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The Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology is back and bigger than ever, with 170 films from 31 countries screening over six days.
The festival returns to OMSI for a week of screenings and panels Aug. 18–23. After two decades as a touring production, what was called the International Festival of Cinema & Technology landed permanently in Portland in 2022 and refashioned itself as PFCAT. This year’s lineup is its biggest yet, featuring 170 live-action, animated and stop-motion films from 31 countries, including South Korea, Dubai and Brazil.
Though the list of screenings includes all kinds of films, stop-motion creators make up most of this year’s speakers. One Aug. 20 panel is dedicated to LAIKA artists discussing the Portland studio’s upcoming Wildwood film. Another, on Aug. 23, is titled Attack of the Puppet People and features artists whose projects include The Tiny Chef Show, Wendell & Wild, and Portlandia.
There’s also a free creator expo planned for Aug. 22, which will give guests a chance to chat with filmmakers and animators while they demo sets and puppets from stop-motion films.
“People more than ever, I think, want to see the really handcrafted, super-thoughtful process-driven kind of animation,” says PFCAT director Marisa Cohen. “It makes people feel warm, fuzzy feelings when they’re able to watch stop-motion and know that not just a person but many people were carefully and meticulously crafting this by hand.”
OMSI’s facilities also give the festival a unique edge. Several films will play on Kendall Planetarium’s domed screen; elsewhere, a showcase of virtual reality films will transform the museum’s auditorium, including a dinosaur documentary that puts viewers in egglike motion pods. PFCAT executive director Peter Issac Alexander says OMSI’s Empirical Theater, which boasts the biggest screen and fanciest sound system in town, is a huge draw.
“No joke, we’ve had filmmakers cry when screening their movies on the Empirical. It’s a really impressive experience,” Alexander says.
To help navigate PFCAT’s jam-packed schedule, we asked Cohen and Alexander to suggest some standouts.
Crystal Cross at 8 pm Tuesday, Aug 18, at the Empirical Theater
Synopsis: An aspiring Christian singer runs into a father grieving the loss of his daughter who looks strikingly like Jesus Christ. Taking it as a sign from God, they embark on a cross-country road trip with two separate destinations in mind: life and death.
Cohen’s take: “It’s indie filmmaking at its finest. It’s beautiful, hilarious and bittersweet all at the same time. And it features an amazing soundtrack by the film’s lead actor and director, Richie Follin. I think people will leave the theater still singing the songs.”
The Crown in the Shadow & the Search for Self at 5:45 pm Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Empirical Theater
Synopsis: A young, gender-morphing pink skunk fish’s journey to queendom involves loss and acceptance—and plenty of insights into the trans experience—in this 3D short that blends animation and live action.
Cohen’s take: “The film’s timely message about compassion and self-awareness will resonate strongly with everyone who sees it. Director J.B. Ghuman is a queer mixed-media artist and a trailblazer.”
Halcyon Daze: The Final Voyage of Disney’s Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser at 6 pm Saturday, Aug. 22, at the OMSI Auditorium
Synopsis: First-time director Carrie Coaplen documented Disney World’s short-lived but fiercely adored Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser immersive, role-playing hotel before its final “voyages” in September 2023.
Alexander’s take: “It’s the next best thing if you never got the chance to experience the Starcruiser yourself! The film explores the power of the fan community that grew out of the Starcruiser experience and how that community lives on today. We’re also hosting a Star Wars costume contest that night.”
Big City Pizza at 7:30 pm Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Theory Theater
Synopsis: It’s game day, but the work never stops for Big City Pizza’s skeleton delivery boy protagonist, Boney. Animated in one trippy, first-person shot, Boney’s delivery route brings you to the doorstep of the fictional city’s most eclectic patrons.
Alexander’s take: “Big City Pizza is PFCAT’s very first ‘Midnight Feature,’ even though we’re screening it at 7:30 pm since OMSI is closed at midnight. Told from the POV of a skeleton in a dystopian world, it’s a hilarious, nonstop ride that our team believes will blow people’s minds on the big screen. It’s definitely for an adult crowd, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Sender at 7:30 pm Saturday, Aug 22, at the Empirical Theater
Synopsis: Alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, Britt Lower (Severance) stars in this thriller about a newly sober woman who’s forced to confront her past by the arrival of a mysterious package.
Cohen’s take: “Its exploration of the madness and paranoia of modern life really hits home, and it makes a fascinating commentary on today’s consumer ecosystem.”
SEE IT: Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology at OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave., pdxfestofcinema.com. Showtimes vary Tuesday–Sunday, Aug. 18–23. $9–$12. All ages, some events 18+.
