The 7th Annual Annapolis Film Festival (AFF) has revealed its full slate of more than 70 films from over 25 countries. The festival will be held March 21-24, 2019, with screenings at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis Elementary School, St. John’s College and Asbury United Methodist Church. This year’s festival theme: Truth in Storytelling, is threaded throughout the four-day, extraordinary program of films, parties, panels, coffee talks and Q&As with filmmakers.
“With the theme of this year’s festival, Truth in Storytelling, we are honoring all the brave storytellers and journalists in pursuit of the truth with a stellar slate of films we have curated, highlighting this theme,” said AFF Director Patti White.
The festival will feature local films from Maryland, in addition to international films from Austria, Slovakia, Singapore, Hungary, France, Germany, Estonia, UK, Afghanistan, Iran, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russian Federation, Mexico and India.
This year’s festival will kick at the Maryland Hall screening of The Public, written, directed by and starring Emilio Estevez. What begins as an impromptu act of civil disobedience turns into a major stand-off with riot police, a no-nonsense mediator and a cunningly ambitious DA, complete with ravenous news reporters and the watchfully invested public eye. This David versus Goliath story tackles some of our nation’s most challenging issues, including homelessness and mental illness, and sets the drama inside one of the last bastions of democracy-in-action: your public library. The star-studded cast also includes Taylor Schilling, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, Alec Baldwin and Gabrielle Union.
“To bring the most engaging slate to this year’s festival, we spent a lot of time scouting for films that represent this year’s theme,” said AFF Director of Programming Derek Horne. “We have selected the best from a huge pool of submissions from new and established filmmakers.”
Below is a look at the Annapolis Film Festival’s 2019 selection.
Spotlight Films
In Your Hands, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Villains – starring Kyra Sedgwick, Jeffrey Donovan, Maika Monroe & Bill Skarsgård, Little Woods, starring Tessa Thompson & Lily James, Wild Rose, starring Jessie Buckley & Julie Walters, Solace, starring Lynn Whitfield & Glynn Turman, and Them That Follow, starring Olivia Colman & Jim Gaffigan
Narrative Films
Fishbowl – Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos, In Reality – Ann Lupo, In Your Hands) – Ludovic Bernard, The Interpreter – Martin Sulík, Little Woods – Nia DaCosta, Mothers’ Instinct – Olivier Masset-Depasse, Ode to Joy – Jason Winer, The Public – Emilio Estevez, Rafiki – Wanuri Kahiu, Ramen Shop – Eric Khoo, Solace -Tchaiko Omawale, Storm Boy – Shawn Seet, Styx – Wolfgang Fischer, Take It or Leave It – Liina Trishkina, Them That Follow – Britt Poulton, Dan Madison Savage, The Tobacconist – Nikolaus Leytner, Villains – Dan Berk, Robert Olsen, Wild Rose – Tom Harper
Documentary Features
The Biggest Little Farm – John Chester, The Cold Blue – Erik Nelson, Easy Lessons – Dorottya Zurbó, Facing the Dragon – Sedika Mojadidi, General Magic – Sarah Kerruish, Matt Maude, The Gospel of Eureka – Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri, Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel – Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, Jeremy Newberger, The Interpreters – Andres Caballero, Sofian Khan, Joseph Pulitzer: Voice of the People – Oren Rudavsky Patrimonio – Lisa F. Jackson, Sarah Teale. Roll Red Roll – Nancy Schwartzman, Science Fair – Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster, Sea Change – Dana Schwartz, Storm the Gates – Daniele Anastasion, Josie Swantek, Catherine Yrisarri, This Changes Everything – Tom Donahue, TransMilitary – Zachary Stauffer, Who Killed Lt. Van Dorn?– Zachary Stauffer, A Woman Captured – Bernadett Tuza-Ritter, Wrestle – Suzannah Herbert, Lauren Belfer.
In addition to the award-winning features, AFF has made its mark by continuing to bring a line up of compelling short films curated in thematic programs. The outstanding roster this year includes three Academy Awards nominees and winner, Period. End of Sentence and the World Premiere of The Bride Price by Chuckwunonso Dureke who was the winner of last year’s inaugural AFF Shorts Challenge Pitch Contest.
“The festival has grown from a small group of organizers meeting over coffee to a small staff of 9, a core group of team leaders and over 300 volunteers,” said Festival Director Lee Anderson. “This event brings in over $7 million dollars and 20,000 visitors to our community over the 4 days.”
All films in the slate will compete for the Best of the Fest, held Sunday, March 24, where awards are given out to the top narrative and documentary feature films, as well as the top narrative and documentary shorts. The audience favorite films will be rescreened for audiences on Sunday evening.
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