Though the full lineup has yet to be announced, this year's Maryland Film Festival will include plenty of favorite features from years past, according to director Jed Dietz.
Keeping with tradition, it will kick off with an evening of short films. That's rare for any festival, Dietz said, let alone one of this size.
"We're the only film festival anywhere that devotes its opening night to shorts," Dietz said.
Filmmaker John Waters will again select a movie he likes and host a screening. That's one of the festival's more popular events, Dietz said.
"They're always incredible," he said. "They've always been a big hit."
The Alloy Orchestra, a group of musicians who compose film scores, obtained a rare Russian print of the film The Man With a Camera, which will also be shown at the festival, Dietz said. The silent film debuted in 1929 and is known for its cinematography, which is considered experimental for the period. The orchestra wrote the score for The Man With a Camera but hasn't performed it for a long time, and this particular print is making its U.S. debut.
"Access to a print is very tricky," Dietz said. "It hasn't been seen stateside."
Another notable aspect of the annual festival is the tent village, which descends on the parking lot across the street from the Charles Theatre. The tent village hosts outdoor film screenings, as well as workshops and master classes. The festival takes pride in highlighting works by up-and-coming regional filmmakers, as well as the pros.
The festival's roster will be officially announced April 1. The festival runs May 7-10 in and around the Charles Theatre, 1711 N. Charles St. For more information, call 410-752-8083 or go to md-filmfest.com.
Here are some more events to look forward to this spring:
April 1-May 14: : Several Jewish-oriented, juried films make their city debut at the Baltimore Jewish Film Festival at the Gordon Center for the Performing Arts, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave. in Owings Mills. $9 per film. 410-542-4900, ext. 239, or baltimorejff.com.
April 1: : Swan Lake, presented by Moiseev Russian Classical Ballet, comes to the Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave., at 7:30 p.m. $22.50-$57.50. 410-547-7328 or ticketmaster.com
April 3: : Talented actress, singer, producer and comedian Lily Tomlin brings a variety of her characters to the Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mount Royal Ave., at 8 p.m. $39.50-$59.50. 410-547-7328 or ticketmaster.com.
