Experimental cinema is a passion project. There’s little hope of the dreamlike narratives of Maya Deren, or the dizzying color experiments of Stan Brakhage, or the haunting sociopolitical statements of Jean-Gabriel Périot reaching a wide audience—even if their efforts have influenced Hollywood filmmakers and countless ad agencies. In fact, without the support of museums and enthusiasts, these works might not be seen at all.
That’s what made the recent announcement that Cinema Project’s current season of screenings would be their last such a tough blow. Since 2003, the nonprofit has been dedicated to presenting Portlanders with new and vintage avant-garde films.
But last year, facing shrinking audiences and a lack of community support, the folks sharing the burden of programming and organizing—Mia Ferm, Michael McManus, Heather Lane, and Melinda Kowalska—decided to halt their regular operations.
“We’ve all been feeling it,” says Lane. “It’s a lot of work, and we’re not getting any younger. And I think we realize that maybe the model that we’ve done for these past 13 years just doesn’t fit into Portland anymore.”