The recently announced Academy Award nominations include several of the official selections from the Northwest Film Center’s 37th Portland International Film Festival (PIFF 37), including one of our Opening Night selections, Hayao Miyazaki’s THE WIND RISES, nominated for Best Animated Feature Film. Portland audiences are also invited during the Festival to swoon at the French-produced animated feature, ERNEST AND CELESTINE, also nominated in the Best Animated Feature category.
In the running for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Cambodian director Rithy Panh’s THE MISSING PICTURE, exploring the widespread tragedy of an erased populace during the 1970s reign of the Khmer Rouge, is also one of the more enticing films on offer at PIFF 37. Additionally, the political thriller OMAR, from director Hany Abu-Assad (PARADISE NOW), represents Palestine in the Oscar race.
Outside of the features categories, there are two shorts present in the annual PIFF Shorts Cuts showcases up for Oscars this year. Both THAT WASN’T ME by Spanish director Estaban Crespo and DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING? from Finnish director Selma Vihunen are scheduled as part of the Festival’s SHORT CUTS III: INTERNATIONAL TIES presentation.
Those who engaged heavily with last year’s Festival might remember that PIFF 36 included the Portland premiere of Thomas Vinterberg’s THE HUNT, starring Danish dynamo Mads Mikkelsen. As such, the Film Center is pleased to see Vinterberg’s film included in this year’s Best Foreign Language Film category. Tangentially, anyone looking for an opportunity to see Mikkelsen ply his craft at PIFF 37 should direct their attention to Arnaud des Pallières’ AGE OF UPRISING: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL KOHLHAAS, which screens in the Festival on Feb. 8 and 10.
Screening times:
THE WIND RISES
February 6 – Thursday 6:30p.m. (Cinema 21)
February 6 – Thursday 6:45p.m. (OMSI)
Purchase tickets here.
ERNEST & CELESTINE
February 7 – Friday 6:00p.m. (Whitsell Auditorium)
February 11 – Tuesday 6:00p.m. (Fox Tower)
Purchase tickets here.
OMAR
February 9 – Sunday 8:00p.m. (Whitsell Auditorium)
February 13 – Monday 6:00p.m. (Cinemagic)
Purchase tickets here.
THE MISSING PICTURE
February 7 – Friday 6:00p.m. (World Trade Center Theater)
February 15 – Saturday 6:00p.m. (World Trade Center Theater)
Purchase tickets here.
SHORT CUTS III: INTERNATIONAL TIES
February 8 – Saturday 1:00p.m. (Whitsell Auditorium)
February 16 – Sunday 12:30p.m. (Whitsell Auditorium)
Purchase tickets here.
AGE OF UPRISING: THE LEGEND OF MICHAEL KOHLHAAS
February 8 – Saturday 3:30p.m. (Cinema 21)
February 10 – Monday 8:30p.m. (Fox Tower)
Purchase tickets here.
ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL DETAILS
The 37th Portland International Film Festival hosts screenings at the Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium inside the Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park Avenue), the Empirical Theater at OMSI (1945 SE Water Avenue), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Avenue), Cinemagic (2021 SE Hawthorne Boulevard), World Trade Center (121 SW Salmon Street, 1st Street, Building 2), and Regal Fox Tower (846 SW Park Avenue).
Over the last 37 years, the Festival has populated its schedule with diverse and innovative films for an audience of more than 38,000 annually from throughout the Northwest. As Oregon’s largest, most culturally diverse film event, the Portland International Film Festival pulls together a multi-faceted experience with over 125 films and special events presenting a full spectrum of features, documentaries, shorts, and visiting artists – and featuring submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and works by both returning masters and emerging talents.
This year’s Festival includes the return of the popular PIFF After Dark program, showcasing midnight movies like Ti West’s (THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL) THE SACRAMENT and Ari Folman’s (WALTZ WITH BASHIR) THE CONGRESS for adventurous festival attendees. Contained within the PIFF 37 lineup is a sizable animation block with seven animated features on offer, including THE APOSTLE, MY MOMMY IS IN AMERICA AND SHE MET BUFFALO BILL, and the latest film by Portland-born animator Bill Plympton, CHEATIN’.
Other highlights of PIFF 37 include screenings of Tsai Ming-Liang’s (WHAT TIME IS IT OVER THERE?) STRAY DOGS, Rithy Panh’s THE MISSING PICTURE, Doug Pray’s (HYPE!) LEVITATED MASS, François Ozon’s (SWIMMING POOL) YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL, Jillian Schlesinger’s MAIDENTRIP, Alain Guiraudie’s STRANGER BY THE LAKE, Anthony Chen’s ILO ILO and Claude Lanzmann’s (SHOAH) THE LAST OF THE UNJUST.
FULL SCHEDULE
The full PIFF 37 Program is available to the public online January 24 at nwfilm.org. Press screenings begin on January 27.
ADVANCE TICKET OUTLET
Mark Building, Portland Art Museum, 1119 SW Park Avenue
Opens January 27 — daily from 12-6 p.m.
Advance tickets by phone at (503) 276-4310
Advance tickets online at nwfilm.org on January 27.
Admission Prices:
$11 General; $10 Portland Art Museum Members, Students, Seniors; $8 Silver Screen Club Friends, Children
Opening Night: $25 general; $20 Silver Screen Friend and Portland Art Museum and OMSI Members
The Portland International Film Festival is sponsored by The Oregonian, Regal Cinemas, LAIKA, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Alaska Airlines, Wieden+Kennedy, Delta Airlines, James F. Marion Miller Foundation, and many others.
The Northwest Film Center is a regional media arts organization offering a variety of exhibition, education programs, and artist services throughout the region. The Center presents a program of foreign, classic, experimental, and independent works year-round at the Whitsell Auditorium, located in the Portland Art Museum. For more information, visit http://www.nwfilm.org.
