168 Film Festival with John David Ware: October 14 - 17, 2026 Fayetteville, Ga.
FILM, FAITH & FAMILY: Join storytellers, influencers and community for powerful films that will inspire your soul and ignite your imagination.
The 168 Film Festival is Greater Atlanta’s premier annual showcase of values-driven filmmakers from around the world. This three-day celebration features film screenings, panels and workshops, culminating in a celebrity red-carpet, an awards show and a legendary VIP Afterparty.
Since 2003, 168 Film has hosted the annual Write of Passage short screenplay competition and the 168 Film Project —
a 7-day (168-hour) filmmaking challenge — inspired by scripture. Both events culminate in the festival, and welcome writers, directors, actors, and crew of all experience levels, with a mission to cultivate and launch the next generation of filmmakers.
John David Ware
John David Ware is a filmmaker, writer, producer, and founder of 168 Film, a pioneering filmmaking competition and community that has helped launch nearly 1,500 short films and supported thousands of emerging filmmakers since 2003. Through his work, he has championed storytelling that blends creativity, craftsmanship, and faith-based themes.
John is the writer and director of Unbridled, starring Eric Roberts, TC Stallings, and Lindsley Register, and the producer of Final Frequency, a science-fiction thriller featuring Lou Ferrigno Jr., Charles Shaughnessy, and Richard Burgi. He also hosts and produces A Fresh Look at the Good Book, a television series that explores the intersection of faith and film through discussions with pastors and filmmakers.
A graduate of Miami University’s film program with honors, John has spent his career creating, mentoring, and promoting independent filmmakers while producing a diverse range of film and television projects.