Portland's reputation as a hub for independent animation gains new stature in a documentary from British filmmaker Martin Cooper. In History, Mystery, and Odyssey, Martin profiles six iconic Portland animators: Rose Bond, Chel White, Joanna Priestley, Jim Blashfield, Joan Gratz, and Zak Margolis. Aided by cinematographer Adrian Storey, Martin draws out the innovation, the collaboration, and the joy of creation that bind together this tight-knit artistic community.
History, Mystery, and Odyssey screens at Portland's Cinema 21 on August 20th before moving to the Ottawa Animation Festival. Ahead of the screening, which features a Q&A session, Martin and Adrian join S.W. Conser and three of the profiled animators — Rose, Joanna, and Joan — to share behind-the-scenes stories about Portland's indie film scene.
An expanded web-only version of this episode, featuring additional content, is available at this link.
- KBOO