Free Drive-In Movie Series at Ocean City Convention Center Will Feature OC Film Challenge on September 1

The Ocean City Film Festival will wrap up its summer drive-in movie series at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center on September 1 at 8 p.m. Several films will be shown, all of which are from the 3rd Annual OC Film Challenge.

The OC Film Challenge encourages filmmakers across the region to create works about Ocean City.

Admission is free, and vehicles can easily social distance in the large parking lot. The film night will run for under two hours.

Films

Short films that will be screened include:

• Melvin’s Curse – David Mears (1st Place) – Two guys get cursed by Melvin, a merman (mermaid but a guy) who is tired of the lack of respect he gets on a daily basis.
• Escape 2020 – Derek Silver (2nd Place) – Stricken by anxiety, depression, and paranoia, a couple attempts to escape 2020, if only momentarily by taking a day trip to the beach.
• The Misadventures of Local Man – Dillon Thune, Andrew Kleinstuber, and Mack Gray (3rd Place) – A local worker, laid off due to the growing Corona Virus crisis, finds himself thrust into the role of vigilante. Local Man dons his suit by night and vows to protect his hometown from misdemeanor offenses.
• Kaw-Liga – Trevor Taylor (2018 Challenge Winner) – A man ponders existence at the Ocean City inlet, meeting a mysterious fate.
• Time Flies – Campos Media (2019 Challenge Winner) – Children fantasize about the day they can fly in the Ocean City Air Show.
• I Surf the Body Electric – Gregg Rosner – If poet Walt Whitman were alive today, loved the ocean as a body surfer, listened to punk rock music, and kept a video notebook of his untethered life.
• Regeneration – Chelsea Thaler – An experimental tribute to Ingmar Bergman.
• Sea Sick – Brandon Danganan – Each summer, I spent my days working in Ocean City helping the community thrive for the tourist season. While Ocean City is a great place to bring the family and have some fun, unfortunately, people come down to the beach and leave more than just their footprint in the sand. And sometimes, it’s not just the visitors but also the people that call Ocean City home that flurry it with trash. Seeing the beauty of Ocean City covered with bits of trash is part of what inspired me to create this short film to raise environmental awareness around trash pollution.
• They Breed Us to Feed – B.L. Strang-Moya – At the drive-in, a young man ponders his existential fears surrounding life in a resort town.

Following the conclusion of the short films, there will be a screening of Terry Sterner’s “Ash Wednesday Storm,” which details the powerful 1933 hurricane that resulted in the creation of the Ocean City Inlet.

William “B.L.” Strang-Moya, Founder and Creative Director of the Ocean City Film Festival, is excited to share the unique local films with the public. “All of these films were produced exclusively this summer. These movies are the most Ocean City-specific content you can find. All of the filmmakers have different backgrounds, and it is cool to see people produce content of this caliber,” said Strang-Moya. “It’s a new experience, and it’s about being a member of our artist community as we build the culture of Ocean City.” While some may be apprehensive about seeing these new local films, Strang-Moya encourages people to have an open mind. “The movies are not out of Hollywood, but it is all about supporting the community and experiencing something exclusive to the Town of Ocean City,” Strang-Moya said.

“These movies are all so different, and that’s what’s so wonderful about them,” said Elaine Bean, Marketing and Communications Director at the Art League of Ocean City.

For more information, call (410) 524-9433 or click here.