Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology’s (PFCAT) 14th annual festival takes place Tuesday, August 18-Sunday, August 23 at OMSI. Now in its fourth year in Portland, the festival has expanded to six days in response to record film submissions. The annual event brings together animators, filmmakers and audiences for screenings, presentations and networking events celebrating visionary filmmaking and animation.
Festival programming will utilize OMSI’s Empirical Theater, Kendall Planetarium, Auditorium and Theory spaces and feature more than 150 films from over 30 countries. The schedule includes both live-action and animated features, alongside a robust slate of short films from emerging and established filmmakers. With more than 100 animated films, PFCAT is among the largest animation-focused events in North America.
PFCAT’s headlining presentation is the Oregon premiere of the feature film Sender, directed by Russell Goldman. The thriller had its world premiere at SXSW 2026 and its cast includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Britt Marling and Rhea Seehorn. Goldman will attend the festival for a special discussion with audiences.
Other featured events include a keynote presentation by Matthew Inman, creator of The Oatmeal, followed by the Pacific Northwest festival premiere of My Dog: The Paradox. Portland-based animation studio Imaginary Planet collaborated on the short animated film based on the viral webcomic.
Saturday, August 22, 11 am-2 pm PFCAT will host the PFCAT Creator Expo. Free to attend with advance registration, the Expo will connect attendees with organizations, programs and resources supporting creativity, specifically in filmmaking and animation. The event will feature hands-on activities and opportunities to engage with industry professionals.
The full slate of programming, film selections, panels, special guests and ticket information is available at pdxfestofcinema.com.