A big surprise at the Annapolis Film Festival Poster Release Party: an anonymous donor is matching up to $10,000 in donations that will help underserved youth in Anne Arundel County attend the Annapolis Film Festival.
The Annapolis Film Festival is the city’s most inclusive and largest arts event all year. However, a lack of awareness and limited resources prevent many area youth from attending. “Raising these funds helps eliminate barriers of entry and provides kids who wouldn’t ordinarily have the means to attend, access to the Fest. It gives underserved teens a bigger world and a greater vision of what is possible for their future,” said Festival Director Lee Anderson.
“We’ll be working alongside the Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County to determine who will benefit most from the student passes,” said Festival Director Patti White.
Twenty-year-old DaJuan Gay spoke with passion to Poster Release Party attendees at the Metropolitan Kitchen and Lounge about how the Annapolis Film Festival has impacted his life. “Film has pushed me to see life differently, think without hurdles and hit bigger goals,” said Gay, who ran for office at 19 years old.
The newly released art for the 2018 Annapolis Film Festival will be plastering the city soon. Illustrator Joe Barsin of Citizen Pride has been the Festival’s “brand keeper” for the past six years. “My goal is always to focus on the city. This year I wanted to focus on its diversity. Through films we hear new voices, but only if minds are open,” said Barsin, championing the Festival’s new theme: Voices Strong and Minds Open.
The deadline to “Double Your Dollar Donation” is Tues. Jan. 30, 2018 by midnight.
