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The Sports Bra famously broadcasts only women’s sports on its televisions. Starting this spring, the Northeast Portland bar will turn its attention to the big screen.
The inaugural International Women’s Sports Film Festival (IWSFF) will be held at the Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts in downtown Portland May 1-3. The festival will be dedicated entirely to films about women and nonbinary athletes.
The film festival has four women behind it. The idea for the festival first came from Sports Bra strategic advisor Kate Delhagen, who then got founder and CEO Jenny Nguyen on board. The two paired up with Molly King, the co-executive director and programmer of LGBTQ+ documentary festival QDoc; and Kimiko Matsuda, founder of the Idea Factory, a Portland-based organization for female founders.
“The stories of women in sports deserve a permanent and unapologetic platform in film and in culture,” said Nguyen. “While many of these films confront challenges, they also celebrate progress and joy. Each story highlights breakthroughs, representation, and the growing visibility of women athletes who are reshaping the future of sports. Every athlete on screen is a main character, and this festival ensures their voices get the attention they deserve.”
The IWSFF will kick off with a preview event April 11 at the Dolores Winningstad Theatre featuring a screening of documentary The Moment about coach Dawn Staley of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team.
Information about films, tickets and showtimes will be announced on iwsff.org when the event gets closer. The film festival will feature a slate of non-fiction films, documentaries and shorts, plus panel discussions, workshops and red-carpet events.
GO: The International Women’s Sports Film Festival at The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts, 1000 SW Broadway. iwsff.org. May 1-3.
