The Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology (PFCAT) will be held from August 3–6 at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). The event promises an exciting lineup of 119 films, including 110 world or regional premieres from 22 countries. In addition to the screenings, attendees can look forward to engaging in panel discussions, presentations and parties.
The lineup highlights various film techniques, from stop-motion and rotoscope to the charm of hand-drawn animation.
Alongside these animated wonders, you’ll also get to explore a selection of features, documentaries, sci-fi shorts and groundbreaking projects pushing the boundaries of VFX and technology.
“Technology as a tool has the potential to let people [working with] really tiny budgets do things that you could put it side-by-side with the big-budget, corporate projects,” said M. Lynn Cohen, co-organizer of PFCAT. “It could hold up potentially—which is exciting because that allows for new voices to get out there with their projects that might otherwise not be able to be seen—and that’s our goal. There is a wide range of ways to tell stories, which leads to a diverse collection of narratives.”
People in the film industry are in a better position than ever with software and advanced technology that allows more people more potential to be filmmakers. This festival uplifts smaller creators and studios, as well as those still learning the process of cinematography. “We have a Best Student Film award, and the student films that we have in this are so cool,” Cohen said. “It’s amazing what students are doing.”
In addition to smaller, less established creators, there will also be creatives at the festival who worked on larger projects—such as Dylan Coburn, the visual effects art director on Amazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power series—who will have a project screening at the festival titled Fear Incarnate.
Even locally famous creators like Mike Bennett—known for the fantastical designs of Dinolandia and Wonderwood Springs—will be involved in this festival. He has personally crafted the festival awards for this year’s winners.
This festival put immense effort into creating space for all ages, as well as finding a range of different films from around the world to represent stories which people might not be exposed to elsewhere.
The event also provides opportunities to make meaningful connections for local and international collaboration. The festival immerses creative people in the craft and new technology.
In 2022—its eleventh year—the event formally known as the International Festival of Cinema and Technology has undergone a transformative rebranding to become PFCAT. This shift in identity served two crucial purposes. It designated Portland as the festival’s new home and highlighted a pronounced focus on animation.
Throughout its history, PCAT has established an impressive track record of organizing over 30 events in eight different cities across the United States, as well as expanding its reach to several cities in Australia. It has left its mark in global entertainment hubs—such as Toronto, Paris and Sydney—solidifying its position as a truly international celebration of cinema, animation and technology.
The rebrand’s focus on animation is due to the high volume of animations featured. It amplifies the desire for a changed attitude towards animation as a multifaceted, story-sharing medium.
“We really wanted to put more of a focus in the spotlight on animation, and that’s why we put it right in the title—because our view is that animation is a form of film,” Cohen said. “Sometimes it’s not given its due at film festivals.”
“Part of what we’re trying to do with the festivals is to remind folks that animation is storytelling,” said Peter Issaac Alexander, co-organizer of PFCAT. “If you’re filming something live-action digitally, it’s all about transporting an audience, and it’s just a different method.”
