Welcome, filmmakers, to the Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown. We are excited about our 11th year coming up on March 23rd-26th, 2023. We are Movie Magazine's top 50 festival worth their entry fee. For 10 years, we've been bringing in the finest films from around the world. The film festival became a 501(c)3 and launched in 2009 and now screens more than 100 films each year! Hollywood Director Joe Carnahan is our creative director, and has been a powerful partner with our festival! He has brought us such films as "The Grey" and "The A-Team" with Liam Neeson and just released Wheelman to Netflix which is getting RAVE reviews. He now has his own production company with Frank Grillo, and has recently signed a deal with Sony Entertainment to work on their Adaptation of 'UNCHARTED'. So join us! We look forward to having you screen at our 11th anniversary!

The festival is conveniently located downtown; we're in the middle of the arts and entertainment district. And after the films, we host some of the best after parties with live bands and fantastic food and drinks!

Below is a recent article about the festival! Copy and paste the link or read parts of the article below.

https://www.tvovermind.com/entertainment-news/director-joe-carnahan-praises-maryland-international-film-festival

It was my first time attending and sponsoring the festival.” Said Troy Lowman, CEO of SNM Global Holdings. “This is a very high-end event that is talent rich, so kudos to Tracie for running such a successful festival. We found one of our prized upcoming movie projects at the festival after an introduction with Jason Slawson. We start production on “Potential” in March 2018. I will continue to attend and sponsor the festival to support this plethora of upcoming directors and filmmakers. SNM is proud to be associated with this festival.” Said Lowman.

Hollywood director Joe Carnahan is the creative director for the festival. “It’s a great opportunity for directors and producers to get their work showcased. There are investors and production companies who attend the festival looking for new talent and we have seen many of the movies screened in 2017 go on to be hugely successful,” Says Carnahan.

“Embrace,” “Equal Means Equal,” “Last Call at Murray’s” are just some of the movies that have gone on to receive accolades nationally and internationally following the festival.

“It is such a tremendous honor to have Joe as part of our festival team. He always makes a big impression on the filmmakers that come into town. He is a wealth of information, and he takes time to talk to as many of the filmmakers and film festival attendees as possible. I believe because he is so generous with his time and accessible it makes our festival more popular than other festivals, which is another reason why Movie Maker Magazine recognized us.” Says Hovey.

Awards & Prizes

We offer to the winners some OUTSTANDING trophies for Best Feature, Best Short, Best Animation, Best Student, Best Documentary, Best Local Film, and Best Foreign Film!

Rules & Terms

Submission Guidelines: Entries must be submitted online, through FilmFreeway's online screener option.

Entry Fees: Checks or money orders must be made payable to Maryland International Film Festival.

Terms and conditions: The festival will accept works in progress but the final screener must be received 30 days prior to the festival should your film be selected. All entry fees paid are non refundable. Checks returned due to NSF will be assessed a $35 return check fee and may be assigned to collections. All entered films grant MDIFF non exclusive limited use agreement to use film titles or trailers or film posters for festival promotional use only including online, print, broadcast media to promote the festival and selected films to the industry and general public. Filmmakers fully retain all rights, title and interest in their films and all intellectual property. Official selection films must provide their final exhibition copy to the festival programming department 20 days prior to the festival. The Maryland International Film festival is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the festival for promotional purposes. The individual or corporation submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening, and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations. Any submitters shall indemnify and hold harmless the Maryland International Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses damages, and expenses (including but not limited to attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos.

50 Reviews
Overall Rating
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Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Alfred Melow

    we so much appreciate the selection though we did not go further but we belief next time will be better. had an amazing experience

    May 2023
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  • jack kohler

    Thannk you for including GIFT OF FEAR in this years festival. It was an honor.

    April 2023
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  • Monica Hoenig

    The festival organizers were such great help and really kind people. We can;t wait to do it again!

    April 2023
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  • Amir Zargara

    Thanks for having us :)

    April 2023
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  • Dave Habeeb

    I had a WONDERFUL time at the Maryland International Film Festival! The Maryland Theater is gorgeous, the festival is well-run, the opening ceremony was really professional and heartfelt, and we saw some really excellent films from a very diverse group of filmmakers. Everyone here was so welcoming, supportive, and fun. Downtown Hagerstown is really charming, too. Felt grateful to be a part of it and have my film, "Beautiful Was the Fight," screened. Thank you, Nikki Houser, and all of the festival organizers. You made the 8-hour drive from Boston worth it.

    April 2023
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