Lights, Camera, Action: Take Four!

Prince George’s Film Festival Kicks off Friday , September 25

By Maria Bellos Fisher

Coming NOW: Independent film, celebrity ambassadors, industry panel discussions – Take Four! The fourth annual Prince George’s Film Festival (September 26 to October 4, 2025) begins with events at Bowie State University’s Fine and Performing Arts Center and Greenbelt Cinema.

Featured filmmakers range from established names to independent local artists just getting started, said Kisha Mason, Director of Marketing Communications for the film festival. “They come from all over – California, the South, international.” Filmmakers from around the world submitted their work for consideration at the festival.

Artists hear about the festival primarily through word of mouth. The festival’s organizers invite powerhouses of the industry to participate in panel discussions and filmmakers follow. They look to them for guidance, insight, knowledge and skills.

“Filmmakers send their films to us, aware of the rich talent pool, wanting to gain the knowledge transfer to make an impact on their career,” Mason said. “It’s a way for filmmakers to increase their toolkit, advance their career and make connections.”

“The Prince George’s Film Festival provides a platform for diverse voices and filmmakers to tell stories through film,” Mason said. It provides a place to convene professionals, executives, filmmakers of all levels and allow them to network. People meet and collaborate as a result of the festival. Panelists vote on the films presented, highlighting excellence in film and great stories to tell with a technical and cultural lens. “As an art form or vessel, film offers the change needed in society and community,” Mason said. The Prince George’s Film Office amplifies diverse voices through grants to 40 filmmakers.

You may have seen the fruits of the PGFF yourself. Films from the festival have been picked up by distribution companies like Hulu, Apple, Netflix, Amazon Prime, BET, Tubi and Hallmark.

If you’re lucky, you might see movies being filmed around town. Prince George’s County has become a filming destination in the mid-Atlantic. “If a studio wants to film resources at the National Mall, there’s bureaucracy and red tape. They need significant resources to fast track their production. They record what they need in DC, and for other scenes – a hospital, office park, school – they look to Prince George’s County as a resource to be able to film,” Mason said. When resources are tight, Prince George’s is attractive because crews don’t have to fly from one place to another to shoot everything they need.

Take Four! is the fourth year of the Prince George’s Film Festival. It started as a professional development opportunity hosted through the film office, under the Prince Georges Arts and Humanities Council, to facilitate filmmaking in the county. The Film Office wanted to provide resources to execute projects, offer technical assistance, financial support, access needed and location scouting for artists to complete film projects. Prince George’s County lent itself to filming because of its rich diversity of landscapes, cityscapes and culture. Since its inception, the film festival has grown tremendously, Mason said. “It’s a cultural gem. It highlights Prince George’s County and its support provides a platform for local and independent filmmakers.”