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Baltimore Filmmaker Making Moves On The Indie Movie Scene

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—She grew up in Baltimore and is now on her way to making feature films.

Monique Griego has more on a new project from a local filmmaker.

Angel Williams, 29, has dreamed of making movies since she was a little girl growing up in Baltimore.

"My dad bought one of those shoulder really heavy VHS cameras and I picked it up and I think I knew then that I wanted to do something with film or video," Williams said.

After years of school and working on small time projects, Williams finally had the budget and resources to make "The Christmas Tree."

"In terms of scale and story it's the biggest most elaborate project that I've made to date," she said.

"The Christmas Tree" is a 12-minute short about a daughter's first Christmas with her father after her parents separate. The movie, which involves love and loss, screened for the first time on Monday at the Landmark Harbor East.

"It was the first time I saw the movie on a screen that size with an audience of my peers, my family, my mother," Williams said.

Before the movie screening, Williams learned "The Christmas Tree" was accepted into the Pan American Film Festival, which is the largest African-American film festival in the country.

"Hopefully after the festival circuit it may be picked up for distribution," she said. "That's the main goal."

Williams also has another mission: to make and direct a feature film.

She's hoping "The Christmas Tree" gives her the exposure she needs to get there.

Williams is a University of Maryland graduate and is currently getting a Master's degree in Fine Arts from Columbia.

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