Arts Festival: Middle Georgia State University

Arts Festival

REEL PEOPLE

Featuring Composer Jongnic Bontemps

SoAL’s 2024 Reel People Arts Festival seeks to explore diversity in filmmaking and media in Georgia and beyond. The festival will celebrate the filmmakers, composers, creators, and stories that defy the historical homogeneity of Hollywood. All events are free and open to the public. Check out the full Arts Festival schedule below.

	Schedule of Events
Wednesday, March 27	*Faculty Spotlight: Prof. Patrick Brennan Screens and Discusses The Celluloid Closet* (Rob Epstein et al, 1995)** Time: 7:00 pm Location: The Douglass Theatre \| 355 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Macon MGA partners with The Douglass Theatre to present The Celluloid Closet, a documentary highlighting the history of LGBT characters and representation in film, with discussion led by MGA's own Prof. Patrick Brennan. This film is rated R. Contact: Dr. Patrick Brennan FLYER TRAILER
Thursday, March 28	MGA Student Art Exhibition (runs through April 5) Location: SoAL Building Lobby \| Macon Campus The 2023-2024 Student Art Exhibition is a juried exhibition featuring Middle Georgia State University art students. The exhibition in Macon will run from March 28 through April 5. Join us for a reception and awards celebration in Cochran on April 11 to reveal winners in categories such as 2-D design, 3-D design, student choice, as well as best of show. Contact: Dr. Sheree' Keith
Thursday, March 28	*Faculty Spotlight: Prof. Zardosht Afshari Screens and Discusses His Recent Films, She Does Not Smile* (2022) and An Endoscopy (2023)** Time: 5:30 pm Location: Math Auditorium \| Macon Campus MGA's own Prof. Zardosht Afshari will present two of his own short films, She Does Not Smile (2022) and An Endoscopy (2023). In She Does Not Smile, Samantha, a music composing student in the U.S., hears someone playing a Middle Eastern musical instrument in the next room. She is determined to find the player. An Endoscopy (2023) follows a film student as she accompanies an international student for his endoscopy, with the agreement that he will be her subject in a documentary. Contact: Prof. Zardosht Afshari FLYER TRAILER 1 TRAILER 2
Monday, April 1	*Faculty Spotlight: Prof. Michael Gaffney Screens and Discusses His Score for Dear Daughter* (A Short) Time: 2:00 pm Location: Math Auditorium \| Macon Campus Michael Gaffney presents 'Dear Daughter', a short film for which he composed the music. The film is currently touring various film festivals; he will present the film, and follow it with an open Discussion and Q&A forum. Contact: Prof. Michael Gaffney FLYER TRAILER**
Wednesday, April 3	*Faculty Spotlight: Prof. Zardosht Afshari Screens and Discusses His Recent Films, She Does Not Smile* (2022) and An Endoscopy (2023)** Time: 3:30 pm Location: Walker Hall Auditorium \| Cochran Campus MGA's own Prof. Zardosht Afshari will present two of his own short films, She Does Not Smile (2022) and An Endoscopy (2023). In She Does Not Smile, Samantha, a music composing student in the U.S., hears someone playing a Middle Eastern musical instrument in the next room. She is determined to find the player. An Endoscopy (2023) follows a film student as she accompanies an international student for his endoscopy, with the agreement that he will be her subject in a documentary. Contact: Prof. Zardosht Afshari FLYER TRAILER 1 TRAILER 2
April 2, 3, 4	By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage Time: 6:00 pm Location: Arts Complex Theatre \| Macon Campus Student actors perform By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, a comedy about an African-American maid who dreams about being a star. Contact: Prof. Cindy Sams FLYER
Monday, April 8	Georgia Film Academy Information Session and Video Game Trailer . Time: 11:00am; 12:00pm - 3:00pm Location: Georgia Hall President’s Dining Room \| Cochran Campus Learn all about the Georgia Film Academy's industry certifications, including Digital Entertainment, Esports & Game Development. Then head outside and experience the games yourself with Middle Ga Game Trailer! The trailer will be located outside of Haynes Hall from 12pm to 3pm. Contact: Dr. Heather Ness-Maddox FLYER
Monday, April 8	*Composer Jongnic Bontemps Screens and Discusses His Score for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts* (Steven Caple, Jr., 2023) Time: Reception at 5:00 pm, Screening at 6:00 pm Location: Arts Complex Theatre \| Macon Campus SoAL welcomes renowned composer Jongnic Bontemps, who has worked on over 50 projects in film, television, and video games. His work has been heard in various award winning films at Cannes Film Festival, Warsaw International Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, American Black Film Festival, as well as on television networks like HBO, BET, Disney and in various cinemas worldwide. The screening will be preceded by a reception in the Arts Complex Rehearsal Hall beginning at 5pm. Contact: Prof. Michael Gaffney FLYER TRAILER**
Tuesday, April 9	Music Workshop with Composer Jongnic Bontemps Time: 2:00 pm Location: Band Room, Music Building \| Macon Campus Renowned composer Jongnic Bontemps leads a music workshop. All are welcome to attend. Contact: Prof. Michael Gaffney
Tuesday, April 9	MGA Chamber Singers Time: 7:30 pm Location: Arts Complex Rehearsal Hall \| Macon Campus MGA's Chamber Singers performs. Contact: Dr. Justin McAdara
April 9, 10, 11	Moonlight and Magnolias by Ron Hutchinson Time: 7:00 pm Location: Russell Hall Auditorium \| Cochran Campus Moonlight and Magnolias tells the story of how, in 1939, Hollywood producer David O. Selznick locked himself, director Victor Flemming, and screenwriter Ben Hecht in his office for five days where the three men, subsisting on nothing but peanuts and bananas, completely rewrote the screenplay for Gone with the Wind. It's the hilarious, true story of how Hollywood's most famous and highest-grossing film was actually written. Contact: Prof. John Iverson FLYER
Thursday, April 11	MGA Student Art Exhibition Reception and Awards Time: 3:00 pm Location: Peacock Gallery \| Cochran Campus The 2023-2024 Student Art Exhibition is a juried exhibition featuring Middle Georgia State University art students. Join us for a reception and awards celebration to reveal winners in categories such as 2-D design, 3-D design, student choice, as well as best of show. The exhibition in Cochran will run from April 8 through April 18. Contact: Dr. Sheree' Keith
Thursday, April 11	MGA Percussion Ensemble Time: 7:30 pm Location: Arts Complex Theatre \| Macon Campus MGA's Percussion Ensemble performs. Contact: Dr. Justin McAdara
Monday, April 15	Georgia Film Academy Information Session and Video Game Trailer Time: 11:00am; 12:00pm - 3:00pm Location: Arts Complex Theatre \| Macon Campus Learn all about the Georgia Film Academy's industry certifications, including Digital Entertainment, Esports & Game Development. Then head outside and experience the games yourself with Middle Ga Game Trailer! The trailer will be outside of the Arts Complex from 12pm to 3pm! Contact: Dr. Heather Ness-Maddox FLYER
Monday, April 15	*Film Screening: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts* (Steven Caple, Jr., 2023)** Time: 6:00 pm Location: Walker Hall Auditorium \| Cochran Campus Join SoAL for a second screening of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, featuring music composed by Jongnic Bontemps. Contact: Prof. Michael Gaffney FLYER TRAILER

These events are sponsored by MGA's School of Arts and Letters, with generous support from the Linda Harriet Lane Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, and in partnership with the Douglass Theatre. Additional support comes from the MGA Honors Program.