TICKETS $15

Doors at 6:30 p.m.; Event at 7 p.m.

Come early to enjoy a variety of foods from DarSalam, completely free!

Click here to learn more about accessibility at the Tomorrow Theater. 

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THE EXPERIENCE

Pushing the Boundaries of Documentary Storytelling

Brought to life by a dedicated and talented film crew in Portland, When I Close My Eyes will be available to view for the first time at Tomorrow Theater. A special event combining artist talks, music, traditional Iraqi food, a specially curated presentation of Samir’s art will center the evening. Slated for its debut on PBS Independent Lens in August, the film is gearing up for a series of theatrical screenings, beginning with an exclusive premiere in collaboration with PAM CUT.

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ON SCREEN: When I Close My Eyes

2024. Directed by Samuel Eisen-Meyers. Runtime: 24 minutes. Not Rated.

When I Close My Eyes melds visual artistry, music, and raw narrative, offering a deep dive into the complex experiences faced by an Iraqi refugee in the United States.

Daringly experimental and profoundly immersive, the film centers around master oil painter Samir Khurshid. His deeply layered artworks, teeming with philosophical imagery and recreated memories, showcase stories of modern religion, mythology, political intricacies, and the nuanced emotions of daily life. Narrated in his native Turkman, Samir recounts the heart-wrenching events that have punctuated his journey—from terrorist threats and mistaken identity attacks on his family to the stark cultural contrasts of life in America.

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ABOUT THE FILMMAKER

Samuel Eisen-Meyers, Director
Samuel Eisen-Meyers is a conceptual and multidisciplinary artist who works with themes related to perspective, media, and popular culture. Through filmmaking, installations, and directing, he has engaged Portland’s community, worked in schools, and been featured in concert halls, theaters, museums, and galleries across the U.S.

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Executive Producers
Carrie Lozano
Lois Vossen 

Featuring
Samir Khurshid

Director
Samuel Eisen-Meyers

Producer
Samuel Eisen-Meyers

Executive In Charge of Production
Royd Chung

Senior Manager, Short-Form Content                      
Pamela Torno

Supervising Producer          
Susan Cohen 

Consulting Producer
Clare Chambers

Director of Photography
Adolfo Cantú-Villarreal

Producer
Samuel Eisen-Meyers

Narrated & Written by
Samir Khurshid

Producers
Samir Khurshid
Mehmet Balkan 

Original Music & Contributing Composer
Amir El Saffar

Sound Design & Audio Supervisor
Matthew Morgan

Sound Mix Mastering & Additional Sound Design
Pyata Penedo 

Editors
Nathaniel Trimboli
Samuel Eisen-Meyers

Arabic Script Translation
Amal Al-Agroobi

Turkish Script Translation
Mehmet Balkan
Assistant Director
Claire Sapone

1st Assistant Camera
Marcie Cadell

2nd Assistant Camera
Sean Conley

Additional Camera and Drone Operator
Joseph Blake

Gaffer
Rob Martinez

Grip
Hailey McCoy

2nd Grip
Will Tang

Associate Field Producer
Janessa Narcisso 

Drone Operator
Sean Khuon-Paige

BTS Photography
Jay Buezo

On Set Production Designers / Set Build Assistants
Allison Blaine
Claire Sapone
Janessa Narcisso 

Production Support Provided By
Desert Island Studios
Gearhead

Legal Counsel
Juliana Minn
Kohel Haver

Accounting
Williamson & Associates

Production Insurance
Justin Avera

Archival Footage
Public domain archival footage courtesy of Prelinger Archives

Art Photography
Original Art Photography courtesy of Kevin McConnell

Independent Lens Short-Form Funding Provided By:
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Acton Family Giving
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Ford Foundation
Wyncote Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts