Inspirational Shorts
Sibs Film
Teacher of Patience
Cancer Mountain
Shattered: How Women Broke the Glass Ceiling In Oregon Politics
Kaotic Drumline: Drumming With a Difference
Class of COVID 19
Derek Changes His Mind

Inspirational Features
A Case for Kindness
Delivering Hope
DREAMS OF DARAA
The Elephants and the Grass
The Ones Who Keep Walking
Humanity Stoked
Class of COVID 19

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Sibs Film – Yulia and her Brother Andrey opened Sibs, a coffee roasting business in Ukraine. Now that war has found their country; Sibs takes on a different purpose. Documentary Short. Directed by Derek Johnson. 15 min. USA. Portland Premiere

Teacher of Patience – Over 20 years after Emily Felter is diagnosed with Down syndrome, paramedic (and Emily’s father) Tom develops a presentation to share her story with other first responders. As the Felters work to raise disability awareness, they come face-to-face with the struggles and joys of their daily lives.​ Documentary Short. Directed by Carmen Vincent. 28.22 min. USA. Festival Premiere

Cancer Mountain – A California cyclist, stunned with a mid-life cancer diagnosis, trusts in cancer research to keep rolling on life’s most unpredictable ride. Advertisement. Directed by Karly Birchley. 5.12 min. USA. Festival Premiere

Shattered: How Women Broke the Glass Ceiling In Oregon Politics – Oregon is filled with female firsts, from the nation’s first openly lesbian speaker of any state house in 2013 to the country’s only female-majority state house in 2021. For more than four years, Oregon’s major metro county has been led by an all-female county commission. So what created the rise of women in Oregon? And how does the culture of leadership and the policy agenda change when women hold most seats of power? From Gov. Barbara Roberts’ election as the state’s first female governor in 1990 to the effective women-powered political organizers and leaders of today, SHATTERED, takes you inside the ascent of a new class of women in politics with exclusive interviews and access to the women who made Oregon a national leader on universal preschool, women’s health, and set a new course for the next generation. Documentary Short. Directed by Jodi Gwen Garber- Simon. 38 min. USA. World Premiere

Kaotic Drumline: – On the South Side of Chicago, the Kaotic Drumline brings people together with creativity, energy and hope. [Documentary Short] . . . Conceived as a follow-up to the critically-acclaimed documentary “Tomorrow’s Hope” Documentary Short. Directed by Aaron Steinberg. 12 min. USA. Oregon Premiere

Derek Changes His Mind – Derek Dabkoski only dreamed about regaining the functions he lost after the mugging that left him with a traumatic brain injury and partial paralysis on his right side. 11 years later, he has come to appreciate all he’s accomplished despite his limitations; completing grad school and marrying the love of his life. However, this resignation turns to excitement when he learns of a medical experiment studying the therapeutic effects of modified stem cell injections to treat brain injury survivors. Documentary Feature. Directed by Derek Dabkoski, Ian McClellan & Im Joong Kim. 78 min. USA. Portland Premiere

A Case for Kindness – Exploring various stories, cultures, and conversations on kindness. The cast includes: Ben Affleck, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Normal Lear, and the Dalai Lama. Documentary. Directed by Steven Sawalich. 98m. USA. World Premiere.

Delivering Hope – Running the world’s most dangerous road, Kline and his crew face a hostile environment of -40F temperatures and a life-changing dilemma. Documentary. Directed by Jordan Orsak. 90m. USA. Festival Premiere.

Dreams of Dara – If you were robbed of your home, the love of your life, and the future you were promised, how would you continue? DREAMS OF DARAA tells the story of Hanadi, a young Syrian mother who refuses to accept the cards she’s been dealt. The partly-animated film follows her five-year journey through Syria, Jordan and Germany in search of justice for her kidnapped husband and safety for her three daughters. As the dream that was her life in Daraa morphs into a living nightmare, Hanadi is forced to flee. In the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp, she feels both alone and unheard. Enter Timea, a stranger who breaks through the isolation and changes everything. Her ability to make Hanadi’s traumatized child feel safe—and feel joy—for the first time in years, opens a window for Hanadi to see the possibility of not only a profound human connection, but a future for her and her girls. Leading to a rare invitation to testify before the UN, this intimate story explores the power of female friendship and the determination of one unexpected hero to be heard. Documentary. Directed by Reilly Dowd. 59 min. USA. International Premiere

The Elephants and the Grass – 14-year-old Shamira and her mother are fleeing tribal genocide. Their bond is awe-inspiring in the midst of South Sudan’s violent war. Meanwhile, experts and defectors challenge those in power. Global pressure mounts as these profiteers of war claim to seek peace. With unprecedented access, the film examines how politicians weaponize people’s trauma to pillage nations. Considered one of the most corrupt places on earth, can the world’s newest country overcome these issues and finally find peace? Documentary Feature. Directed by Beau Rosario & Brandon Gulish. 112 min. USA. World Premiere

The Ones Who Keep Walking – From Africa 30 under 30 film maker Amarachi Nwosu, The Ones Who Keep walking is an exploration of what it takes to push things forward. The documentary looks at what happens when people are able to liberate themselves creatively and the rich vibrant World it creates when there are those freedoms. Never heard before stories, and in-depth conversations give an insight into how sheer determination and a pioneering spirit is bringing authentic African expression to the world. Documentary. Directed by Amarachi Nwosu. 48 min. UK. World Premiere

Humanity Stoked – A documentary about the beauty in overcoming fear and other challenges facing humanity as seen by icons of pro skating, science, art, music, activism, and education, all of whom share experiences and perspectives shaped by their love of skateboarding. Documentary. Directed by Michael Ien Cohen. 90m. USA. World Premiere.

Class of COVID-19 – From initial lockdown to the first vaccines, Class of COVID-19 unveils thought-provoking stories of courage and hope during a global pandemic. The stories move beyond schools to show the challenges and triumphs of exemplary teachers and students. Faced with struggles around mental health, inequities in school resources, and racial injustice, the characters evolve to become true leaders in their communities and prove that sometimes the most important lessons are learned outside the classroom. Documentary Feature. Directed by Jon Brick. USA. 75 min. Portland Premiere

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