Welcome

This year’s Northwest Film and Video Festival marks the beginning of the Northwest Film Center’s 25th anniversary season, one that will culminate with next year’s 25th annual survey of new work by moving image makers living in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and British Columbia. The Festival provides especially fitting bookends to this special year and we are pleased that with this year’s edition we are presenting — once again — a rich reflection of a thriving community of film and video makers.

This year’s Festival received a record 334 entries from every corner of the region, a select 28 of which have been chosen for public presentation by Festival Judge Rachel Rosen. Our first thanks go to her for lending both her keen eye as a programmer and filmmaker and her great enthusiasm for independent work to our unique celebration.

While the Festival salutes the work of outstanding artists, it also celebrates and brings together a diverse cross-section of arts and industry supporters who share an appreciation of independent work. Our special appreciation goes to the Festival's lead sponsors — Willamette Week, The Independent Film Channel, Kodak, KPDX Fox 49 and McMenamins --- who, with a host of other generous businesses and individuals, continue to insure the future of this forum where artists and audience meet.

The Festival is a truly regional event, not only in the work it presents, but in the audiences it reaches. Following the events in Portland, the Best of the Northwest Tour, a program shaped in part by the voting for the Best of the Festival Award, will travel to more than two dozen sites in five states and British Columbia. Through the Tour, audiences in places as diverse as Billings, Boise, Hood River, Juneau, Kodiak, Moscow, Missoula, Seattle, Yakima and Vancouver, B.C. will have the opportunity to see this fine independent work. Thank you to all of our collaborators in making the Festival and Tour possible for both new and loyal audiences.

Finally, to all of the artists who share their work and the audiences who share their interest, we thank you for completing the circle. We hope you enjoy this year’s riches and look forward to your responses.

Bill Foster, Director, Northwest Film Center
Howard Aaron, Associate Director
Lisa Pearson, Festival Coordinator