This year’s Maryland Film Festival highlights the creative reach of the Baker Artist community, with filmmakers appearing across multiple screenings and programs. From Opening Night to the Tall Stories: The Vertical Perspective showcase and additional screenings throughout the festival, these works span documentary, music video, narrative, and experimental film.
From stories rooted in Baltimore neighborhoods and history to explorations of memory, music, friendship, and identity, these films reflect the wide range of voices and perspectives within the Baker Artist community.
Opening Night Program
A Life in Art: Through the Eye of Dr. Leslie King Hammond
This film explores the life and work of renowned art historian, teacher, curator, and artist Dr. Leslie King Hammond, whose dedication to supporting artists of color has shaped generations through mentorship, humor, and creative vision.
Directors: Rassaan Hammond, Ben Baker-Lee
Tall Stories at MdFF: The Vertical Perspective
A showcase of original vertical (9:16) films, 30 seconds to 5 minutes long by regional filmmakers and digital storytellers. Curated by award-winning creator Simone Phillips.
Haunted Inn
In the ghost town of Frenchtown, Maryland, a structure from the 1800s stands as a haunted memory of what once existed. Filmed by Baker Artist Tara Youngborg
Baltimore Beat Drivers
A mini documentary following distribution drivers placing free newspapers across the city while capturing their daily routes and the pride behind the work. Filmed by Baker Artist BZ
Spooks
GIFs act as a form of connective tissue—easily created, replicated, and shared through social media as an ephemeral means of social bonding. FIlmed by Baker Artist Mandy Morrison
Eating Like a Bird
A short excursion into the world of backyard birds. Filmed by Baker Artist Lynn Cazabon
Prey
An excerpt from the short music film Influence of a Crown. Filmed by 2021 Baker Awardee Von Vargas
Triumphant Entry
An additional excerpt from the music short film Influence of a Crown. Filmed by 2021 Baker Awardee Von Vargas
Lack of Love
Filmed by Baker Artist Dev Rock
Untitled (How High the Moon)
Wed, Apr 8th, 9:30 AM & Sat, Apr 11th, 10:15 AM
Rashida Bumbray reimagines her mother’s childhood visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the lens of magical realism.
Say You Love Me (Music Video)
Fri, Apr 10th, 3:45 PM • Sun, Apr 12th, 5:30 PM
Kobe struggles with waiting for a potential love interest to text him back, but with help from friends and newfound self-assurance, he discovers healing and self-love.
Beijing Story
Fri, Apr 10th, 3:45 PM • Sun, Apr 12th, 5:30 PM
Follows an aspiring punk-rock guitarist coping with grief and navigating a strained relationship with his father.
The Birth of the Black Butterfly (with Saving Etting Street)
Thu, Apr 9th, 4:45 PM (SOLD OUT) • Sat, Apr 11th, 10:00 AM
A mixed animated short connecting Baltimore’s history of segregation and redlining to present-day housing inequality and gentrification.
Motor House: The Making of Baltimore's Creative Crossroads
An in-depth look at the creation of Motor House and the artists who have shaped the space, in celebration of its tenth anniversary.
Chasing Memories
A short psychological film following Nico as she navigates the emotional rollercoaster of healing after the abrupt end of a friendship.