Film Festival Opens in Wallowa County

The Eagle Cap Film Festival opens on Nov. 5 in Wallowa County, Oregon. The three-day event will feature nine films screened at venues in Joseph, Enterprise, Lostine, and Wallowa. Cody Sheehy and Zach Halpern launched the festival to showcase local and regional cinema.

Sheehy, a filmmaker who grew up in the county, returned to his hometown after living elsewhere for 25 years. He spent the last six years working to contribute to the local community. He met Halpern, a medical doctor and the founder of the Oregon Psychedelic Institute. The two shared an interest in film and community building, which led to the creation of the festival.

The festival takes its name from the Eagle Cap Wilderness, a 360,000-acre area located in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The site sits at the base of the Wallowa Mountains. Sheehy described the area as one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The wilderness serves as a central theme for the event.

One of the nine films scheduled for screening is Sheehy’s new documentary. Another featured work is “The Last Dive.” This film follows a manta ray and a scuba diver, documenting their friendship over time. The festival aims to bring these stories to audiences in the four host towns.

The event runs through Nov. 7. Screenings are scheduled at various locations across the county. The festival marks the first year of this specific cinematic gathering in Eastern Oregon. Sheehy and Halpern organized the program to support local filmmakers and audiences.