Portland Jewish Film Festival returns Feb. 24–Mar. 1 with films on identity, memory and conflict
A week of screenings across Portland venues
The Portland Jewish Film Festival is scheduled to run from Feb. 24 through March 1, 2026, with screenings presented in partnership with PAM CUT. Programming is set to take place at multiple venues, including the Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum and PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, with additional festival dates listed at Cinema 21.
Organizers have announced ticket pricing of $15 for general admission and $12 for members of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE). Festival passes are listed at $75 for the public and $60 for members. The festival has also offered a timeline for ticket access: individual tickets were slated to become available Jan. 12, with advance access beginning Jan. 5 for pass holders.
Framing and themes: a focus on contemporary questions
Festival materials describe the 2026 edition as centering on films that broaden perspectives on identity, memory, conflict and care. The framing emphasizes gathering audiences for shared viewing and discussion during a period of heightened social division, with films positioned as a tool for expanding understanding through narrative and documentary storytelling.
While festival statements do not claim a single political or ideological viewpoint, they point to a program built around contested histories and present-day dilemmas, suggesting a mix of personal stories and broader social contexts.
Confirmed titles and early scheduling signals
Film listings tied to the festival and venue calendars identify several titles associated with the 2026 program, including The Stamp Thief and The Sea, along with other festival selections circulating in regional and national Jewish film-festival programming.
The Stamp Thief (2025, directed by Dan Sturman) is listed as opening Feb. 24 with a 6 p.m. screening time at the Whitsell Auditorium and also appears in Tomorrow Theater listings. The film’s synopsis centers on a filmmaker investigating stamps stolen from Holocaust victims and buried in a house in Poland.
The Sea appears in Tomorrow Theater’s community-partner listings with a Feb. 25 date and is described as following a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village on a school trip that offers a first chance to see the sea, with Hebrew dialogue and English subtitles.
How the festival is staged in Portland’s film landscape
The 2026 festival continues a long-running local event associated with Portland’s Jewish cultural institutions and the city’s independent cinema circuit. By spreading screenings across a museum auditorium and neighborhood theaters, the festival model reflects a broader Portland pattern: partnering with specialized venues that support curated series, filmmaker talks, and community events.
The 2026 edition is presented as a program designed to widen audiences’ lens on identity, memory, conflict and care.
Additional film titles, screening times, and talkback details are expected to be reflected in venue schedules and festival guides as the event date approaches.