What to See at the Oregon Independent Film Festival

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Jack Rushall, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Portlander Kay Newell from "The Sun's Only Rival."

Looking to connect emotionally with a film but all you see are blockbusters with high-budget special effects and zero character development? Get ready for The Oregon Independent Movie Festival then, which is coming to Portland at the Clinton Street Theater from Friday, September 25th through Monday, September 28th.

Movies range in style and length, but they all have one thing in common: they are some of the best. Indeed, over 70 films from 11 countries will be screened in Portland.

Below are some of our picks for the movies that you should check out. We tell you when to see them and why they are worth checking out.

Remember: this is Portland. Clearly, an independent movie festival is going to have a few gems considering the amount of hipsters who populate our communal rainforest. Also, there are reduced prices for pretty much everybody. Seniors, students, and local residents will all find discounts at the door. Learn all you need to know about purchasing tickets HERE.

Friday, September 25th

Friday, September 25th includes two main blocs of different types of films: a horror bloc and a short film bloc. Also, there are other independent films being shown at the beginning and at the end of the day. Here are a couple movies to check out:

Clear Eyes: Scourge of the Zombies. 7:00 PM. Price: $10.

This is a movie made in New Zealand and our top pick for the horror line-up. Clear Eyes revolves around a young girl who fights to survive in a world overrun with zombies. The unique spin: there are two types of zombies. One type of zombies is regular and a second is “clear-eyed,” and these zombies not only eat people, but they kill other zombies and eachother! The heroine of the movie somehow forms a bond with a very special “clear-eyed” zombie.

The Sun’s Only Rival. 8:00 PM. Price: $10.

A movie with local resonance, The Sun’s Only Rival is a documentary based around the famous local owners of Kay Newell’s family-run lightbulb shop on Mississippi Ave. In Portland, this family has kept business alive around the Mississippi area before the street was gentrified and turned into its current state.

Saturday, September 26th

Saturday’s schedule at the Oregon Independent Film Festival revolves around mostly short films with a few longer ones again towards the beginning and end of the day. Here are a couple to look out for:

Carl. 8:45 PM. Price: $10.

In Carl, a young boy who suffers from agoraphobia runs out of his medicine and ends up picking up an old 16 mm camera on his way home from a drug store. Through the lens of the camera, Carl is forced to see the beauty of the world. This one is perfect for those looking for an adolescent-themed indie film with a unique twist.

Circles. 8:45 PM. Price: $10.

Are you an adult suffering from depression? Do you have kids? Circles tells the story of a middle-aged man hitting rock bottom on the day of his seven-year-old child’s birthday party.

Sunday, September 27th

Sunday is a day fueled by more additions to the short bloc with some regular-sized indie flicks tossed in for good measure.

Remittance. 7:45 PM. Price: $10.

Another locally shot movie: Remittance is about a young con-artist runs into some trouble when she “ends up on the wrong side of the Steel Bridge.” Surprise: she becomes accosted by people who she has given new identities. Sound confusing? That’s why you need to see the movie. You need answers, too.

This one’s a low-key thriller with a very interesting psychology behind it.

Light Divides the Square. 9:15 PM. Price: $10.

Here’s one to coincide with the legalization of marijuana. Light Divides the Square is a unique contestant in this year’s festival: it’s an animated film focused on trippy visuals. Refracted light patterns create moving images that appear like liquids. In the background, expect a soundtrack of “fingers gliding the edges on crystal glasses, ice and water tinkling in a bowl, and rain.”