When Oscar winner and Clint Eastwood‘s longtime editor, Joel Cox came to the Maryland Film Festival, he learned a lesson about Marylanders.
“Joel couldn’t believe people treated him like this,” said Jed Deitz, Director of the Maryland festival. “Without even knowing who he was, they helped him find a place to eat crabs and even gave him some crab dip. But this is Baltimore. We’re odd, yet friendly.”
You have the chance to bump into A-listers of Cox’s caliber, see unreleased films and discuss your favorite frames May 1-4 when the Maryland Film Festival’s more than 20,000 film enthusiasts take over the Charles Theatre, University of Baltimore and Maryland Institute College of Art.
“The numbers are good indicators of our success but more importantly are the connectionsyou see between the filmmakers and the audience – budding film students, people thinking about getting into the film industry and moviegoers coming to discover a new movie they never heard of before,” Dietz said.
Baltimore native son, Barry Levinson, Academy Award winner, director, screenwriter and producer, will introduce the festival’s opening night as he did 10 years ago at the inaugural festival.
“The festival began to bring filmmakers to town so that they could see the place and film here, and the thing is they loved it,” Dietz said. “That was no easy mission, creating an identity, but we’ve found one that is very distinct inside the film community – an unpretentious accessible celebration of film. And audiences have really responded. Every year people come out in bigger and bigger numbers. Anecdotally, we’ve found people plan to see something, forget everything else they were going to do, and then plunge into the festival.”
Just one week after opening “Cry Baby” on Broadway, divine deviant John Waters will present “Story of Women” 7 p.m. May 2 at the Charles.
“It’s not a small thing that [Levinson and Waters,] two people at that level of talent, accomplished in so many ways, keep coming back,” Dietz said. “Their support has been essential to the film festival.”
Melvin Van Peebles, a major influence on American independent cinema, will close the festival 7:30 p.m. May 4 at the Charles with his chronicle of a lone adventurer, “Confessions of an Ex-Doofus Itchy Footed Mutha.”
“I’m looking forward to it because I’ve always had a warm spot for Baltimore,” said Peebles, the 75-year old Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner. “That feeling isn’t something I can dissect. The city and people connect with something in my DNA. I don’t question it. I just say this is great and enjoy it.”
IF YOU GO
When: May 1-4
Where: Charles Theatre, 1711 N. Charles Street; Maryland Institute College of Art, Brown Center; 1301 Mount Royal Avenue; University of Baltimore, Student Center; 1420 N. Charles St., Baltimore
Tickets: $150 for all access pass including priority admission to all screenings, parties, the Filmmaker’s Lounge and special events. Screening admission only guaranteed until 15 minutes before scheduled start time. $35 opening night screening and party; $25 closing night screening and party; $10 individual tickets; $15 Alloy Orchestra, Silent Film; $8 individual student and senior; $20 for three movie passes.
Other: Maryland Film Festival’s Tent Village returns for its second year on May 2 with workshops and panel discussions. Events and special sessions such as Maryland Through the Lens, DIY Special Effects and Political Filmmaking in the 21st Century take place May 2-4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the lot across from the Charles Theatre.
