The Confluence

Both Ashland and Portland were once again named to MovieMaker’s “Best Places to Live & Work as a Filmmaker” lists for 2026. Ashland is on the small cities list and Portland is on the large cities list. We are proud of the consistently recognized quality of these cities for creative work and thank their local communities for making them such a great place to live for filmmakers.

As for the process, MovieMaker says it created this list by asking cities about factors like their industry spend, tax incentives, crews, sound stages, local film scenes, and recent productions.

The Oregon Film Trail and SetJetters were recently highlighted in NW Travel & Life Magazine as one of the 52 Getaways in the Northwest. Moving through highlights in Bend, Salem, Astoria, Baker City and Lan Grande, author David and Sarah Greenberg discover the many signs, sites and meals that Oregon has to offer.

Get ready to learn about everything from humpback whales to razor clams, because the Big Blue Film Festival is returning to Newport for its fourth year.

The festival will be held Jan. 23-24 at the Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Newport Performing Arts Center.

It will showcase 37 films created by local and international filmmakers that aim to educate audiences about the ocean.

The films will be divided into six different themed two-hour blocks for patrons to enjoy. These themes cover topics such as coral reef restoration or how the ocean can affect community cultures.

Film returns to the Portland Art Museum on January 10 as the renovated Whitsell Auditorium reopens as a destination for PAM CUT programming in film, new media, and visual storytelling.

As part of the Museum’s recently completed campus expansion and renovation, the Whitsell has been thoughtfully upgraded with improved accessibility, enhanced seating, and state-of-the-art projection and sound.

Launching with a film series inspired by the artist Marco Bramilla’s massive installation Heaven’s Gate just outside the auditorium, Maximalist Dreamscapes celebrates films that embrace excess, spectacle, and immersive world-building—works that transport viewers through bold visuals, heightened emotion, and expansive imagination.

#OregonMade “Twinless” was nominated for an Artios Casting Award. Portland casting director Simon Max Hill did the local casting for the indie feature film and is acknowledged in the nomination.

Casting Society’s Artios Awards celebrates the global casting community and members of the entertainment industry and acknowledges the year’s best casting work in film, theater, commercials, and unscripted programming. Creative, inclusive, and impactful projects from the world’s most innovative casting professionals (CSA members) are celebrated when this inspiring community gathers for a night honoring history-making creativity and achievement in casting.

The Cascade Festival of African Films shows us Africa through the eyes of Africans, rather than a vision of Africa packaged for Western viewers. The films celebrate Africa’s achievements, expose its failures, and reveal possibilities for a hopeful future. Although the films cannot represent an entire continent, we hope to encourage American viewers to become interested in and study African cultures.

Find out more.

PAM CUT is accepting applications for it’s 2026 Sustainability Labs. Applications now open until Jan 30th

These labs are intended for mid-career media based storytellers and it provides mentorship and life coach sessions; workshops and discussions with industry professionals; and a pitch session with creative leaders.

Culminating with an opportunity to attend PAM CUT’s Cinema Unbound Awards.

Paid travel and lodging to and from Portland.
$2500 Stipend to participate.
May 26 – 29
For questions please reach out to PAM CUT Head of Artist Services
Ben Popp – [email protected]

Happy New Year everyone.

As we are wont to do, we are taking a look at our work over the last year and taking stock. It goes without saying that there have been a great deal of changes in the landscape of the film and media industry over the last several months, and even more in the levels of uncertainty and anxiety. The industry is changing both in a macro and micro sense of the word and we are doing what we can to adjust and respond to that.

Case Study: Reclaiming Theatrical Distribution for Truly Independent Films

Independent filmmaking has never been more accessible, or more overwhelming. With streaming platforms saturated and traditional distribution pathways shrinking, truly independent films face an uphill battle to stand out. This case study explores an alternative model: reclaiming theatrical exhibition through grassroots, filmmaker-driven strategies. Drawing from the 18 city release of Breakup Season in 2024, director H. Nelson Tracey outlines how modern indies can build their own theatrical runs, engage audiences directly, and create sustainable momentum beyond relying on film festivals or Video on Demand.