Traditionally a springtime event, this year’s Maryland Film Festival (MdFF) will instead take place during the fall.The 26th annual MdFF will be held from Nov. 5 – 9, 2025. The new timing is intended to line up with the academic calendar to better allow for interaction with students and educational institutions, while continuing to celebrate independent film and emerging filmmakers.The festival will continue to celebrate its springtime roots, which was memorialized during their landmark 25th anniversary by Gov. Wes Moore declaring May 2nd as Maryland Film Festival Day. MdFF will honor the day with special activities that emphasize the festival’s cultural significance and impact, even while it transitions to a new tradition of taking place in the fall.KJ Mohr, who was recently appointed Director of Maryland Film Festival & Year-Round Film Programming at the SNF Parkway Theatre, was deeply involved in this change.“Notably, the move to fall gives us the opportunity to better engage with student filmmakers and college film programs in Baltimore and beyond, and we will be inaugurating a new student film sidebar in 2025, in keeping with our commitment to emerging filmmakers and our role as a preeminent discovery festival,” Mohr said. “We remain committed to the short form and to our role as a hub for emerging filmmakers, as well as cinematic discovery, be it through new formats or innovations in moving image storytelling.”The 26th Maryland Film Festival will have a dedicated student film section, will see the return of the opening night shorts program, and will continue to emphasize cutting-edge discussions and technology in film at the CineTech showcase.The SNF Parkway Theatre will remain the festival’s home base, hosting screenings, panels, and events showcasing local and international talent.For more information on the Maryland Film Festival, click this link.