Portland Festival of Cinema Animation And Technology

OMSI is the place to be in Portland as the Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology will present five days of screenings, panels, presentations, parties, and our annual award ceremony. The festival is open to a variety of genres and will highlight films and animations created by visionary filmmakers and animators from across the globe. The festival also features VR, dome film screenings, and other special technology showcases. Thank you in advance to our jury, volunteers, and team!

Schedule of Events:

12:00pm - Magic Beach & Hadu

Location: The Auditorium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

12:00pm - Animated Explorations

Viewers of all ages are invited to explore the connections between nature and music. Through imaginative storytelling and vibrant visuals, these films highlight discovery of animals and the environment, with an underlying appreciation of the rhythms of the natural world. With thoughtful themes and engaging animation, Animated Explorations offers something for those who love meaningful and creative stories.

Seal Lullaby
Away We Go - Ants Ants Ants & Alphabet Rockers
Out of Tune (Désaccordé)
Trumpet Voice
Bound
Tin Tune
Tag, You're It!
Melody's Muse
Freshwater
Wódr
Jasmine
This Darling Miserable Life
Blu's

Location: The Empirical Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

1:00pm - Botjoy Making Workshop 2

Join us for a Botjoy Making Workshop with award-winning artist Gary Hirsch. Make your own domino Botjoy to inspire, support and celebrate people in your community.

Included with admission to Epic Stories: Journey to Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

Location: The Empirical Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

2:00pm - Code the Road

“Code the Road” is a documentary that follows a diverse group of university students from Italy, Germany, the United States, and other countries as they undertake an ambitious challenge: coding an AI racecar driver. “Code the Road” offers a glimpse into the world of autonomous vehicles - showing the insurmountable challenges that industry has faced to get self-driving vehicles on the road.

The students in this film have fewer resources, are far less experienced, and are undertaking that very same challenge. Between captivating race sequences, the students overcome complex technical and engineering hurdles. Their journey serves as a testament to the power of teamwork and the human spirit, reminding us that with dedication and determination, seemingly impossible goals can be reached.

Location: The Auditorium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

2:00PM - Epic Stories: A Journey into Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Epic Stories: A Journey into Sci-Fi & Fantasy features animations and live-action shorts. Filled with adventurous characters, inventive worlds, and compelling stories, this program will engage both younger audiences and adults alike. Whether you’re a fan of futuristic ideas or magical tales, Epic Stories offers a captivating experience packed with moments of imagination and adventure.

Treasure Imagination
Chad
An Old Friend
The Other Space
A Guest from Elsewhere
Lost Track
Night of the Living Fish
Ümit

Location: The Empirical Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

4PM - Virtual Reality Showcase at 4pm

Enter the PFCAT VR Zone and be among the first to see today’s leading works from indie filmmakers. We provide all the gear you need to dive into a diverse array of projects ranging from vibrant animations and insightful documentaries to immersive stories. If you’ve never experienced what true VR can do, now is your chance.

Diatribes
Ruby Singh's Vox.Infold II: Mojuba
Gihan
The Golden Thread

Location: The Auditorium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

4:00pm - Magical Realism: Journeys into Other Worlds

Step into worlds where the everyday blends with the extraordinary, and magic lingers just beyond the surface of reality. Join us as we venture into unforgettable worlds where imagination reigns. From a professor trying to inspire his daughter with fairy tales to a street artist’s magical connection with a stone statue, these films explore the boundless possibilities of fantasy, magic, and the connections that shape our lives.

Margaret the Brave
Controlling the Narrative
Dominant.
The Day We Flew
Dragfox
Hearts of Stone

Location: The Empirical Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

5:15pm - Stories Across Time and Space

Stories Across Time and Space offers three family friendly adventures through the stars, imagination, and cultural wonder! Join the daring Great Schiaparelli in The Great Solar System Adventure for a wild ride across the solar system like you’ve never seen it before, travel through science and storytelling with a curious young explorer in Niyah and the Multiverse, and take a dreamy flight through desert landscapes and poetry in Queen of the Mountains. This trio of dome films invites kids and families to ponder the universe through bold adventures, big questions, and voices from around the world. Recommended for ages 8+. 

Niyah and the Multiverse
Queen of the Mountains
The Great Solar System Adventure

Location: Kendall Planetarium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

5:30pm - Virtual Reality Showcase at 5:30pm

The Golden Thread
Diatribes
Ruby Singh's Vox.Infold II: Mojuba
Gihan

Location: The Auditorium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

6:00pm - PFCAT Comedy Showcase

PFCAT’s Comedy Showcase lands squarely at the intersection of where the absurd meets the everyday. You’ll find this eclectic mix of animated and live-action comedic shorts tackles everything from the life of a guard watching over the world’s rarest Ferrari collection to the chaotic, sleep-deprived reality of navigating motherhood in a world gone mad. Throw in some tech fails, modern woes, and you've got a showcase that celebrates the humor in life’s unexpected moments.

Location: The Empirical Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

6:00pm - Universal

A weekend break for a couple of academics is interrupted by a woman who won’t take no for an answer, as she seeks their help with the “biggest discovery in history.” Universal is a down-to-earth film about huge out-of-this-world concepts.

This film stars Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners, Fresh Meat, The Festival), Kelley Mack (The Walking Dead, Broadcast Signal Intrusion) and Rosa Robson (Extraordinary, Buffering)

Location: Theory Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

6:30pm - Celestial Bodies: Music, Motion & the Shape of the Universe

This sweeping dome film collection brings together artists, dancers, musicians, and cosmic storytellers to explore our connections to the universe. From the choreography of stars and galaxies to contemporary dance, Celestial Bodies invites audiences into a sensory dialogue between the earth and the sky. Featuring immersive works from around the globe, this program traces the poetic intersections of art and science, vision and vibration, bodies and the cosmos.

Destin
Break to Build: Dome
Entropy - Track 1: "Blue Deep"
Rhythms
Machine Visions: Mojave
The Circle: Chapter One
Elements of Air
STRATUM

Location: Kendall Planetarium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

7:00pm - Virtual Reality Showcase

Enter the PFCAT VR Zone and be among the first to see today’s leading works from indie filmmakers. We provide all the gear you need to dive into a diverse array of projects ranging from vibrant animations and insightful documentaries to immersive stories. If you’ve never experienced what true VR can do, now is your chance.

This showcase is open to kids ages 10+, as the festival will be clearly indicating the films that are family friendly. However, some films in the showcase do contain scary images.

Diatribes
The Golden Thread
Gihan
Ruby Singh's Vox.Infold II: Mojuba

Location: The Auditorium OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

8:00pm - PFCAT Closing Night Party and Awards Ceremony

Come celebrate the end of the 2025 festival at this special event with a red carpet, music, photographer, drinks, and appetizers.

Location: Theory Theater OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

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