Gal Pal Productions

07/16/2025

Film festival season gonna be 🔥. We are thrilled to share episode one of the docuseries “Help Solve a Murder” is an official selection of both Portland’s Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology (PFCAT) and in Houston, TX. Screening tickets info coming soon.

07/16/2025

Gal Pal is going big and you’re invited! Join us Thursday, August 14th at Bauman’s on Oak as Gal Pal celebrates the launch of new and exciting services, projects and plans. All ages welcome! RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gal-pal-launch-party-tickets-1435791082779?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/28/2025

Pride did not start with a parade but with resistance, activism and courage. May we always embrace the past in order to improve the present. Wishing everyone a happy, safe and courageous Pride.

05/20/2025

We are overjoyed to share the exciting news of four Telly Awards wins for our work on Help Solve A Murder with Asia Savage, PDX Trash Issue with Angelita for Portland and A Kids Book About Long-Term Care book trailer with our own Jenny Abeling. The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. The Telly Awards receives over 13,000 entries globally and winners are selected for recognition based on excellence in the following areas: Branded Content, Commercials & Marketing, Immersive & Mixed Reality, Non-Broadcast, Online and Television Series, Shows & Segments, Social Video and Film & Shorts.

05/11/2025

Great news! Our short film “Waltzing Through Life” starring the incredible Kristina Hayes is screening June 1st in Astoria Film Festival, Astoria NY. If you’re in NY, please check it out !

Waltzing Through Life
Mary Matthews
Documentary
USA

Screening on Sunday June 1, 2025
10:30-1pm
ZUKOR THEATER

Dance teacher Kristina Hayes lifts up aging communities with her unique chair dancing class.

Mary Matthews is a filmmaker whose approach stands out for its raw, stripped-back authenticity. Rather than relying on visual embellishments, Matthews focuses on the human heart of her subjects, allowing the true essence of their stories to unfold naturally. Her work feels unforced, as though she’s simply there to capture life as it is – unapologetically real and deeply moving. This quality is most evident in her documentary ‘Waltzing Through Life‘, where she chooses a simple, intimate approach that highlights the quiet beauty of her subject, dance instructor Kristina Hayes, and the elderly residents she works with.

Matthews has a gift for creating space where emotion can speak for itself. In ‘Waltzing Through Life’, she doesn’t try to manufacture moments of sentiment; instead, she lets the interactions between Hayes and the elderly participants tell the story. Her direction is guided by empathy and an evident care for her subject matter, revealing a deep understanding of the impact that simple acts of kindness, such as dance, can have on people’s lives. Matthews doesn’t overwhelm the narrative with extraneous cinematic techniques; instead, she trusts in the power of what’s already there – the genuine connections, the moments of joy, and the dignity of the people involved.

05/07/2025

We are thrilled to share that Gal Pal are winners thrice over this year, garnering honors of excellence and distinction from the 2025 Communicator Awards for our work in both short (Angelita for Portland: Trash Issue) and long form (The American Story GOTV) political ads, as well as our short film “Castle Dweller” documenting the Gen X Emerson College study abroad experience at Kasteel Well in the Netherlands. The Communicator Awards recognizes excellence and innovation across all areas of communication and received over 3,000 entries from ad agencies, production firms, in-house creative professionals, design and public relations firms. Checkout our award winning work at galpalproductions.com

04/23/2025

Great day today celebrating honorees, elders and community at the annual AGE+ Ageless Awards, where our short film, produced with AGE+, “Breaking Ground” premiered. You can see it here:
https://vimeo.com/1054299496/9e678b9659

03/31/2025

Thank you for the incredible support of our Kickstarter campaign! We reached our goal and could not have done it without you. Thank you for helping lift up these vital stories.

03/30/2025

A last day ask from your friends at Gal Pal: For the past month, we’ve been working with Asia Savage and Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action to raise funds for a new documentary series that helps lift up families and communities fighting for justice and safety in Portland, OR. We are currently 65% funded with just one day left to reach our goal. Please consider donating if you can. Any amount helps and every effort matters. Please share the Kickstarter link with your friends and let’s do this together ❤️.

http://kck.st/3QHSKsy

03/28/2025

We are in the final push of our kickstarter campaign for the new Portland based doc series “Help Solve A Murder”, with just TWO DAYS LEFT to reach our $25,000 goal. Please donate today if you can, any amount helps, and there are now THREE convenient ways to pay via Venmo, Cash app or the Kickstarter directly. Thank you!

03/26/2025

Tonight!

03/03/2025

We are honored to be working with gun safety advocates Asianique Savage, Alliance for a Safe Oregon Action and Senseless Violence Leads to Silence on a new original documentary series "Help Solve A Murder". This six episode series goes behind the headlines and inside the families of those most affected by gun violence in Portland, OR. Please join the Kickstarter campaign today and help bring this important docuseries to life! Link in comments.