on who's treating who to dinner, causing their casual restaurant outing to spiral into a martial arts death match.
RATINGS: Violence

TITLE: Two Envelopes
DIRECTOR: Martin Carter Scholl
TRT: 4:48
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A mail boy delivers 'bad news' envelopes throughout his neighborhood while his father anxiously waits at home.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Watchdog
DIRECTOR: Harsh Vardhan Singh
TRT: 15:29
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: In a fruit farm teetering on the absurd, SAMUEL, a young migrant worker, accepts a job as a guard dog. Under the watchful eyes of JOSÉ, his trainer, and the MANAGER whose ruthlessness drives the farm’s inhumane system, Samuel learns to adapt to his harsh new reality. Forced to live in a makeshift doghouse, survive on scraps, crawl on all fours, and be leashed around during rounds, he becomes entangled in a brutal system that erodes his dignity at every turn. What begins as a desperate bid for survival soon descends into a harrowing journey of dehumanization. The nights bring darker challenges as Samuel faces the hostility of the NIGHT GUARD, who pushes him toward his breaking point. When the cruelty escalates to a shocking extreme, Samuel’s quiet resistance threatens to unravel the precarious order of the farm.
RATINGS: Language

TITLE: Nowhere
DIRECTOR: Aidan Landrum
TRT: 9:20
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A story about a man and his dog.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Guest
DIRECTOR:  Raed Faisal
TRT: 13:28
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A joyous wedding dance rehearsal in a Pakistani immigrant household turns into a night of confrontation between a matriarch and her son when he brings home an unexpected guest.
RATINGS: Language

TITLE: The Damned Thing
DIRECTOR:  Estevan Valdes
TRT: 19:14
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A coroner’s inquest into an inexplicable death uncovers the existence of an enigmatic creature.
RATINGS: Language, Violence

TITLE: The Joke's On Him
DIRECTOR:  Paola Ramones
TRT: 10:30
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: In Mexico City, Adal Ramones, a stand-up comedian returns to the spotlight to turn his real-life kidnapping into his most fearless set. Through dark humor and deep scars, he transforms pain into timing and trauma into art.
RATINGS: Language, Violence

TITLE: Cottonmouth
DIRECTOR: Cole Johnson
TRT: 15:30
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Based in the humid heart of rural Alabama, this is the tale of Chip and Fish — two twenty-something drifters bound together by dreams, dependency, and addiction. Haunted by lost love and failed fatherhood, Chip spirals toward a reckoning with his past as he tries to reconnect with Day, the mother of his daughter, Anya. What begins as a night of underground music and misguided hope descends into violence and revelations illuminated by burning bonfires. Cottonmouth is a fractured love story about broken men grasping for grace in a world that’s given them none.
RATINGS: Language, Violence, Drug, Use Adult Situations

TITLE: A Grand Ensemble: The Magic Behind Macon's Nutcracker
DIRECTOR: Stephanie Shadden
TRT: 56:21
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: For 40 years a ballet company in Central Georgia has been enchanting audiences with a magical performance of The Nutcracker. The beautiful sets, exceptional costumes, and brilliant young dancers present a first class, masterful show every December. This professional-level performance is produced with the support and constant hard work of the local community. A Grand Ensemble follows the year-long process of a small but persistent community as they come together to stage an outstanding production of the holiday tradition. From auditions to closing night, the documentary captures the dedication of dancers, instructors, parents, volunteers, and crew who pour their time and heart into maintaining a professional, top-tier production of The Nutcracker.
RATINGS: None

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: Summer Lost
DIRECTOR: Timothy Hall
TRT: 88:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A man attempts to keep his terminal illness a secret while attending a wedding, but an unexpected romance reshapes his future as well as his past.
RATINGS: Adult Situations

TITLE: December, Day Zero
DIRECTOR: John Robert Hammerer
TRT: 7:55
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A recovering alcoholic comes face-to-face with his bartender ex-girlfriend when he attempts to drop off a Christmas gift at her bar.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Hostile Work Environment
DIRECTOR: Dawn Jones Redstone
TRT: 7:55
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: When fridge politics spiral out of control, Liza isn’t sure if her passive-aggressive co-worker is just a jerk or actually undead. With barricades, microaggressions, and donuts on the line, survival in this office comedy gets gross.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: The Pick Up
DIRECTOR: Karen Wang
TRT: 19:05
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Drew, a New York City school teacher, sets out one morning to collect items for her upcoming wedding. When she shows up at the doorstep of her old high school crush, Caleb, she impulsively invites him to join her for the rest of her pickups. What begins as an awkward catch-up eventually turns into heartfelt confessions, leading both friends to revelations about their past and future selves.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Turn Off
DIRECTOR: Brent Ogburn
TRT: 14:50
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: ‘“Turn Off” follows Ryan, a 30 something alcoholic, as he faces his current reality and his past while navigating daily life in rehab. We’re introduced to the characters surrounding him, including one eccentric middle-aged hippie, Cal. Ryan frequently finds himself outside his comfort zone, disgusted with the weirdos in the place and thrust into sharing some of his story with the group. Ultimately he must make a decision: participate in healing practices and risk the fear of self-discovery, or abstain and prolong his healing process or worse, relapse.
RATINGS: Language, Violence, Drug Use

TITLE: Do Right Man
DIRECTOR: Gary L Baker II
TRT: 11:06
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Ten-year-old Henry joins his father for a quiet night at a small-town bar. When a jealous man’s rage boils over, he and a warm-hearted waitress are caught in the violence, forming a quiet bond that offers the guidance he’s been missing.

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

TITLE: Larissa
DIRECTOR: Alireza Shah Hosseini
TRT: 90:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Iran
SYNOPSIS: LARISSA tells the story of a young Afghan refugee girl sold—along with her family—to a powerful landowner, Davood Kan, in Iran. Forced into backbreaking work alongside dozens of undocumented migrants, Larissa’s intelligence and beauty draw the landowner’s attention. Pulled from the fields, she is promised protection and privilege — but at a devastating cost. When she resists his escalating abuse, the illusion of safety shatters. What begins as a quiet attempt to endure becomes a perilous struggle for dignity. Told through a raw and intimate lens, LARISSA is not just the story of one girl but a reflection of countless hidden lives. It confronts the exploitation, silence, and systemic violence faced by Afghan refugees in Iran and other countries, while honoring the resilience of those who refuse to be erased.
RATINGS:  Violence, Adult Content, Strong Language

TITLE: The Tree Economy
DIRECTOR: James Schroeder
TRT: 102:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States (Georgia Made)
SYNOPSIS: The City of Atlanta, Georgia is known as "The City in the Forest." It has the highest tree canopy density of any major city in the United States. But with increased growth and development, Atlanta is losing trees at an alarming rate. Can "The City in the Forest" maintain its tree canopy?
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Athens by Kaleidoscope
DIRECTOR: Christopher Flippo
TRT: 3:51
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: An ode to Athens, Georgia in 3 parts.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: I Wanted to Hear Your Voice
DIRECTOR: James Pellerito
TRT: 12:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: After eight years of caring for his mother with severe dementia, a son struggles through their daily care routine. Recorded voicemails serve to show the progression of the disease, underscoring the frustration, isolation and burnout that comes with intensive caregiving.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Thank You for Listening
DIRECTOR: Gene Gallerano, Bob Ray
TRT: 27:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Joshua Ray Walker faces the fragility of life as he confronts a life-altering cancer diagnosis. As he prepares to return to the Grand Ole Opry, the film captures an intimate portrait of an artist grappling with mortality while confronting the legacy he will leave behind. Blending lyrical visuals, performance, and moments of quiet reflection, the film explores how music sustains, redeems, and endures. It is a meditation on resilience, legacy, and the human drive to create meaning even in the face of life’s limits.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: In the Garden
DIRECTOR: Ivey Redding
TRT: 11:01
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: “In the Garden” is a three-generational reflection piece set in rural Georgia, where the director’s mother reflects on the life of her own aging mother. Blending documentary and narrative forms, the film tells the story of the grandmother’s life through a lyrical, long-form poem. What began as an effort to preserve the director's childhood memories—deeply tied to her grandmother and the Southern landscape—evolved into a meditation on aging and solitude. It’s an exploration of memory, family, and the inescapable pull of home.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Willie and His Pigs
DIRECTOR: Emily Cooper
TRT: 14:02
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: Every 9 months, rural Kentucky-based regenerative farmer Willie Houston brings home a small group of piglets. He raises them, names them, cares for them, and has to say goodbye. "Willie & his Pigs" is about grief, joy, and bacon. This subtle portrait challenges assumptions of masculinity in farming and explores who bears the emotional weight of ethically raising animals.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Born Secret
DIRECTOR: Riley Fitchpatrick
TRT: 19:40
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: A filmmaker returns to his hometown that built the atomic bomb. There he meets the workers who created humanity's greatest weapon that now wrestle with their legacy, while their grandchildren inherit a world on the brink of nuclear catastrophe.
RATINGS: None

TITLE: Test
DIRECTOR: Sam McConnell
TRT: 108:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
SYNOPSIS: An amateur bodybuilder in rural Ohio must confront a dysfunctional family, substance abuse, and his own emerging sexuality on his quest to become a champion.
RATINGS: Strong Language, Adult Situations, Violence, Drug Use

TITLE: Brannu: The Urban Horseman
DIRECTOR: Adelin Gasana
TRT: 108:00
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States (Georgia Made)