Maria Allred is an award-winning independent filmmaker residing in Chicago, IL. In her debut feature film, The Texture of Falling, she took on an impressive number of roles including writer, director, producer, cinematographer, editor, and art-director, among others. The film premiered in Spain at the Marbella International Film Festival, where she was nominated Best Director, and then went on to have a theatrical release across four major U.S. cities. Prior to directing her feature, she had three short films with television premieres on OPB's Oregon Lens and one on Oregon Art Beat.Since childhood, Maria has passionately studied painting, poetry, philosophy, creative non-fiction, and various forms of dance. In addition, she has for eight years participated in Jungian-based process groups with author Paul Levy. Not coincidentally, her filmmaking- strongly informed by visual art, music, philosophy, and movement-is poetic, symbolic, and visually driven. She received her BS in Liberal Studies, Film Focus, from Portland State University.Allred is intrigued by pushing cinematic expression into new terrains, while also keeping the audience thoroughly entertained.