Featured Guest

Michelle Garza Cervera is a Mexican director and screenwriter, graduate of the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica and Goldsmiths, University of London. Her debut feature Huesera premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, winning Best New Narrative Director and the Nora Ephron Award, later earning over 40 international prizes and four Arieles, including Best First Feature and Original Screenplay. A 2023 Sundance Momentum and Sundance–Universal Fellow, she is currently developing her next feature Ornamento, based on Juan Cárdenas’s novel, co-written with Alejandra Moffat and set with RT Features, and serving as director and executive producer on the series Jawbone, based on Mónica Ojeda’s novel and produced by La Corriente del Golfo and Eat The Cat. She directed the upcoming reimagining of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle for 20th Century Studios, set for release in October 2025 on Hulu and Disney+.

2026 Panelists

Missy Greenberg
Amber Rasmussen
Clarissa Jacobson
Shayna Weber

Panelist Bios

Festival Judges

Ellie Foumbi
R.J. Daniel Hanna
Peter Billingsley
Sara Hofstein
Jonathan Raymond
Kyle Marvin
Laura Silverman
Bojana Sandic
Melissa Gregory Rue
Kendra Jacobson

Judge Bios

Short Films. Oregon Wine Country.

Filmmaker, Mariana, speaking at our filmmaker breakfast

Filmmakers

Located one hour south of Portland, in the heart of (AVA recognized) Oregon wine country, the McMinnville Short Film Festival (MSFF) is a true filmmaker’s film festival. Our team carefully considers every submission and we strive to identify independent voices and original storytellers. The MSFF has been selected as a “Top 100 Best Reviewed Festival” by FilmFreeway multiple times. Once selected, the films are reviewed by our noteworthy film industry professionals and Academy-affiliated judges for category winners and awards.
"I've always encouraged filmmakers to make shorts. It's a great way to gain visibility and create a calling card for Hollywood to recognize new talent. It is a pleasure to watch so many high-quality shorts at the McMinnville Short Film Festival." - 2025 Grand Jury Festival Judge, Peter Billinglsey (Executive Producer, Iron Man, A Christmas Story, Couples Retreat, The Breakup).
In an effort to raise visibility for underrepresented voices in film, we offer the following waivers:
LGBTQ+: Directors identifying as LGBTQ+ please use waiver code LGBTQMAC26 for 25% off the submission fee.
BIPOC: Directors identifying as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous of People of Color) please use BIPOCMAC26 for 25% off the submission fee.
All Yamhill County residents please email info@mcminnvillefilmfest.org for a full submission waiver. Proof of residency will be required.

Submissions open now

The Festival

Join us for the 15th Annual McMinnville Short Film Festival!
Stay tuned for more information.
We are grateful for the amazing panel of McMinnville Short Film Festival judges. These talented experts are responsible for the challenging task of narrowing down Official Film Selections and selecting our Award Winners.
Learn More About Our Judges
McMinnville is located in the northwest Willamette Valley, an hour’s drive southwest of Portland
Infamous for Pinot Noir, the Willamette Valley is considered globally to be the best and most well-known Pinot Noir winegrowing region in North America
This iconic wine region spans 100+ miles north-to-south, and 60 miles west-to-east.
With a population of approximately 34,000 people, McMinnville – or as the locals call it, simply “Mac” – is full of small-town charm, local vibes, and farm-fresh cuisine.
It takes a total of 10 minutes to drive from one end of town to the other, so you can be certain that nothing is far from MSFF festivities!
Learn More From Visit McMinnville
--Media Inquiries: Angela Manginelli, Director of Marketing & Community Outreach, outreach@mcminnvillefilmfest.org
--MSFF In the News