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2021 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
returns virtual and live
SPECIAL
A scene from “The Crossing,” a 2020 adventure story about a girl who treks across
Norway’s wilderness to save two Jewish child refugees in World War II.
BY COLLIN KELLEY
The 2021 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) will present its lineup virtually and
live with a three-night drive-in experience at the Home Depot Backyard adjacent to
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Downtown.
Set to take place Feb. 17-28, this year’s festival will screen 38 feature and 16 short
films, including world and U.S. premieres. The film selection covers a range of genres,
including documentaries “Howie Mandel: But, Enough About Me” and “On Broad
way” comedies like “Shiva Baby,” the LGBTQ+ feature “Kiss Me Kosher,” and the dra
ma “Asia.”
It’s a big adaptation for a festival that, in the pre-pandemic years, drew more than
40,000 to several theaters and venues, including the Sandy Springs Performing Arts
Center.
“In a year of firsts and unprecedented challenges, AJFF has worked tirelessly to re
imagine the annual festival in a way that preserves the most cherished qualities of
this annual celebration of community and the cinematic arts,” AJFF Executive Di
rector Kenny Blank said in a press release. “Though the experience itself will be un
deniably different, the power of these films to connect and inspire us is more deeply
felt and appreciated than ever. Our hybrid edition embraces all of the opportunities
that virtual affords us while continuing our commitment to bring audiences ‘togeth
er through film’ in new ways.”
The pandemic itself is addressed in the film “Atlanta: The City Too Busy to Wait,” a
documentary about the local Jewish community’s response to the crisis.
The 11-acre Home Depot Backyard will be able to accommodate more that 200 ve
hicles nightly for social-distanced drive-in screenings on Feb.18, 20 and 21. The live
shows kick off with AJFF’s Young Professionals Night, followed by two campy, kitschy
Hollywood classics: Mel Brooks’ sci-fi. spoof “Spaceballs” and the musical comedy “Lit
tle Shop of Horrors.” Each drive-in pass can be purchased for $40 and accounts for
parking for one car, regardless of how many people are in the vehicle. Food trucks
will be on-site serving food for moviegoers to enjoy in their vehicles.
For those watching from home, the lineup of films will be accessible via smart TV,
home theater, tablet or mobile device. Requiring only a single ticket per film for each
household, viewers will have a flexible 48-hour window to watch festival films at their
convenience. General admission for virtual screenings is $16 per household (or $14
early bird pricing), and for special events, which include Opening and Closing Nights,
admission is $36 per household.
Film-lovers will also enjoy an expanded program of virtual Q&A conversations re
corded with filmmakers, actors and other guest speakers. The “Virtual Lobby,” featur
ing a series of lunchtime Zoom sessions with facilitated discussion, will take a deeper
dive into films on show during the festival.
Ticket holders for the opening night screening of “Kiss Me Kosher” will receive a
specially curated “Festival-In-A-Box” full of “tasty and cozy surprises.”
Tickets went on sale in late January for members and will be available to the gen
eral public on Feb. 10. For tickets and a full lineup of films and events, visit AJFF.org.
