It is a juried survey of new moving image arts by independent filmmakers[1] from the Northwest United States (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) and British Columbia.
[2] It is presented by the Northwest Film Center, a component of the Portland Art Museum.
The Festival draws over 400 entries in all genres from shorts and documentaries to feature-length films and is judged by a prominent filmmaker, academic curator, or critic.
[6] The festival occurs in the first weeks of November each year and includes an opening night party following a screening of short films and continues for ten days with nightly screenings, workshops, and social events.
The Festival also hosts a one-day BarCamp where filmmakers organize their own conferences and discuss issues important to them.