McDaniel Cinema

More than 125 students, faculty, staff, friends, alumni, and family rotated through the audience in Decker Auditorium during the McDaniel Cinema Showcase on Thursday May 7, 2026, watching the world premiere of seven 20-minute films written and directed by this year’s graduating Cinema majors. The three hour event featured three documentaries and four fictional narratives, including a comedy about a contentious 11-hour road trip with two sisters, and a deep, nonfiction dive into the challenges created by new AI data centers. Each screening was followed by a brief Q&A with the filmmaker and their cast and crew. The night wrapped up with a toast to the filmmakers presented by Professor of Communication & Cinema Jonathan Slade. Congratulations to all our emerging cinematic storytellers!

TONIGHT: Thursday May 7, 2026 @ 6pm! See what these filmmakers have created at this year’s McDaniel Cinema Showcase!

Got some coverage in Carroll Magazine!

Student filmmakers to premiere seven films at McDaniel College Cinema Showcase - Carroll News | Carroll Publications | Carroll County, MD edited by Nikola Tzenov McDaniel College will host its annual Cinema Showcase on Thursday, May 7, featuring seven world premiere films by student filmmakers. The event begins at 6 p.m. in Decker Auditorium and is free and open to the public. The program includes three documentaries and four fictiona...

McDaniel Cinema Showcase 2026
Thursday May 7 @ 6pm
Decker Auditorium
McDaniel College
Free. Open to the Public.
7 world premiere films: 3 documentaries. 4 fictional narratives.
**Some films contain adult language, themes, and violence that might not be suitable for all viewers.**

Welcome and Opening: 6pm

"Thank You, America!" by Sabina Alvarez Prats [Documentary. 24 min.]
An in-depth look into the lives of immigrants from around the world who have come to the United States, and the complex hardships of experiencing cultural differences while living here.

"EASY KILL" by Charlie Hoyle [Thriller. 20 min]
Alex Emerson must question his belief that every person can be good when an old friend asks for his help solving a murder. When things go sideways, will Alex have what it takes to survive the night, or will he be an EASY KILL?

"You Gotta be Joking" by Jack Katunich [Documentary. Comedy. 22 min.]
The arc of an amateur comic was never going to be easy. One man explores his own identity through humor.

"Dream Sweep Memories" by Moonasia Williams [Psychological. Fantasy. 22 min.]
A 25-year-old nurse plagued by vivid recurring dreams must unravel the mystery of a familiar figure who calls him “my love” before the fabric between his dreams and reality disappears completely.

"On the Road Again" by Amiya Daye [Road Trip. Slice of Life. Comedy. 20 min.]
Tamera and her little sister Mackenzie aren’t close anymore, but an 11-hour road trip from Georgia to Maryland should fix that, right?

"Losing My Religion" by Terrin Bergschneider [Drama. Fantasy. 20 min.]
Robyn Tietjens is a college student who’s been through way too many traumatic events. After her uncle dies, she loses her faith in religion. Can Archangel Michael help restore it?

"Down The Line" by Irene Lasky [Documentary. Environmental. Social Impact. 25 min.]
A deep dive into the health, environmental, and property risks associated with AI data centers in Maryland, featuring landowners, activists, and a council member who oppose this development and the powerlines they bring.

Each screening will be followed by a brief Q&A with the filmmaker.

POSITION AVAILABLE: Assistant Professor of Cinema at McDaniel College. To start: August 2026. MFA or PHD in Cinema, Film & Television Production, or related field required.

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Four teams with three McDaniel filmmakers each competed in the first-ever Terror TV Spring Film Festival on Friday April 24, 2026. The competition began at 5pm where students met in the Lewis B4 TV Studio, chose teams, then selected a genre. Their 2-4 minute movies were then scripted, shot on campus, and edited in the Lewis G5 Mac lab over the next 5 hours, and finally screened and judged on narrative flow and production value in Decker Auditorium at 10:15pm. The top award went to “Ghosted,” a romance about a very anxious partner created by Lily Hoyle and Natalie Hutchinson. Winners got to choose from a variety of prizes including Lego sets. The blitzfest was organized by junior Cinema major Evan Miller with strong support from senior Cinema major Sabina Alvarez Prats. The student-run Terror TV production club hopes to host this event annually. Congratulations to all who competed!

Miriam Green, a senior Communication major at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland has been accepted to graduate school at The Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. Green thrived in her undergraduate Television Production course in Spring 2025, and went on to a successful internship in public access at the Carroll Community Media Center. She says she is particularly interested in telling stories about people who often get overlooked in day-to-day media coverage. Congratulations, Miriam!

Representing the arts at Scholars on the Hill today — Cinema, Theatre, and Studio Art. Looking for the next generation of creative storytellers!

Just a short walk down The Hill on Main Street: Carroll County Arts Council’s 2026 Foreign Film Festival

2-06-26 Anatomy of a Fall (France)

2-13-26 The Crime is Mine (France)

2-20-26 The Monk and the Gun (Bhutan)

2-27-26 The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Iran)

All films have a 1pm and 7:30pm screening. Tickets: $8-$10

https://carrollcountyartscouncil.org/events/category/foreign-film-festival/

Baltimore Sun article on the festival:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/02/05/foreign-film-festival-carroll/

Foreign Film Festival returns to Carroll, with the help of film lovers While the moviegoing experience has changed quite a bit since then, the love of film in Carroll County endures through a local group.

McDaniel Cinema alum Steven Angel, class of 2025, started an externship at Maryland Public Television in January 2026 where he will be working on a number of regional productions both in the edit suite and on location, including the station’s award-winning series “Maryland Farm & Harvest.” Congratulations to another Cinema graduate!