Search Movies & Film
The home of acclaimed directors Gus Van Sant and Todd Haynes boasts many movie theaters and film festivals.
While packing an impressive array of movie theaters into nearly every neighborhood, Portland makes it easy to catch a film, or even to stumble into a film festival — and the fact that many movie houses also serve local beer and wine doesn’t hurt, either.
Oregon-Famous Movies and Filmmakers
What movies where filmed in Oregon?
The Goonies (1985) was shot around the Oregon Coast, in Astoria and at Ecola State Park.
Free Willy (1993) featured Keiko, an orca who recuperated at the Oregon Coast Aquarium before his release back into the wild in 1998.
Mr Holland’s Opus (1994) included many scenes filmed at Northeast Portland’s Grant High School.
Coraline (2009) was created at LAIKA, a stop-motion animation studio in the Portland suburb of Hillsboro.
Wild (2014) was based on a memoir by Portland author Cheryl Strayed and filmed in Oregon.
Green Room (2015) was filmed in Portland, Astoria and Mount Hood National Forest.
Metal Lords (2022) includes a Battle of the Bands filmed at Revolution Hall.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) was filmed at ShadowMachine animation studio in Portland.
What TV shows were filmed in Portland?
Grimm (2011–2017)
Portlandia (2011–2018)
The Librarians (2014–2018)
Shrill (2019–2021)
What movies take place in Portland?
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (2020)
Pig (2021)
Who are notable filmmakers in Portland?
Todd Haynes: Far From Heaven (2002); I’m Not There (2007), inspired by the life and music of Bob Dylan; and documentary The Velvet Underground (2022).
Kelly Reichardt: Wendy and Lucy (2008), First Cow (2019), Showing Up (2022).
Theaters
Scattered throughout the city, Portland’s beloved movie theaters run the gamut from funky to swanky, serving up all manner of drinks, food and films.
Movie Theaters That Serve Beer and Wine
In downtown’s West End, find Living Room Theaters, an intimate cinema that plays new indie and foreign films on six screens and offers gourmet American food, as well as a full bar. In nearby Nob Hill, Cinema 21 — founded as a single-screen theater in 1926 — now has three screens showingart-house, foreign and classic films. Alongside standard movie snacks like popcorn and candy, Cinema 21 also serves beer, wine and New York-style pizza.
Credit: Ashley Anderson
In Northeast Portland, the Laurelhurst Theater is a local landmark built in 1923. It features nine beers on tap, fresh pizza and a steady stream of second-run and revival screenings in four auditoriums. First opening its doors in 1926, the Hollywood Theatre is the mainstay (and namesake) of the Hollywood neighborhood. With three screens, it can seat 1,500 people in total, and offers a wide variety of screenings, talks, festivals and game nights, plus pizza by the slice, beer, cider and wine.
The Academy Theater in Southeast Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood is a fully restored 1948 moviehouse that features three screens with stadium seating, plus microbrews, wine and pizza. Moreland Theater, discreetly tucked between the bustling businesses in Westmoreland, is a vintage, single-screen cinema that shows new releases and offers classic theater snacks alongside a rotating list of beer and wine. Between the Division/Clinton and Woodstock neighborhoods, Studio One Theaters is a boutique multiplex that feels like an extravagant home theater, with plush couches and dinner delivered right to your seat.
After New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, Portland ranks fourth in the U.S. for number of operating historical theaters, with 22 across the city. While some no longer show films, like the Aladdin Theater and the Alberta Rose Theatre that instead host stage plays, live comedy and concerts, many remain as independent movie houses, including those mentioned above and the Avalon Theatre on Belmont and CineMagic Theater on Hawthorne.
Credit: Nick Mendez Photography
Several of McMenamins’ historic properties in Portland feature movie theaters: Mission Theater in Nob Hill, Bagdad Theater on Hawthorne, Kennedy School in Northeast Portland, and St. Johns Theater in North Portland. All serve up recent releases, cult classics, and art films, along with handcrafted ales and signature pub fare.
Other Theaters
Regal has multiplexes within central city shopping centers like Pioneer Place and Lloyd Center showing Hollywood blockbusters. Regal Fox Tower, across from Director Park, tends to screen more independent films. Cinemark Century Eastport Plaza is a multiplex in the Lents neighborhood that offers assigned seating with advance ticket purchase and reclining armchairs, perfect for kicking back and watching new mainstream and independent features, and even Met Opera Live in HD, for the classical musical lovers.
With more than 90,000 titles on Blu-ray, DVD, and VHS, and a museum dedicated to some of Hollywood’s iconic movie memorabilia, Movie Madness is a must-see for any film-lover. This unassuming movie warehouse opened in 1991 on Belmont Street and is a beloved Portland institution that was saved by a community fundraiser and the Hollywood Theatre in 2017.
Movie Theaters in Portland
Film Festivals & Events
Ongoing Series
Find special movie events at Hollywood Theatre on Sandy Boulevard, with their Signature Series featuring 40+ genres of screenings from cult classics to B-movies to films for the whole family. At PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater on Division Street, their Signature Series highlights local and international film and artists nearly every night of the week.
Film Festivals
Portland hosts more than 20 film festivals every year. Here’s an overview of some of the city’s top cinematic events.
Put together by Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, the Portland Jewish Film Festival screens five new full-length films and two selected shorts exploring the complexity, history and joy of Jewish life at Lincoln Hall each January.
In May, Filmed by Bike holds a two-day festival at the Hollywood Theatre, screening bike-themed independent short movies from around the world. In all, about 30 films, all under eight minutes in length, celebrate bike culture.
The Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology (PFCAT) will be held at OMSI in August, featuring 119 films and animations for adults and kids, documentaries and experimental films, and more.
Every September at the Hollywood Theatre, the Portland Latin American Film Festival features films, documentaries, and short films from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, and the USA.
Come October, the Portland Film Festival brings a broad diversity of independent voices together on one stage.
QDoc is the first festival of its kind in the United States and only the second in the world devoted exclusively to documentaries with queer content. QDoc aims to engage with the core issues of queer identity in politics, history, culture, family, aging and coming out issues, queer diversity, gender identity and sexuality. Films screen at the Hollywood Theatre every November.
A festival featuring films and shorts highlighting the magical worlds of mushrooms, lichens and micro-fungi shot by filmmakers of all backgrounds. In 2022, the Fungi Film Festival celebrates all things fungi with over two hours of film time from sixteen different films from ten different countries. Films are screened at Cinema 21 in Northwest Portland.
Movies in the Park and Outdoor Movies
Gather up the family and head to Pioneer Courthouse Square for free movies and popcorn under the stars. Flicks on the Bricks transforms Portland’s Living Room into Portland’s largest outdoor movie theater. Arrive early to score one of the limited theater-style seats, or bring your own low-back chairs, blankets or cushions.
The Portland Parks Summer Free For All festival hosts “Movies in the Park” in neighborhood parks around the city from July–August.
There is no ticket needed for Hollywood Theatre’s Outdoor Movie series, held every summer at Oregon State Parks, all within an hour’s drive of Portland.
Upcoming Film Events
Explore the film events and festivals in Portland.
Vanport Mosaic Festival
The Vanport Mosaic's annual exploration of little-known local histories and celebration of the communities' resilience returns in spring 2024 with a rich program of performances, exhibits, tours, screenings, dialogues and gatherings. The events, hosted in various venues in N/NE Portland, are offered to the public free/sliding-scale, thanks to the generous support of our funders and…
Queer Horror: Basic Instinct
QUEER HORROR busts out an icepick for BASIC INSTINCT (1992). Hosted by Portland's premier drag clown Carla Rossi, this '90s tribute screening opens with our most unhinged preshow yet — starring Portland drag all-stars and sponsored by Double Mountain Brewery and Cidery. Directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Sharon Stone in a legendary performance, BASIC…
Summer Free For All
Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.
Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology
Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation and Technology will screen over 110 films and animations from 23 countries. The event will include parties, panel presentations, and Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers. Taking place in-person at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The festival embraces cutting-edge technology and its role in modern filmmaking.
Portland Film Festival
Portland Film Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing filmmakers and audiences and celebrating the power of a good story. The festival focuses on the people, ideas, technology, skills and artistry behind filmmaking and provides entertainment and educational opportunities to the public. The festival stands by the belief in equity for everyone, regardless of…
Sci-Fi Film Festival
For eight weeks this spring, OMSI’s 2024 Sci-Fi Film Festival will showcase over 40 of science fiction’s most memorable films on the Empirical Theater’s giant four-story screen. From genre classics such as 2001: A Space Odyssey to more recent favorites like Everything Everywhere All at Once, the festival’s offerings are sure to appeal to science…
Policing Justice
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) presents Policing Justice, an exhibition and related programming with local, national, and international artists. Guest curated by Nina Amstutz, Associate Professor of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Oregon, and Cleo Davis, local social construct artist, designer, educator, historian, and community leader, this exhibition examines policing practices…
Stress Positions // NOW >> THEN
Set in Brooklyn, NY, during the unprecedented summer of 2020, this film explores the emotional entanglements driving the character’s behaviors and responses to the COVID crisis. Director Theda Hammel skillfully captures the mood of that time period in this pandemic comedy, filmed without any on-screen Zoom footage. ON SCREEN: Stress Positions 2024. Directed by Theda…
Remembering Gene Wilder with Clancy Kramer
Sometimes the best cure for sadness is a good laugh. Remember the comedy genius and wicked talent of beloved actor Gene Wilder with this new documentary. Portland comedienne Clancy Kramer will introduce the film with a short comedy set.
Young Frankenstein with Clancy Kramer // 50th Anniversary
Join a monstrously marvelous evening and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Young Frankenstein. Dust off your lab coats, grab your Igor-inspired hump, and get ready to electrify your funny bone. Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder are at the top of their comedic game in this tale of the madcap antics of Dr. Frankenstein and his hilariously dysfunctional…
Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All with Anna Diem
The Indigo Girls have been producing game-changing queer folk-rock for the past 40 years. Celebrate the outstanding legacy of the band and the women behind it with this exciting new documentary. Local songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Anna Diem will perform an acoustic set of originals and Indigo Girls songs before the film.
Film Screening "Entre Nos"
Join Familias en Acción and filmmaker, author, and organizer Paola Mendoza for an unforgettable evening. You'll have the chance to watch a special screening of Paola's award-winning film "Entre Nos" and meet the artist behind the film. Be in the community and be a part of the movement. "Entre Nos" is inspired by a true story…
Party Girl Bingo hosted by Violet Hex
ON SCREEN: Party Girl 1995. Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer. Runtime: 94 minutes. Rated R. Mary (Parker Posey) is a hip 20-something and hostess extraordinaire known for organizing the most trendy and outrageous parties on the New York club scene. When her roommate moves out, she stages an illegal rave to cover her rent,…
With Love and a Major Organ + Heart-Shaped Arts & Crafts
Step into an alternate reality where emotional pain is personified: human hearts are held outside of the body. Take home your own anatomically correct or artistically inspired heart, with a painting craft session before the film.
Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows Part I in Concert
The end begins… Witness the beginning of Harry’s most important battle yet, with the feature film accompanied by a live symphony orchestra. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set out to track down the secret to Voldemort’s power Artists Deanna Tham, Conductor Oregon Symphony
Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg
Come celebrate Anita Pallenberg, the Italian-German actress, artist, model, style icon, and “It Girl” of the 1960s and 1970s, with this stunning new documentary. Dress in your best 60s/70s rockstar garb in her honor. Credited as being the muse of the Rolling Stones, she was the romantic partner of the Rolling Stones founder, multi-instrumentalist…
Queer Movie Night
Every Fourth Sunday of the month, Fuse will be presenting a celebrated film from Queer cinema. After the film, there will be trivia and discussions about the movie and the evolution of the depiction of lgbtqia+ characters over the last 50 years. Check the website for each month's film.
The Cat and the Canary w/ Live Score by Corey J. Brewer
Seattle-based musician Corey J. Brewer performs a new live score over the 1927 silent horror comedy film The Cat and the Canary. Regarded as one of the most important and influential films in the early history of American genre cinema, The Cat and the Canary perfected the ‘old dark house’ formula and set the stage for the Universal horror cycle…
B-Movie Bingo
Every first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm, Hollywood Theater plays B-Movie Bingo, a game that is exactly like it sounds. Or more. It’s simple. They play bingo to the most awesome movie cliches ever committed to celluloid, like “long boring scene or male ponytail," "teamed up with rookie or animal," and "white suit…
@1minworld w/ Princess
@1minworld (One Minute World) is a video song cycle that features original animations and live musical performances. The music is performed live alongside the video projection. The first half of the performance comprises 15 intentionally brief one-minute video songs. @1minworld‘s primary-colored bubblegum visuals contrast the songs’ content, which explore the discontents of the social media age:…
Cowboy Bebop
The Bebop Bounty Big Band combines storytelling and high-octane jazz like you’ve never seen before. Cowboy Bebop LIVE is a complete multimedia experience highlighting the story of critically acclaimed anime, Cowboy Bebop on the big screen with live music by the Bebop Bounty Big Band. This 14-piece jazz ensemble features world-class musicians with members from…
PROTÉGÉ SPOTLIGHT: Opus13
CMNW’s Protégé Project has helped launch the careers of some of the world’s best-emerging quartets — Dover, Kenari, Calidore, Viano — and now the Opus13 Quartet. Second prize winners of the prestigious 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition, this exciting Swedish-Norwegian quartet is one of Europe’s, and the world’s, most promising, up-and-coming young ensembles. Join…
Geek Week PDX
The Worlds First City Wide Comic Con. The Geeks of Portland are uniting to bring you the worlds largest Pop Culture festival. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Super Heroes and the Supernatural. Each quadrant of the city will be transformed into a new mythical realm. Cosplay, Film Festivals, Markets, Parties and Tournaments.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind in Concert
Immerse yourself in Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi masterpiece with John Williams’ pioneering score performed by the Oregon Symphony. Richard Dreyfuss stars as a cable worker who is drawn to reach a site where he has a close encounter of the third kind – contact. Nominated for eight Academy Awards®, “Close Encounters deserves a historic place in…
Was this page helpful?