CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival Names Visionary Director Ondi Timoner as 2026 Honored Guest for 10th Anniversary Event

"Ondi is one of the most important documentarians working today. Not only is she an immensely talented and dedicated filmmaker, Ondi has her finger on the pulse of contemporary sociocultural life in a way that few others have," says critic and festival Program Director Claudia Puig. Timoner’s selection follows the successful screening of her film All God's Children at last year's festival, and her vital contributions to the industry made her the natural choice for this year's Honored Guest.

Timoner will attend the festival, including a special screening of her 2004 film DIG!, which features the Portland-based band The Dandy Warhols. 

A Legacy of Achievement

Timoner holds the distinction of being the only filmmaker to receive the Sundance Grand Jury Prize twice: first for the rock-documentary masterpiece DIG! and again for We Live in Public. Her film Last Flight Home won the 2023 Humanitas Prize. Her career is defined by "breaking glass ceilings" and a commitment to equity, including:

• Focus on Female Perspectives: From her early work Voices From Inside Time (1994) to her current projects, Timoner has consistently centered marginalized voices and challenged societal perceptions. “She is fearless in tackling difficult subjects that most filmmakers would stay away from,” notes Festival Director Cheryl Crooks. 
• Industry Leadership: Timoner currently Chairs the Nonfiction for Special Projects at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and is a recipient of the Humanitas Prize and the Visionary Award for Documentary Excellence at DOC NYC.
• Active Advocacy: A frequent voice on panels such as "The Women in the Driver’s Seat," she works to ensure women’s stories remain central to the cultural conversation.

Featured Programming: A Masterclass, New Works, and DIG!

In celebration of her visit, the festival will screen Timoner’s powerful and personal Last Flight Home on Friday, May 1. Oscar-Shortlisted and Emmy-Nominated, the film is a stunning verité account of a family banding together during their final weeks with their extraordinary patriarch as he decides to exercise his right to Medical-Aid-in-Dying in California.

Festivalgoers will not want to miss a special presentation on documentary filmmaking, “How to Make a Great Documentary,” presented by Timoner on on Friday, May 1 at 7 p.m. at the Mount Baker Theatre. The program will include a screening of her latest short film, All the Walls Came Down, a deeply personal 38-minute documentary detailing the Alta Dena fire in which Timoner and her wife lost their home. The film was short-listed for an Academy Award.

CASCADIA will also present the cult classic DIG! (2004) as a special late-night partnership with The Pickford Cinema. Now preserved in the archives of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the film explores the volatile collision of art and commerce through the relationship between The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Portland-based band The Dandy Warhols.

Ten Years of CASCADIA: A Decade of Directing the Future

The 2026 festival marks a decade of showcasing global talent while spotlighting the Pacific Northwest as a premier destination for the arts. CASCADIA remains dedicated to an inclusive industry where diverse stories are not just told, but celebrated.

"Ondi Timoner’s work is a prime example of the work we champion as we work for a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse film industry," says Festival Director Cheryl Crooks. "We are thrilled to have her join us as we celebrate ten years of discovery and development in women's filmmaking."

The full lineup will be announced March 20th.