Festival film highlights include director Lewis Bennett’s THE SANDWICH NAZI, a feature-length expansion of his short film, which screened to much audience acclaim at the 39th Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival; Zach Weintraub’s SLACKJAW makes its Portland debut after premiering earlier this year at the Locarno Film Festival; WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS, Courtney Coulson’s involving portrait of a mobile, cross-cultural circus for children in Palestine; Michael Turner’s THE WAY WE TALK investigates one of medical science’s most baffling and enduring disabilities — stuttering — through the personal experience of its director.
In addition to features, the Festival offers three programs of short films. Shorts I: Fantasies and Diversions — a collection of films from makers based in Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, and Vancouver, BC — will kick off the Festival on Opening Night at 7 p.m. with filmmakers in attendance. Shorts II: Tracing Space and Shorts III: Intimate Portraits are collections of films by makers throughout the NW region, ranging from the experimental to animation to narrative and non-fiction.
Beyond the numerous screenings on offer, the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival also provides opportunities for aspiring and working filmmakers to interact directly with peers and industry professionals through events such as the Northwest Filmmakers’ Un-Conference, previously BarCamp, an opportunity for the regional filmmaking community to gather together and explore the issues and challenges facing today’s independent filmmaker.
To compliment the festival, the very first Northwest Filmmakers’ Expo (Thursday, Nov. 12, 10am-5pm) will bring together buyers and users of filmmaking equipment and services with top regional and international vendors offering a hands-on look at their latest technology and the multitude of filmmaking resources available. Already confirmed vendors include Canon, Zeiss, JVC, Panasonic, and Sony among many others.
While drawing heavily from film and video industry professionals, the Expo — held in the Portland Art Museum’s Sunken Ballroom — will also be a different breed of Expo with many of the top creative agencies in the Northwest also contributing their time and ideas to make this a trade show like no other, one uniquely suited to Portland’s creative film community.
This year’s Opening Night party, sponsored by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the Oregon Cultural Trust, will also be held in the Portland Art Museum’s Sunken Ballroom. Both the entirety of the Expo and the Opening Night Party will feature music provided by XRAY.FM’s DJs. With the exception of one film, all Festival screenings will take place at the Northwest Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium.
For more information, visit The 42nd Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival microsite, where you can access film descriptions, ticketing links, and more.
The Northwest Film Center is a regional media arts organization offering a variety of exhibition, education programs, and artist services throughout the region. The Center presents a program of foreign, classic, experimental, and independent works year-round at the Whitsell Auditorium, located in the Portland Art Museum. For more information, visit www.nwfilm.org.
