It’s been a banner year for film lovers, industry insiders, and local communities alike, with the Atlanta area and the North East of England both taking center stage in the movie world. From the record-breaking Out on Film festival in Atlanta to the haunting moors of County Durham starring in the much-anticipated sequel “28 Years Later,” the past months have offered a vivid snapshot of how cinema continues to shape—and be shaped by—the places and people behind the scenes.
Atlanta’s film scene has never felt more vibrant or interconnected. According to Rough Draft Atlanta, Festival Director Jim Farmer proudly announced that the Out on Film festival reached new heights this year, breaking attendance records and further cementing its reputation as a cornerstone of the city’s cultural calendar. This milestone comes amid a flurry of other notable events and milestones in the region’s creative industries.
The city also mourned the loss of Craig Miller, the founder of Craig Miller Productions, whose passing earlier this October was met with heartfelt tributes from colleagues like Georgia Entertainment CEO Randy Davidson. Miller’s legacy as a pioneering producer and mentor left an indelible mark on Atlanta’s film community.
Elsewhere in the arts, Create Dunwoody hosted its inaugural “Illuminated Concert: Epic Film Scores” at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, where a string quartet brought iconic movie music to life. The event signaled a growing appetite for immersive, cross-disciplinary arts experiences in the region.
Hollywood, too, faced its share of change. The world bid farewell to the legendary Diane Keaton, whose career spanned beloved films such as “Annie Hall” and “Something’s Gotta Give.” Her passing at age 79 was marked by tributes celebrating her unique talent and enduring influence.
Meanwhile, the business side of entertainment saw major shifts. Netflix inked a deal with Spotify to bring video podcasts to the streaming giant’s platform, a move reported by Rough Draft Atlanta as a sign of the ever-blurring lines between audio and video media. On the corporate front, Warner Bros. rejected a takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, according to Bloomberg, underscoring the ongoing high-stakes maneuvering in the industry.
Atlanta’s creative scene continues to thrive at the grassroots level, too. On Set ATL, founded in 2022 by Martina Lindo and Jhaneal Hector, has quickly become a vital hub for local filmmakers. The organization hosts screenings and provides a gathering space for Atlanta’s diverse film community. Their next event is set for November 21 at Ambient Plus Studio—and anticipation is already building.
In the world of indie filmmaking, Buckhead native Erin Áine has been making waves from Los Angeles. Her latest project, “ZombieCON Vol. 1,” a zombie movie set in the cosplay universe, celebrated its DVD release this October. Áine’s journey—from child actor to co-writer and star—highlights the tenacity and creativity fueling today’s independent film scene.
Film criticism and appreciation have also flourished. Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut “Urchin” drew praise for its nuanced portrayal of addiction and recovery, featuring a protagonist who’s seven months sober and grappling with his past. Reviewer Sammie from Rough Draft Atlanta noted the film’s refusal to indulge in easy catharsis, instead offering a more complex, emotionally honest look at healing.
Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind” also earned acclaim for its exploration of American discontent, humor, and the search for meaning amid suburban ennui. With Josh O’Connor in the lead, the film was lauded for balancing kinetic energy with Reichardt’s signature introspection.
This weekend, Atlanta-area moviegoers have a packed slate of new releases to choose from, including “After the Hunt,” “Black Phone 2,” “Good Fortune,” “The Mastermind,” “Urchin,” “Re-Election,” “Ballad of a Small Player,” “The Last Class,” and “Peacock.” Special events at The Plaza and The Tara theaters—ranging from 4K screenings of cult classics to marathons and themed nights—offer something for every cinephile.
But perhaps the most striking cinematic story of the year comes from across the Atlantic. In the summer of 2024, the quiet village of Waskerley in County Durham, England, was transformed into a post-apocalyptic landscape for “28 Years Later,” the long-awaited sequel to Danny Boyle’s cult horror classic “28 Days Later.” According to local reports, director Danny Boyle shot over 80 percent of the film in the North East, using Waskerley’s stark moorland to capture the “desolate beauty and eerie isolation central to the film’s tone.”
The production brought camera crews, special effects teams, and even drones to the area, with residents watching as their familiar countryside became the backdrop for Hollywood-scale mayhem. Some locals even had the chance to appear as extras, adding an authentic regional touch to the film. Other locations—Holy Island, Newcastle, Northumberland, and parts of Yorkshire—rounded out the movie’s haunting visual map of northern England.
Released in June 2025, “28 Years Later” marks the return of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland to the universe they first introduced in 2002’s “28 Days Later” and its 2007 sequel. This latest installment pushes the story nearly three decades forward, following survivors on an island sanctuary who must venture back to the infected mainland, facing terrifying new evolutions of the “Rage” virus and the darker sides of humanity itself.
Experts suggest that the film’s success could spark renewed interest in the North East as a destination for major productions. For Waskerley residents, the experience has been a source of quiet pride—and, no doubt, a bit of disbelief that their remote village is now part of a storied Hollywood franchise.
The creative partnership at the heart of “28 Years Later” also drew attention. As highlighted in Rough Draft Atlanta’s recent spotlight, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s collaborations—beginning with “28 Days Later” and continuing through “Sunshine” and now “28 Years Later”—have consistently blended Boyle’s buoyant energy with Garland’s fascination for the grotesque and the strange. The result is a cinematic world that’s both terrifying and oddly hopeful, exploring themes of family, grief, and survival with equal parts harshness and beauty.
Beyond the big screen, the cultural conversation continues in other media. The final episode of the long-running podcast “WTF With Marc Maron” featured none other than former President Barack Obama, a fittingly high-profile sendoff for a show that’s chronicled the intersection of comedy, culture, and politics for years.
As the film world looks ahead to new releases, festivals, and collaborations, it’s clear that both local communities and global audiences remain at the heart of the industry’s ongoing evolution. Whether it’s a record-breaking festival in Atlanta or a windswept English village turned movie set, these stories remind us that the magic of film is as much about place and people as it is about the movies themselves.
