The inaugural Oregon Film Impact Grants for short films were awarded to five projects – “Here’s to the Girls,” “Javelina: Ingredients of Return,” “Machaca,” “Portland’s Cotton Club: The Only Place On The West Coast With Wall To Wall Soul,” and “The Impeccable Art of Never-Ending Wellness.”
The Impact Grants were designed to support filmmakers and projects that have the potential to make a positive and lasting impact on Oregon’s film industry. These grants are intended to help grow the state’s film scene, provide opportunities for local talent and crew, and bring people together through storytelling that celebrates Oregon’s unique culture, history, and landscape.
A total of $32,500 was awarded in short film grants, with short film projects receiving a maximum of $7,500 each. The Impact Grants are awarded by Oregon Film through its Creative Opportunity Program.
Impact Grants for Feature Films are currently available and accepting submissions through July 25.
The winning projects are:
“Here’s to the Girls” – Clare McKay & Ranya Salvant
A short documentary that explores the lives of women working in agriculture and the Western trades across rural Oregon. Set against the vast landscapes of the Eastern Oregon high desert, this film unveils the personal, professional, and cultural narratives of women who are reshaping what it means to labor, lead, and live in the American West.
“Javelina: Ingredients of Return” – Jesús Contreras
A short documentary that follows Alexa Numkena-Anderson, a Native chef and entrepreneur in Portland, Oregon, as she reclaims Indigenous foodways through her restaurant, Javelina. Blending personal narrative, cultural memory, and community activism, the film explores how food becomes a powerful tool for healing, connection, and cultural survival. At the center of Javelina: Ingredients of Return is Alexa’s journey to bring ancestral ingredients—such as wild rice, bison, and heirloom corn—back to the table. As she forages, cooks, and builds her restaurant, we witness her commitment to honoring her ancestors while creating a contemporary space for Indigenous cuisine.
“Machaca” – Iván Cantú-Villarreal
A semi-autobiographical live action short film about an immigrant boy in pursuit of belonging through the societal pressures of a typical American middle school. Guided by the grit and love of his single mother as he struggles to balance his cultural identity, he discovers the powerful connections forged through the physical and spiritual nourishment of food.Through the experiences of our protagonist, Mauricio, we witness the ways in which the biases that surround food, planted by both external and internal forces, foment within him and in turn alienate him from his own sense of individual and cultural identity.
“Portland’s Cotton Club: The Only Place On The West Coast With Wall To Wall Soul” – Bobby Smith
The first installment in a new four-part episodic film series documenting the history and cultural legacy of Albina’s Black music scene. Produced by Bobby Smith in collaboration with director Calvin Walker, this 30-minute film centers on Paul Knauls Sr., affectionately known as the “Mayor of Northeast Portland,” and his iconic nightclub, The Cotton Club, which served as a cornerstone of Portland’s soul music scene in the 1960s.
“The Impeccable Art of Never-Ending Wellness” – Devin Jane Febbroriello
A hyper intelligent, wellness obsessed millennial, is addicted to a constant loop of algorithmic self-improvement content. But when she throws out her back during a high stakes work presentation, her quest for optimized wellness is interrupted. Stranded in bed and doped up on painkillers, she discovers a strange lump in her old mattress… which, to her disbelief, reveals a tiny doorway to an otherworldly dimension that seductively draws her toward a dangerous proposition.
