The Confluence

Go to PIFF and watch some good Oregon Films

This week the 34th Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) puts a spotlight on the tremendous accomplishments of Oregon filmmakers, with screenings of Peter D. Richardsonʼs Sundance-acclaimed documentary “How to Die in Oregon“; Aaron Katzʼs Portland valentine “Cold Weather“; the Portland premiere of Matt McCormickʼs first feature film, “Some Days are Better Than Others” starring Portlandia’s Carrie Brownstein; and a program of “Made in Portland” short films featuring the works of Jim Blashfield, Joanna Priestley, Vince Malone, and more.

PIFF writeup in Oregonian today

Shawn Levy wrote a nice article today about the Portland International Film Festival line up for week two. Be sure to check out the festival lineup.

PORTLAND OREGON WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL (POW FEST) ANNOUNCES 2011 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

After months of jurying over 400 films from female filmmakers from around the world, the Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival (a.k.a. POW Fest) is pleased to announce the programming highlights planned for its fourth annual festival scheduled to take place March 9 – 13, 2011. “I am always thrilled after the POWFest schedule comes together to see the amazing talent of women filmmakers. We strive to showcase not only women who have been working for many years, the true pioneers in women-created cinema, but also those who are just getting their start.

Oregon Producer Named Honorary Co-chair of Wisconsin Film Festival

I’m proud to announce that I have been invited to be an honorary co-chair of the 2011 Beloit International Film Festival. Affectionately known as BIFF, the festival is in its sixth year and has been touted as a “must-attend event” by Moviemaker Magazine showcasing both big releases and indie films. The festival has played host to filmmakers from around the world and, in a short time, has established itself as a truly international festival. The festival will kick off Thursday, February 17th and will continue through until Sunday, February 20th.

DIVA Screens 2011 Oscar Nominated Live Action & Animated Shorts

Eugene, OR. The DIVA Center offers film enthusiasts the only local screening of the 2011 Oscar nominated live-action, and animated short film nominees February 18-19-20 and again on February 25-26-27. All screenings will take place at the UO Baker Center at 325 East 10th in Eugene. Admission: $7. Students: $6.

Each year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) recognizes non-feature length animated and live action films. These short cinematic gems are rarely seen outside international film festivals and yet represent some of the most imaginative and insightful filmmaking today.

“Portlandia” Renewed for Second Season

Both TV Squad and the Huffington Post have announced that Portlandia has been renewed for a second season, while still having two of the six season one episodes yet to air. The network has ordered 10 new half-hour episodes to premiere in January 2012.

“We’re thrilled with the success of Portlandia and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from
our viewers,” IFC’s senior vice president of original programming Debbie DeMontreux said in the announcement. “Fred and Carrie’s humor is perfectly in line with the sensibility and comedic tone of IFC which makes this show such a great fit for us.

“Portlandia” – A Tourism Destination

There have been a few naysayers who have stated that “Portlandia” is bad for Portland’s image. Some have said that the video “The Dream of the 90’s” on YouTube is going to ruin the business climate and dive us deeper into a recession. Well for all of you who believe this myth and those who think all this fuss is silly, look no further than the Irish Times. I was sent this article today by Jennifer Yocom from Mayor Adam’s office which is a great tourism piece for Portland and Oregon.

“COLD WEATHER” opens Friday, February 25th in Portland

The acclaimed new film COLD WEATHER Opens Friday, February 25th at Cinema 21. Shot on location in and around Portland, COLD WEATHER premiered at last year’s SXSW Festival. It opened to rave reviews in New York on February 4th and was a New York Times Critics Pick by Manohla Dargis. Filmmaker Aaron Katz (a Portland native) will be at Cinema 21 for Q&As at select showtimes opening weekend.

View the trailer here:

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/coldweather

BendFilm 2011 Opens Submissions

Now in its 8th year, BENDFILM FESTIVAL celebrates independent cinema’s brave voices by bringing thought-provoking, inspiring, and engaging films from all over the world to Central Oregon’s scenic mountainous town of Bend. Unmistakably filmmaker-friendly, BendFilm has been deemed one of “25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker Magazine, and declared “an important creation for filmmakers” by Gus Van Sant. BendFilm has garnered acclaim from industry, media, audiences, and filmmakers alike.

HB 2167 – My Written Testimony

Several people asked me to make available my written testimony in yesterday’s hearing on HB 2167. It was a spirited hearing despite the fact that we only had 30 minutes. We have also provided online information related to our office and the bill here. The remaining testimony and questions will continue on Friday but in the meantime, here’s what I provided.

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