Born in Baltimore celebrates new voices in cinema and photographic arts.
Filmmakers and photographers of all ages whose work is of, from, and about Baltimore are invited to submit. The Festival seeks images, sounds, and textures that are uniquely Baltimore; the music, the faces, the stories of our city and its citizens, past and present, young and old, native and newly arrived.
For the 2023 Festival, in addition to regional work reflecting on Baltimore subject matter and themes, Born in Baltimore welcomes still and moving portrait submissions from across the globe: self-portraits, profiles, studio, candid, indirect, environmental, street, experimental, and more!
Born in Baltimore is a production of Baltimore Youth Film Arts,
an affiliate program of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at
Johns Hopkins University. It is made possible by the financial support of Johns Hopkins and the Mellon Foundation.
2023 FESTIVAL GALLERY
WINNERS
"(No Squeegees Please),” Kevin Cook
WINNER, JUDGES’ AWARD, PHOTOGRAPHY, 1ST PLACE
WINNER, AUDIENCE AWARD
The Renaissance is Black,
Denzel Xango Mitchell III
WINNER, JUDGES’ AWARD, FILM,
1ST PLACE
Paralysis, Maceo Tendaji
WINNER, AUDIENCE AWARD
WINNER, JUDGES’ AWARD, FILM,
3rd PLACE
Artist Profile: Alexandria Wingate,
Tahir Juba
WINNER, AUDIENCE AWARD
FINALIST, JUDGES’ AWARD, FILM
Untitled, Jake Batchelder
WINNER, JUDGES’ AWARD,
PHOTOGRAPHY, 2ND PLACE
Mosaic, Ashley Arbaugh, Nic Djossou, Lujane Elkhatib, Kelly Hom, Jam Johnson, Mark Medija, Corrie Parks, Steph Patrizio, Alex Schobitz, Taryn Tater, Barsat Thapa, Hanna Tran, Talia Trunk, Jocelyn Truong, Wei Yan, Vivian Yeh (UMBC Animation)
WINNER, JUDGES’ AWARD, FILM,
2ND PLACE
"Building Hope," Mary Braman
WINNER, JUDGES’ AWARD, PHOTOGRAPHY, 3RD PLACE
FINALISTS
"Pop Pop and Nana's House,"
Everdon Banton
FINALIST, JUDGES’ AWARD, PHOTOGRAPHY
Moonlight, Zichen Chang
FINALIST, JUDGES’ AWARD, FILM
"Jesse," Caron Stewart
FINALIST, JUDGES’ AWARD, PHOTOGRAPHY
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
Dirt, Valerie Abrego Amaya
"Seen on Greenmount," Khadim Baluch
"Summer Daze," Kisha Bates
"Unbreakable Bonds," Venus Bayat
"Lewis Sharpe Hero, Miracle Gardener," Phyllis Berger
"Sunny Afternoon," Michael Bielawa
"Shadow Play,” Ro Brooks
"A Snowy Day in the Hanlon Park Community," Leon Brown
The Heart of Baltimore (film), Orianna Brunson
Lost in Pacman (film), Emilia Cieslak
"Grandma's Prayer," Alisha Coates
Busheler of Baltimore, Michael Davenport
"Resilience," Deja Dennis
The Lunatics, Jim Doran
"FTP," Darrius Fox
Inner Harbor Walkers, Dan Gutwein
"She's Got the Whole World in Her Hands," Sumantha Halder
"Hijab," Hossein Javadzadeh
"Self-Love," Chomi Kani-Goba
Siyah Kalem (film), Moosa Khan
"Youth," Roman Kosh
Behind the Brand: Baltimore Passion in Painting, Bre Lang (The Bold Productions)
Wild Birds (film), Estefany Lara
"Father and Son, Fort McHenry,"
Walter Levy
"Flying High,” Sandy Nichols
Black Snow - Part III: The Apocalypse, Conrad Murphy, Rayne Polkowski
Matchstick, Oscar Andres Nicholson
Don't Clock Out, Victoire Polsky
"Ms. Lashondra at Patterson Park,"
Niajea Randolph
"Flow," Marvin Roxas
"Raza Pura," Britney Simbana-J
"Red 3," Derrick Smith
Another Yitzhak, Dina Stescovich
Love (film), Nenad Teofilovic, Stefan Teofilovic
Burnout, Ma'issa Wright-Kerr
ADDITIONAL OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
“ALt CuLt,” Kyra Carroll
“Almost a Life,” Shreyo Chowdhury
“Shoe Dance,” Mani Fabian-Perez
“Uyghur Reeducation Camp Survivor,” Yadikar Ibraimov
“Fuck Comfort <3,” Miatta Kani-Goba
“Together,” Ryan Lyons
“Captain,” A’Mia M
“Mountain Child,” Hamed Asgharzadeh Marghmaleki
“Fisherman’s Day,” Srinibash Upadu
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
The Festival seeks images, sounds, and textures that are uniquely Baltimore. In addition to regional work reflecting on Baltimore subject matter and themes, Born in Baltimore welcomes still and moving portrait submissions from across the globe: self-portraits, profiles, studio, candid, indirect, environmental, street, experimental, and more!
Capture your world and your vision on film, and share with a wide audience. We want to hear from you!
Born in Baltimore will consider photographs, short films, and short shorts. Photography submissions are limited to 3 images. Films must be between 30 seconds and 10 minutes in length. Short shorts are non-narrative videos 10 to 30 seconds long, and must be a single take with incidental sound only. Films in all languages will be considered. Dialogue in languages other than English should be accompanied by subtitles. (Short shorts don’t require subtitles.)
Documentary, fiction, animated, and experimental films; music videos; and stand-alone excerpts from longer works are all welcome. Artists are encouraged to use their best judgement when submitting material featuring illegal activity, explicit sexuality, or explicit violence. Films and photographs with strong sexual content or gratuitous, graphic violence may not be accepted.
All entries must be original. Use of any third party materials, including third-party prose, song lyrics, photography, or video requires permission of the copyright owner. Filmmakers are encouraged to use their own original music or music created by their friends. This is an opportunity to get your work out there where it can be heard!
JUDGING
Submitted films and photographs will be judged by professional filmmakers and photographers living and working in Baltimore.
Finalists for Judges' Awards will be posted on the website, and both Judges’ Awards and Audience Awards will be announced during the Festival.
TIMELINE
Submissions are now closed.
March 24: SUBMISSIONS OPEN.
May 8: EXTENDED DEADLINE!
June 2: Accepted filmmakers and photographers notified.
June 9: Program and Finalists for Judges' Awards announced on the Festival website.
JUNE 25: BORN IN BALTIMORE FESTIVAL, 2-5 PM, Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave, Baltimore, MD 21224 (map).
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By submitting to the Born in Baltimore Film & Photography Festival entrants agree to all guidelines and terms. There is no fee to submit and artists of any level of experience may enter. All entries must be the work of the artist submitting them. All makers of all projects must agree to the artwork being exhibited. All creative personnel for each project must be credited.
Use of any third party materials, including but not limited to third-party prose, song lyrics, photography, or video requires permission of the copyright owner. It is the sole responsibility of the Entrant to secure such permission. The Born in Baltimore Film & Photography Festival expressly disavows any responsibility for, and will not be held responsible for, any unauthorized inclusion of any copyrighted content or materials within or relating to the submitted artwork, including any content or materials that are or may become the basis for any third party claims for copyright infringement.
To be exhibited on the website, entrants must submit a release. Releases for entrants under 18 must be signed by a parent or legal guardian. Sample release.
