The centerpiece film is, The Ledge, a film that was nominated for Best US Drama at Sundance and boasts a big name cast that includes Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson, Terrence Howard and Charlie Hunnam. The film has been praised as “the first drama in Hollywood history to feature an openly atheist hero in a story about religious conflict”. If that isn’t enough to get the atheist crowd on board check this out – Matthew Chapman, the film’s director, is none other than the great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin!

There is also, The Nature Of Existence, Roger Nygard‘s (Trekkies) globetrotting documentary about world  philosophies and belief systems. He interviews everyone – scientists, pizza chefs, modern druids, a 24th generation Chinese Taoist Master and for good measure the founder of Ultimate Christian Wrestling, which one hopes is not done in a kiddie pool full of KY jelly.

The other documentary to check out is Ondi Timoner‘s Join Us which follows families that leave an abusive Church in South Carolina. Only after leaving do they start to realize that they had been members of a cult and had been brainwashed into letting their children suffer for the promise of heaven. The filmmakers used hidden cameras to infiltrate the cult and explore the techniques behind their mind control.

If the aforementioned films aren’t doing it for you the festival also contains an animated shorts programs titled 2011: Year Of The Rapture and The First Atheist Musical.

Atheist Film Festival Schedule

Tickets

This year the Atheist Film Festival returns with another exciting lineup of fascinating cinema ranging from the shocking to the hilarious. Come join your fellow heretics for a day of amazing documentaries, mind-blowing fiction, rarely screened controversial classics and beloved favorites.” – www.Atheistfilmfestival.org

This year’s one day only Atheist Film Festival is being held Saturday, August 14th at  The Red Vic Movie House (1727 Haight Street). All of the screenings are Free, although donations are greatly appreciated!

10:00 am The Four Horsemen

12:30 pm Marjoe (Won an Oscar for Best Documentary)

2:15 pm Shorts: Imagine No Religion

3:30 pm Shorts: Fun for Heretics

4:30 pm Creator of God (Followed by Q&A)

6:00 pm The Rapture

8:00 pm Oh My God

9:45 pm Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life