The Confluence

The Portland Book Festival takes place on Saturday, November 7, where more than 100 authors, readers, writers, and storytellers will gather for a day of conversations, readings, writing workshops, pop-up events, and an exhibitor book fair.

Author Lineup Announced

There is an outstanding lineup of authors to this year’s festival on Saturday, November 7, including Academy Award-winning actor Ke Huy Quan, sharing his journey from Vietnamese refugee and 1980s child star to his remarkable Hollywood comeback in his new memoir Never Say Die; and acclaimed Oregon creative duo Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, the team behind the Wildwood series.

Watch the full trailer for #OregonMade “Wildwood” from LAIKA below and on WildwoodMovie.com

The feature is released in theaters everywhere on October 23.

Navigating the legal landscape of filmmaking can be as critical as mastering the creative process. The  OVLA is hosting a free, virtual workshop on October 8th at noon that will explore the most common legal questions filmmakers face, with a focus on the unique challenges of activist and documentary filmmaking. Register here!

Please join us to celebrate the life and work of #OregonMade filmmaker and activist Brian Lindstrom at Cinema 21 on September 16; a friend, an artist and an inspiration that was taken from our lives too soon.

Get more info and tickets here.

Widow’s Bay star Kingston Rumi Southwick and Arthur Conti, of Mike Flanagan’s upcoming Carrie, have joined Ariana Greenblatt in Egg Baby, Amazon MGM’s new romantic comedy from director Natalia Anderson and XYZ Films.

Written by Sawyer Perry, Egg Baby follows a rebellious artist (Greenblatt) and a golden-boy quarterback (Southwick) who are forced to co-parent an egg for health class, only to find that raising “Yolk-o” might crack open something real between them.

Conti’s role hasn’t been disclosed.

The Oregon Media Production Association (OMPA) presents Cine | Seen 2026! A night of shorts films showcasing the talents of filmmakers based in Oregon! Highlighting the unique perspective and films of underrepresented and underserved artists. Join us in creating a space for creative expression here in Oregon.

September 30, 2026 at 730p. Hollywood Theatre.

Get tickets here.

The Oregon Media Arts Fellowship is a biannual award provided by the Oregon Arts Commission and overseen by the Portland Art Museum’s Center for an Untold Tomorrow (PAM CUT) for outstanding achievement and creativity in the field of media arts in the state of Oregon.

Application period is open through November 18th.

Read more and submit your application here.

“Ten years ago we started asking what dance film was and what it could be and set out a beacon for the dance filmmakers across this globe to share with us what they are discovering, uncovering, saying, and devoting their creative energy to. For this tenth festival, we are bringing four programs to you that are different culminations to that question.”

Portland Dance Film Festival runs Oct. 2-4 at the Tomorrow Theater.

Get tickets here.

The 2026 Tell Your Story Grant recipients have been selected after a submission after review process that was filled with incredible projects by amazing artists. The submission rate for this year’s grant was very high and it is further evidence of the depth of talent that call Oregon home. Each Grantee will receive a $15,000 grant that is not tied to a specific project but is intended to help each artist/filmmaker move towards the next stage of their career.

The winners of this year’s grant are:

HASANI WALKER

Hasani Walker is a writer and animator living in Oregon.

Hinge Digital recently completed production on a unique spot for SOUND TRANSIT × COPACINO+FUJIKADO: “Your Connection is Out There.”

From Hinge:

We pitched a one-stop-shop solution — live action, practical SFX, seamless VFX through Post, all under one roof — built around a single creative truth: the best way to appreciate a human achievement is through alien eyes.

The comedy lives in the contrast — cosmic intelligence colliding with entirely human reactions. Confusion. Overconfidence. Exasperation. That only works if these aliens feel real.