Who's afraid of an economic downturn?

While other arts groups put their riskier ventures on hold until better days are here again, IMAGE Film & Video Center shakes things up with the 27th annual Atlanta Film Festival. This year, the nine-day event abandons its former home base in Chamblee and sets up shop downtown --

a bold move organizers hope will galvanize the festival as an intown event.

Most screenings will be held on at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts and the Atlanta Fulton Public Library, with outdoor screenings at Centennial Olympic Park, Piedmont Park and Starlight Drive-In. And this year's hefty international component features films from the Czech Republic, France, Australia, Brazil, Iceland and other far-flung locales.

The festival kicks off June 6 with American Splendor, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, and closes with Camp June 14. In between will be more than 100 features, documentaries and shorts, as well as retrospective screenings of film favorites such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. For fledgling filmmakers, there's also a slate of panel discussions and educational forums at CNN Center.

Economy be damned. Let's go the movies.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Special events
IMAGE Film & Video Awards Gala
Thurs., June 5, 7 p.m.
The Egyptian Ballroom at the Fox Theatre
Guests of honor include Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Burt Reynolds and Parker Posey
$125 individual; $1,000 table
404-352-4225

Opening night gala
American Splendor
Fri., June 6, 8 p.m.
Rialto Center for the Performing Arts
Reception follows screening

Closing night gala
Camp
Thurs., June 14, 8:30 p.m.
Rialto Center for Performing Arts
Reception follows screening

Individual tickets
Regular screenings:$7.50, $6 members, seniors & students
Matinee screenings (before 6 p.m.): $5, $4 members, seniors & students
Animation Extravaganza: $10, $8 members, seniors & students
In-Focus Panel Discussions: $3, $2 members, seniors & students

Festival passes
All Access Festival Pass: Good for admission for one person to all screenings, panels and events (excluding presentations at the Starlight Six Drive-In).$100, $75 members, seniors and students.
6-Pack Festival Certificate: Good for six admissions to any regular screenings. $35, $30 members.
In-Focus Panel Discussion All Access Pass: Good for admission for one person to all panel discussions. $20 for general public, $15 membersTo purchase tickets Same-day tickets must be purchased at screening venue.
To reserve tickets in advance, call 1-866-468-7630 or visit www.ticketweb.com
Advance tickets also available June 6-14, noon-9 p.m., in the lobby of the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts

Screening venues
Rialto Center for the Performing Arts: 80 Forsyth St., www.rialtocenter.org
Atlanta Fulton Public Library, Central Library, Downtown Branch: One Margaret Mitchell Square,www.af.public.lib.ga.us/central/index.html
Auburn Avenue Research Library: 101 Auburn Ave., www.af.public.lib.ga.us/aarl/index.html
The Carter Presidential Center: 453 Freedom Parkway, www.cartercenter.org
Centennial Olympic Park: 265 Luckie St., www.centennialpark.com
Rich Auditorium, Woodruff Art Center: 1280 Peachtree St., www.woodruffcenter.org
Lefont Garden Hills Cinema: 2835 Peachtree Road, lefonttheaters.com/
Omni Hotel at CNN Center: 100 CNN Center, www.omnicnn.com
Piedmont Park: www.piedmontpark.org
Starlight Six Drive-In Theatres: 2000 Moreland Ave., www.starlightdrivein.com

For a complete of schedule of screenings, panels, galas and other events, visit www.imagefv.org.