Georgia
The Savannah Film Festival
Program No. 21296RJ
Experience the splendor of Savannah and the creative wonders of the Savannah Film Festival. Enjoy panel discussions, screenings, lectures and downtown excursions.
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6 days
5 nights
10 meals
5B 2L 3D
1
Check In, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Savannah, Georgia
2
Savannah History By Trolley, Film Festival Screening
Savannah, Georgia
3
More Films, Panel Discussions, Historic Homes & Architecture
Savannah, Georgia
4
Film Screenings, Panel Discussions
Savannah, Georgia
5
Presentation SCAD, SCAD Museum, Panel Discussions, Film
Savannah, Georgia
6
Program Concludes
Savannah, Georgia
At a Glance
Every year, amidst antebellum architecture and cobblestoned squares, Savannah, Georgia transforms into a bustling mecca for film buffs. The annual Savannah Film Festival showcases award-winning professionals and groundbreaking independent films from seasoned veterans and budding directors alike. Get insider access to their creative works with admittance to screenings, panel discussions and engaging lectures that show you firsthand what goes into the making of a film. Enjoy as many screenings and panel discussions as you can fit in.
Activity Level
Varies by date
Savannah is a walking city. Walking up to 2 miles daily to venues and events, some uneven sidewalk terrain.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Attend as many screenings and panel discussions as you can fit in. All included.
- Join in discussions with acclaimed and up and coming directors, actors, writers and producers.
- Explore downtown Savannah by trolley with a local expert to see the squares and historic homes.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Tom Murray
Tom Murray is a graduate of San Jose State University but is a Southerner by choice, having spent more than 45 years in the South absorbing the culture, customs and history of the region. Tom specializes in coastal history with an emphasis on the sea islands of Georgia. Few people know and love beautiful Cumberland and Amelia islands better than Tom. He has spent 25 years lecturing and leading Road Scholar groups to sites from the mountains to the sea.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Tom Murray
View biography
Tom Murray is a graduate of San Jose State University but is a Southerner by choice, having spent more than 45 years in the South absorbing the culture, customs and history of the region. Tom specializes in coastal history with an emphasis on the sea islands of Georgia. Few people know and love beautiful Cumberland and Amelia islands better than Tom. He has spent 25 years lecturing and leading Road Scholar groups to sites from the mountains to the sea.
Suggested Reading List
(10 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Savannah Film Festival
Program Number: 21296
The Savannah College of Art and Design: Restoration of an Architectural Heritage (Images of America: Georgia)
In 1979, a small art college with 71 students opened its doors in a renovated 19th-century building in the urban heart of colonial Savannah, Georgia. One of the most historic cities on the eastern seaboard, Savannah is noted for its architectural treasures, urban forest and verdant squares, and for the unique 1733 city plan designed by General Oglethorpe. The campus fabric of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) grew from the Romanesque revival Savannah Volunteer Guards Armory, designed by Boston architect William Gibbons Preston in 1892, to comprise some 60 rehabilitated historic structures situated within four historic districts. Currently, more than 6,200 students pursue their dreams in this wonderful setting.
Savannah: A History of Her People Since 1733
Savannah: A History of Her People Since 1733 offers a chronological view of Savannah history, including period photogrpahs and sketches. If you are acquainted with Savannah, this book will help solidify your knowlegde. If you are new to Savannah or need to learn more about the city, the book will increase your knowledge.
Savannah Style: Mystery and Manners
Savannah is a city of mercurial history and enigmatic charms. Home to cotton barons, shipping magnates, antiques dealers, and tireless preservationists, it has helped define Southern elegance, manner, and style for more than two centuries. From the slightly faded grandeur of the Second Empire baroque Thomas Levy House, filled with antique maps, prints, books, and other curiosities, to the phantasmal, Proustian decor of the high style Greek Revival Knapp House, the 20 houses featured in this book express the city's alternating moods of decadence and decorum. Quite often, a serene exterior-- designed in a Georgian, federal, or restrained Greek Revival style-- will relinquish its polite composure to an ingenious play of interior whimsy or flight of decorative fancy. Elegant town houses designed by William Jay, John Ash, Isaiah Davenport, and William Gibbons Preston, gracious plantation manors, and unpretentious summer cottages are featured in detail in word and image. A delightful foreword by John Berendt acts as an informative addendum to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and an excellent introduction to this book.
Slavery and Freedom in Savannah
"Slavery and Freedom in Savannah" is a richly illustrated, accessibly written book modeled on the very successful "Slavery in New York," a volume Leslie M. Harris coedited with Ira Berlin. Here Harris and Daina Ramey Berry have collected a variety of perspectives on slavery, emancipation, and black life in Savannah from the city’s founding to the early twentieth century. Written by leading historians of Savannah, Georgia, and the South, the volume includes a mix of longer thematic essays and shorter sidebars focusing on individual people, events, and places.
St. Simons Trilogy
A compelling, vibrant saga of conflict, love, and a young man's search to fulfill his dreams.
In this enthralling first novel of the St. Simons Trilogy, Eugenia Price shares the compelling story of James Gould, a young man with a passionate dream. Raised in post-Revolution Granville, Massachusetts, Gould could only imagine the beauty and warmth of lands to the south. It was there that he longed to build bridges and lighthouses from his very own design and plans. The gripping story unfolds as Gould follows his dream to the raw settlement of Bangor on the Penobscot River, to St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia, to lawless Spanish East Florida, and back—at last and finally—to St. Simons. Along the way, he encounters hardship, peril, failure, and success, but it is the unwavering love of Janie Harris, an especially beautiful and strong-willed young woman, that fulfills his deep need for someone who can share the dream and the life he has chosen.
Convergence: A Literary Arts Journal
The literary arts magazine for the Savannah College of Art and Design presents a spectrum of excellent written and visual work. This publication features the selected work of talented writers and artists who work at the college, as well as that of alumni, and three visiting poets from the Georgia Poetry Circuit.
Saving Savannah - The City and the Civil War
In this masterful portrait of life in Savannah before, during, and after the Civil War, prize-winning historian Jacqueline Jones transports readers to the balmy, raucous streets of that fabled Southern port city. Here is a subtle and rich social history that weaves together stories of the everyday lives of blacks and whites, rich and poor, men and women from all walks of life confronting the transformations that would alter their city forever. Deeply researched and vividly written, Saving Savannah is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the Civil War years.
Rebels, Saints, and Sinners: Savannah's Rich History and Colorful Personalities
Since its founding in 1733 by James Oglethorpe, the city of Savannah has experienced many triumphs and disasters. Its citizens have endured hurricanes, fires, and epidemics, and they have dealt successfully with social injustice and political corruption. Savannahians have also experienced both sides of war-winning as colonial rebels in the American Revolution and losing as Confederate patriots in the Civil War-and they have welcomed many heroes and stars to their city such as George Washington, Elvis Presley, and Shoeless Joe Jackson. In Rebels, Saints, and Sinners, Timothy Daiss tells the story of Savannah through captivating anecdotes about the city's past-a past full of intriguing characters and astonishing twists of fate. This book offers a wealth of detailed historical research presented in easily accessible prose, and it is a must-read for history buffs, travelers, educators, and anyone else interested in America's greatest cities.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a sublime and seductive reading experience. Brilliantly conceived and masterfully written, this enormously engaging portrait of a most beguiling Southern city has become a modern classic.Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty,early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.
New Moon Rising (St. Simons Trilogy) Book 2
Horace Gould returns to St. Simons and wins the heart of lovely neighbor Deborah Abbott, who adores her Mr. Gould", despite the difference in their years. She is not concerned with his rumored past, but she is saddened by his lack of faith.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
10 meals (
5B, 2L, 3D
)
3 expert-led lectures
2 expert-led field trips
8 performances
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check In, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Savannah, Georgia
Meals:
D
Stay:
Hampton Inn Savannah-Historic District
Activity Note
We will go by trolley to dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Afternoon:
Note: Your program includes a Bronze Pass which means you will have access to all screenings and panel discussions. Passes will be given out at orientation. Program Registration: 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar conference room. Look for the display board or check with front desk when you receive your key and they will point you in the right direction. Register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. We expect the name of the films to be released the week before the festival begins. Our program schedule has been designed for flexibility to see additional films independently. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please be aware that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
2
Savannah History By Trolley, Film Festival Screening
Location:
Savannah, Georgia
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Hampton Inn Savannah-Historic District
Activity Note
Getting on/off a trolley. Savannah's historic district is made for walking. Plan on walking 6-8 blocks per day. Some theater's are within a block or two blocks of your hotel. Others are 5 - 6 blocks. Restaurants surround the hotel or can be within a 4-5 block area. Standing in long lines despite our tickets can be up to 45 min. We recommend bringing a collapsible cane chair if you have trouble standing for long periods of time.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Start the trip with the History of Savannah by trolley to see the historic district and to get a feel for where the theaters are located. You are here because of the Savannah Film Festival, but your experience would not be complete without a scenic introduction to the charming city of Savannah.
Lunch:
Lunch on your own.
Afternoon:
Our first Savannah Film Festival session… Our program was planned far in advance when details were not available. The information will be posted on our website when released in October and included in preparatory materials sent following enrollment. The festival, presented by Savannah College of Art and Design, is host to a wide variety of competition film screenings, special screenings, workshops, panels, and lectures. Films showcase the cinematic creativity of both award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We will regroup and attend one of the evening screenings that is sure to be a memorable highlight of the experience. The Savannah Film Festival website gives a good idea of the range and variety of performances and events: www.filmfest.scad.edu/ Evening film viewing begins at 7:00 pm.
Day
3
More Films, Panel Discussions, Historic Homes & Architecture
Location:
Savannah, Georgia
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Hampton Inn Savannah-Historic District
Activity Note
Getting on and off a trolley with three steps to board.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Morning panel discussions will be announced as the information becomes available.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time. We will provide vouchers for entry to two of the magnificent homes in the Historic District that you may use any time during the week. .
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like. There are many options for delicious dining out, though if you have something special in mind, we advise making reservations in advance because the city is so crowded during the festival.
Evening:
A listing of films will be made available as soon as the schedule comes out in October. An evening performance will be revealed as soon as it is made available. Evening films start at 7:00 pm.
Day
4
Film Screenings, Panel Discussions
Location:
Savannah, Georgia
Meals:
B
Stay:
Hampton Inn Savannah-Historic District
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Film Screening. We have endeavored to highlight a variety of genres and styles of films. As soon as the festival schedule is announced in October, we will update the website and include details in preparatory materials sent following enrollment.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
Panel discussions and critiques.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy more of the local cuisine.
Evening:
Film Screening. More films await your review. Evening film viewing begins at 7:00 pm.
Day
5
Presentation SCAD, SCAD Museum, Panel Discussions, Film
Location:
Savannah, Georgia
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hampton Inn Savannah-Historic District
Breakfast:
At hotel.
Morning:
We will travel to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) to meet with a representative to get more insider perspectives on aspects of the Savannah Film Festival. Visit the Savannah College of Art and Design Museum, a premier contemporary art museum introducing new exhibitions by a range of professional artists, inspiring and challenging students of SCAD.
Lunch:
Lunch at local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Panel discussions or film viewing will be announced as soon as the schedule is released.
Dinner:
At a specially selected restaurant in the Historic District.
Evening:
More films. Evening film viewing begins at 7:00 pm.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
Savannah, Georgia
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At hotel.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
10 Meals
5 Breakfasts
2 Lunches
3 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Oct 26, 2025 - Oct 31, 2025
- Oct 26, 2025 - Oct 31, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 2 Reviews
Sort By:
This was my third Road Scholar program at the Savannah Film Festival. The festival is produced by the remarkable Savannah College of Art and Design. One of the RS field trips was to SCAD's truly amazing multimedia museum. Each year, the diversity and quality of the films presented at the festival improves. A number of respected actors participate in interviews before or after the films. This year, attendees included Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, Kieran Culkin, and Demi Moore. The program hotel, a Hampton, was incredibly convenient. It was only steps away from two of the three festival venues. The third venue was accessible by a free festival shuttle that came by every 10 to 15 minutes.
The hotel and the festival are both in Savannah's crowded historic district. In the evenings, the numerous historic squares and even the sidewalks leading to the hotel are transitory home to many sleeping homeless people. They do not panhandle or interfere with tourists and the police leave them alone.
The free hotel breakfast is pretty bad but the program leaders have organized some excellent excellent meals at places like Gryphon Tea Room and Vic's on the River. If you can, avoid the limited cafeteria-style dinner at the Pirates House
The valet parking at the hotel is frightfully expensive but there is a convenient city parking garage across the street which charges approximately $20 per day, less than 1/2 what the hotel charges.
— Review left November 2, 2024
Great program!
— Review left November 1, 2019
