Filmmaker Residency Announces Inaugural Cohort

Eastern Oregon Film Festival is excited to share the selected attendees for the first annual Eastern Oregon Filmmaker Residency Program happening April 30-May 26, 2021 in La Grande. This year’s cohort will be hosted at The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs for the duration of their stay, and will engage with many groups, businesses, and organizations from around the area as they focus on writing screenplays that are informed by their time in our region.

The nearly month-long stay will offer a quiet retreat for our residents, as a means to develop, tune and explore logistics relating to their screenplay and its potential to be produced in Eastern Oregon. “One of the festival’s primary goals has been and will continue to be, building industry interest in our area while nurturing local projects and professionals.” says Festival Director Christopher Jennings. “Over the past 11 years, Eastern Oregon Film Festival has brought more than 100 filmmakers to La Grande for our annual flagship event each October and every one of them has expressed a desire to visit again.” 

The inaugural group of EOFF residents is composed of 4 festival alumni, as well as 2 attendees who are new to the Eastern Oregon scene. Listed below, this year’s cohort brings a variety of professional experience, award winning talent, and unique perspectives that will energize creation and collaboration in the enrichment of these artist’s projects.

Local restaurants and individuals have pledged to “feed a filmmaker” as a fun way for the festival, a 501c3 non-profit, to collect donations and provide per diems to the visitors. Jennings says, “These dollars will roll right back into our community and give these influential guests an easy way to discover local businesses, spend money, and promote economic engagement in our downtown.” To donate to this fund and help achieve the financial goal for this project visit https://www.eofilmfest.com/feed-a-filmmaker/ 

Through planned adventures and engagement opportunities, EOFF’s goal is to build a connection between the artists and our community, laying the groundwork for a potential production in the future. Explorations of some of The Grande Ronde Valley’s outstanding locations, both scenic and historic are planned. A public-facing event will be held in the final week of the residency program at HQ, located at 112 Depot Street (EOFF Headquarters). Information on attending the public events and more information about this exciting new program can be found on the EOFF website at www.eofilmfest.com/filmmaker-residency or by emailing director@eofilmfest.com.

Special support and funding for this project has been provided by Union County Cultural Coalition, Roundhouse House Foundation, Oregon Film, and many individuals donations. EOFF thanks them all.

2021 Filmmaker Residency Artists