South Sound Experimental Film Fest

SSEFF ENCORE!

at Tomorrow Theater / PamCut (portland)

Friday, February 20, 2026 / Doors 6:30 / Event 7:00

Returning to the Tomorrow Theater, the 2026 South Sound Experimental Film Festival ENCORE edition will present an evening of thought provoking, visually stimulating, and performative art making. The evening begins with a live soundtrack by musical artist Ceremonial Abyss to the 1972 short film Athanor by avant garde French director Philippe Garrel followed by an opportunity to explore a curated selection of books on film from Passages Bookshop. The evening culminates in a mesmerizing short film program bringing together artists from Portland and the Pacific Northwest, offering a cross-regional platform that celebrates the region’s vibrant cultural landscape. This program is always a treat for immersing one’s self into a world of imaginative techniques and tellings.

Since 2021, SSEFF has provided an annual space for unconventional, queer, and intermedia films – supporting filmmakers whose works might otherwise be pushed to the fringe due to identity, lack of resources, or unconventional techniques.

As the festival continues to grow, it remains committed to creating a network that emphasizes the development of new film technique, hybrid forms of storytelling, and diverse voices in cinema. SSEFF’s intention is to harbor a community for the exploration and development of the creative potentialities of the growing medium. In addition to screening experimental films, SSEFF also serves as an essential venue for interdisciplinary arts, mentorship opportunities, collaborative projects, and most importantly, friendship. SSEFF is not only a key cultural event for Portland but also contributes to the broader international network of filmmakers pushing the boundaries of cinema.

Athanor with live score by Ceremonial Abyss – Athanor is an experimental, silent, avant-garde short film by French director Philippe Garrel (1972), starring musician Nico as a mysterious figure seeking fire, exploring themes of desire, transformation, and alchemy through dreamlike, visual vignettes featuring mirrors, tombs, and castles. It’s known for its stunning, minimal, and powerful imagery, showcasing Garrel’s early artistic vision with its focus on raw, visual storytelling. A live score to this film will be provided by Portland based composer Ceremonial Abyss.

We are so excited to be joined in the theater by Passages Bookshop!

Making an appearance to share with us some rare and choice picks on film and video / moving images & artist’s books!

P A S T APPEARANCES

South Sound Experimental Film Fest X Northwest Film Forum (seattle)

November 22 & 23, 2025

Saturday:

Sun City Girls on VHS - Cloaven Theater

Evil of Dracula: 1990s collage-animated films of Martha Colburn

SHORTS PROGRAM A - Featuring: Ari Grubbs (tacoma), Emery Joan (seattle), Hogan Seidel & Gabby Follett (seattle), Deb Seitz (portland), Ariella Tai (portland), Josie Saint Josephine (portland), Sean Whiteman (portland), Jeffrey Sundin (portland), Kady Everpetal (olympia)

Sunday:

Sun City Girls on VHS - The Halcyon Days of Symmetry

Dolls vs. Dictators: stop-motion animation films of Martha Colburn

SHORTS PROGRAM B - Featuring: Hannah Villanueva (seattle), Sierra Grove (olympia/colorado), Laura Iancu (Virginia/Romania), Akila Fields (portland), Chris Freeman (portland), M Freeman (olympia), Mahda Purmehdi (colorado), Adham Garman (nyc/yemen), Shon Kim (LA)

Poster Design by Alyson Provax

SSEFF ENCORE!2025

February 27th

PAM CUT / TOMORROW THEATER

CRT installation set up in the theater by Portland-based video artist Lenny Beach.

Using CRT monitors and old televisions, Lenny’s interactive television sculpture invites audiences to participate in both the media as well as what they are presented on!

SSEFF ENCORE! 2025

February 27th

PAM CUT / TOMORROW THEATER

The Patchwork Girl of Oz with live score by SQWYRM.

Poor Ojo just wanted to do the right thing and give the patchwork girl intuition and personality, rather than live the life of a servant. Now they find themselves in a fantastic adventure through a surreal land in search of a cure for petrification. The long overlooked Patchwork Girl of Oz silent film was created by L. Frank Baum, the writer of the curiously unique Oz books. Complete with outstanding creatures, elaborate costumes, and world class acrobats, this surreal classic with gender bending aspects takes many stabs at social norms with grace & in surreal fashion. The film is illuminated respectfully by the curious hardware electronic stylings of SQWYRM, creating a whimsical sonic atmosphere for this unique film to be shown and experienced. A dream since childhood, SQWYRM visits Portland to provide us with a sonic reverie for The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914).