{"id":13404,"date":"2026-10-15T03:11:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T07:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/?p=13404"},"modified":"2026-10-15T03:11:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T07:11:11","slug":"a-dollars-worth-of-hope-joins-pviff-2026-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/a-dollars-worth-of-hope-joins-pviff-2026-finalists\/","title":{"rendered":"A Dollar’s Worth of Hope Joins PVIFF 2026 Finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Sometimes, the smallest gesture carries the greatest potential for change.<\/p>\n

That idea drives A Dollar’s Worth of Hope<\/em>, a short film directed by EP McKnight and produced by Ole Cram that has been named an official finalist for the 2026 Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF).<\/p>\n

Featuring performances by McKnight, Riya Bonthu, Anecca Peoples and Cram, the six-minute, 20-second production explores how a chance encounter can set two lives on an unexpected path toward hope, resilience and redemption.<\/p>\n

The film joins this year’s PVIFF finalist lineup<\/a> ahead of the festival’s Nov. 5-8 gathering in Atlanta, where independent filmmakers will compete for recognition through professional judging and audience participation.<\/p>\n

The Ripple Effect of Kindness<\/h2>\n

At the heart of A Dollar’s Worth of Hope<\/em> is a seemingly ordinary encounter between two individuals whose futures become intertwined in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

When one young person’s act of kindness sparks a meaningful connection, the consequences begin extending beyond that initial moment.<\/p>\n

What follows is a story about transformation, the resilience of the human spirit and the possibilities created when compassion enters someone’s life at precisely the right time.<\/p>\n

As the characters’ paths continue to intersect, their growing connection raises questions about the power of generosity and whether a single gesture can become the beginning of something far greater.<\/p>\n

The film’s premise places human connection at the center of its narrative, exploring how hope can emerge from everyday circumstances and how seemingly minor decisions can carry lasting consequences.<\/p>\n

Meet the Filmmakers<\/h2>\n

EP McKnight directs A Dollar’s Worth of Hope<\/em> and appears among the film’s principal cast.<\/p>\n

Ole Cram serves as producer and also appears onscreen alongside Riya Bonthu and Anecca Peoples.<\/p>\n

At six minutes and 20 seconds, the production uses the short-film format to examine themes of kindness, resilience, redemption and the transformative potential of human relationships.<\/p>\n

Its selection as a PVIFF finalist places the project among the independent films recognized for this year’s competition.<\/p>\n

PVIFF Finalists Compete Through Judging and Audience Engagement<\/h2>\n

The 2026 Peachtree Village International Film Festival is incorporating professional judging and audience participation into its finalist evaluation process.<\/p>\n

Under the announced scoring system, 70% of each finalist’s overall competition score will come from evaluations by judges representing PVIFF and JaroGO. The remaining 30% will be determined by audience engagement through the JaroGO streaming platform.<\/p>\n

Participating finalist films will be available on JaroGO during a limited competition viewing period, allowing audiences to watch, rate and comment on the productions.<\/p>\n

The initiative provides filmmakers with additional opportunities to introduce their work to viewers while extending the festival experience beyond traditional theatrical screenings.<\/p>\n

JaroGO is available on iOS and Android in the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n

About the 2026 Peachtree Village International Film Festival<\/h2>\n

Founded in 2005, the Peachtree Village International Film Festival provides a platform for independent filmmakers, actors, producers, writers and entertainment professionals to showcase their work and develop industry relationships.<\/p>\n

Guided by its philosophy, “It Takes a Village,” PVIFF combines film screenings and awards with professional development opportunities, industry panels, masterclasses and networking experiences.<\/p>\n

The 2026 festival will take place Nov. 5-8 in Atlanta, Georgia, continuing its mission of supporting independent voices and expanding opportunities across the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n

A Dollar’s Worth of Hope<\/em> enters this year’s competition as an official finalist, with award results to be determined through the festival’s judging and audience-engagement process.<\/p>\n

For more information about PVIFF 2026, visit https:\/\/www.pviffatl.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Film at a Glance<\/h2>\n

\"Official<\/p>\n

Title:<\/strong> A Dollar’s Worth of Hope<\/p>\n

Director:<\/strong> EP McKnight<\/p>\n

Producer:<\/strong> Ole Cram<\/p>\n

Cast:<\/strong> EP McKnight, Riya Bonthu, Anecca Peoples, Ole Cram<\/p>\n

Runtime:<\/strong> 6 minutes, 20 seconds<\/p>\n

Festival Status:<\/strong> Official Finalist \u2014 PVIFF 2026<\/p>\n

Festival Dates:<\/strong> Nov. 5-8, 2026<\/p>\n

Festival Location:<\/strong> Atlanta, Georgia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Directed by EP McKnight, the six-minute short explores how an unexpected encounter and a single act of kindness can change lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":13405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[1796,1797,1799,1798,1795],"class_list":["post-13404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-tv","tag-a-dollars-worth-of-hope","tag-ep-mcknight","tag-independent-short-film","tag-ole-cram","tag-pviff-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13404"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13404\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13408,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13404\/revisions\/13408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.watchjaro.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}