Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) [Discontinued]

Overview

The Portland International Film Festival (PIFF) was an annual international film festival in Portland, Oregon, that operated from 1977 until its final edition in March 2020. The festival was cut short on its 43rd edition by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and never returned. The Northwest Film Center, which produced PIFF, subsequently rebranded as PAM CUT (Portland Art Museum's Center for an Untold Tomorrow) and shifted its programming focus away from festival production. A new independent festival, Portland Panorama, launched in 2025 to fill the void left by PIFF's cancellation.

PIFF screened approximately 120 films from 40 countries across 10 days, drawing over 40,000 attendees annually at its peak. The festival used venues throughout Portland including the Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum, Cinema 21, Regal Fox Tower, Laurelhurst Theater, the Empirical Theater at OMSI, and Cinemagic. The final edition (PIFF 43, March 6-15, 2020) featured over 120 films from 40 countries, including sneak previews of The Climb, First Cow, and David Copperfield.

Filmmakers who previously targeted PIFF should now consider Portland Panorama (April, Cinema 21 and Hollywood Theatre) as the primary Portland-based international festival. Panorama's second edition in April 2026 screened 120+ films across 11 days with filmmaker Q&As, short film programs, and a music video showcase.

Key Sections (Historical)

• International Program - curated international features and shorts from 40+ countries
• Northwest New Works - new short and feature films by Pacific Northwest filmmakers
• Documentary Program - nonfiction features from international and regional directors
• Special Screenings - premieres, sneak previews, and gala events
• Cinema Unbound Awards - annual awards honoring boundary-breaking multimedia storytellers, presented during the festival
• Panels and Workshops - industry panels, workshops, and networking events co-hosted with Swift Creative

What Filmmakers Should Know

PIFF is no longer active. Filmmakers who previously submitted to PIFF should redirect to Portland Panorama, which launched in April 2025 and held its second edition April 9-19, 2026. Portland Panorama accepts submissions via FilmFreeway and programs international features, shorts, horror, indigenous, experimental, and youth filmmaker programs. The festival uses Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave) and the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) as its primary venues.

Portland Panorama's 2026 edition featured films from the Sundance circuit including Barbara Forever and If I Go Will They Miss Me, alongside local Pacific Northwest productions. The festival also includes a VR and immersive works program called The Pavilion, a live 16mm projection event, and a music video showcase paired with live performances at Mississippi Studios.

For Pacific Northwest filmmakers specifically, Portland Panorama has dedicated short film programs featuring Northwest filmmakers, an experimental program, and a late-night shorts program. The festival is independently organized by Portland-based filmmakers and arts organizers, not by the Portland Art Museum or PAM CUT.

Major Awards (Historical)

• Audience Award - Best International Film voted by Portland audiences
• Northwest New Works Award - for Pacific Northwest filmmakers
• Cinema Unbound Awards - honored multimedia storytellers at the intersection of art and cinema (2021 honorees: Steve McQueen, Garrett Bradley, Gus Van Sant, Mollye Asher, Alex Bulkley)

Portland Panorama does not currently list formal jury prizes, focusing instead on curated programming and audience engagement.

Festival History

PIFF was founded in 1977 by the Northwest Film Center, one of the oldest media arts centers in the United States. The festival ran continuously for 43 years, building an audience of more than 40,000 annually from throughout the Pacific Northwest. At its peak (PIFF 41, February 2018), the festival screened 136 films (88 features and 48 shorts) across seven Portland venues.

The festival's 43rd edition (March 6-15, 2020) was its last. The opening weekend proceeded as planned, but the festival was cut short when COVID-19 lockdowns began mid-run. The final film screened before cancellation was a documentary called Century, directed by a local filmmaker. The Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum closed and did not reopen for regular festival programming.

After PIFF's cancellation, the Northwest Film Center underwent significant institutional change. Longtime director Bill Foster retired. The organization rebranded as PAM CUT (Portland Art Museum's Center for an Untold Tomorrow) and shifted its focus away from traditional festival production toward broader multimedia and cross-disciplinary programming. The Northwest Filmmakers' Festival, PIFF's sister autumn event, was also discontinued.

Portland remained without a large-scale international film festival for four years. In April 2025, Portland Panorama launched as an independent successor, organized by Portland-based filmmakers and arts organizers rather than the museum. Panorama's first edition ran April 10-20, 2025, and its second edition expanded to 11 days (April 9-19, 2026) with 120+ films. The festival is not affiliated with PAM CUT or the Portland Art Museum.

Submission Information for Portland Panorama (Successor Festival)

Portland Panorama accepts submissions via FilmFreeway. Filmmakers should consult the Portland Panorama FilmFreeway page or official website for current submission fees, deadlines, and eligibility requirements. The festival programs:

• International features and shorts
• Pacific Northwest filmmaker shorts
• Horror shorts (late-night program)
• Indigenous viewpoints program
• Experimental works
• Youth filmmaker program
• Music video showcase (paired with live performance)
• VR and immersive works (The Pavilion)

Portland Panorama does not require a world premiere for submission. The festival is non-competitive in its current format, focusing on curated programming and filmmaker Q&As rather than jury prizes.

Past Winners and What They Made with the Money

PIFF's historical audience awards recognized international films that resonated with Portland's sophisticated arthouse audience. The festival's final edition (PIFF 43, March 2020) featured over 120 films from 40 countries, including sneak previews of The Climb, First Cow, and David Copperfield. At its peak (PIFF 41, February 2018), the festival screened 136 films (88 features and 48 shorts) across seven Portland venues. The Cinema Unbound Awards honored boundary-breaking multimedia storytellers, with 2021 honorees including Steve McQueen, Garrett Bradley, Gus Van Sant, Mollye Asher, and Alex Bulkley. Portland Panorama, the successor festival, does not currently list formal jury prizes, focusing instead on curated programming and audience engagement. Its 2026 edition featured films from the Sundance circuit including Barbara Forever and If I Go Will They Miss Me, alongside local Pacific Northwest productions.

Submission Tips Specific to This Festival

PIFF is no longer active. Filmmakers should redirect to Portland Panorama, which accepts submissions via FilmFreeway. Portland Panorama programs international features and shorts, Pacific Northwest filmmaker shorts, horror shorts (late-night program), indigenous viewpoints, experimental works, youth filmmaker programs, a music video showcase (paired with live performance), and VR and immersive works (The Pavilion). The festival does not require a world premiere for submission and is non-competitive in its current format, focusing on curated programming and filmmaker Q&As rather than jury prizes. Portland Panorama uses Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave) and the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd) as its primary venues. The second edition (April 9-19, 2026) screened 120+ films across 11 days. For Pacific Northwest filmmakers specifically, Portland Panorama has dedicated short film programs featuring Northwest filmmakers.

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See Also

For Pacific Northwest film culture, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. For budgeting festival submissions, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator.