Out On Film returns Sept. 24 with 155 films and special events
Atlanta’s Out On Film LGBTQ+ film festival will return Sept. 24-Oct. 4 for its 39th annual edition, featuring 155 narrative films, documentaries, shorts and special events.
The 11-day festival will open with “Before I Do” on Sept. 24, with a red carpet at 6 p.m. and a 7 p.m. screening, followed by a Q&A with director Gary Jaffe and Tony-nominated star Robin De Jesus. Other highlights include a Sept. 25 anniversary screening of “Desert Hearts” with director Donna Deitch; the Atlanta-made romantic comedy “In Between” on Sept. 26; and a preview of Russell T Davies’ Starz drama “Tip Toe,” starring Alan Cumming.
The Sept. 27 centerpiece will be “Give Me The Ball!,” a documentary about tennis and equal-rights icon Billie Jean King. On Oct. 2, the festival will screen “Love, Patrick: Nothing is Impossible,” about Atlanta fashion designer Patrick Kelly, as well as host a Horror Night featuring “The Red Mask” and a horror shorts block. The festival will close Oct. 4 with Netflix’s “La Bola Negra.”
All in-person screenings, Q&As and panels will take place at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema, 931 Monroe Drive NE. The festival also will offer virtual programming. Passes and individual tickets are available through Out On Film.
— Derek Prall
Dunwoody Dialogues adds business-focused interview series
Discover Dunwoody will launch “Built for Business,” a new business-focused series within its live interview program, Dunwoody Dialogues, on Sept. 16.
The series will address practical issues facing businesses in Dunwoody and the Perimeter District, including hiring and retaining employees, city permitting, artificial intelligence, financing, marketing and real estate. Episodes will be organized into 10 topic areas, including workforce and talent, transportation, money and growth, technology, legal and compliance issues, and community involvement.
Billy Kramer, owner and operator of NFA Burger in Dunwoody, will join host Mark Galvin for the inaugural episode. The conversation will focus on the challenges of operating a business, including issues that can be difficult for new business owners to anticipate.
The series also will examine the Perimeter business community and the resources available to local companies through organizations including the City of Dunwoody, Perimeter Community Improvement Districts and the Greater Perimeter Chamber.
The first episode will stream live at noon on LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook, and will remain available afterward. Discover Dunwoody also plans to publish a written recap of each episode.
— Derek Prall
Pullman Yards debuts immersive ‘Toy Factory’ exhibit Sept. 30
Pullman Yards will debut “Toy Factory,” a new immersive 360-degree experience, Sept. 30 as the Atlanta venue marks its fifth anniversary as an exhibition space.
Created by international creative studio Dirty Monitor, “Toy Factory” will take visitors through an imagined factory featuring interactive games, characters, immersive environments and a workshop where guests can design and build their own toys. The all-ages experience combines digital projections and technology with physical sets and interactive elements.
The exhibit will be presented daily at Pullman Yards through the end of 2026 before continuing on a North American tour. Pullman Yards has previously hosted immersive exhibitions including “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” “The Balloon Museum” and “Stranger Things: The Experience.”
A ticket waitlist opened Sept. 8, with tickets scheduled to go on sale Sept. 17. More information is available at Pullman Yards.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership celebrates 35th anniversary
Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a breakfast Oct. 15 at The Carter Center, where it will recognize four leaders and organizations for contributions to affordable housing and community development.
The event will highlight the organization’s Closing the Gap initiative, launched in 2020 to expand its response to metro Atlanta’s housing affordability challenges. Through the initiative, ANDP and its partners have developed or financed more than 4,700 affordable homes and apartments, deployed nearly $228 million in housing investment and supported more than $1.1 billion in total development.
The four community development awards will go to Bruce Gunter of Civitas Housing Group, recipient of the Hattie B. Dorsey Award for Excellence in Community Development; DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, recipient of the Maynard H. Jackson Award for Excellence in Community Development Public Policy; Kenneth Woods of Wachovia, retired, recipient of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Award for Excellence in Community Development Board Service; and the Annie E. Casey Foundation – Atlanta Civic Site, recipient of the Edward E. Lusk Jr. Award for Excellence in Community Development Partnership.
The celebration will also reflect on ANDP’s work in affordable housing development, financing, advocacy and community engagement over its 35-year history.
— Derek Prall
Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit announces new board chairman and members
Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School announced that PJ Bain, the CEO of PrimeRevenue has been named as the school’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Bain moves to the Chairman position after serving as the Board’s Vice Chair.
Bain succeeds founding Board member Peter Hennessy who served as Chairman of the Board from 2024-2026. Hennessy will continue his support of the Board as a Chairman Emeritus. Gerard Rosales of Truist Securities will serve the Board as Vice Chair.
The Board of Trustees also welcomes new members: Dr. Renee Alli (Pediatrician, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta), Norm Brothers (General Counsel, UPS), Tony DeGance (Partner, PwC), Julia McConnell (Chief Accounting Officer, Delta Air Lines), and Winnifer Thomas-Cox, (Managing Director, Accenture).
— Derek Prall
