The Confluence

Oregon Community Foundation is pleased to announce that applications for the 2026 Fall Cycle of our Community Grants program will open May 26 and close June 23, 2026.

This funding cycle will prioritize support for:

 

• New or expanding programs and projects
• Capacity-building efforts
• Small capital projects under $500,000

Key dates and program guidelines are now available on our Community Grants webpage, including:

• Funding priorities
• Application questions
• Sample answers for a competitive application
• Review criteria

Find out more here.

Spend five days celebrating cinematic storytelling not contained to a single medium! The public programs expand upon the annual Cinema Unbound Awards (May 29) and include a special partnership with Criterion Collection.

Events include: Michelle Zauner, writer and musician (May 27); Criterion Mobile Closet (May 29–31); Criterion film screenings (May 23, 24, 30); Holy Sh*t! Improv (May 30); Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story w/ Maria Bamford in-person (May 31); and live taping of the Criterion Channel’s Adventures in Moviegoing with Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein (May 31).

Southern Oregon based Joma Films has launched an online distribution platform joma.film

Currently on the site they list all 25 years of the Ashland Independent Film Festival films, recommendations from Oregon Film, SOU Film Professors kicking off a new avenue to uplift indie filmmakers.

We connect filmmakers directly with audiences through a curator-powered discovery model. Filmmakers set their own pricing and retain control of their work. Curators help surface great films and earn a share of the revenue. Fans get access to films they won’t find anywhere else.

Sony Pictures Classics has picked up worldwide rights to the Lewis Pullman–Maya Hawke starring “Wishful Thinking,” which made its world premiere at SXSW and won the top Narrative Feature prize there.

The film written and directed by Graham Parkes follows Julia, an ambitious game designer, and Charlie, a struggling musician, who are at a loss for how to repair their volatile relationship. After attending a couples-therapy seminar run by mysterious twin healers, they find that the ups-and-downs of their relationship have supernatural effects on the world around them.

Oregon-made feature Beau Ideal, shot primarily in Welches and the Mt. Hood region continues its festival run after premiering at Sedona International Film Festival and earning awards including Best Screenplay and Best Narrative Feature. A locally driven independent production showcasing Oregon landscapes, talent, and community.

Shot primarily in Welches, Oregon, featuring the Salmon River and Mt. Hood region the film did some additional filming in Portland. The project as produced with a predominantly Oregon-based cast and crew and had its World Premiere at Sedona International Film Festival.

Join the OMPA this April for another evening of relaxed, creative networking with Portland’s film and media community.

The OMPA’s monthly gathering series continues on the last Wednesday of every month throughout 2026, bringing together filmmakers, producers, editors, crew members, and creative enthusiasts for casual meetups across the city. Each month, we explore a new Portland venue – creating space for fresh conversations, unexpected collaborations, and stronger connections within our creative network.

For April, we’re excited to gather at the new Hollywood Q Food Hall, a vibrant, community-focused space in Northeast Portland conveniently located just below OMPA’s new office.

Cinema Unbound Week is coming soon—five days celebrating cinematic storytelling not contained to a single medium! The public programs expand upon the annual Cinema Unbound Awards and include a collaboration with Criterion Collection.

Events include: Michelle Zauner, author of Crying in H Mart and Japanese Breakfast frontwoman (May 27); Criterion Mobile Closet (May 29–31); Criterion film screenings (May 23, 24, 30); Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story w/ Maria Bamford in-person (May 31); and live taping of the Criterion Channel’s Adventures in Moviegoing with Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein (May 31).

We are incredibly proud to introduce the 2026 cohort of The Bridge: from Oregon to Industry. Out of an exceptional pool of applicants, these Oregon-based filmmakers have been selected to take the next leap in their careers through this first ever intensive partnership with the Sundance Collab, Portland Film and Events Office, Prosper Portland and Oregon Film. Participants are coming from Eugene, Ashland, Bandon and Portland representing narrative features, groundbreaking documentaries, and the future of Oregon’s storytelling legacy. Over the coming weeks they will be working directly with Sundance Collab Advisors to refine their projects and redirect their careers in the global market.

For “One Piece” Season 2, Refuge VFX delivered 240 visual effects shots across the series’ eight episodes, continuing its work from the first season with a focus on weapon extensions and action-driven effects.

Sword fights presented a major challenge, as stunt performers often used rubber or shortened props during filming. The visual effects team digitally rebuilt these weapons so they appeared rigid and dangerous during combat. Early in the season, a sword used by Zoro had to be extended and refined in post-production after a stunt moment where the prop could not be fully shown on set.