Now in its 44th year, the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival is proud to continue its mission of showcasing outstanding new work by our region’s media artists and offer a snapshot of the thriving creative community that surrounds us. The Festival strives to nurture the growth and success of filmmakers who are pushing their voices and visions forward in engaging new personal work, and we are excited for you to see this year’s programs.

Part of the Festival experience is facilitating dialogue between artist and audience. This year we are adding a “Film Talkers’ Lounge,” open before and after screenings for informal conversation. We hope you will drop by to meet the makers, share your impressions, and make connections. In addition to the screenings and socializing, the Festival will also feature the Northwest Filmmakers’ Summit, a daylong event featuring equipment vendors, filmmaker panels and presentations, and more. Our hope is that together, this year’s Festival offers equal measures of celebration, discovery, and inspiration. We look forward to your feedback on ways we can continue to make this annual gathering an essential and animating community event.

The Northwest Film Center owes many thanks to individuals and organizations that helped in producing this year’s Festival. First off, a big thank you to Festival judge Deborah Stratman for her thoughtful singling out of works deserving of special recognition and compiling them into the shorts programs. Many thanks to graphic designer Kate Bingaman-Burt and to Nathan Sonenfeld, who created the Festival trailer. The Festival also appreciates the longtime support of the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, LAIKA, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, and the citizens of Portland through the Arts Access and Education Fund.

All these friends, and so many more recognized in the program, have helped fashion an event we hope will make you fall in love all over again with our region’s filmmakers.

Ben Popp, Festival Manager & Filmmaker Services Manager

Bill Foster, Director