Live from the 2024 Georgia State of the Industry Summit, Julie Ann sits down with Chris Escobar, Executive Director of the Atlanta Film Society and the Atlanta Film Festival. Chris reflects on the festival’s evolution into one of the world’s most competitive, his belief in the enduring power of people gathering to watch stories, and the role of film societies as incubators for collaboration. The conversation dives into Atlanta’s unique film community, the long game of cultural investment, and the creative collisions that spark lasting change.