The inaugural Manzanita Film Festival is set to debut Saturday October 4th, celebrating the vibrant spirit of independent filmmaking from across the Pacific Northwest. Held at the historic Pine Grove Community House in the heart of Manzanita, the festival will showcase a curated selection of short films across three programs: Live Action, Animated, and Documentary.
Doors will open at 11:00 a.m., with screenings running from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 4. Tickets are available now at manzanitafilmfestival.com for $10.
Featuring a diverse group of filmmakers from throughout the Pacific Northwest — including several hailing from Portland and Manzanita — the Manzanita Film Festival aims to spotlight both emerging voices and established creatives telling stories rooted in place, community, and imagination.
“We’re excited to bring together filmmakers and film lovers to celebrate storytelling and the rich film culture of the Pacific Northwest,” says festival director Justin Graham.
Audiences can expect thought-provoking documentaries, engaging live-action narratives, and imaginative animated shorts — all in a single-day, community-driven event just steps from the Pacific Ocean.
The festival will include 24 films ranging from 57 seconds to 25 minutes in length, including these shorts from Portland and Manzanita filmmakers:
– The award-winning animated short LES BÊTES by Michael Granberry. A mysterious rabbit with a set of magic keys summons a host of strange creatures to entertain a wicked king and his decadent court in this dark stop-motion animated fantasy.
– The premiere of Emmy award-winning filmmaker and cinematographer Jesse Andrew Clark’s powerful environmental documentary FREE TO GROW. Rural Oregon families have taken up the fight against aerial herbicide spraying by the forestry industry for over 50 years – but has public safety around these substances even improved?
– The mind-bending live-action short CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE directed by Eva Moss, who is a co-founder of Catalyst Film Collective, a non-profit dedicated to supporting underrepresented people in film. A cutthroat Hollywood producer develops a “cinematic dissociative disorder” after her estranged mom dies. To avoid getting stuck in a Rom-Com, she must learn the only way to control her narrative is to let go of what she can’t control.
– The documentary THE INVISIBLE ENEMY directed by Mark Shapiro and Douglas Brian Miller, with executive producer Matthew Modine. During tours of duty in Nevada, enlisted men and women were repeatedly exposed to lethal radiation at the world’s largest nuclear test site. But because exercises were “top-secret,” the U.S. government continues to conceal official records of their ever having served there. Now cancer-stricken and ineligible for benefits because of their classified designation, veterans are mobilizing to prove they served and to secure basic healthcare for themselves and their families.
Event Details:
What: Manzanita Film Festival
When: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Where: Pine Grove Community House, 225 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, OR
Doors Open: 11:00 a.m.
Film Screenings: 12:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Admission: $10. Tickets available now at manzanitafilmfestival.com
For more information, visit manzanitafilmfestival.com or follow the festival on Instagram @manzanitafilmfestival
About the Manzanita Film Festival
The inaugural Manzanita Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the rich cinematic heritage of the Pacific Northwest region. A one day in-person event held in the picturesque coastal town of Manzanita, Oregon, this festival aims to showcase films that capture the essence, culture, crafts, and stories unique to the Pacific Northwest with a special consideration for the Oregon coast. By highlighting the creative achievements of filmmakers from our region, we aim to foster community pride, inspire creativity, and provide a platform for local filmmakers to share their work with a broader audience. Learn more at manzanitafilmfestival.com