the movie party

in a post industrial city sixteen car lot between a three story commercial rowhouse and a four story garage among dry cleaners and metal clubs and pricey restaurants a masquerade of merchants generals sailors steelworkers storytellers healers and survivalists mingle in costumes from around north america and the world in front of a mural in brick and mortar as it begins to move change speed up slow down darken explode clarify and fade. they chat orate gesture swoon and watch to understand what is dying and what is being born but agree on a definitive statement with an unexpected twist

movie house at sunrise
(the maryland film festival, after fits and starts under different titles spanning almost thirty years, began in 1999 with the charles theater as the venue, after an opening screening at the senator)