Annapolis Film Festival Is This Weekend

Now in its 13th year, the Annapolis Film Festival will run Thursday through Sunday with screenings at Maryland Hall and special events and panels hosted throughout Annapolis.

The festival is presented by the Brian and Patricia Giese Foundation and supported by the Annapolis Film Festival Endowment Fund.

The theme for the 2025 festival is “A New World,” highlighting the changing landscape not just in film but in the world. Selections focus on telling the stories of this new world through the camera lens.

“The theme reflects how things may not appear as they usually do — it's a new world open for interpretation,” Annapolis Film Festival director and cofounder Patti White said in a statement.

Art Director Mallory Bielecki created this year’s poster. “The concept of ‘A New World’ presented many creative options, but we went with a retro ‘70s vibe reminiscent of the famous album ‘Endless Summer,’” Bielecki said.

Festival director and cofounder Lee Anderson added, “The sun is not yellow, it is pink, for example. The vibrant poster perfectly encapsulates this imaginative spirit, and we are excited to showcase Mallory’s work.”

As the showcase event of the filmmaking world in the Annapolis region, the festival brings talented cinema artists from all over the world to debut their work, work with other industry experts, and share their visions with audiences.

“The Ballad of Wallis Island” will open this year’s festival tomorrow at 7:15pm in Maryland Hall’s main theater. The film was produced by Rupert Majendie, and it stars Carey Mulligan, Tom Basden and Tim Key. James Griffiths served as director.

In the film, eccentric lottery winner Charles dreams of getting his favorite musicians, McGwyer Mortimer, back together. The fantasy becomes real when the bandmates and former lovers agree to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.

In addition to more than 70 films, industry panels and “coffee talks with” events allow festival goers to meet the directors, writers and other individuals involved in creating the work shown in a variety of ways. Parties and receptions create the community that is central to the vision of the Annapolis Film Festival.

“The Annapolis Film Festival isn’t merely about the films on the screen,” the festival website highlights. “It's about the conversations in the lobby, the friendships forged in line, and the tears and laughter that resonate through the darkened theaters.”

Filmmakers were also invited to submit short film ideas to a public pitch project ahead of the festival and five finalists will be able to pitch their ideas during the event. The winner will receive various filming and post-production packages to support bringing their concept to the screen.

Festival awards include a juried selection of films from experienced filmmakers as well as new and upcoming talent. The Annapolis Film Festival also highlights audience awards in various categories, including for both feature films and documentaries as well as shorts.

Awards are presented for the Best Feature Film, Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Film, and Best Short Documentary in both the juried competition and audience competition. Special awards for ensemble cast and screenwriting were also presented during the 2024 festival.

Individual tickets went on sale March 7, allowing access to highlight films as well as general admission and special events.

In addition to the generous Annapolis Film Festival endowment, the Annapolis Film Society supports the festival and the cinema-loving community around the area. Members enjoy early and special access to festival screenings and information.

“Millers in Marriage,” a feature film written and directed by Edward Burns, showed at Maryland Hall’s Bowen Theater on February 5 as a monthly showcase leading up to the Annapolis Film Festival.

This year, over 70 films are expected to be included in the festival and festival passes, including a special student rate, are currently on sale.

For more information about attending the Annapolis Film Festival, including tickets and showtimes, visit www.annapolisfilmfestival.com. Passes are available and a festival lineup is expected on the website in advance of the event.