The Northwest Film Center has announced programming for its Cinema Unbound Summer Movie Series, running July, August and September 2021. The series will offer open-air rooftop screenings of great movies at Lloyd Center with food, drink, fun weekend themes and costumes, plus outdoor watching at pop-up venues throughout Portland.
Last year, the Portland Art Museum’s Northwest Film Center (NWFC) began a creative reimagining dubbed “Cinema Unbound,” a new artistic vision that redefines the notion of cinema to expand beyond the walls of a theater and include cinema, TV, media arts, audio, and immersive storytelling.
Building upon last year’s wildly successful Cinema Unbound Drive-In, the Northwest Film Center and Portland Art Museum are again collaborating with community partners to connect with audiences and bring innovative film and new media exhibitions to life.
The Cinema Unbound Summer Movie Series, running July, August and September 2021, welcomes guests to safely gather and experience the power that truly radical and entertaining cinematic storytelling can bring. Unbound from the traditional movie theater setting, we’re creating new venues throughout the city starting with the Open-Air Cinema at the Lloyd Center.
Additional pop-up locations and dates will be announced in mid-June.
Cinema Unbound Summer Movies and Open-Air Experiences will safely bring together our community to celebrate and explore cinema in all its forms. Bringing together our community—families, artists, front line workers, partners across the city, cinephiles, and those who simply need a healing night out with popcorn under the stars—is what it’s all about. Enjoy great movies, food, drinks (including beer, wine, cocktails) & spectacular rooftop sunsets!
Committed to programming films that are fun, groundbreaking and changing the paradigm of what cinema can—and will—be, the season showcases both new and classic films of which nearly half are helmed by directors who identify as women, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+.
“It’s the right time to experience movies anew—unbound, outdoors and fully immersed in cinematic worlds that challenge the status quo,” says Amy Dotson, Director of the Northwest Film Center. “Whether it’s ‘80s slumber party nights in your jammies, dancing and singing along to your cinematic favs, Drink & Draw fetes or Cosplay fun, immerse yourself in the magic of movie storyworlds like never before!”
Why Now?
Our Cinema Unbound programming was created in our post-COVID world as a way to gather, untether and dissolve implied boundaries, wrap our arms around and uplift cinema — and each other — in all our many forms. When we are unbound we are open to seeing stories from different places, people, and perspectives.
What makes it unique?
Experiential Movie Nights, Bars & Spectacular Rooftop Views!
Each night, you will meet storytellers whose narratives spring from a wide variety of building blocks and backgrounds. Some are first features, some are big-budget productions from those with storied creative careers. Some push boundaries in a future-forward way, and some just make us flat-out laugh and take us back to our youth. Some were made right here in the Northwest, and the rest hail from New York, Hollywood, and representative communities everywhere.
“We are thrilled to be connecting with the community beyond the walls of the Museum,” said Portland Art Museum Director Brian Ferriso. “Gathering again for shared experiences is more important than ever, and during our glorious summers, it’s a Portland tradition to enjoy those moments outdoors.”
This summer’s lineup of unbound programming continues to make the best use of the benefits of fresh air as our community recovers from the pandemic. Due to continued reduced staffing, the Whitsell Auditorium inside the Portland Art Museum will remain closed for the time being.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ROOFTOP CINEMA LINEUP AND TICKETS!
Cinema Unbound: The Ultimate Open-Air Film Experience
*Costumes Encouraged
JULY
Weekend 1 – Theme: The Deep Search
July 1 The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou *
Director: Wes Anderson
July 2 Wonder Woman*
Director: Patty Jenkins
July 3 2021 Academy Award Best Picture Nomadland
Director: Chloé Zhao
Weekend 2 – Theme: Tiger Beat! The Heartthrobs of Gen X
July 10 Beetlejuice*
Director: Tim Burton
July 11 Say Anything…*
Director: Cameron Crowe
Weekend 3 – Theme: ‘90s Slumber Party Weekend
*PJs & Fuzzy Slippers Welcome
July 17 House Party*
Director: Reginald Hudlin
July 18 Clueless*
Director: Amy Heckerling
Weekend 4 – Theme: Shake It Dance-Along
*Pre-show Dancing
July 24 Dirty Dancing*
Director: Emile Ardolino
July 25 Zola — NEW RELEASE!
Director: Janicza Bravo
Weekend 5 – Theme: Solve The Mystery Movies!
July 31 Knives Out
Director: Rian Johnson
August 1 Sherlock Holmes*
Director: Guy Ritchie
AUGUST
Weekend 6 – Theme: What The World Needs Now Is More L’Amore
August 7 Brokeback Mountain
Director: Ang Lee
August 8 Medicine for Melancholy
Director: Barry Jenkins
Weekend 7 – Theme: Cosplay! Fantastical Fantasy Worlds
*Dress up and Be Extra!
August 14 The Green Knight* — NEW RELEASE!
Director: David Lowery
August 15 The Dark Crystal*
Directors: Jim Henson, Frank Oz
Weekend 8 – Theme: New Hair, New You
*Hair contests, give-aways and more!
August 21 Barbershop
Director: Tim Story
August 22 Steel Magnolias*
Director: Herbert Ross
Weekend 9 – Theme: ‘80s Slumber Party Week
*Wear your PJS and be, like, Totally Awesome
August 28 Valley Girl*
Director: Martha Coolidge
August 29 Tron*
Director: Joseph Kosinski
SEPTEMBER
Weekend 10 – Theme: Sing-Along Cinema Soiree
September 4 Selena
Director: Gregory Nava
September 5 Beats, Rhymes & Life: A Tribe Called Quest
Director: Michael Rapaport
Weekend 11 – Theme: PowerTeen Queens
September 11 The 10th Anniversary of Pariah
Director: Dee Rees
September 12 Lady Bird
Director: Greta Gerwig
Weekend 12 – Theme: Athletic, Independent
*Dress Up PDX Sports Fans!
September 18 Boogie — NEW RELEASE!
Director: Eddie Huang
September 19 Blue Crush
Director: John Stockwell
Weekend 13 – Theme: Animation Overload: Drink & Draw
*Pre-Show Drawing Lessons & Contests
September 25 Mars Attacks!*
Director: Tim Burton
September 26 Shrek*
Directors: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
*Films Subject to change
Get tickets HERE!
Details:
Doors open at 7 pm with food and beverages available for purchase. Music begins at 7 pm and films begin at dusk. Entry for advance ticket holders is guaranteed until 8:30 pm.
Advance tickets ensure that you will not have to wait in the ticket purchase line but do not guarantee entry after 8:30 pm. A limited number of chairs are available on a first-come basis, so feel free to bring a chair, pillow, or blanket, along with a light sweater or jacket. There are no refunds or exchanges for arrivals after the film begins (dusk) or for entirely missed screenings. Please, no pets or outside food or drink.
Movies will start at dusk and will feature first-run, repertoire films and features appropriate for children and adults. We will also feature a regional short film before each feature film. Live entertainment and music will be provided prior to each screening.
Tickets will be sold online and in advance through Northwest Film Center and Portland Art Museum’s websites. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
Tickets to Lloyd Center sceenings are $20 per person and $30 per person for special VIP seating.
For questions about tickets please contact the Ticket Tomato customer service team at 1-800-820-9884 or info@tickettomato.com.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ROOFTOP CINEMA LINEUP.
Location
Lloyd Center | The Cinema Unbound Summer Movies and Rooftop Screenings are located atop the Lloyd Center shopping mall in the Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon. Screenings will take place on the top level of the parking structure, which is open-air and uncovered. The entrance is at the West-end parking garage at Lloyd Center (10th Ave and NE Halsey).
Enter the Lloyd Center parking garage next to Barnes and Noble bookstore on NE Halsey, and drive towards the roof-top. There will be ample parking in the garage and limited ADA & VIP parking on the rooftop. Attendees may also park on the street below and enter the rooftop via the stairs. Please look for and follow the wayfinding signs.
All films are subject to change without notice.
For up-to-date event information regarding weather please visit the event’s website. Please assume the show is on unless otherwise noted.
The Northwest Film Center will comply with any Federal or State health precautions that may be in place at the time of the event. This may include wearing a mask and/or social distancing.
