Nestled on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay less than an hour away from Washington D.C., Annapolis is best known for its rich colonial, African-American, and naval history. As a vacation destination, it charms its tourists with many restaurants, museums, and galleries. The film festival has had an extraordinary first seven years screening at unique venues in the town's historic district. All venues are walkable within the city center and provide filmmakers with a high-quality digital presentation.
Having to host the eighth year of the festival online right at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Annapolis Film Festival remained a well-attended event virtually. It was embraced by the audience in Annapolis who eagerly adapted to the virtual presentations. For 2021, the festival is planning a hybrid festival that includes some outdoor screenings as well as an online component. The festival will monitor the health situation to see if any other screenings at venues will be possible.
The Annapolis Film Festival is seeking an approximate total of 75 films to be shown April 8 - 11, 2021. The festival is known for its quality slate and a strong line-up of both documentary and narrative films (both short and feature-length) from emerging and established filmmakers. We present a balanced program consisting of films with a common emphasis on storytelling excellence and/or innovative vision and cinematic artistry.
In addition to our commitment to screen the newest acclaimed films and premieres, we are also interested in films with nautical and environmental themes, films highlighting diverse cultures including African American, Latino, Asian and Jewish experiences as well as LGBTQ and women-centric perspectives.
This year we will present Jury Awards and Audience Awards for our Best Narrative Short and Documentary Short. A select number of films in each category will be nominated and judged by a jury of industry professionals. Juried films will be awarded for displaying exceptional creativity, originality, and skill in script, direction, acting and high-quality production values.
Past guests have included iconic director Rob Reiner (LBJ), esteemed documentarian Albert Maysles (Grey Gardens, Gimme Shelter), actress Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), actor Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice), actor Rory Culkin (Gabriel), Independent Spirit Award-winning filmmakers Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West) and Joshua Marston (Come Sunday, Maria Full of Grace), Oscar-winning screenwriter David S. Ward (The Sting), and noted speaker/writer/producer Ambassador Shabazz.
Oscar-nominated actress Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) and director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) were slated to attend the 2020 Opening night with their film Military Wives, but had to cancel due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The AFF continues to strengthen the reputation of our festival by bringing top films to this beautiful city and to invite filmmakers to showcase global perspectives and independent thought to a community that truly embraces the art of filmmaking. Visiting filmmakers have been thrilled with the community's response. One filmmaker claimed, "this festival has the smartest audiences and the most community engagement we have seen on the festival circuit".
The mission of the Annapolis Film Festival is to encourage and grant the development of all aspects of the creative arts in and around Annapolis through the cinema experience. With independent films, panels and special showcases that will inspire, enlighten and entertain diverse audiences on a variety of topics, the festival will ensure the promotion of Annapolis as a cultural arts center. It will also define the economic impact on the town as community engagement broadens.
Due to the struggles caused by Covid-19 pandemic, the Annapolis Film Festival has reduced our entry fees for filmmakers this year.
Juried Narrative Short
Juried Documentary Short
Audience Award - Narrative Short
Audience Award - Documentary Short