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Maxwell Meier 6/30/26 Maxwell Meier 6/30/26

A Queer Reflection on PNW Wedding Planning

Wedding planning during Pride month brings forth newfound realizations, opportunities for self-reflection, and chances to make amends with past traumas, which makes June all the more special.

Raegan Ballard-Gennrich and Parker Dean 3/13/26 Raegan Ballard-Gennrich and Parker Dean 3/13/26

‘Sinners’ in the LGBTQIA+ Lens, Part 2: Protection of Youth

With Sammie, one of the most notable themes in Sinners—the protection of youth—is carried through the film.

Gray Harrison and Calista Robbins 2/24/26 Gray Harrison and Calista Robbins 2/24/26

‘Ashes, Ashes’ Snapshots Family, Grief, Humor in Kenmore

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down, written by Gretchen Douma, premiered February 5-8 at As If Theatre. The play, with its familial themes and living room-confined location suited the small, homey venue well. Staff greeted guests with warmth, ensuring all felt welcomed into the budding Kenmore arts community. Upon entering the Kenmore Community Club, a donation-based concession stand sold fresh, homemade cookies which added a unique layer of care, commitment, and connection to the performance and the theater space that often goes unfelt by patrons at larger venues.

Gray Harrison 12/18/25 Gray Harrison 12/18/25

Life on the Moon Powerfully Illuminates Familial, Autistic Expression

On December 14, I was lucky enough to attend the PNW premiere of Life on the Moon, a play written by Anna Tatelman, directed by Jeremy Radick, and produced by Baker Theater Workshop. Hosted at ReAct Theatre, Life on the Moon is a family drama that centers on the relationship between siblings Piper, an 18-year-old with autism, and her older brother Spencer, who has just returned home from the army for the holidays.

Gray Harrison 11/26/25 Gray Harrison 11/26/25

Twin Peaks: The Return Offers Meditation on Grief, Feeling Life in the Moment

Two days after the dream, I entered a darkly lit theater in Northwest Film Forum to the familiar sound of the synth-heavy, nostalgic yet eerie Twin Peaks theme song, and shuffled into a seat. I was about to spend two hours watching episodes five and six of Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), as part of a collaborative screening of the entire 18-episode season held by Northwest Film Forum, SIFF, The Beacon, and The Grand Illusion Cinema between November 13 and December 16 of this year. I had only watched the first four episodes of the first season of David Lynch’s masterpiece series set in our home state. But there I sat, going in blind.

Zach Youngs 11/25/25 Zach Youngs 11/25/25

Local Filmmaker Shea Formanes Chats New Short Diwata, Production Process

Last year I was privileged to speak with local filmmaker Shea Formanes about her first feature, I Watched Her Grow. Recently, Shea and I spoke again, this time about shooting a short film she is currently working on. We spoke about her process and how this particular film, titled Diwata (a Filipino word meaning “muse”) went from an idea into her current project. We also went into great detail about how a film like this gets made and the partnerships she found along the way.