1803 Black Filmmakers Grant
In partnership with 1803 Fund, MESO is proud to introduce the 1803 Black Filmmakers Grant—a funding opportunity designed to uplift Black filmmakers and support powerful storytelling that reflects the lived experiences, culture, and history of Black Portlanders and Oregonians. This grant aims to contribute to a rooted and prosperous Black community by investing directly in creative projects that center Black voices and narratives.
The fund will be used to support Narrative and Documentary shorts, feature films, and web series at various stages of production — production, post, marketing, and distribution.
A new film, “Drug Holiday,” will be premiere November 14 at the Mission Theater and will be available on streaming afterwards. It features a thinly veiled version of Portland where the opioid crisis is colliding with rapid gentrification, and two sets of best friends head off into the night with nothing but each other and their destructive coping mechanisms. From the director of the rock opera, “Waiting for the Kick” (Ilima Considine) which won an Oregon Fringe Festival’s 2024 Cinema Honorarium.
After decades of working on their respective projects, these experts will share their in-depth knowledge about the hidden health fallout from the atomic and nuclear industry. They will discuss what we can do to protect our health and our earth’s health, too.
In a modern re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood, a social pariah discovers a teenage runaway in the Oregon Wilderness and does his best to help her find a way home – a troubling exploration of trauma and redemption.
#OregonMade feature film “And Out Comes the Wolf” has released an exciting and action filled trailer that’s not for the faint hearted. Inspired by the east bay punks in the mid 90s the trailer doesn’t pull any punches.
The inaugural Manzanita Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the rich cinematic heritage of the Pacific Northwest region.
#OregonMade and Tell Your Story Grant recipient Karina Lomelin Ripper has been recognized with an Honoraria award from the Princess Grace Awards.
Portland filmmaker James Westby embraces a DIY ethos, making micro-budget films in the Pacific Northwest. His latest, “The Bend,” written by bestselling author Chelsea Cain, was inspired by Westby’s 11-year-old daughter. Filmed on location in Central Oregon, the story follows a family vacation gone awry when a young girl goes missing.