Press

It’s Thursday night in Baltimore, and a crowd is making a beeline from The Charles Theatre to the New/Next Film Festival’s opening night party across the street at Metro Baltimore.

Lukas Armstrong-Laird reports from Baltimore’s hottest indie film fest.

Begun as a scrappy response to the Maryland Film Festival cancelling its edition in 2023, New/Next held its third run in Baltimore from October 2 to 5 and has already announced that the festival will be back next fall.

Another reason for the move: avoiding overlap with other local fall movie festivals such as the New/Next Film Festival.

Photojournalist J.M. Giordano stayed out late with filmmakers and fans as they mingled and recapped their favorite screenings.

Not even a week after the 2025 New/Next Film Festival has passed, organizers have announced it will return for a fourth installment in the fall of 2026.

I love well-made, purely archival documentaries.

In the new documentary André Is an Idiot, protagonist André Ricciardi is, in fact, something of an idiot. He is also much more than that: a husband, father, brother, friend creative advertising producer, and general fount of sardonic irreverence.

Written by: Christopher Llewellyn Reed | October 5th, 2025; OBEX (Albert Birney, 2025) 4 out of 5 stars

Two independent film festivals, New/Next and the Baltimore International Black Film Festival, are screening dozens of films in Baltimore and Pikesville this weekend, highlighting local stories and diverse voices.

Midday at the Movies is live at the 2025 New Next Film Festival here at the historic Charles Theatre in Baltimore.

The New/Next Film Fest is back for its third iteration, running October 2-5, with more than 30 features and over 40 shorts.