Portland, Oregon, July 2, 2024 – Today, the Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation, and Technology (PFCAT) announced that its 2024 event will be held at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) from August 21 to August 25 and will include screenings, panel discussions, parties, and special events in the Empirical Theater, Theory, the Kendall Planetarium, and OMSI’s auditorium. 

This year’s festival includes screenings of over 120 films by visionary filmmakers, including over a dozen Portland-based filmmakers and animators. Innovation will also be displayed in the screening methods utilized at the festival. On Sunday, August 21, the festival will present screenings of virtual reality films with the assistance of Worlds Beyond VR. PFCAT will also be presenting dome films from around the globe. 

Individual screenings are $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, and $10 for youth, with $2 off for OMSI members. All-access passes are $48 for adults, $46 for seniors, and $44 for youth, with $3 off for OMSI members. All festival screenings before 5pm are appropriate for families with content designed to appeal to both children and adults. The complete festival schedule will be released on July 20 at www.pdxfestofcinema.com. 

Festival highlights include:

-Retrospective and talk by acclaimed Portland animator Joanna Priestley, widely known as the “queen of indie animation.” Joanna will present a selection of her work from the 1980s until today. 

-The Oregon Premiere of Bill Plympton’s new feature animation SLIDE, followed by a reception where attendees can receive autographs and drawings from Plympton. 

-The West Coast premiere of newly restored 4K cartoons created by Max Fleischer, who is responsible for characters including Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman. Fleischer was also an inventor who brought technological innovations, including rotoscope animation and the stereoptical process, to life. 

-Panel discussion and reception in conjunction with Women in Animation Portland, sponsored by the Portland Film and Events Office and Prosper Portland. This panel discussion entitled “Breaking into Animation” will be followed by a special festival reception.

Other animated feature film screenings include those created for all ages, including the Oregon Premiere of PIGSY (Taiwan), the US Premiere of THE SLOTH LANE (Australia), and the Oregon Premiere of THE CONCIERGE (Japan). 

-Documentary features include DOWNWIND from Portland director Mark Shapiro which features Michael Douglas and narrator Martin Sheen; the Oregon Premiere of THE KINDNESS WITHIN, which follows bestselling author and host of the Netflix and Discovery+ series The Kindness Diaries the Oregon Premiere of THE FARAWAY, NEARBY, which tells the story of Joe Weber, the first scientist to explore the detection of gravitational waves; and HISTORY, MYSTERY, & ODYSSEY, which explores the work and lives of six legendary Portland animators. 

About The Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology (PFCAT)

Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology presents visionary and diverse works from filmmakers and animators. In 2002, the festival rebranded from its previous name, The International Festival of Cinema and Technology. Past festivals include more than 30 events in eight U.S. cities and three Australian cities, as well as numerous events in Toronto, Paris, Sydney, and more. The festival also held events in 17 venues, including the CN Tower Maple Leaf Theater, the Canadian Broadcast Centre, Fox Studios in Sydney, and Centre National des Industries et Techniques in Paris. More information can be found at www.pdxfestofcinema.com, Facebook, and Instagram.  

About OMSI

Founded in 1944, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is one of the nation’s leading science museums and a trusted educational resource for communities throughout Oregon and the region. Through museum exhibitions, public programs, outdoor programs, traveling exhibitions, digital learning, and learning research and design, OMSI nourishes a lifelong love of science, curiosity, and learning among its diverse audiences. The upcoming OMSI District – a collaboration of local, Tribal, and regional government entities, nonprofits, and businesses – will be a one-of-a-kind neighborhood with innovation, culture, and science learning at its heart. OMSI is located at 1945 S.E. Water Avenue, Portland, OR, 97214. For general information, call 503.797.4000 or visit omsi.edu. Connect with the museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.