Dramas, Docs and Shorts in Annapolis

4-Day Festival Has 94 Films And a New Site

More than 90 films will be shown tomorrow evening through Monday at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, the Annapolis Harbour Center's Crown Theatres and Bowie State University in the fourth annual Annapolis Film Festival.

Organizers Maria Triandos, Demetrea Triantafillides and Ken Arnold have been screening films, securing sponsors and planning filmmaker panels since January. Last year's festival attracted more than 3,000 people, and this year's could exceed that, with Bowie State added as a site.

"Our films are good, our content is good and our programming is good," said Triandos, an Annapolis resident who is married to Arnold and is a sister of Triantafillides.

More than 500 films were submitted through http://www.withoutabox.com , where filmmakers can apply to more than 2,900 film festivals.

The organizers reviewed the films with a selection committee and scored them on three criteria: technical, which includes sound, lighting and editing; acting; and narrative. They also considered a vital fourth component.

"We want the audience to enjoy it," Triandos said.

This year's lineup includes nine feature films, nine documentaries, 50 short films, 10 short documentaries and 16 animations.

The Washington Post watched five of the films and spoke with the filmmakers.

'The Shovel'

Nick Childs's short thriller sends a clear message: Some things are better left buried. Paul Mullin, who is visiting his country home, is played by David Strathairn. Mullin becomes curious when his neighbor is digging a hole late one night.

The suspenseful tale was shot over two days in upstate New York. The film won best narrative short at New York's Tribeca and Woodstock film festivals.

"The reality for shorts is that I want to get as many people to see the film as possible," Childs said. "That is what I love."