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41st Annual Portland International Film Festival Features Over 130 Films

Portland, OR. To kick off the Portland International Film Festival (PIFF), The Northwest Film Center and Regal Cinemas hosted an opening night screening of Armando Iannucci’s The Death of StalinKathleen Lewis, Emily Crumpacker and Northwest Film Center Director, Bill Foster were on hand for the February 15th screening. It was followed by an Opening Night party in the Portland Art Museum’s Schnitzer Sculpture Court. With an expected 40,000 attendees over its 14-day run, the festival is a major city-wide event.

Portland-based filmmakers Vu Pham and Daniela Repas.

Christian Henry and Kjerstin Johnson, crew from Dawn Jones Redstone’s film We Have Our Ways.

Northwest Film Center member Jessie Keller shows off her homemade PIFF 41 earrings.

A packed house at the Whitsell Auditorium eagerly awaits the opening night film The Death of Stalin.

This year’s festival co-hosts included: Elk Cove Winery, Adelsheim Vineyard, Pike Road Wines, Sierra Nevada Brewing, World Foods, CHEFSTABLE Catering and XRAY.fm.

Since 1977, the Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) has been the Northwest Film Center’s annual showcase of new world cinema. Through the exhibition of nearly 90 feature films and 40+ short films, PIFF audiences across the City of Portland travel the globe in theater seats through a celebration of the world’s filmmakers and cinephiles.

For a complete list of films here’s a link: Portland International Film Festival

Below are some examples of films to check out:

Science Fair Directed by Cristina CostantiniDarren Foster will be shown Monday, February 26th & Tuesday, Feb 27th


Fri, Feb 23
Sat, Feb 24

Gemini

Directed by Aaron Katz A heinous crime tests the complex relationship between a tenacious personal assistant and her Hollywood starlet boss. As the assistant 

Fri, Feb 23

Good Luck

Directed by Ben Russell Shot on Super16mm, Good Luck is a bifurcated portrait of two mining communities operating on opposite sides of a hostile 

Fri, Feb 23

Spell Reel

Directed by Filipa César

Amílcar Cabral, Guinea-Bissau’s liberation leader who was assassinated in 1973, left behind a major archive of film and audio work, 

 

Fri, Feb 23

The Charmer

Directed by Milad Alami

Milad Alami’s debut feature mixes psychological thriller and erotic drama in a complex tale of isolation, identity, and the desperate 

Fri, Feb 23

Eating Animals

Directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn

America’s desire for cheaper, more convenient food fueled the demise of traditional agriculture and the birth of the grim reality 

 

Fri, Feb 23

Five Fingers for Marseilles

Directed by Michael Matthews

A recent parolee returns to his hometown, vowing to turn his back on his criminal ways. Before long he finds 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Miss Kiet’s Children

Directed by Peter LatasterPetra Lataster-Czisch

Miss Kiet teaches children of asylum seekers in a Dutch elementary school. Coming from countries like Syria and Iraq, her 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Youth

Directed by Feng Xiaogang

Starting out in the 1970s, Feng Xiaogang’s film chronicles the joys and travails of a provincial military-arts troupe, People’s Liberation 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Her Love Boils Bathwater

Directed by Ryôta Nakano

After her husband disappears with another woman, Futaba, now a single mother, is forced to close the family bathhouse business. 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Shorts 6: Family Ties

Directed by Various

 

Sat, Feb 24

Napping Princess

Directed by Kenji Kamayama

In the year 2020, high school senior Kokone is stuck between reality and her own dream world full of fantastic 

 

Sat, Feb 24
Sun, Feb 25

Makala

Directed by Emmanuel Gras

Winner of the Critic’s Week Grand Prix at Cannes Film Festival, Makala is a riveting piece of documentary observation and 

 

Sat, Feb 24
Tue, Feb 27

Oh Lucy!

Directed by Atsuko Hirayanagi

Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima), an aging and depressed office drone in Tokyo, doesn’t have much to look forward to until her 

 

Sat, Feb 24
Sun, Feb 25

The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales

Directed by Benjamin RennerPatrick Imbert

Following up on the much-loved Ernest & Celestine, these warm, funny hand-drawn tales about life on an animal farm are 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Ava

Directed by Sadaf Foroughi

Ava’s life is dictated by rules. Coming of age in Iran, she faces pressure to conform to the expectations of 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Occidental

Directed by Neïl Beloufa

The stylish, side-splitting Occidental packs all of a broadly rendered Europe into a kitschy, cheap hotel while rioting on the 

 

Sat, Feb 24

On Body and Soul

Directed by Ildikó Enyedi

Unfolding in a slaughterhouse in Budapest, Ildikó Enyedi’s eccentric and beautiful love story strikingly mixes realism and dreams. The introverted 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?

Directed by Travis Wilkerson

“An audacious meditation on conscience and responsibility, on race in the American South, as well as a highly personal exhumation 

 

Sat, Feb 24

The Rape of Recy Taylor

Directed by Nancy Buirski

In September 1944, six young white men abducted and raped 24-year- old mother Recy Taylor in Abbeville, Alabama. Despite threats

 

Sat, Feb 24
Thu, Mar 1

Summer 1993

Directed by Carla Simón

Simón’s evocative autobiographical film won the Best First Feature prize at the Berlin Film Festival and is this year’s Spanish 

 

Sat, Feb 24

Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse

Directed by Lukas Feigelfeld

In a small Austrian mountain village in the 15th century, a single mother is ostracized by the other residents, who 

 

Sun, Feb 25

Tehran Taboo

Directed by Ali Soozandeh

In Tehran, a city laden with restrictions and religious laws of patriarchy, modesty, and family honor, transgressions can lead to 

 

Sun, Feb 25

Shorts 4: Made In Oregon 2: Wilderness

Directed by Various

 

Sun, Feb 25

Polina

Directed by Valérie MüllerAngelin Preljocaj

Bursting with dazzling dance sequences, this arresting tale of self-discovery charts a young woman’s journey to find her place in 

 

Sun, Feb 25

Lots of Kids, A Monkey and A Castle

Directed by Gustavo Salmerón

Julita Salmerón wanted three things in life: to have lots of children, to own a monkey, and to live in 

 

Sun, Feb 25

24 Frames

Directed by Abbas Kiarostami

Three years in the making and Kiarostami’s final film before his death in 2016, each segment in 24 Frames offers 

 

Sun, Feb 25
Thu, Mar 1

Tempestad

Directed by Tatiana Huezo

Tatiana Huezo’s poetic film is a meditation on the notion of “impunidad,” the unaccountability of those in power, whether the 

 

Sun, Feb 25
Thu, Mar 1

Lover for a Day

Directed by Philippe Garrel

Crashing at her philosophy professor father’s apartment in the wake of a painful break-up, 23-year-old Jeanne discovers that he has 

 

Sun, Feb 25
Thu, Mar 1

The Great Buddha+

Directed by Hsin-yao Huang

Two working-class friends discover the dark secret of their millionaire boss in this black comedy about class status and corruption. 

 

Sun, Feb 25
Mon, Feb 26

Mad World

Directed by Chun Wong

This year’s Hong Kong submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Mad World thoughtfully attempts to de-stigmatize mental illness 

 

Sun, Feb 25

12 Days

Directed by Raymond Depardon

In France over 90,000 people a year are placed under psychiatric care without their consent. These people must appear before 

 

Sun, Feb 25

What Will People Say?

Directed by Iram Haq

Sixteen year-old Nisha lives a double life. At home with her family she is the perfect Pakistani daughter, but when 

 

Sun, Feb 25
Wed, Feb 28

The Day After

Directed by Hong Sang-soo

Once again plumbing affairs of the heart and the foibles of weak, confused men with his sly humor, Hong Sang-Soo’s 

 

Sun, Feb 25

The Third Murder

Directed by Hirozaku Kore-eda

This moving story of a man struggling to find the truth while questioning his own faith in the law is 

 

Sun, Feb 25
Wed, Feb 28

Vazante

Directed by Daniela Thomas

Upon returning to Brazil in 1821 from a trading expedition, Antonio discovers that his wife has died in labor. Confined 

 

Sun, Feb 25

Winter Brothers

Directed by Hylnur Pálmason

Punctuated with bursts of surrealism and bouts of dark humor, Pálmason’s compelling feature dives into the frozen world and striking 

 

Sun, Feb 25

A Gentle Creature

Directed by Sergey Loznitsa

Inspired by the Dostoevsky short story, A Gentle Creature follows a stoic Russian woman trying to get a care package 

Sun, Feb 25

Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts

Directed by Mouly Surya

The bad guys come to rape, pillage, and murder, but they are not prepared for the calm wrath of Marlina. 

 

Sun, Feb 25

The Endless

Directed by Justin BensonAaron Moorhead

After receiving a cryptic video in the mail, two brothers return to the Southern California cult they left a decade 

Mon, Feb 26
Tue, Feb 27

Science Fair

Directed by Cristina CostantiniDarren Foster

Every year, over 1,700 students from 75 countries compete in the annual International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a highly 

Mon, Feb 26
Wed, Feb 28

For Ahkeem

Directed by Jeremy S. LevineLandon Van Soest

Daje Shelton, a 17-year- old girl from St. Louis, wants to do the right thing. But growing up in a 

Mon, Feb 26

Spoor

Directed by Agnieszka Holland

Drawing inspiration from local fairy tales, Spoor dissects political corruption and environmental activism in a small Polish town. Janina is 

Mon, Feb 26

White Sun

Directed by Deepak Rauniyar

This year’s Nepali submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar sensitively explores the damage done to the fabric of 

Mon, Feb 26

Speak Up

Directed by Stephane De Freitas

Every year, hundreds of college students from the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis face off in Eloquentia, a contest to crown 

Mon, Feb 26

The Eternal Road

Directed by Antti-Jussi Annila

Based on Antti Tuuri’s bestselling novel, The Eternal Road tells the untold story of the many thousands of Communist Americans 

Mon, Feb 26

Shorts 7: Other Places/Other Times

Directed by Various

Tue, Feb 27

Birdboy: The Forgotten Children

Directed by Alberto VazquezPedro Rivero

Adapted from his graphic novel, Alberto Vázquez’s debut feature, co-directed with Pedro Rivero, tackles themes of climate change, ecological disaster, 

Tue, Feb 27

Ice Mother

Directed by Bohdan Sláma

Sláma’s charming, romantic drama centers on themes of familial conflict and the possibility of rebirth at any age. After her 

Tue, Feb 27

Shorts 8: Chaplin Classics

Directed by Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin’s singular blend of slapstick, pathos, and social satire made him one of the cinema’s great artists and his 

Tue, Feb 27

Claire’s Camera

Directed by Hong Sang-soo

One of three films by Hong Sang-soo in this year’s festival, Claire’s Camera was shot during the Cannes Film Festival 

Tue, Feb 27

El Mar La Mar

Directed by Joshua BonnettaJ. P. Sniadecki

The Sonoran desert, on the Mexico–US border, is one of the most brutal and hotly contested areasof land on the 

Wed, Feb 28

Lean on Pete

Directed by Andrew Haigh

Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) wants some stability: a home, food on the table, and a high school he can 

Wed, Feb 28

Western

Directed by Valeska Grisebach

In this tense, slow-burning thriller, a group of German construction workers start a tough job at a remote site in 

 

Thu, Mar 1

Scaffolding

Directed by Matan Yair

Seventeen-year-old Asher always has been an impulsive troublemaker at school. Although his strict, Sephardic father sees his strapping son as 

Thu, Mar 1

The Nothing Factory

Directed by Pedro Pinho

Based on the true story of Lisbon workers taking over an elevator factory threatened with closure, Pinho’s fiction debut is 

Thu, Mar 1

Our Time Will Come

Directed by Ann Hui

Inspired by the exploits of the Hong Kong resistance during World War II, Our Time Will Come tells the story 

101 Seconds

Directed by Skye Fitzgerald

On December 11th, 2012, a shooter entered Clackamas Town Center Mall near Portland and opened fire with an STAG-15 assault-style 

6.9 On the Richter Scale

Directed by Nae Caranfil

When an earthquake hits Bucharest, Tony, an actor, and his wife are shaken out of their sleep, amplifying Tony’s anxiety 

A Ciambra

Directed by Jonas Carpignano

Pio, 14, lives in an impoverished Romani community in Calabria in southern Italy. Determined to live up to the outlaw 

A Season in France

Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Focusing on the precarious plight of undocumented asylum seekers, Haroun’s soul-searching film portrays the daunting challenges of overcoming a vast 

A Taxi Driver

Directed by Hun Jang

A Taxi Driver begins as a comic, period road movie before taking a serious turn to reflect on a critical 

Angels Wear White

Directed by Vivian Qu

In a small seaside town, two schoolgirls are assaulted by a middle-aged man in a motel. The only witness is 

Bad Genius

Directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya

Playing on the Thai obsession with academic achievement and test taking, Bad Genius is a comedic heist thriller that plays 

Beauty and the Dogs

Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania

Unfolding in nine chapters over the course of one night, Ben Hania’s timely drama follows a young woman’s search for 

Big Fish and Begonia

Directed by Xuan LiangChun Zhan

This beautifully crafted animated adventure, inspired by Chinese myths, takes place in a hidden world ruled by celestial beings. One 

Bodied

Directed by Joseph Kahn

A UC Berkeley grad student whose thesis explores the use of racial slurs in rap battles finds himself drawn into 

Cocote

Directed by Nelson Carlo de Los Santos Arias

“Evangelical Christian Alberto works as a gardener on a wealthy estate in Santo Domingo. When his father is murdered, he 

Félicité

Directed by Alain Gomis

Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, Gomis’s film portrays a life lived on 

Foxtrot

Directed by Samuel Maoz

Michael and Daphna experience gut-wrenching grief when army officials inform them of the death of their son. Unable to find 

Hochelaga, Land of Souls

Directed by François Girard

On a summer night a sinkhole opens during a game in a downtown Montreal stadium, revealing long-buried artifacts. Mohawk archeologist 

Housewife

Directed by Can Evrenol

A woman who experienced a tragic loss as a child comes under the spell of a mysterious and charismatic cult 

I Am Not a Witch

Directed by Rungano Nyoni

Following an incident in her Zambian village, nine-year-old Shula is denounced as a witch and exiled to a state-run witch 

Jeannette, The Childhood of Joan of Arc

Directed by Bruno Dumont

France, 1425. In the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, 8-year-old Jeannette looks after her sheep in the small village 

 

Le fort des fous

Directed by Narimane Mari

In a film that walks a thin line between fact and fiction, Mari’s disparately linked narratives grapple with the legacy 

 

Leaning into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy

Directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer

British sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist Andy Goldsworthy, whose site-specific sculptures and land art redeploy nature’s resources in startling and harmonious 

 

Let the Corpses Tan

Directed by Hélène CattetBruno Forzani

A gang of ne’er-do-wells rob an armored truck, getting away with the gold bars. Hiding out, trouble ensues when unexpected 

 

Let the Sun Shine In

Directed by Claire Denis

Living alone in Paris, Isabelle (Juliette Binoche), a divorced artist in her 50s, hopes that romantic hope springs eternal. But 

 

Lu Over the Wall

Directed by Masaaki Yuasa

Winner of the top prize at this year’s Annecy Animation Film Festival, Lu Over the Wall is a visually ravishing 

 

Milla

Directed by Valérie Massadian

Milla (Séverine Jonckeere) and Léo (Luc Chessel), 17 years old and in love, set off to the north of France 

 

Newton

Directed by Amit Masurkar

As the world’s largest democracy prepares for a national election, idealistic civil service newcomer Newton Kumar must ensure free and 

 

On the Beach at Night Alone

Directed by Hong Sang-soo

“Hong Sang-soo’s movies have always invited autobiographical readings, and this is perhaps his most achingly personal film yet, a steel-nerved, 

 

Shorts 1: Animated Worlds

Directed by Various

 

Shorts 2: Made in Oregon 1: Confluences

Directed by Various

 

Shorts 3: Distant Tales

Directed by Various

 

Shorts 5: Ways of Seeing

Directed by Various

 

Soufra

Directed by Thomas A. Morgan

After spending her entire life in the Burj el-Barajneh refugee camp near Beirut, Mariam Shaar decided to change her life. 

 

Sweet Country

Directed by Warwick Thornton

Combining elements of classic period Westerns and courtroom drama, Sweet Country is set in the Australian outback of the late 

 

The China Hustle

Directed by Jed Rothstein

Executive produced by Alex Gibney and Mark Cuban, Rothstein’s investigative film explores the need for transparency in an increasingly deregulated 

 

The Death of Stalin

Directed by Armando Iannucci

The one-liners fly as fast as political fortunes fall in this uproarious, wickedly irreverent satire from Armando Iannucci. Moscow, 1953: 

 

The House By The Sea

Directed by Robert GuédiguianIn a little cove near Marseille, Angèle, Joseph, and Armand return to their elderly father’s picturesque villa. Angèle is an 

The Rider

Directed by Chloé Zhao

Zhao’s enthralling portrait of America’s cowboy culture provides an archetypal story of a man redefining his hopes and ambitions. Once 

 

Thoroughbreds

Directed by Cory Finley

“Two teenage girls reignite a childhood friendship to deliciously dark ends, in this witty contemporary noir. Lily and Amanda are 

 

Under the Tree

Directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson

Equal parts family drama, absurdist black comedy, and unconventional thriller, Under the Tree follows two warring households locked in a 

 

Wajib

Directed by Annemarie Jacir

Shadi, an architect in Rome, returns to his paternal home for the first time in years to honor the Nazareth 

 

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Directed by Morgan Neville

“With his gentle voice and heartfelt words of wisdom, Fred Rogers served as a compassionate surrogate father for generations of 

 

Zama

Directed by Lucrecia Martel

“Martel ventures into the realm of historical fiction and makes the genre entirely her own in this adaptation of Antonio 

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Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.

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