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Film Fest and Chill

Fencer

Klaus Härö’s “The Fencer,” the opening night film of the festival.

I get it, it’s cold and you don’t want to leave the cozy hibernation of home. Luckily you can cozy up with a lush assortment of international films starting February 11th, brought to you by the Northwest Film Center.

The Portland International Film Fest is the largest, most culturally diverse film event in Oregon, pulling together a multi-faceted experience with over 150 films (97 features and 62 shorts) and special events presenting a full spectrum of features, documentaries, and shorts – and featuring submissions for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and works by both returning masters and emerging talents.

The Opening Night Party is sure to be a hit, with a screening of Klaus Härö’s “The Fencer” followed by a reception in the Hoffman Lobby and Schnitzer Sculpture Court. Opening Night tickets are on sale now at http://festivals.nwfilm.org/piff39/openingnight/. Co-hosts for this year’s party areUmpqua Bank, the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation, the Finlandia Foundation, Voodoo Doughnuts,Montinore Estate, Elk Cove Vineyards, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

“Short Cuts V: Made in Oregon” a program of Oregon made short films. Feb. 20th.

“Short Cuts V: Made in Oregon” a program of Oregon made short films. Feb. 20th.

Following Opening Night, PIFF retains a sizable presence downtown and throughout the city with screenings at the Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium, located inside the Portland Art Museum, Cinema 21, Regal Fox Tower, World Trade Center, OMSI, Moreland Theater, and Roseway Theater.

The Festival will host Tobias Lindholm’s A WAR (Denmark) and Ciro Guerra’s EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (Columbia), both nominees for the 2016 Foreign Language Film Academy Award. As in past years, the Festival features an abundance of short films. This year’s lineup boasts eight discrete short film programs, including one devoted entirely to films made in Oregon, an animated shorts program curated by LAIKA’s Mark Shapiro, and others populated with shorts from around the world.

Filmstill from Lucile Hadžihalilović’s “Evolution,” a dark, feminist fairytale peppered with stylistic nods to David Lynch and the body horror of David Cronenberg.

Filmstill from Lucile Hadžihalilović’s “Evolution,” a dark, feminist fairytale peppered with stylistic nods to David Lynch and the body horror of David Cronenberg.

This year’s festival also includes the return of the popular PIFF After Dark program, showcasing adventurous movies for the nocturnally inclined like Lucile Hadžihalilović’s EVOLUTION, Karyn Kusama’s (GIRLFIGHT) THE INVITATION, Andrew Seklir and Tim Kinzy’s MAN VS. SNAKE, Can Evrenol’sBASKIN, and Károly Ujj Mészáros’ LIZA THE FOX-FAIRY. As in past years, PIFFAfter Dark presents films chosen with adventurous festival attendees in mind. All eight PIFF After Dark shows are scheduled to happen at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave.) and will, for the first time, include short films presented before the feature. The full PIFF 39 Program is available online at http://festivals.nwfilm.org/piff39/.

Advance tickets available online now at http://festivals.nwfilm.org/piff39/