As part of the third Annual South Georgia Film Festival, the City of Valdosta is sponsoring a panel on the production of the TV Series “SHARP OBJECTS”, with Niki Sappington of the City of Barnesville and Kathy Oxford of Barnesville-Lamar Industrial Authority. The panel will take place Saturday, March 2, at 3:30 pm in the Valdosta State University Student Union Conference Room as part of the festival’s day long screenings and panels.

The HBO Series used Barnesville in place of the book’s location of Wind Gap, Missouri. The production, starring Amy Adams, was shot in Georgia in 2017 thanks in part to the state’s tax incentives, available infrastructure, and beautiful scenery. Oxford and Sappington will discuss how their community worked with the production and benefited from their presence. The two have discussed their experiences with other Georgia communities as part of the Georgia Production Partnership.

The City of Valdosta supports the growth of entrepreneurship in the South Georgia economy. Named one of six America’s Friendliest Cities by Rand McNalley and USA Today’s Best of the Road contest in 2011, Valdosta is proud to be a part of the Georgia Camera Ready Community. The Georgia Camera Ready Community helps connect film and TV productions with skilled liaisons across the Valdosta area to provide local expertise and support The Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center & Tourism Authority continues to work to bring film production to our area of South Georgia.

“On Behalf of the City of Valdosta, we are honored to sponsor a panel that highlights a production filmed here in our great state. Barnesville is an example of what good can come from community organizations coming together. The State of Georgia is often listed as a top state for overall production of film and TV in the U.S. As the film industry continues to grow, we as a community continue to support it. The City of Valdosta is always looking for new ways to promote the art and film industry in our community,” said Mayor Gayle. “I am excited to welcome the South Georgia Film Festival to our community. This event adds distinct value to our community. ”

“Sharp Objects” was nominated for multiple awards, including Golden Globes for Best Limited Series or Television movie, Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Clarkson, and Best Actress for Amy Adams. Ms Clarkson took home the award for Best Supporting Actress. The eight-episode show is currently airing on HBO On Demand.

While the South Georgia Film Festival begins March 1, the Georgia Production Partnership (GPP) will be in town February 28 educating members of the Camera Ready program across South Georgia before holding a public event for anyone wanting to learn about how film production can impact the community and how your location can benefit from it. The GPP event will include Craig Dominey, Manager of the Camera Ready Georgia program; Jeffrey Stepakoff, Executive Director of the Georgia Film Academy; and Stratton Leopold, Hollywood Producer and owner of Savannah’s Leopold’s Ice Cream. The event is ten dollars for non-GPP members but is included in a South Georgia Film Festival VIP Pass.

The South Georgia Film Festival kicks off Friday March 1, with a day full of screenings and panels, and concludes with the opening night kickoff at Georgia Beer Company. The festival continues with short and features films on Saturday and Sunday, along with panels with visiting filmmakers and media professionals. Sunday concludes with an awards ceremony at 1 pm and the Georgia premiere of WAKE UP at 3:30 pm in the Valdosta State University Student Union Theater. For more information on tickets, visit www.SouthGeorgiaFilm.com
 
Along with the City of Valdosta, this year’s festival continues to connect with partners in the Valdosta community, including Valdosta State University, Georgia Power, Wild Adventures, the Turner Center for the Arts, WAITR, Valdosta Main Street, the Valdosta Daily Times, Miss Kate’s Tours and Coca-Cola. Promoting entrepreneurship through filmmaking, the festival continues to promote the regional film industry with panelists discussing both the craft and industrial impact of film for local businesses. This year’s festival has already secured panelists Brandi Nicole Payne of Seed & Spark to discuss Crowdfunding, producer Tara Ansley, actor Ian Anderson, along with many others not yet announced.

The South Georgia Film Festival received over 450 submissions worldwide in 2018. This year’s festival will include feature and short films over three days at two campus locations. Along with screenings from national and international filmmakers, the festival again will be having high school and college filmmakers competing for scholarships to Valdosta State University, thanks to the support of the University Admissions Office.