HouseSpecial Releases An Animated Investigation Into The World Of Armadillo Mating

Armor del AmorThis short is currently screening at Portland International Airport through July in The Hollywood Theatre’s Micro- Cinema on C Concourse.

May 24, 2018 – From world-renowned animation studio HouseSpecial and Director Kirk Kelley comes Armor del Amor – a scripted nature ‘documentary’ that follows the mating rituals of Dasypus novemcinctus, to discover the dark underbelly of modern mammalian dating.

The narrative follows a nine-banded female armadillo as she emerges from her burrow and into the lonely Texas landscape. HouseSpecial researchers captured footage of this modern animal’s efforts to find a potential mate until finally, after several ill-fated opportunities, a match is made. Continue reading... “HouseSpecial Releases An Animated Investigation Into The World Of Armadillo Mating”

“Leave No Trace” Selected For Director’s Fortnight At Cannes


Debra Granik’s #OregonMade “Leave No Trace” is one of 50 films that have been selected to screen during the Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Fetsival this year.  “Leave No Trace”  already premiered at Sundance and received rave reviews.  Sony Pictures Worldwide was quick to acquire international rights, and Bleecker Sreet has aquired North Americn rights. “Leave No Trace,” set in Portland’s Forest Park, tells the tale of  Will and his teenage daughter, Tom, who “have lived off the grid, blissfully undetected by authorities in a vast nature reserve on the edge of Portland. Continue reading... ““Leave No Trace” Selected For Director’s Fortnight At Cannes”

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARCHIVE “Rajneeshpuram” episode of The Oregon Experience (2012)

Let’s just say that we’re big fans of both OPB and OHS, especially the original programming of the former and the film and media archives that are housed by the latter. And we’re always excited to watch the content that both of these great #OregonMade organizations create. And, yes, we’ve binged on Netflix’s Wild Wild Country but the roots of that incredible documentary are grown from several deep journalistic roots here in the state that should always be recognized.

The first is the incredible 20 part story from Les Zaitz in The Oregonian. Continue reading... “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARCHIVE “Rajneeshpuram” episode of The Oregon Experience (2012)”

#OregonMade Screenwriter’s Residency Award

The OregonMade Creative Foundation, Northwest Film Center and Playa Summer Lake announce the second year of a unique residency opportunity for screenwriters and filmmakers.

This program calls for proposals from screenwriters, filmmakers and related creators to work on a script/story/pitch/narrative project during a 4-week residency at Playa in Summer Lake, Oregon.

The OregonMade Screenwriter’s Residency Award is open to Oregon Resident filmmakers, screenwriters and other creative teams (no more than 3) to develop and write a narrative project with a “western” theme that is set here in the Northwest. Continue reading... “#OregonMade Screenwriter’s Residency Award”

Ashland Independent Film Festival Announces 2018 Program Details

AIFF Varsity Theatre
The 17th Annual Ashland Independent Film Festival runs April 12-16, 2018.  photo by Al Case

The Ashland Independent Film Festival has announced its lineup for the five-day festival, April 12-16, 2018, screening in venues across Ashland and—for the first time—Medford. The year’s lineup includes over 120 films chosen from nearly a thousand films submitted to the festival, or specially selected by AIFF Artistic and Executive Director Richard Herskowitz. The entire program, including information about show times, live performances, art exhibits, filmmaker TalkBack panels, children’s programs, Community Conversations, and more is now online at ashlandfilm.org Continue reading... “Ashland Independent Film Festival Announces 2018 Program Details”

Oregon’s Top Trainer Talks To The Animals

 

Lauren Henry and partner Roland Sonnenburg started Talented Animals in 2005, and, if a film was made in Oregon and there was a live animal in it, chances are they were trained by Talented Animals.

Willamette Week’s Jay Horton profiled Henry and Talented Animals which are now, arguably, the most sought-after animal trainer in the Pacific Northwest. Remember the llama and rattlesnake in “Wild?” Yup, that was them. But make sure you check out the upcoming “Lean on Pete” (playing at Portland International Film Festival on Feb. Continue reading... “Oregon’s Top Trainer Talks To The Animals”

Ashland Independent Film Festival to Announce Full Line-up at Festival Preview Night and Offers a Sneak Peek at 10 Highlights

Film Still - ON CHESIL BEACH
Adapted by Ian McEwan from his bestselling novel, ON CHESIL BEACH centers on a young couple of drastically different backgrounds in the summer of 1962. Photo courtesy of the Ashland Independent Film Festival.

The Ashland Independent Film Festival will announce its 2018 film and event lineup at their Festival Preview Night at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 20 at the SOU Music Recital Hall in Ashland. This is the first chance to see clips from festival films, pick up the Pocket Guide, and get insider information on special guests and new events for AIFF2018. Continue reading... “Ashland Independent Film Festival to Announce Full Line-up at Festival Preview Night and Offers a Sneak Peek at 10 Highlights”

#OregonMade “Leave No Trace” Acquired By Sony Worldwide + Bleecker Street

Debra Granik (“Winter’s Bone”) directed the #OregonMade “Leave No Trace”  premiered at Sundance at the end of last month.  After the rave reviews Sony Pictures Worldwide was quick to acquire international rights, and Bleecker Sreet has aquired North Americn rights. “Leave No Trace,” set in Portland’s Forest Park, tells the tale of  Will and his teenage daughter, Tom, who “have lived off the grid, blissfully undetected by authorities in a vast nature reserve on the edge of Portland. Continue reading... “#OregonMade “Leave No Trace” Acquired By Sony Worldwide + Bleecker Street”

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARCHIVE Kansas City Bomber (Jerrold Freedman, 1972)

This week our Raider/Contributor skates back to the 70’s to that highest of high times for that uber-niche genre of Roller Derby films. Whether you just barely remember Rollerball (the original) or your obsessed with Unholy Rollers, or you are more of a Roller Derby Modernist and rely on Rollerball (the remake) and Whip It, you must acknowledge that the Godmother of them all is Kansas City Bomber. But did you know that KC was actually happiest Portland? Raider/Contributor Phil Oppenheim takes us under the laces and beneath the helmet(less)s of the 1972 Raquel Welch classic…

Continue reading... “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARCHIVE Kansas City Bomber (Jerrold Freedman, 1972)”

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARCHIVE: Requiem for a Video Store

This week we make a literal visit to Sandy to say goodbye to a institution that not only changed our expectation deadlines (kind of establishing the mid-point between the “wait for it…” past and the “I want it now!” present) but also changed the world. Who recalls walking out of a Blockbuster video not just holding a stack of 4 or 5 movies (half of which you’d probably never watch)  but also carrying a blue plastic encased VHS player/rental? Those were the days: tuning the TV to channel 2, making a few video tracking adjustments, and then settling in for some hi-impact-lo-resolution images on 1/2″ tape. Continue reading... “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARCHIVE: Requiem for a Video Store”