Oregon

Legend has it that when settlers came west by covered wagon more than 150 years ago, those seeking fame and fortune headed south to California, while people seeking seclusion and autonomy ventured north to Oregon. So while movie fans in the rest of the country may associate Portland with its most famous director, Gus Van Sant (or to a lesser extent transplanted indie auteur Todd Haynes), the heart of the city’s filmmaking community is comprised of proudly independent artists charting courses far removed from the radar of Hollywood.