ATLANTA — The 50th annual Atlanta Film Festival begins Thursday, featuring dozens of international films selected from thousands of submissions.

Festival director Christopher Escobar says this year’s event will bring major names to the city.

“Like Mckenna Grace, we have Josh Brolin coming, both for the screening of ‘Weapons’ on May 1, and then that night he’ll be honored at our Image Films Awards gala,” Escobar said.

Escobar says the festival will also include more celebrity appearances than in previous years.

“At the festival, we’re going to have more stars at the Atlanta Film Festival this year than any movie set,” Escobar said.

The festival will also highlight artists who got their start in Atlanta.

“Oscar winner Ray McKinnon, and Emmy winner Carrie Preston, who both came up through the Atlanta Film Festival,” Escobar said.

Escobar says the event will celebrate both the past and present of filmmaking.

“These are folks who came up through the independent film world, and so it’s really kind of exciting for folks to really see that art, especially looking back you know over 50 years,” Escobar said.

He says the milestone is significant for the festival and the industry.

“There’s less than 10 film festivals nationwide that have turned 50, so it’s a big deal for us, it’s a big deal nationally,” Escobar said.

Escobar says actor Paul Walter Hauser will also attend the festival.

“He was the leading role of Clint Eastwood’s film Richard Jewell, which was not only shot in Atlanta but of course set in Atlanta,” Escobar said.

The festival runs through May 3, with a full schedule of events available on their website.

WSB Radio’s Lisa Nicholas contributed to this story.