Destination Delmarva: The Filmmakers

This episode features BL Strang-Moya, a co-founder of the Ocean City Film Festival. Host Tony Russo discusses the festival’s origins, its evolution since 2017, and the unique challenges of running an independent film event in a resort town. Guest Profile * Name: BL. Strang-Moya. * Role: Co-founder and lead organizer of the Ocean City Film Festival. * Background: A graduate of Towson University’s E...

Show Notes: In this final installment of our retrospective series, host Tony Russo looks ahead at what lies in store for the Ocean City Film Festival . As the festival enters its second decade, we explore the evolving landscape of independent film on the Eastern Shore and why “making art is an act of hope”. In This Episode: * The Standalone Short: Artistic Director B.L. Strang-Moya challenges the...

In this third installment of the Ocean City Film Festival 10th Anniversary Retrospective , host Tony Russo explores the unique community and “ushering” of artists that defines the festival. This episode dives into the vital role of networking, the collaborative spark between creators, and how a local event can launch films into the global spotlight. In This Episode * Coining a Collective Noun: Ton...

Show Notes The Ocean City Film Festival didn’t become a staple of the Delmarva arts scene overnight. In this episode of our 10th-anniversary retrospective, we explore the early years of the festival—a period defined by “building the ladder while climbing it.” From strategic shifts in scheduling to some truly unexpected (and slightly scandalous) “youth” submissions, we look at the trials and triump...

This episode chronicles the “perfectly imperfect” launch of the Ocean City Film Festival in 2016. We explore how a casual conversation about screening independent work transformed into a decade-long institution. * The Accidental Festival : How a handshake deal between a young filmmaker and the Art League director led to a six-month sprint to opening night. * Democratized Filmmaking : A look at how...