BYFA

Festival Name: “Projected Visions”
Festival Date & Location: Aug 25th-27th, Baltimore, Maryland, JHU Campus 

Curatorial Statement: The historical and cultural context of the exhibition revolves around Afrofuturism, a movement that explores the intersection of African diaspora culture and technology. The selected artworks reflect this context and demonstrate how Afrofuturist themes are increasingly relevant in contemporary art. My vision for "Projected Visions" is to encourage viewers to think critically about how technology and identity shape our understanding of the future. Through the lens of Afrofuturism, I challenge us to rethink conventional notions of progress and to imagine more inclusive and equitable futures.

The exhibition is designed for a diverse audience who wants to explore the intersection of technology, identity, and the future. To engage visitors, the exhibition features panel discussions and artist talks. "Projected Visions" is part of a larger cultural conversation about the role of art in shaping our understanding of the future. By showcasing innovative and thought-provoking works, the exhibition aims to contribute to this conversation and inspire viewers to imagine new possibilities for the future.

Trailer (link)

Exhibition Example:

Festival Name: Oh Baltimore (Will you ever learn?)
Festival Date: May 20, 2023
Festival Location: Baltimore, MD, JHU Campus

Curatorial Statement: During the late 60’s, the city of Baltimore used their power to displace nearly 2,000 minority residents to build the highway to nowhere, with the city providing no meaningful investments for decades. Now in the present time, they are repeating the same action again by taking properties only one block away to give to developers though the owners object. The purpose of this festival is to show how redlining in Baltimore city negatively impacts residents in all class systems.

Films such as 12 O’Clock Boys, The Wire, and Homicide: Life on the street will be screened at my festival. They will shed light on the contrasting disparities of Baltimore neighborhoods and its inequities in the funding of infrastructure. Join us May 20, 2023, between 2-5 PM to show the negative impact of investors. Thank you all in advance and can't wait to meet everyone.

It's a Bop Fest

It’s a bold, open, playful, innovative, and transformative film festival. It’s a Bop Fest is for short, curated films and series that celebrate the common elements between films and games and that engage with viewers on multiple levels. Our selections are designed to be an experience that the audience actively participates in, immersing themselves in the story and the world created by the filmmaker. They feel addictive, creative, interactive, and immersive. They’re gutsy, parodies, and full of unexpected twists and turns. Additionally, these works use irony and reversal to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling and explore challenging themes and narratives that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you thinking long after the credits roll. It’s a Bop Fest accepts short and medium-length films and series from all genres, including but not limited to animations, mockumentaries, experimental and hybrid works. Durations are up to 2 hours and 22 minutes. At It’s a Bop Fest, we provide artists, creatives and filmmakers with the opportunity to introduce and discuss their films in front of a live audience and do a Q&A. We also offer awards with actual trophies. Join us on this adventurous journey where the line between reality and imagination is blurred and anything is possible. Tickets are just $10. Let's play with film in a whole new way!

Kaniaya Rice

Festival Name: To Be Demolished Film Festival
Festival Date: May 20th, 2023
Festival Location: Baltimore, MD
Festival Theme: Humility

Curatorial Statement: Throughout life, some of us encounter moments that make us feel as if we are characters in our own never-ending films. SPOILER ALERT: We are not. Well, maybe for some folks…

In an effort to escape their realities, some turn to the alternate universes of cartoons or animated films. (At least that’s the norm for the curator of TBDFF.) To combine these two worlds, the To Be Demolished Film Festival (TBDFF) was born. TBDFF is where mixed media short films break the barriers of the 4th wall. The basis of the festival is to show and portray moral life lessons, involving the audience in the process.

We are looking for short film submissions of up to 20 minutes. These short films should integrate elements of mixed media and/or virtual reality, involving both animation and real-life imagery. These short films should also incorporate a moral lesson on this year’s theme of humility within the film's story.  

Chandler Walters

Welcome to the Chameleon Film Festival, celebrating the art and adaptation of book tropes. Our festival showcases a selection of films that identify and explore the various tropes that are commonly seen in literature. From the ever-popular "hero's journey" and "underdog story" to the more nuanced "unreliable narrator" and "enemies to lovers," our festival seeks to highlight the power of tropes in creative storytelling. By examining how these literary devices shape the cinematic works we present, we hope to shed light on how the use of tropes can create rich and complex narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Our festival is a celebration of the beautiful marriage between literature and film, text and imagination, and we invite viewers to engage in thoughtful conversation about the symbiotic relationship between these art forms. Join us on this journey as we explore the endless possibility of creative literary adaptation.