Burn the Memory (2019)
Mike and Paul have agreed to meet in the hometown of their Great Grandfather Isadore, but a few things sit between them and their goal. Paul lives in Portland, Oregon and Mike lives in Nuremberg, Germany. No one in their family has been to Oviedo in more than 90 years. Neither of them are fluent in Spanish. As he takes another look at New York - the place they grew up together - but apart - Paul takes one more look at the corners of his past where people have been lost. This immersive film explores identity, fragmentation, and the ability for art to persist when memory fails.
Filmed | Directed | Edited by Paul Kachris-Newman | NY Audio Production, 2nd Camera by Chris Anderson | Music By Ashley Moe, Chris Anderson, Paul Kachris-Newman, Mitch Jones
2018 Gilman Scholarship $4500 Award | Cultural Heritage Film
release: January 2019
UNSTATED (2017)
NOTE: This film is currently password protected for festival purposes.
This short documentary follows an Iraqi refugee single mother through her first year in the U.S. (Portland) - the film spans the events of September 2016- September 2017 and braids her experiences with the broader sociopolitical environment in Portland.
Filmed | Directed | Edited by Paul Kachris-Newman | Translated by Dr. Baher Butti | June 4th Camera Crew | Paul Kachris-Newman, Noah Puggarana, William Whitley | Logistics Eden Aurora, Diana Nichols
Inaugural recipient of the Andries Deinum award for Visionaries and Provacateurs - this $10,000 cash award is the largest cash prize awarded by the college of the arts at Portland State University.
runtime: 25:29
release: October 2017
Village to Village (TBD)
Village to Village documents the lives of a cadre of Syrian students and the peaceworker who brought them to Mexico as they redefine education relief. The students arrived as part of Proyecto Habesha, a small non-profit created by Adrián Meléndez. The goal is to provide higher education and leadership skills to a select group of Syrian students in Mexico so they can return home as leaders in their nations rebuilding process. As they are accepted into universities throughout Mexico their paths diverge. A future for Syria is rising in Mexico.
runtime: (tbd)
release: in production
After the Silence (2017)
A short film about animal activist/dog trainer Chelsea and her dog Picasso. Chelsea discovers that Picasso is deaf, but instead of giving up, she learns to communicate with him - and in turn - starts a movement. A touching exploration of how determination and love leads to better understanding. Directed | Filmed | Edited by Paul Kachris-Newman.
Best Documentary Portland State University student showcase 2017.
runtime: 5:54
release: April 2017