Oregon’s International Bohemian Film Festival Announces ‘Big Sonia’ as Grand Prize Winner

Cottage Grove

The winning filmmaker, Leah Warshawski and her Oregon-raised animator, Dawn Norton, received a $3,000 grand prize as the Best Film. The winner aims to take the proceeds to launch high school curricula about overcoming the obstacles of our past and becoming stronger.

COTTAGE GROVE, ORE., 18 AUGUST 2018 – “Big Sonia” won the overall $3,000 Grand Prize at this weekend’s inaugural Bohemian Film Festival. The film – featuring 90-year-old Holocaust survivor who still goes to work everyday and stays busy so she “doesn’t have to think about it” – explores what it means to be a survivor, how this affects families and generations, and how trauma might define each of us.  Continue reading... “Oregon’s International Bohemian Film Festival Announces ‘Big Sonia’ as Grand Prize Winner”

Sarajevo Film Festival Puts A Spotlight On Casting—And On Local Casting Director

Oregon Casting Director Lana Veenker invited to one of Europe’s largest film festivals as part of a weeklong program dr

awing international focus to the casting profession

(Portland, OR) On August 15, 2018, when the International Casting Director Award is handed over to the winner at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Oregon casting director Lana Veenker will be on hand.

Not only is Veenker—alongside longtime Portland colleague Eryn Goodman and Los Angeles casting director Heidi Levitt —nominated for Best Casting of a Feature Film (for Bad Samaritan by Dean Devlin), she is part of a team invited by the Festival to produce a special program centered on the casting profession, entitled “Casting at the Heart of Filmmaking.” Continue reading... “Sarajevo Film Festival Puts A Spotlight On Casting—And On Local Casting Director”

The Oregonian/OregonLive Wins 2 Regional Emmys With Polar Bear Doc

The Oregonion/Oregon Live’s, Kale Williams, won a Reporting Emmy over the week end for his documentary film, “Thin Ice: A Polar Bear’s Plight” and Dave Killen received the Regional Emmy for direction of the film.  The doc was part of the bigger, Project Nora, that the Oregonian and Oregon Live have been reporting on since Nora was abandoned by her mother.

Read more about Nora the polar bear’s journey, and the plans for her future and the Oregon Zoo’s polar bear enclosure here. Continue reading... “The Oregonian/OregonLive Wins 2 Regional Emmys With Polar Bear Doc”

Portland and Ashland Voted Best Places To Live + Work By MovieMaker

MovieMaker Magazine has annouced their “Best Places to Live and Work as a moviemaker” with Portland coming in at #11 in the “Big Cities” category, and Ashland at #5 in the “Small Cities” category.  Ashalnd was  beaten out by New Orleans, Savannah, Santa Fe, and Pittsburg, and Portland by Atlanta, Vancouver (BC), Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Albuquerque, Boston, Toronto, Austin and Montreal.

Director Alessandro Circiello shoots Magic Carpet, the Search for Now in Ashland.
Continue reading... “Portland and Ashland Voted Best Places To Live + Work By MovieMaker”

Inaugural Outdoor-Adventure Film Grant Opens Tomorrow!

 We are excited to announce, with our partners, our inaugural Outdoor-Adventure Film Grant!
Oregon Film, Travel Oregon, Danner Boots, and the Portland Film Office at Prosper Portland have partnered to bring funding for a new competitive grant, the Outdoor-Adventure Film Grant (OAFG). The OAFG will enable the selected applicant to create a short film that specifically showcases the spirit, passion, and excitement of the outdoor-adventure, or action sports film genres in the state of Oregon. $18,500 in funding as well as equipment, services, and support will be provided. Continue reading... “Inaugural Outdoor-Adventure Film Grant Opens Tomorrow!”

#EOFF2017 Festival Awards

“We are thrilled to announce the winners of #EOFF2017 — the 8th Annual film festival that finished up over the weekend in La Grande, OR. The films here have been selected through an intimate, if somewhat unconventional process. Gauging audience response, laughter and amusement, lobby buzz, and late night conversations — we did our very best to determine which films resonated the most with the community. With this, we present this year’s winners. Enjoy!”

 — Ian Clark, Program Director

✨ Audience Choice Award(s):

EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS FAR AWAY (dir.

Continue reading... “#EOFF2017 Festival Awards”

HouseSpecial’s ‘Jailbreak’ Takes Best Picture at the We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival

Jailbreak - a stop-motion short from HouseSpecial

HouseSpecial took home the award for Best Picture at the We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival held on August 17-20, 2017 in Baker City, Oregon. Aaron Sorenson wrote and directed the winning stop-motion film, Jailbreak, which was shot in black and white. The story follows the daring escape of a desperate prisoner fleeing his nightmarish cell in pursuit of sweet punishment. The design is German Expressionist-inspired, but with a decidedly adult twist.

“Everything about Jailbreak is perfect – beautifully shot, perfect timing and hilarious. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial’s ‘Jailbreak’ Takes Best Picture at the We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival”

Multiple Emmy Nominations For “Portlandia”!

 

 

 

The 69th Emmy Awards nominations were again kind to #OregonMade “Portlandia“.  Three nominations were handed down for:

  • Best Variety Sketch Series
  • Outstanding Costume Design for Variety, Non-Fiction or Reality;  (“Carrie Dates a Hunk”).  Nominees; Amanda Needham Costume Designer, Jayme Hansen, Asst. Costume Designer, and Jordan Hamilton, Costume Supervisor
  • Production Design (“Fred’s Cell Phone Company”). Nominees; Schuyler Telleen, Production Designer, and Katherine Isom, Set Decorator

Also, Oregonian Ty Burrell, was nominated again for Supporting Actor in the ABC comedy “Modern Family” (eighth year he has been nominated), as well as Outstanding Actor in a Short, for “Boondoggle“. Continue reading... “Multiple Emmy Nominations For “Portlandia”!”

BendFilm Late Submissions Deadline – May 23rd

A near-constant fixture of MovieMaker magazine’s 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee: https://goo.gl/yXmzNA, BendFilm celebrates independent films and the risky, passionate, tough and talented people who make them. This year’s festival runs from Thursday, Oct. 12 – Sunday, Oct. 15, with most venues located in Bend’s historic downtown and the nearby Old Mill District.

Submit on Film Freeway or Withoutabox

Awards & Prizes

The 2016 BendFilm Festival jury included Aaron Katz (Oscilloscope), Eliza Hajek (SAGindie), and Kristin Slaysman (Los Angeles based actor, producer and director).

Continue reading... “BendFilm Late Submissions Deadline – May 23rd”

2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify

2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify.

Jerry Bell Jr of JBJR Productions presents the 2nd Annual Portland Indie Film Awards entitled “2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify” to be held on Friday, April 14th from 7pm until midnight.

This event acknowledges and celebrates the Portland indie film community. Last year’s theme was to “Draw A Bigger Circle” which helped lure local industry professionals out of their silos in order to collaborate, develop, and grow together. This year’s theme, “Let’s Diversify,” is a collaborative effort designed to give voice and vision to more women and minority film makers in the community. Continue reading... “2017 Portland Indie Film Awards: Let’s Diversify”