Atlanta Documentary Film Festival 2026 Showcases Powerful Shorts

Lineup includes films exploring themes of power, displacement, and community

Mar. 21, 2026 at 1:15am

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The Atlanta Documentary Film Festival is back in 2026 with a diverse lineup of short films, including powerful investigative pieces, personal stories, and documentaries that are both challenging and deeply human. For the first time, the festival will also present a selection of films online, giving audiences more ways to discover these thought-provoking works.

Why it matters

The festival's shorts program highlights important issues like racial justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, and the impact of deindustrialization on local communities. By showcasing these diverse perspectives, the festival aims to spark dialogue and inspire action around social and political change.

The details

The shorts program, titled "Shared Ground," features seven films that follow people navigating power, displacement, and belonging. Highlights include "Gilbert's Reparation," which follows a genealogist fighting to correct the burial record of a formerly enslaved soldier, and "Tippi & Barb," the story of a same-sex couple's fight for justice after one partner loses her job due to workplace discrimination.

  • The Atlanta Documentary Film Festival runs from March 20-22, 2026.
  • The "Shared Ground" shorts program will be screened on Friday, March 20 at 9:15 PM.

The players

Adam Thomas

Director of the short film "Gilbert's Reparation"

Tim Reid

Co-director of the short film "Sunday Mornings at the Beach"

Aaron Hose

Co-director of the short film "Sunday Mornings at the Beach"

Leah Carlisle

Director of the short film "Citizen"

Michael Nigro

Director of the short film "ICED out of America"

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What’s next

For the first time, the festival will also present a separate collection of films online from March 23 - April 6, giving audiences another way to discover documentaries beyond the theater.

The takeaway

The Atlanta Documentary Film Festival's 2026 lineup of short films showcases the power of documentary storytelling to shed light on important social and political issues, fostering empathy and inspiring action within local communities.