The 43rd Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival is pleased to make your acquaintance. We are glad to be showcasing once again new work by some of the very best film talent our region has to offer, capturing a snapshot of the creative community that surrounds us. With this annual event, the Northwest Film Center continues its mission to nurture the growth and success of filmmakers who are pushing their voices and dreams forward in new and engaging work.
This year we’re adding two new venues to the Festival to accommodate the bounty. Portland State University’s 5th Avenue Cinema and Skype Live Studio, both near the Whitsell Auditorium, create a campus of access and conversation. Most programs screen twice and we hope it enables you the chance to see more of the great films in this year’s program. In addition to the films, this year’s Festival features an opening day Filmmakers’ Summit–an opportunity to discuss current topics, trends, and technologies in the filmmaking world.
The Northwest Film Center owes many thanks to individuals and organizations in helping us shape this year’s event. First of all, a hearty salute to Festival judge Jonathan Marlow for his generous work in shaping the two shorts programs and for singling out works deserving of special recognition. We hope his perspective adds to your enjoyment of the selections.
Many thanks to our poster designer Ron Mason Gassaway, and Alex Morris who created the Festival’s trailer. The Festival also appreciates the longtime support of the James F and Marion L. Miller Foundation, LAIKA, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Citizens of Portland through the Arts Access and Education Fund.
All these friends, and many more recognized in the program, have helped shape a Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival that we hope will make you celebrate the power or our region’s makers. Come out to meet and support this year’s filmmakers.
Ben Popp, Festival Manager
Bill Foster, Director, Northwest Film Center
Pass includes admission to all Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival screenings and the Filmmakers’ Summit.
A Morning Light
Directed by Ian Clark
A young couple reunites while on a summer excursion into the forest. An otherwise peaceful experience becomes jolted, however, by …
Beware the Slenderman
Directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky
In 2014, two young girls in Waukesha, Wisconsin committed an atrocious act compelled by the calling of a fictional internet …
Brides to Be
Directed by Kris Boustedt, Lindy Boustedt
Robin and Jenna are getting married. What should be an incredibly happy day is marred by feelings of anxiety, self …
Customer 152
Directed by Jonathan Holbrook
We go to work, we chat with our co-workers, we go home, and then we get up and do it …
Finding Bosnia
Directed by Ivana Horvat, Adrian Hopffgarten
The early 1990s saw tragic war take place in the crumbling former Yugoslavia. Director Ivana Horvat’s family fled when she …
Finding October
Directed by Nick Terry
Road trips can be for work or pleasure, but either way they usually they end up memorable. Russell and Ben …
If There’s a Hell Below
Directed by Nathan Williams
In a perilous age of cyber attacks, domestic spying, and political intrigue, the trading of classified information has not been …
NW Episodic Showcase
As modes of distribution and shifts in the culture of viewing have emerged with the rise of Netflix, Hulu, and …
RiverBlue
Directed by David McIlvride, Roger Williams
Among the many environmental threats to the planet and human survival is the challenge of clean water, especially in parts …
Shorts I: Known and Unknown (Or Unknowable)
Directed by Various
The observable universe–isotropic in orientation–does not conform to all observers equally. As perspectives shift, that which is known and unknown …
Shorts II: Visions of Reality
Directed by Various
A visit to a room, dark-adapted; an opportunity to leave-without-traveling. Please remain seated. These are our momentary intersections of place …
The Devout
Directed by Connor Gaston
There is something deeply sacred about one’s personal faith and religious beliefs. To have those shaken is not something to …
The Pearl
Directed by Jessica Dimmock, Christopher LaMarca
We seldom hear from those who have had to conceal their true identities their entire lives. The Pearl follows four …
The Village of Middlevale
Directed by Amber Celletti, Nathan Blanchard
Dennis decides to leave the hustle and bustle behind to start his own village in the forest. Dennis’s village, however, …
Three Days Drowning
Directed by Mark Andres
Artist and graphic novelist Mark Andres has adapted his unique storytelling method to the screen with a series of feature …
What Separates Us
Directed by Bryan Ferriter
There are tales that are timeless for a reason. One such theme is the story of fated lovers from different …
Woodsrider
Directed by Cambria Matlow
Tucked in the trees of Mt. Hood, a young snowboarder camps alone. Meet 19-year-old Sadie Ford, an introspective young rider …