Room 7 Schedule
Ford 122
Wednesday, April 15th, 2026
9:00–10:20 a.m.
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This documentary examines how Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) has sustained strong academic, career, and socioemotional outcomes among underserved youth and families in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1981 by Willamette alumnus Tony Hopson Sr. (BS ‘77) in response to rising gang violence, SEI is a majority-Black social services nonprofit with deep community roots. Drawing from nine interviews with administrators and staff members across diverse roles and levels of organizational influence, the film offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of SEI’s relationship-centered model and culturally specific approach, while considering factors that may help explain its limited replication.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop
Discipline: Cinema Studies -
This short documentary examines the ongoing struggle for accessibility and representation of the Deaf community in cinema. Through archival footage and interviews with Deaf creatives and accessibility professionals, the film explores how dismantling systemic barriers, both on screen and behind the scenes, have shaped Deaf visibility in media. Landmark moments, including the historic Academy Award wins of Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, are situated within a broader movement advocating for equity in casting, production practices, and storytelling. Ultimately, the documentary highlights why true accessibility requires Deaf voices to lead, shape, and author their own narratives.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop & Ricardo De Mambro Santos
Discipline: Cinema Studies
10:30–11:50 a.m.
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How much of a past event do we remember? And how does our recollection of it change over time? Through the self-referencing lens of metafiction, this project will explore the creative process of reconstructing past events. This case study of Stanley Kwan’s Center Stage (1991) will examine the life of the silent cinema actress Ruan Lingyu, which calls into question the legitimacy of the past and the way we present history to others.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop
Discipline: Cinema Studies -
This short documentary highlights my own experience as I reflect on over 10 years of competitive swimming. It discusses the various trials and challenges competitive athletes face as they grow up, focusing on struggles with mental health, specifically unhealthy comparison and imposter syndrome. Through self-reflection and interviews with teammates and coaches, this documentary aims to prompt more conversations about student-athletes' mental health and encourage others to speak up and take more actions to create a better environment for all athletes.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop
Discipline: Cinema Studies -
This short film highlights the accomplishments that the human spirit can make when faced with adversity. The mockumentary form allows me the opportunity to creatively capture all moments of this journey blending both real and staged interactions. The real-life interactions speak to the raw truth of the experience while the carefully staged fictionalized scenarios add comedic relief. This blend is crucial for enhancing the emotional impact of this narrative arc, enabling the film to both entertain and ensure the theme of overcoming struggle is powerfully conveyed.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop
Discipline: Cinema Studies
2:00–3:00 p.m.
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The central goal of this project is studying how recent American films about Asian American immigrants depict the tension between maintaining values from home and integrating into American society. The project focuses on estranged relationships of Asian families and masculinity of Asian American immigrants, looking at stereotypes of Asian American immigrants in American media. This study also examines the transition of cultural values between different generations. I mainly analyze Tigertail (2020), an American film which represents a story of Taiwanese immigrant, Pin-Jui, who experiences internal identity changes in his journey between Taiwan and the United States.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop
Discipline: Cinema Studies -
For decades, Russia has attempted to suppress Ukrainian identity through the propaganda of Russian culture, the repression of the Ukrainian language, and the assimilation of Ukrainian traditions. Songs of Resistance is a documentary project showcasing Ukrainian resilience through music during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Through interviews with a Ukrainian music critic and Ukrainian singers and bands, the film explores the historical development of Ukrainian music and its cultural significance within Ukrainian society. The project investigates how musicians respond to war and how music functions as cultural resistance, collective memory, and national identity during the conflict.
Faculty Sponsor: Sarah Clovis Bishop
Discipline: Cinema Studies, CCSRG