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The second annual New/Next Film Festival will return to The Charles Theater in October and has expanded to four days to feature more films and visiting filmmakers.
Baltimore Public Media on Wednesday announced the festival’s return for Oct. 3-6 and launched its call for entries.
“New/Next’s first year was arguably the best experience I’ve had in 20 years as a film-festival curator, and I’m thrilled that we’ll be back at The Charles Theatre for a bigger and even better second edition this October,” said Eric Allen Hatch, programmer and co-founder of New/Next and former director of programming of the Maryland Film Festival. “The landscape of independent cinema is always evolving, and I can’t wait to bring work by some of the most exciting new voices in film to our amazing audiences.”
The New/Next Film Festival was created in response to last year’s news that the Maryland Film Festival (MdFF) would not be holding its festival in 2023. (MdFF is returning in May 2024.)
New/Next 2023 drew roughly 3,000 attendees over its three-day inaugural festival in August 2023. The lineup featured international work along with new work from Baltimore’s film scene. More than half of the films were directed by women or non-binary makers, and more than half of those creators had ties to Baltimore and Maryland.
“We’d originally conceived of the New/Next Film Festival as a stand-in for the Maryland Film Festival, which went dark last year to reorganize, but the response was so overwhelmingly positive, that we had to bring New/Next back,” said Craig Swagler, president and general manager of Baltimore Public Media. “Baltimore has such a vibrant community of filmmakers and film lovers – there’s plenty of room for multiple festivals to not only coexist but thrive.”
The call for entries is New/Next’s first. In addition to adding a fourth day, there will be at least two free screenings for the community. The Charles Theater will act as the festival’s “home base,” and activations will be held at nearby independently-run venues, like Baltimore Improve Group, Metro Gallery, Mobtown Ballroom, and others.
“We’re so pleased that New/Next Fest is coming back to The Charles for a second year,” said Kathleen Lyon, owner of The Charles Theater. “That palpable festival-feeling was surging during 2023’s inaugural event, which brought national attention to our neighborhood. With New/Next now on the festival map, we expect 2024 to be even more of a success.”
A limited number of All Access Passes will be available during WYPR’s spring pledge drive, which kicked off today. Details on the festival will continue to be updated and film submissions are currently being accepted online at this link.
