Before this year’s 37th Northwest Film & Video Festival kicked off with its first Shorts program (titled: Shorts I, and featuring some strong work, in particular Frog, Shut Up and Ride, and The True Believers), the NW Film Center invited filmmakers to a small get-together. OMAF Fellowship winner Elijah Hasan attended, talking shop with filmmaker Patrick Rosenkranz about what else, film (both their works are featured in the Shorts II program). The group enjoyed beers and snacks, basking in dim lighting that felt all-too-appropriate for film lovers.

Festival Manager Thomas Phillipson was the most sharply dressed at that party, spiffed up to take the spotlight and announce the fellowship winners and introduce the screening of short films. But the most exciting guest of the evening was festival judge Gill Dennis, who’s probably best known for co-writing the script to the Academy Award winning Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, though it’s well worth noting he co-wrote the dark and scary 40-plus-years-later Wizard Of Oz sequel Return to Oz, a film custom-made for a cult following if ever there was.

Right up until the official opening night party began, NW Film Center staff and volunteers were hard at work preparing the night’s festivities, transforming the film school classrooms in to a relaxed party atmosphere. The walls were filled with video projections and other art celebrating what the festival is about: local filmmakers’ work, and, of course, film and video.

-Erik McClanahan
(Marketing Intern NW Film Center)

Northwest Film & Video Festival continues through November 13. See schedule for showtimes. Or for more upcoming events, visit PoMo’s Arts & Entertainment Calendar anytime!