The Emerge Film Festival will present the world premiere screening of “Child of Grace,” a full-length feature mystery shot on location in Millinocket, Maine in 2013. Directed by Ian McCrudden and produced by Thomas Hildreth the film is based upon the novel “June Bug” by Chris Fabry and stars Thomas Hildreth, Emma Myles, Maggie Elizabeth Jones and Ted Levine.

The screening will take place on Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at the Franco Center. A Q&A with McCrudden, Hildreth and Myles will follow the film, immediately followed by a “Maine’s Emerging Flavors Reception” for the filmmakers, cast, crew and VIP All-Access ticket holders. Sponsored by Stella Artois and the Maine Office of Tourism, the reception will feature Maine-made specialty foods.

Hildreth and crew are excited to premiere the film in Maine to call attention to the quality films being made in the state. Hildreth’s first film, “Islander,” was shot on Vinalhaven, and his next Maine project, “The Cutting,” will be shot in Portland. He was born and raised in the Portland area.

Child of Grace leads a festival roster featuring more than a dozen films with strong ties to Maine, including “A Love Story in Stone,” directed by Walter Skold; “Arabel,” directed by Erin Enberg; the 10th anniversary screening of “Cleophas and His Own: A North Atlantic Tragedy,” directed by Michael Maglaras; “Dark,” directed by Ranin Brown; “Go Around Again,” directed by Rick Groleau; “She Doesn’t Love Marty,” directed by Thomas McKellick; “Tea for Two,” directed by Colby Michaud; “Tickle,” directed by Corey Norman; and “Cigar Man,” directed by Evan Clar, starring Steven Culp of NBC’s “Revolution” and edited by Auburn native Ross Morin.

On Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m., the festival will present a special Work-In-Progress Screening of the feature-length mystery-drama written and directed by Derek Kimball and produced by Allen Baldwin. The film, which includes a cast of all Maine actors, including 16-year-old Jane Ackermann and Tony Reilly, tells a haunting story of an orphan girl raised in a church on a small island off the coast of Maine. Deeply affected by a classmate’s sudden disappearance, she falls into an obsessive mania on her way to discovering herself. The film was shot along the Midcoast, including Kennebunkport, Phippsburg, Cushing, Rockland and Cape Elizabeth, by Maine cinematographers Dean Merrill and Jay Lobozzo.

On Saturday evening at 7 p.m., the festival will screen Maine-native Lance Edmands’ “Bluebird,” shot in the northern reaches of Maine. The film tells the story of a local school bus driver who becomes distracted during her end-of-day inspection and fails to notice a sleeping boy in the back of the bus. What happens next shatters the tranquility of her small logging town, proving that even the slightest actions have enormous consequences. “Bluebird” premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival and has screened at the Karlovy Vary, Vienna, Busan, Stockholm and Chicago International Film Festivals, picking up several awards. Written and directed by Edmands, the film was produced by Kyle Martin and stars John Slattery and Amy Morton. A Q & A with Edmands and Martin will follow the film, followed by an after-party and the EFFy Awards Gala, hosted by Michael Miclon and the Early Evening Band.

Closing out the festival on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. will be a special screening of the film “Honor Flight.” Directed by Dan Hayes, the film is a heartwarming documentary about volunteers racing against the clock to fly thousands of WWII veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the memorial constructed for them. Hayes and Earl Morse, the founder of Honor Flight and a resident of Vinalhaven, Maine, will be in attendance at the screening. Veterans and active-duty service members will receive free admission to the film, Q&A and ceremony surrounding the event.

“We are thrilled to present a group of such strong Maine films,” said Ramsey Tripp, Maine filmmaker and Emerge Film Festival Vice President. “Our state is full of talented filmmakers, actors, cinematographers, producers and editors. To be able to showcase this talent is definitely a key mission for EFF. We think our audiences will be intrigued and engaged by each and every film.”

Tickets are on sale now on the Emerge Film Festival website. Film-only passes are available for $35 and VIP All-Access passes, which provide access to all films, parties, the EFFy Awards Gala hosted by Michael Miclon, priority seating and a swag bag, are available for $75. To be notified of ticket sales and other Festival news, subscribe to the Festival e-newsletter at www.emergefilmfestival.org.