TOWSON, MD—The 2022 BCPS Film Expo event showcased films produced by Baltimore County Public Schools students from 11 schools.

Held on May 17 at The Senator Theatre, the BCPS Film Expo is Baltimore County’s largest student film competition. In its seventh year, the competition attracted 158 film, GIF, and poster entries from six middle schools and 16 high schools. Seventeen films were selected as favorites by the competition judges and were awarded prizes.

“As our Film Expo continues to grow, I want to thank all of the students who entered the competition for sharing their creativity and diligence as well as our educators for teaching the skills demonstrated in these projects,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “The competition provides a wonderful platform for students from around the county to showcase their artistic vision and technical ability.”

The following (unranked) prizes were awarded for 2022:

Documentary

• Milo Kolb, Hereford High School – “An Axe to Grind”
• Kayla Mobley, Randallstown High School – “My Black is Beautiful”

Live Action Narrative

• Kaitlin Lambros, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology – “In my head”
• David Jeremiah Lovo, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology – “TREAD”
• Brooke Parker, George Washington Carver Center for Arts & Technology – “The Last of Us”

Animation

• Vivian Akpala, Bamen Alenkhe, Mustafa Badra, Lamont Benson, Mekhi Brandon, Breonna Carter, Shawn Dawson, Janine Domacene, Isiah Fairchild-Hickson, Alani Johnson, Jaden Jones, Jayla Lammin-Coates, Briana Martinez, Kaleiah Myers, Hayley Palmer, Yamuna Pati, Marvin Sanglay, Rashon Scott, Axel Smith, Hannah Spinnato, Nicole Tela, Daniellah Wambui, Dylan Washington, and Lee Wilkins, Parkville High School – “Dance”
• Natalie Lumaro, Parkville High School – “The Jar”

Experimental

• Edward Bauer, Eastern Technical High School – “The Mirage Behind the Mask”
• Clare Hammond, Hereford High School – “Delusion”

Promotional

• Elijah Miller, Lansdowne High School – “Play Bocce Ball”

Short Form

• Kyllen Gilliam, Re’ghan Johnson, Amari Martin, and Regina Payouway, New Town High School –“Find Your Peace”
• Newell Glasser – Pine Grove Middle School – “Getting Ready”

Animated GIF

• Eman Fatima, Malaika James, and Erica Wakpar, Owings Mills High School – “#42 Students in Boxes”
• Annette Mercado-Williams, Hereford High School – “The Diver”

Middle School Animation

• Jackson Di Pietro, Perry Hall Middle School – “The Breaking Stone”

Middle School Live Action Narrative

• Morgan Avery, Za’Riyah Grady, Alisson Espino Lopez, and Elva Navarrette, Pikesville Middle School – “When Life Happens”

Middle School Animated GIF

• Myl Sabanal, Perry Hall Middle School – “Start Game”

External judges for the 2022 competition were Phil Davis, associate professor, digital art and animation, Towson University; Debbie Dorsey, director, Baltimore Film Office; David Egan, film and television editor and BCPS alum; Christopher Ernst, associate professor of film and moving image, Stevenson University; Vin Grabill, associate professor – emeritus, cinematic arts, UMBC; Jamie Gross, film and television editor; Steve Miller, artist and media professional; Tim Nohe, professor, visual arts, UMBC; Jeff Otradovec, The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts; and Nate Sager, director of admissions, The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts.

The 2022 Expo Committee was comprised of the following BCPS educators: Jason Adelung, Western School of Technology; Khalid Ali, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology; Joel Baldwin, Perry Hall Middle School; Sarah Deacon, Perry Hall Middle School; Leonard Foust Chesapeake High School; Alex Garove, Owings Mills High School; Jermaine Gordon, Loch Raven High School; Kathryn Knight, Parkville Middle School; Rebecca Meiller-McCullagh, Eastern Technical High School; Brandon Nicklas, Lansdowne High School; Jayme Rodriguez, Sudbrook Magnet Middle School; Sam Tillman, Hereford High School; Ryan Twentey , BCPS Office of Visual Arts; Rachel Valsing, Towson High School; and Chris Wojcik, Dundalk High School.