Film Fest Frenzy 2000

It's not Sundance, or Toronto, or Cannes. And we mean that as a compliment. The Maryland Film Festival, kicking off its second run April 27, is not one of those major international cinema events where seemingly every attendee has one ear glued to a cell phone and the other straining to catch the latest buzz. It's not about hype, or stargazing, or parties (although there'll be a few of those). Maybe someday it'll be about those things, and that will be fun. But at the moment, in its sophomore year, the Maryland Film Festival is about films--watching them, dissecting them, discussing them, loving or hating them, not wondering which one is going to snag a multimillion-dollar distribution deal.Oh, you're still likely to see lots of cell phones, plenty of publicists, and maybe even a few celebs, although we're not making any promises. What we can promise is a smorgasbord for any cinematic palate: more than 50 features and shorts programs spread over four days and nights, ranging from Hollywood classics (Lawrence of Arabia, The Wizard of Oz ) and rarely screened cult favorites (Cooley High, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle) to ripped-from-the-headlines documentaries (Good Kurds, Bad Kurds; The Fall of Newt Gingrich) and award-winning shorts (including the locally made and freshly Oscared King Gimp). And, of course, a bevy of brand-new indies from some exciting new talents. Sprinkled among the celluloid courses are panel discussions, appearances by many of the filmmakers, and musical performances by the likes of Jad Fair and Jonathan Richman.

It's a lot to digest. To help you sort it all out, we've compiled this film-fest buddy. Inside you'll find reviews of most of the scheduled films, stories spotlighting a few particularly noteworthy productions, and a handy festival schedule, suitable for pulling out, folding up, and carrying along for periodic consultation. You'll also find a chance to win one of four all-access passes (look to the right for details), giving you the run of the festival and the riches therein. And if you want to take a cell phone, well, that's fine by us. Just remember to turn it off when the movie starts, OK?

Film Fest Frenzy (not affiliated with the Maryland Film Festival) was written by James Michael Brodie, Lee Gardner, Ian Grey, Brennen Jensen, Heather Joslyn, Andy Markowitz, Eileen Murphy, Jack Purdy, Luisa F. Ribeiro, Tom Scocca, and Clay Smith. Richard Gorelick and Jill Sebra provided invaluable editorial assistance while remaining unaffiliated with the Maryland Film Festival. Cover photograph by Jefferson Jackson "Not Affiliated With the Maryland Film Festival" Steele. Heather Keeler posed for the cover, even though she is not affiliated with the Maryland Film Festival. Thanks to Jed Dietz, Gabriel Wardell, and the Maryland Film Festival crew, who are affiliated with themselves, for their cooperation.

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