Fest News: Maryland Film Festival’s World & US premieres announced!

MdFF always has a really cool slate o’ films on tap. This year’s no different, including the world premiers of Princess Cyd and Dr. Brinks & Dr. Brinks, and the U.S. premieres of Werewolf and The Stairs.

The Maryland Film Festival is here in B’more May 3rd through 7th. Read on for all the details!

The Maryland Film Festival is excited to feature world premieres of two excellent narrative feature works, Princess Cyd and Dr. Brinks & Dr. Brinks as well as the U.S. premieres of the uncompromising narrative feature Werewolf and the documentary feature The Stairs. Visit our Film Guide to learn more about these films and purchase tickets.

Princess Cyd – World Premiere (Narrative Feature)
DIRECTOR/HOST Stephen ConeEager to escape life with her depressive single father, 16-year-old athlete Cyd Loughlin visits her novelist aunt in Chicago over the summer. While there, she falls for a girl in the neighborhood, even as she and her aunt gently challenge each other in the realms of sex and spirit. From the director of Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party, which world premiered within MdFF 2015.
Thursday, May 4, 8:00pm – MICA Gateway
Friday, May 5, 11:30am – MICA Gateway
Saturday, May 6, 4:40pm – Parkway 3

Dr. Brinks & Dr. Brinks – World Premiere (Narrative Feature)
DIRECTOR Josh Crockett
PRESENTED BY Josh Crockett and Kristin SlaysmanThis excellent dark comedy is a must-see for anyone who wants an entertaining distraction from all of the heaviness in the world. This is the first feature film from filmmaking duo Josh Crockett (director/ co-writer/editor) and Kristin Slaysman (producer/lead actor). Marcus and Michelle Brinks reunite at the funeral for their parents, crazy aid workers who rarely stuck around to do any parenting. As their lawyer sorts out the convoluted estate of the globe-trotting doctors, who may not be the angels they were thought to be, the siblings turn their lives and relationships into chaos while reckoning with their shared past. The movie is about pain, loss, sex, ego…about the search for real family and the strong pull of roots. It’s hard to be the children of saints. The first feature from the director of such short films as Dogsbody (MdFF 2016).
Thursday, May 4, 7:40pm – Parkway 2
Friday, May 5, 4:50pm – MICA Gateway
S unday, May 7, 5:15pm – Parkway 2

Werewolf – U.S. Premiere (Narrative Feature)
DIRECTOR/HOST Ashley McKenzie

MdFF is extremely proud to present the U.S. premiere of Werewolf, which has screened to great acclaim at such prestigious festivals as TIFF and the Berlinale. Made with a micro-budget and a small crew, the end results are a remarkable achievement. With her vivid characters and haunting storytelling, Ashley McKenzie establishes herself as one of the most exciting names in Canadian cinema. Werewolf is a startling feature debut centered upon a young and addicted homeless couple, Blaise and Nessa, living on the margins of society in a small Canadian town. Each day they push a rusty lawnmower door-to-door begging to cut grass. Nessa plots an escape, while Blaise lingers closer to collapse. Tethered to one another, their getaway dreams are kept on a suffocatingly short leash.
Thursday, May 4, 9:45pm – Parkway 3
Friday, May 5, 10:00pm – MICA Gateway

The Stairs – U.S. Premiere (Documentary Feature)
DIRECTOR/HOST Hugh Gibson

The Stairs tells the story of Marty, Greg and Roxanne, each of whom survived decades of street-involvement. Using their experiences to ease the paths of others, each performs social work in their old neighborhood, while struggling to maintain their newly-found stability. Told over five years, The Stairs is a non-judgmental character study of life on society’s margins. Defying stereotypes through intimate portraits, its remarkable subjects are by turns surprising, funny, shocking and moving.
Friday, May 5, 7:05pm – Parkway 3
Sunday, May 7, 2:40pm – Parkway 2

Tickets are on sale now at mdfilmfest.com. Tickets may also be purchased during the festival at the Tent Village Box Office as well as at festival venues.