Courtesy of The Chesapeake Film Festival
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EASTON, MD — The Chesapeake Film Festival returns for its 19th season October 8–10, 2026, bringing 47 recently released independent films from around the world to three Easton venues: the Ebenezer Theater, Academy Art Museum, and Talbot County Free Library.
The three-day festival features compelling documentaries, narrative features, environmental films, student productions, shorts, family programming, Maryland and World premieres, filmmaker Q&As, and special events. There’s a ticket option for everyone! Choose from VIP All-Access Passes, Single Day Passes, Student Passes, or tickets to individual films and film blocks.
Tickets are on sale now! Plan your festival experience and secure your tickets today at chesapeakefilmfestival.com.
OPENING NIGHT — THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
The festival opens at the Ebenezer Theater with Dream, Touch, Believe, a Maryland Premiere directed by Jenna Naranjo Winters. The 85-minute documentary tells the inspiring story of Native American sculptor Michael Naranjo, who lost his eyesight as a young Vietnam War soldier. Despite this challenging setback, Naranjo went on to become an internationally acclaimed artist whose sculptures are held in museums, the White House, the Vatican, and private collections worldwide. A Q&A with Winters and Naranjo follows the screening.
The evening concludes with the VIP Reception — Premiere Night at Chesapeake, from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. VIP All Access Passes include reception attendance.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 — ENVIRONMENT, MARYLAND STORIES AND MORE
Friday programming at the Ebenezer Theater begins with “Land, Sea, and Sky,” an environmental program featuring A Black Rail’s Tale, Choptank Swallows, Bison Hero, The River’s Gift, and The Right Whale. The program explores wildlife, waterways, Indigenous communities, conservation, and the healing connections people have with the natural world. A Q&A follows with Shea Springer, sound designer for Black Rail’s Tale and Dave Harp, director of Choptank Swallows moderated by Irene Magafan, President, Chesapeake Film Festival.
Friday evening brings “Voices for the Wild,” featuring Frozen Frames: Murphy’s Yellowstone and Lifeblood: Chesapeake River Stories. Lifeblood, directed by Sarah Sampson, explores the waterways that shape and sustain the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Sampson will participate in a Q&A moderated by Severn Smith, CFF Board Member and executive at The Nature Conservancy.
At the Talbot County Free Library, Friday programming includes a wonderful shorts program “Stories with Big Heart” including the Made in the Maryland film, The Perfect Stranger followed by “Spotlight on Maryland,” featuring the documentary feature Heartbeat Behind the Badge. The film follows law enforcement officers and surviving family members participating in a 300-mile bicycle journey during National Police Week. A Q&A follows with director Vickie Warehime and producer, Rick Kain of Heartbeat Behind the Badge and Steven Ford of The Perfect Stranger.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 — STUDENTS, FAMILIES, ART, AND CLOSING PROGRAMS
Saturday begins at the Ebenezer Theater with “Empowering an Emerging Generation,” a student film program featuring four works addressing environmental connection, relationships, climate change, and homelessness.
The Family Films — Big Dreams and Adventures program includes the Maryland Premiere of Couture to the Max, about nine-year-old fashion prodigy Max Alexander, followed by Ring of Kibo, a Maryland-focused narrative adventure feature. A Q&A with directors Vincent De Paul and Kimberly Skyrme will be moderated by Cid Collins Walker, Executive Director, Chesapeake Film Festival.
The afternoon continues with the 10th Anniversary presentation of TRI, directed by Jai Jamison, TRI – Natalie, an ultrasound technician with a history of leaving things unfinished, is inspired by a cancer patient to take on an unexpected challenge: training for a triathlon. Along the way, she discovers the demanding and colorful world of triathletes—and, with the support of new teammates, learns just how far she can push herself, both physically and mentally, followed by a Q&A with Ted Adams III, executive producer and Kimberly Skyrme, producer.
The festival concludes at the Ebenezer Theater with the Maryland Premiere of Wider Than the Sky, an international documentary from Italy and Switzerland exploring the opportunities, risks, and complexities of artificial intelligence.
At the Academy Art Museum, Saturday's “Light and Shadow” documentary program features Emergence, Cindy Sherman: Picture This, The Muse, and An Auschwitz Album Story. The program explores artistic expression, identity, memory, photography, and the legacy of the Holocaust, followed by a Q&A moderated by CFF Programming Coordinator Zane Jacquot.
The final film at the Academy Art Museum is Lasting Impressions directed by Carl Welden, is an exploration of the life and work of Dan Welden, a driving force in the fine art of printmaking throughout the world, including interviews with Eric Fischl and Kiki Smith.
Q&A, with Dan and Carl Welden, moderated by Candice Spielman, approximately 25 minutes.
Courtesy of The Chesapeake Film Festival
Courtesy of The Chesapeake Film Festival
Courtesy of The Chesapeake Film Festival
EXPERIENCE THE 19TH ANNUAL CHESAPEAKE FILM FESTIVAL
Offering a compelling range of powerful documentaries and environmental storytelling, student filmmaking, family adventures, Maryland stories, international cinema, and conversations with filmmakers, the 19th Annual Chesapeake Film Festival gives audiences an opportunity to discover remarkable stories and engage with the people who bring them to the screen.
Festival Dates: October 8–10, 2026
Location: Easton, Maryland
Venues: Ebenezer Theater • Academy Art Museum • Talbot County Free Library
Tickets: VIP All-Access Passes and individual film and film-block tickets are available now.
For the complete schedule, film descriptions, ticket information, and festival updates:
www.chesapeakefilmfestival.com
Chesapeake Film Festival
Stories. Voices. Action.
About the Chesapeake Film Festival
Founded in 2008, the Chesapeake Film Festival celebrates the power of independent film to entertain, educate, empower, and inspire diverse audiences. The Festival presents compelling films and engaging conversations while highlighting stories that explore the environment, women's achievement, social justice, student filmmaking, and the many experiences that connect us as a community and as a world.
CFF programming is brought to you by our generous sponsors Bluepoint Hospitality, the Shared Earth Foundation, Artistic Insights Fund, Maryland State Arts Council, The Nature Conservancy, Talbot Arts, Talbot County Free Library, Shore United Bank, Red Zeppelin Productions, Black Opal Productions, Easton Utilities, Laser Letters, Maxine Millar, and by generous patrons like you. For further information about becoming a sponsor for the 2026 Chesapeake Film Festival or to become an Intern or Volunteer, please email: artisticdirector@chesapeakefilmfestival.com.
