The McMinnville Short Film Festival will present a pop-up screening of five award-winning short documentary films at the North County Recreation District Performing Arts Center in Nehalem Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be $10 at the door.
“Guardian of the Land”
Winner of three 2026 Emmy Awards
Producer, KaRonn Katchia, Cinematographer, Cameron Nielson
Indigenous Peoples of the Nch’i-Wána (Columbia River), know Bigfoot not as a monster but as a protector, a spiritual being that walks between the seen and unseen. For thousands of years, oral histories of Bigfoot have been passed down as a knowledge system, rooting Pacific Northwest tribes in respect, reverence and relationship with the land. Amidst mainstream portrayals of Bigfoot, this film offers instead an Indigenous perspective on the world’s most famous cryptid — as a relative rather than myth.
“Kiyokawa Apple Paradise”
Producer, Jeff Kastner, Cinematographer, Jessie Sears
A third-generation Japanese American-owned fruit orchard in the shadow of Oregon’s Mount Hood. Kiyokawa family members been stewards of the land since 1911. Over the next century, the Kiyokawas survived the forcible relocation of Japanese Americans to concentration camps during World War II and the continuing challenges of generational farming. Current owner Randy Kiyokawa carries forward family heritage, with support from his four older sisters and other family members.
“Tiny Tree Concert”
Dir. David Neptune
Ryoji Inatsugi isn’t just a musician. He’s a rockstar…for babies. This short documentary tells the story of how he found his calling playing music with babies and their families in parks around Los Angeles.
“Andrea Animates: A Wooly Story”
Dir. Ward Serrill
Explores the magical world of Port Townsend based puppet animator Andrea Love and creation of world’s first, all-wool stop motion video game.
“Oh Whale”
Winner best documentary at 2026 McMinnville Short Film Festival
Dir. Winslow Crane
When news anchor Paul Linnman arrived in Florence OR on Nov. 12, 1970, he had no idea that the story he was about to tell would forever define his career. Following a small Oregon town, an exploding whale, and the man who made the story famous, “Oh Whale” is about how we don’t get to choose our fate, only what we make of it.
McMinnville Short Films Festival
Held each February in McMinnville, Ore., the internationally recognized festival is in its 16th year, focusing on a range of styles and topics, including Native American, Drama, Environmental, Comedy, Horror, Experimental, Animation, and Documentary films. The website is https://mcminnvillefilmfest.org/ Festival updates can also be found on Instagram @macfilmfest.
