The introductory directing workshop is part of Georgia Tech’s annual Global Media Festival, which highlights global stories while engaging with social, cultural, and ethical issues. The 2026 theme, Sustaining Empathy in a Fractured World, emphasizes empathy as an active capacity, one that must be practiced and maintained in challenging contexts.

By focusing on directing, the workshop provides a hands-on way for participants to understand how stories are crafted on screen and how filmmakers convey emotion, character, and context to audiences. No prior experience in filmmaking is necessary, making the workshop accessible to anyone curious about the creative process.

The 2026 festival includes 11 events: 10 international film screenings, each followed by discussions with directors or scholars, plus this new introductory directing workshop. All events are free and open to the public, and are accompanied by light refreshments to foster conversation and engagement around the festival’s themes of empathy, cultural understanding, and storytelling.