Maria Allred is an award-winning narrative filmmaker known for her innovative approach to cinema, blending bold content with experimental techniques while captivating audiences. A screenwriter, director, cinematographer, producer, and editor, she has been described as “taking auteur theory to the next level,” by critic James Berardinelli.
Allred's debut feature, lauded 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 specializing in groundbreaking films and new models of financing, marketing, and monetization.
Before directing her debut feature film, Allred’s short works made waves with successful festival runs and three television premieres on PBS. One of her shorts was featured in a 30-minute Emmy-nominated episode, “Art Beat Goes to the Circus.”
In the past five years, Allred produced the feature film Somnium, which screened at 14 festivals and received awards at eight, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Lead Actor, and multiple Audience Awards. The film is now signed with international distributor Yellow Veil, with a theatrical release scheduled for Summer 2025, followed by a wide streaming rollout.
During this same period, she also wrote and directed three short films, each of which had successful theatrical runs, further establishing her voice as a fearless and original filmmaker. Her most recent screenplay, Towed, was selected for the prestigious Stowe Story Labs and advanced to the second round of the Sundance Development Labs, garnering attention from industry professionals.
Her rich artistic history is rooted in a life of exploration and adventure. At age 15, she left home on a year-long journey across the U.S., living primarily in the woods and forging a deeply personal connection with the natural world. This formative experience continues to shape her artistic vision, infusing her work with a sense of wonder, subversion, and a fearless spirit of discovery.
With a lifelong passion for painting, poetry, dancing, art history, and philosophy. Allred'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 Week writer Bennett Campbell Ferguson notes that Allred is "daring Portland directors to think bigger, grander, and zanier."
