PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Acceptance speeches weren’t the only things in store for attendees of a Portland awards ceremony honoring multidisciplinary artists.

The sixth annual Cinema Unbound Awards — organized by the Portland Art Museum’s Center for an Untold Tomorrow — took place in the Mark Building on Friday evening. It recognized five individuals who showcase artistic excellence and are “unbound” to one particular medium: EEM co-founder Earl Ninsom, “Saturday Night Live” comic Sarah Sherman, filmmaker Marco Brambilla and “Wildwood Chronicles” writer-illustrator duo Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis.

The event kicked off with a surprise performance from artist-in-residence Julia Calabrese, who channeled Nicholas Cage in “Moonstruck”’s bakery scene. Her reenactment was followed by an explosive drum set from Last Regiment.

Drag queen Violet Hex was the host of the evening. In her opening monologue, she highlighted PAM CUT’s ability to bridge the “high brow and underground” — nodding to the Tomorrow Theater’s previous stint as an X-rated movie house.

Organization Director Amy Dotson was far less subtle during her own speech, directly mentioning the property’s history as a sex club. And just as soon as the audience threw their heads back in laughter, they were lifting up their spoons for the first course of the night.

Honoree and James Beard Award-winning Ninsom spearheaded the event’s culinary takeover. The menu featured Khao soy pasta, beef belly curry and passionfruit macaroons, giving guests a “taste of Thailand without going to Thailand,” the chef said.

Fellow honoree Sherman told KOIN 6 News the award was the first she had ever won, shortly before an emotional-yet-hilarious acceptance speech.

“I just – I feel touched,” she said. “I really love Portland… I tour around a lot, and not every city is created equal. Sometimes doing shows in different cities can be quite punishing. No offense if you're from Phoenix, Arizona, of course.”

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, who presented Ellis and Meloy’s award, also earned laughter from the audience. The two recalled reading the word “polymath” on the event invitation, and joked about their assumption that the couple was being honored for polyamory.

“We did think it was weird when we had to make speeches,” they remarked. “The good news is, I think it still works — basically. So we're just gonna go for it.”

Amid the several speeches that could be confused for comedy sets, organizers focused on what the event is all about: fundraising. Proceeds from the Cinema Unbound Awards supports PAM CUT’s various arts and culture programs.