• Love to see films that reflect your point of view and/or teach you something new about the world?

• Want to help change the way secular people are viewed by the art community and the public at large?

• Want to help this year’s Atheist Film Festival be the biggest and best yet?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, please consider becoming a Cosmic Supporter of the Atheist Film Festival!

As a grassroots organization, we rely on financial contributions from our supporters to ensure that the festival goes smoothly, and we’re offering special thank you gifts for your generosity if you donate at one of the following levels. In addition to the listed gifts, all Cosmic Supporters will be thanked by name in our program and the slideshow that plays between films.

Elemental – $25

Choose one of the following:

• Ticket to any film

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival t-shirt

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival poster

Planetary – $75

Receive an invitation to the Atheist Film Festival Directors’ Reception on Friday, August 10th, plus one of the following:

• Ticket to any film

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival t-shirt

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival poster

Stellar – $125

Receive all of the following:

• Invitation to the Atheist Film Festival Directors’ Reception on Friday, August 10th

• VIP Festival Pass

Plus one of the following:

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival t-shirt

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival poster

Galactic – $225

Receive all of the following:

• Two (2) invitations to the Atheist Film Festival Directors’ Reception on Friday, August 10th

• Two (2) VIP Festival Passes

Plus any combination of two (2) of the following:

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival t-shirt

• 2012 Atheist Film Festival poster

FAQ

• What size are the posters? Posters are 11″ x 17″.
• What size t-shirt can I get? T-shirts are available in men’s and women’s sizes from XS to 2XL (and 3XL for men’s). If you are receiving a shirt, please specify your size preference during checkout. If no size is indicated you will receive a poster.
• How is a VIP Pass different from a regular pass? All pass holders gain entry to all festival screenings. VIP Pass holders will get to sit in specially-designated choice seats in the theater along with our special guests.
• When will I learn more information about the Directors’ Reception? If you are receiving an invitation to the Directors’ Reception on August 10th, more information will be provided to you at a later date via the email address you use with PayPal.
• When will I receive my ticket/pass/t-shirt/poster? All gifts will be distributed at the Directors’ Reception and the Festival. If you will not be attending the festival or the reception, please email atheistfilmfestival@gmail.com with your address and we will mail your gifts to you.

To become a Cosmic Supporter, select a donation level from the drop down menu below and click “Pay Now:”

Donation Levels

Elemental $25.00 USD Planetary $75.00 USD Stellar $125.00 USD Galactic $225.00 USD

Thank you for your support!

For the 2012 festival, we are offering several different sponsorship levels:

We want to make this festival bigger and better every year, and we can only do that with your support. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact us at atheistfilmfestival@gmail.com Thank you!

Selected films will be screened at the festival on August 11th, 2012. One grand prize winner will receive $250 and the First Annual Atheist Film Festival filmmaker’s award, and each selected filmmaker will receive a complimentary festival pass.

Click here to check out the guidelines and submit your film to the festival!

Got a sweet tooth? Order a scrumptious cheesecake from Reuschelle’s!

Surly-Ramics has all of your jewelry needs covered!

Young freethinkers in the family? Register them for a mind-opening session at Camp Quest West!

For the oenophile on your list, you can pick up a terrific wine from Vin Debut at their West Portal store or online at Winedebut.com, and David Millet’s Homo Cosmiens is a perfect stocking stuffer!

Please support those who support us and send some love to our sponsors this holiday season.

Want to be a sponsor for the 2012 Atheist Film Festival? Email us!

~~~

On Saturday, August 20, AFF producers Larry Kaufman and Margaret Morgan hosted a wine and cheesecake reception for the directors of our feature films, Matthew Chapman (The Ledge), Roger Nygard (The Nature of Existence), and Ondi Timoner (Join Us), and special guest historian Dr. Richard Carrier. The event was also a fundraiser for the festival–thank you to all of the guests who contributed to making next year’s festival as big a success and this one was!

We enjoyed wine provided by Vin Debut and chocolate chili cheesecake bites crafted by San Francisco Atheists’ own Victor Harris Jr., owner of Reuschelle’s Cheesecakes.

Like any good party, this one started--and stayed--in the kitchen

Hosts Larry Kaufman (right foreground) and Margaret Morgan (right background) chat with their guests

Michael Morgan (right) and friends

Chocolate chili cheesecake bites from Reuschelle's Cheesecakes

Victor Harris Jr.--cheesecake baker

Festival director and author David Fitzgerald with his girlfriend, author Dana Fredsti

Director Roger Nygard (left) engaged in conversation with some reception guests

Director Matthew Chapman (center) discusses matters secular with some reception guests

Michael Morgan and director Ondi Timoner

Historian Dr. Richard Carrier waxes eloquent about Roman emperors

Blogger Greta Christina (left) and director Matthew Chapman discuss and debate with fellow guests

Heretical discussions in the dining room

Hostess Margaret Morgan (left) and friend

Hostess Margaret Morgan and director Matthew Chapman

Festival director David Fitzgerald (center) conversing with reception guests

Director Ondi Timoner (center) smiles at the remarks of a reception guest

Lively conversation in the kitchen

Festival director David Fitzgerald (left) and director Roger Nygard

Photos by David Diskin

Did you miss Roger Nygard’s thought-provoking documentary The Nature of Existence at this year’s Atheist Film Festival, or do you just want to watch it a second time? You’re in luck–the 10th annual Sacramento Freethought Day will be screening The Nature of Existence as part of their fun-filled roster of activities (including speakers like Dan Barker and Amanda Knief, and the Freethought Trivia Showdown). To sweeten the deal, director Roger Nygard to will be joining via Skype following the screening for Q&A. If it’s anything the Q&A that took place at AFF, you’re in for a treat.

Sacramento Freethought Day takes place Sunday, October 23. Find out more at their website, www.freethoughtday.org

Can’t make it to Sacramento? The Nature of Existence is also available to watch instantly on Netflix. We also recommend The Nature of Existence 7-DVD companion series.

Part I:

Part II:

Three films in particular were festival favorites: Matthew Chapman’s riveting thriller THE LEDGE, a film which succeeded in making a powerful statement about atheism versus religion through the gripping story of a passionate love affair and its deadly aftermath; THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE, which documented Roger Nygard’s (TREKKIES) trip around the world asking the big questions about life, the universe and everything (the film’s co-producer Billy Sullivan also attended and was available the Q& A); and Ondi Timoner’s JOIN US, a masterfully captured look inside a family’s real-life escape from a fundamentalist cult.

Alejandro Amenábar’s gorgeous, overlooked 2009 masterpiece AGORA was also a standout, followed by Q&A from renowned classical historian Dr. Richard Carrier, who had high praise for the historical drama. Two original short film collections rounded out the program: the hilarious/scary/hilarious again 2011: THE YEAR OF THE RAPTURE which featured shorts from across the globe; and THE FIRST ATHEIST MUSICAL, a fun romp and a perfect close to the day-long festival.

Meanwhile, at the festival’s second theater, there was also a full lineup from prior years, including past favorites like Julia Sweeney’s wonderful LETTING GO OF GOD; astounding overlooked local gem AUDIENCE OF ONE; San Francisco comedy troupe Killing My Lobster’s brilliant, zany EVOLUTION: THE MUSICAL! and several others.

I’m so incredibly grateful to everyone who wore so many hats and poured so much of their time, talent, energy, good nature and sheer hard work into making this third annual event our biggest and best yet: Julie Michelle, our tireless webmistress; Anne Sauer, our promo power princess; Susan Fink, who does it all; Saul Santell, tenth degree black belt film editor; executive producer Larry Kaufman and the fabulous Margaret Morgan who did so much and on top of all that opened up their home to all of us for the Director’s Reception; Michael Morgan, chauffer to the stars; Dana Fredsti for all her hard work behind the scenes and ongoing patience for the long, grueling months of festival planning, and finally the incredible David Diskin and Caralee Hickey, who went above and beyond the call of duty all weekend by missing ALL the movies in order to staff the merchandise table and take event pictures.

As invaluable as all their hard work was the support of all our wonderful sponsors who gave so generously; the film directors and other VIPs who came out for the festival, the terrific staff and management of the Roxie Theater, the filmmakers from around the world who submitted their work, and to all of you who came out to enjoy the films with your fellow heretics and provided such lively and thought-provoking Q & A sessions!

My heart is fairly bursting with all the love for all you amazing, delightful folks who gave so much to make this festival such a rollicking success.  The festival continues to grow bigger and better every year, and it’s exciting to be a part of it. Join us on Facebook, Twitter and the AFF website at www.sfatheistfilmfestival.org to stay informed about submission info, previews, where to pick up cool AFF merchandise, and more.

Thanks again to all of you for your generous support over the years, and see you next year on August 11th at the Roxie Theater!

All the best,

Dave Fitzgerald

Director, the Atheist Film Festival

Every year we feature a stellar lineup of fun films for happy heretics: new and classic feature films, documentaries and shorts ranging from the blasphemous to the sublime.

You certainly don’t have to be a nonbeliever to enjoy and be challenged by this festival, but free thinkers will especially appreciate the refreshingly unapologetic viewpoint of these provocative, thought-provoking, hilarious and engaging films from around the world asking the big questions about life, the universe and everything. Come join your fellow atheists, agnostics, heretics, skeptics, apostates and free thinkers of every stripe in San Francisco on August 11th, 2012 for a film festival you can believe in.

Tickets and passes for the 2012 Atheist Film Festival will go on sale July 11.