Macon Film Festival
Lights. Camera. Macon!
Mark your calendar for August 21–24, 2025 — the streets of downtown Macon, Georgia, will once again transform into a vibrant playground for film lovers as the Macon Film Festival celebrates its 20th year. For two decades, this indie film gem has blended Southern charm with cinematic magic, and it just keeps getting better.
Four Days of Film & Fun
This isn’t your typical movie-going experience. Over four packed days, you can explore an eclectic mix of independent films — from captivating shorts and insightful documentaries to moving full-length narratives and impressive student projects. Many selections shine a spotlight on Georgia-grown talent, giving you a true taste of the state’s creative heartbeat.
One of the festival’s most jaw-dropping features? The Fulldome Experience at the Mark Smith Planetarium. Picture this: you’re not just watching a film — you’re inside it, surrounded by visuals projected across the entire dome. It’s immersive, surreal, and absolutely unforgettable. 🎟 Tickets & info: maconfilmfestival.com
Discover Downtown Macon
The venues are part of the magic, too. Instead of multiplexes, you’ll find yourself stepping into historic treasures like the Douglass Theatre and Theatre Macon. Between screenings, you can wander Macon’s charming streets, stumble upon live music, savor soul food, sip local coffee, and soak in the city’s rich cultural atmosphere. Discover Macon
Parties, Panels & People
The Macon Film Festival is famously welcoming, creating a space where filmmakers, locals, and visitors connect naturally. Join Q&As, mingle at after-parties, participate in workshops, and find yourself chatting with the very artists who brought the stories on screen to life. It’s approachable, engaging, and refreshingly unpretentious.
Why go?
Come for the diverse lineup. Stay for the warm Southern hospitality. Leave with a notebook full of favorite films — and maybe a few new friends.
🎟 Tickets & info: maconfilmfestival.com
A Celebration of Storytelling in the Heart of Georgia
Founded in 2005, the Macon Film Festival has become a summer staple in downtown Macon, drawing filmmakers and movie lovers together for a weekend of screenings, conversations, and community. From its earliest days, the festival has showcased a diverse lineup: narrative and documentary features, shorts, Georgia-made films, LGBTQIA+ programming, student projects, and cutting-edge fulldome experiences.
The festival makes full use of Macon’s downtown charm, with screenings and events at beloved venues like the Douglass Theatre, The Grand Opera House, Theatre Macon, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, and the Museum of Arts & Sciences. Between films, guests stroll to nearby restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques—turning the weekend into both a cinematic and cultural experience.
But what really sets the Macon Film Festival apart is its intimacy. Filmmakers and audiences share space, swap stories, and connect in a way that big festivals can’t always offer. Post-screening Q&As, workshops, after-parties, and casual sidewalk chats give the event a friendly, almost family-like feel. 🎟 Tickets & info: maconfilmfestival.com
The Woman Behind the Vision: Tabitha Lynne Walker
At the heart of this thriving cultural event is Tabitha Lynne Walker, a driving force in Middle Georgia’s film community. Born in California, raised in Texas, and educated in Georgia, Tabitha earned a BFA from Sam Houston State University and an MFA from the Savannah College of Art & Design. She arrived in Macon “sight unseen,” planning to stay just one year. Nearly two decades later, she’s become one of the city’s most committed advocates for the arts.
As the founder and owner of Big Hair Productions, Tabitha has built a versatile video production company that has worked locally, nationally, and internationally—including projects in the UK, Argentina, and Vietnam. She has worn many hats—producer, writer, director, editor, and location manager—across a range of creative works: documentaries, commercials, music videos, podcasts, short films, and immersive media experiences.
In 2005, alongside Tony Long and Craig Coleman, Tabitha co-founded the Macon Film Festival. Today, as Festival Programmer, she curates a lineup that reflects both artistic excellence and community values, from indie features to student shorts, from Georgia-made stories to international perspectives.
Her passion goes beyond film—it’s about people. She connects filmmakers with audiences, invites fresh perspectives to Middle Georgia, and fosters a creative network that strengthens the region’s cultural and economic vitality. The festival’s warm, personal atmosphere is a direct reflection of her vision: a place where you can watch a moving film, then meet the person who made it over coffee or in a casual sidewalk conversation.
Through both Big Hair Productions and the Macon Film Festival, Tabitha has proven that Macon isn’t just a backdrop for film—it’s a creative hub with its own voice, energy, and potential. She didn’t just stay in Macon—she invested in it, helping make the city a place where storytelling thrives. 🎟 Tickets & info: maconfilmfestival.com
How it All Started
Film festivals have been a cornerstone of cinema culture for nearly a century, beginning with the Venice Film Festival in 1932 — the world’s first — which paved the way for legendary gatherings like Cannes, Sundance, and Toronto. Traditionally, these events have served as incubators for independent voices, launching careers, sparking cultural conversations, and introducing audiences to stories they might never encounter in mainstream theaters. In recent decades, regional festivals have risen in prominence, creating more accessible, community-driven platforms for filmmakers and audiences alike. The Macon Film Festival is part of that exciting movement — blending the global tradition of celebrating cinema with the distinct character, hospitality, and creativity of Middle Georgia. Here, the world of film meets the warmth of community, proving that you don’t have to travel to Hollywood or Cannes to experience something truly timeless.
🎟 Tickets & info: maconfilmfestival.com
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