The Maryland Film Festival (MDFF) debuted a new category of vertical video at the weekend, showcasing the diversity of work emerging from the format. The event was curated by Simone Phillips, owner of food blog Charm City Table, who saw it as an opportunity to reframe the narrative around content creation. The festival presented 20 films under five minutes, ranging from music videos to animations. The format is gaining traction in the film industry, with vertical film production houses vying for audiences’ attention on social media. The Cinetech exhibit featured an interactive virtual reality film and an AI-fueled interactive projection.