When Obi-Wan Kenobi Visited Atlanta: Ewan McGregor Visits the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival!

The unexpected excitement of seeing Ewan McGregor in person at the Atlanta Film Festival’s special anniversary screening of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace captured the magic of why May the 4th is considered a sacred day for Star Wars fans globally. Dressed casually yet charmingly, McGregor graced the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta with a quick stop on Saturday night, bringing the magic of the galaxy far, far away, a little closer to Earth.

Needless to say, the closing night of the Atlanta Film Festival drew in enthusiastic fans and film aficionados alike. The atmosphere was electric, as fans were just excited to be seeing the film along with other fans. They had no idea what a memorable evening they were in for…

After an introduction that teased something magical was about to blow our minds, McGregor appeared on stage. He stayed for over half an hour, laughing with fans and sharing insightful stories and reflections from his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the most-loved characters in the Star Wars saga. Curious about the appearance? Check out Ewan’s surprise intro below!

Ewan McGregor Surprises Star Wars Fans at Atlanta Film Festival

The festival itself was as vibrant as ever this year. Running from April 25, 2024, through May 5, 2024, the festival highlighted 142 selected works from 118 countries and celebrated diversity and storytelling from around the globe. An impressive 24% of these films boasted ties to Georgia filmmakers, showchasing the state’s growing influence in the film industry.

Among the standout events of the festival was the Opening Night presentation of The Idea of You with the film’s director, Michael Showalter, DP Jim Frohna, and production designer Amy Williams. Additionally, renowned filmmaker Bill Duke received the Ossie Davis Award for Innovation in Filmmaking, underscoring the festival’s commitment to recognizing pioneering contributions to cinema.

The festival concluded with the Closing Night presentation of A24’s Sing Sing (which is an absolutely incredible, incredible film), attended by filmmaker Greg Kwedar and cast members. Keep an eye out for the film this summer, as its expected to have a limited release in July.

As the 48th Atlanta Film Festival’s film reel winds up, another year of fantastic films, unforgettable moments, new friends, amazing workshops, and so much more officially came to a close on Sunday. Until next year, stay tuned, fellow ATLiens!

A HUGE thank you to Ewan McGregor for stopping by and to our good friend Ren Doughty for the video clip!