Sharing Works-in-Progress

Disclosure: I have to say right off that Baltimore filmmaker Matt Porterfield's wife, Sara Gerrish, was my son's kindergarten teacher. But even if I didn't know his wife -- and his father, educator and playwright Gordon Porterfield -- I would still have been moved by "Hamilton" when I saw it at the Maryland Film Festival a few years ago. Porterfield will be showing newly shot footage from his latest project, "Metal Gods," joined by other local filmmakers sharing some of their own works-in-progress Friday, May 8, 3:30-4:45 pm at the festival.

The other filmmakers joining him:

Ramona Diaz, whose documentary on Imelda Marcos managed, I think, to be one that would appeal to Mrs. Marcos' loyal subjects as well as to those who are, well, less sympathetic. Diaz is now making a film about teachers from the Philippines who have been recruited to teach in Baltimore City Public Schools.

and

Kurt Kolaja, who showed a film at the festival a few years ago about turning an old barn into his new home. Kurt's film was touching and funny, and most of all, beautifully shot, which can happen when the filmmaker is already a highly respected cinematographer.