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Georgia Grown Groceries and Gifts 2381 Ingleside Avenue | Macon, GA 31204 (478) 254-8722 Like us on Facebook & Instagram! THE 16TH MACON FILM FESTIVAL is bringing more than 85 films to town on two separate weekends — in two different ways — when it will open with a free, family-friendly film for the community. The free presentation happens at 8 p.m. Aug. 19 on the grounds of the Mill Hill Community Arts Center at 213 Clinton St. The feature is the first of many films to be shown in urban parks during the next 12 months supported by a Downtown Challenge 2.0 grant from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. On Aug. 20, the festival's first weekend begins with in-person only showings of all its films at the Douglass Theatre, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Museum of Arts and Sciences. On the second weekend, Aug. 26-29, the festival becomes virtual as movies are switched from live, public screenings to Macon Film Festival's channel on Film Festival Flix, where they can be streamed on services like Roku, Apple TV+, Fire TV and Android TV. Find the schedule of when and where live films will be shown at maconfilmfestival.com along with ticketing information. Tickets for the live weekend run from $10 for a single feature or a block of themed short films, to $25 for a day's worth of screenings, to $65 to take in all three days of films. Organizers said details on the virtual streaming option available during the festival's second weekend will be released nearer the festival's start, along with information about visiting filmmakers, workshops and other special events. Apart from several films shown live in 2020, that festival was an almost- all-virtual event due to COVID-19. This year's loosening of COVID restrictions has meant the return of public showings while closely following CDC guidelines. "So, we're doing an in-person, traditional festival and then extending it virtually for those who missed out," said Steven Fulbright, festival president. "Or maybe somebody at the live festival didn't get to see a particular film they wanted to, or maybe they want to watch something again they did see. We're glad to be able to present the rich experience that live viewing offers audiences as well as a quality virtual one." Films are submitted to the festival from across the globe. As in past years, film categories include Narrative Features, Documentary, Narrative Shorts, LGBTQ Shorts, Student Shorts and several Georgia Made blocks including two showcases for Macon filmmakers. There is also the Fulldome category with creative shorts and features shown at the Museum of Arts and Science's Mark Smith Planetarium. The Fulldome festival has become an internationally recognized event. — MICHAEL W. PANNEL LOCAL BUZZ MACON FILM FEST RETURNS WITH LIVE AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 | maconmagazine.com 27