Biography

James A. Burkhalter is a Baltimore-based filmmaker, screenwriter, and educator. His directorial credits include a feature-length documentary entitled There Will Be GLiTTER: A Glimpse of Queer Life @ Gettysburg College, as well as several shorts including: Dreams Of My Father, Kween For A Day, Love, Ava, and Your Inbox Is Full. His films have been honored at the Baltimore International Black Film Festival, the Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival, and the LGBTQ Unbordered International Film Festival, among others.

In the summer of 2021, James produced the critically acclaimed comedic short film, F^¢K 'EM R!GHT B@¢K (2022 Sundance Official Selection, Now Streaming on Showtime, PARAMOUNT+, and BET), and his queer horror screenplay, Last Call, won 2nd Place at the Baltimore Film Office's 16th Annual Screenwriters' Competition (hosted by the MdFF). In Spring 2023, he was awarded a $30K development grant through the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund to produce his 2nd feature length documentary, tentatively titled Guns 4 Gays; Or, My First Time. In 2024, James produced another comedic short, entitled Sofia (2025), directed by Brazilian filmmaker Camila de Ilhéus, which was honored at the Austin Film Festival, Calgary International Film Festival, and Urbanworld, among others. He is currently developing a queer horror anthology series with Baltimore drag performers Nikki Woodles and Kelsey Kadaver (Working Title: BMore Afraid).

James holds a dual Bachelor of Arts in Documentary Film Studies and English from Gettysburg College and a Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He is currently working as the Programming Coordinator for the SNF Parkway Theatre & Maryland Film Festival, a judge at Baltimore's 48-Hour Film Project, and as an Adjunct Professor in MICA's MFA & BFA Filmmaking departments.
- IMDb mini biography by: James A. Burkhalter

Performs "female illusion" drag under the pseudonym "VaGeena Gershon".

His filmmaking idols include: John Waters, Bill Gunn, Jordan Peele, Gregg Araki, Cheryl Dunye, Pedro Almodóvar, Luca Guadagnino, Alfred Hitchcock, Wes Craven, Darren Aronofsky, Ken Russell, Brian DePalma, Kevin Smith, Kenneth Anger, and Lars Von Trier.