May 13, 2016

The Maryland Film Festival brings together filmmakers, producers, artists, actors and film lovers in Baltimore. The 18th annual festival showcased approximately 50 feature films and 75 shorts. More than 150 filmmakers attended the event, with many discussing their work with fans at screenings and during special programming hosted at the Ynot Lot at the corner of North Avenue and Charles Street. The festival screened movies throughout Station North and central Baltimore, hosting screenings at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters Museum of Art, multiple MICA locations, Single Carrot Theater and the Baltimore Lab School.

Beyond screenings, the festival organizers also hosted talks with filmmakers, dance parties, a comedy night, and the Closing Party, where filmmakers and local musicians partied with attendees. Baltimore-area photographer Jen Mizgata took these instant photos (real film!) at the Closing Night party.

Photos and text by Jen Mizgata, a Baltimore-based photographer, who can be reached at mizgata@gmail.com. See more of her work at jenmizphoto.com.

: Anna Biller and Jared Sanford, director and actor/producer of “The Love Witch.”

: Jennifer Watson Wester, MDFF’s Parkway Campaign Manager, Kelly Sniffen, Membership Manager, Jessica Baroody, Operations Manager.

: Eric Bannat, consulting producer, “Shu-De!”

: Programming Administrator J. Scott Braid and Mikey Hess Webber

: Margaret Rorison (left) is Tent Village Coordinator and director of “One Document for Hope.” William Kirkley is director of “Orange Sunshine.” Jeremy Ungar is co-director of “Soy Cubana.”

: Left unknown; middle Single Carrot Theatre Artistic Director Genevieve de Mahy; right is Linas Phillips (director of MDFF 2010’s Bass Ackwards and star of MDFF 2016’s The Bulb)

: Sound engineer Natasha Tylea and her children

: MDFF poster designer (of Post Typography) Nolen Strals and former MDFF Operations and Development Manager Rahne Alexander

: Left unknown, right is Josh Locy, director of MDFF 2016 Closing Night film “Hunter Gatherer”

: Marnie Ellen, director of “The Domestic Life of a Housecat,” Becca Morrin, MDFF DJ, and Brian McOmber, composer of “NUTS!” and “MA”

: Musicians Devlin Rice (in Ed Shrader’s “Music Beat”) and Angela Swiecicki (“Big Mouth”)

: Eric Bannat (consulting producer on “Shu-De!”) and “The Guys Next Door” co-director Allie Humenuk

: DJ “Secret Weapon Dave” Barresi

: Megan Doherty, producer of upcoming Baltimore-shot feature “Sylvio: The Movie” and an unidentified man

: Unidentified on left; MDFF operations manager Jessica Baroody in middle; musician Angela Swiecicki on right

: MDFF DJ Becca Morrin and MDFF photographer Jennifer Mizgata

: Opening night filmmaker Zachariah Tatham (“Doorcuts”) pictured in the center

: Matt Porterfield (director of MDFF features “Hamilton,” “Putty Hill” and “I Used to be Darker”) on left; Juan Pablo González, director of “La Espera”

: Matt Grady (right) is head of film distribution Factory 25; Kentucker Audley is a multi-film alum of the festival, including titles “Sun Don’t Shine” and “Christmas, Again”