Maria Allred is an award-winning filmmaker known for her innovative approach to cinema, blending bold content with experimental techniques while captivating audiences. Her debut feature film, described by critics as "unapologetically bold," won multiple awards during its festival circuit and later achieved a theatrical release in four major U.S. cities before widespread distribution. She is the founder of Allred Films, a boutique production company, which specializes in groundbreaking films and new models of financing, marketing, and monetization.
Before directing her feature, Allred's short films made waves with successful festival runs and three television premieres on PBS. One of her films was featured in a 30-minute Emmy-nominated episode, "Art Beat Goes to the Circus."
Allred's rich artistic history is rooted in a life of exploration and adventure. At 15, she left home on a year-long quest that took her across the country, living primarily in the woods and embracing the raw beauty of the natural world. This unique journey profoundly shaped her life and artistic vision, infusing her work with a sense of wonder and a fearless spirit of discovery.
With a lifelong passion for painting, poetry, philosophy, and dance, Maria's filmmaking reflects her multifaceted creative background—her films are celebrated for their poetic, painterly visuals and philosophical depth. She graduated summa cum laude from Portland State University with a BS in liberal studies.
Critic Maggie Stacu remarks, “What she has created is, simply put, one of a kind. Not only that, but it’s poignant to our time." Willamette Weekly writer Bennett Campbell Ferguson states that Allred is "daring Portland directors to think bigger, grander, and zanier."
