SCAREDYCAT

This short documentary by Portland filmmaker Andrew Blubaugh screens during the SHORT CUTS III: MADE IN PORTLAND program at the 30th Portland International Film Festival.Visit http://www.nwfilm.org/archives/piff/30/ for showtimes and venue.

Scaredycat
Grade: B+

The 30th Portland International Film Festival includes four programs of short films, including nine entries from Portland filmmakers. One of the highlights is Scaredycat, a 13-minute documentary by gay director Andrew Blubaugh (Hello, Thanks). One night in September 2004, a gang of five men attacked Blubaugh as he crossed the Steel Bridge. Though impaired by fear, some racial prejudice and a lifelong bout with obsessive-compulsive disorder, he contacted his assailants in jail to try to make sense of the situation. Even with the expert input of a Portland lawyer and a PSU psychology professor, some of the findings are a little simplistic. Still, the skillful combination of interviews, dramatic reenactments and animated sequences makes for compelling viewing.