Portland Art Museum’s Center for an Untold Tomorrow Expands 2026 Cinema Unbound Awards to Cinema Unbound Week with Five Days of Public Programming Including PAM CUT x Criterion’s Mobile Closet
7th Annual Award honorees include multi-faceted artists Titus Kaphar, Wildfang’s Emma McIlroy, and Maria Bamford, plus culinary collaboratorsTom and Mariah Pisha-Duffly of 2026 James Beard Award Finalist Gado Gado
NEW! Cinema Unbound Week Public Events May 27-31, 2026 include:
- Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner at the PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater
- PAM CUT x Criterion, including:
- The famed Criterion Mobile Closet comes to Portland!
- A Criterion takeover of PAM CUT @ The Whitsell
- A live taping of the Criterion Channel’s Adventures in Moviegoing
- with Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein
- Unbound Comedy Weekend, featuring a sneak preview of Sundance 2026 documentary Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story with comedian Maria Bamford in-person and an evening with Holy Shit! Improv
PAM CUT, Portland Art Museum’s Center for an Untold Tomorrow, announced today the expansion of their annual Cinema Unbound Awards to include public programming, featuring the Criterion Mobile Closet coming to Portland for the first time. In addition to the awards, the now five-day celebration amplifies Portland’s growing importance as an international hub for unbound artists, filmmakers, and storytellers. Featuring local and global innovators in art, film, fashion, music, comedy, sports, pop culture, culinary and literary artists, this West Coast cultural highlight invites audiences not content to be contained to a single art form or medium to meet and experience visionary creators redefining what art and cinema can be.
“Cinematic storytelling doesn’t just live on a screen—it’s out in our community and our world, literally everywhere you look,” says Amy Dotson, Director of PAM CUT // Center for an Untold Tomorrow. “As PAM CUT continues to expand and share its unbound, inclusive spirit with local and global audiences and artists alike, it only makes sense that our Cinema Unbound Awards fun and celebration expand beyond the walls of the Portland Art Museum, too. Our honorees, partners and special guest stars are all creative polymaths here to inspire and engage. So, come be a part of the cultural snackery and help us explode the notion of what’s possible in art and storytelling this spring!”
PAM CUT CINEMA UNBOUND AWARDS 2026
The Cinema Unbound Awards recognizes artists who are not content to be contained and expand what’s possible in art, media and culture. The 2026 honorees include artist and filmmaker Titus Kaphar, actress and comedian Maria Bamford, and Wildfang’s CEO and activist Emma McIlroy. Culinary artists Tom & Mariah Pisha-Duffly, whose restaurant, Gado Gado is a 2026 James Beard Award–finalist restaurant, will host the culinary takeover of the night alongside live performances and creative interludes.
The Cinema Unbound Awards is PAM CUT’s biggest party and fundraising event, benefiting PAM CUT’s year-round unbound programming, including over 350 one-night-only screenings and happenings at the Tomorrow Theater, 100 film screenings at PAM CUT @ The Whitsell, the PLUS PLUS Festival of Tomorrow, 30-plus, year-round youth programs, as well as ongoing artist services, XR programs, and exhibitions.
This year, the Cinema Unbound Awards will also celebrate the next generation of LAIKA artists who began as interns and have gone on to contribute to the artistic achievements of the Portland-based animation studio’s next theatrical release, Wildwood, a sweeping, darkly magical adventure about a young girl who ventures into a dangerous hidden forest to rescue her brother—an odyssey shaped by love, power, and the courage to confront the unknown. Their journeys reflect the depth and diversity of the studio’s creative community.
Past honorees at PAM CUT’s Cinema Unbound Awards include multifaceted artists, filmmakers, actors, creatives,and innovators including multi-media storytellers Sterlin Harjo, Phil Lord & Chris Miller, Todd Haynes, and Garrett Bradley; artists Mickalene Thomas, Steve McQueen, and Shirin Neshat, as well as shapeshifting performers and creators such as John Cameron Mitchell, Tessa Thompson, Sarah Sherman, Carrie Brownstein & Fred Armisen, and chef Gregory Gourdet. Presenters have included Academy Award Best Picture winners Bong Joon-ho and Chloé Zhao, as well as artists Celine Dion, Isabella Rossellini, Charles Burnett, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alessandro Michele, and Justin Vivian Bond.
PAM CUT CINEMA UNBOUND WEEK PUBLIC PROGRAMS 2026
PAM CUT has expanded to Cinema Unbound Week to share new public programs and happenings, giving more Portlanders the chance to take part in boundary-busting experiences and meet multi-faceted artists.
Criterion x PAM CUT @ The Whitsell
May 23 – 30
Portland Art Museum
2 p.m.
Criterion x PAM CUT @ The Whitsell presents a series of films in celebration of PAM CUT’s Cinema Unbound Wild + Free weekend!
May 23—Monterey Pop
May 24—Paris Is Burning
May 30—Something Wild
Carte Blanche with Michelle Zauner
Wednesday, May 27
PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater
7 p.m.
Multi-faceted bestselling author (Crying in H Mart) and indie pop sensation Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast joins PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater in Southeast Portland for a discussion about writing, music, and inspiration.
PAM CUT x Criterion Mobile Closet
Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31
Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks
11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday & Saturday; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday
PAM CUT debuts a new partnership with Criterion, which includes a three-day PAM CUT residency of the Criterion Mobile Closet, Criterion’s 18-foot traveling “film closet” stocked with 1,000-plus titles. Visitors get a three-minute browse window and can record their own “Closet-picks”-style video.
Stepping inside the Criterion Mobile Closet is a high-speed pilgrimage for any cinephile, condensing the vast world of the Criterion Collection into a meticulously designed, 18-foot sanctuary. The space is a roving recreation of the legendary floor-to-ceiling film closet at Criterion’s New York headquarters—the setting of the viral “Closet Picks” video series. For years, fans have watched icons like Guillermo del Toro, Barry Jenkins, and Cate Blanchett raid these shelves, and now, Portlanders will have the same opportunity. Once through the doors, visitors have a three-minute window to browse more than 1,000 of the world’s greatest films, using the wall-mounted camera to capture their own “picks” moment just like the celebrities.
For times, line details, and more information, stay tuned! For frequently asked questions, visit the Criterion website.
Unbound Comedy Weekend
Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story
May 30
PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater
2 p.m.
On Saturday, May 30, PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater will host Comedy Unbound Saturday, presenting a sneak preview of Sundance 2026 Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story, followed by a conversation between PAM CUT’s Amy Dotson, Cinema Unbound Awards honoree Bamford and co-director Neil Berkeley. The film explores Bamford’s transformative comedy addressing her own mental health journey with radical honesty.
Holy Shit! Improv
May 30
PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater
7 p.m.
In partnership with Kickstand Comedy, Holy Shit! Improv features some of LA’s best comedy talent, featuring Ify Nwadiwe, Jordan Myrick, Casey Feigh, and Colton Dunn!
Live Taping of the Criterion Channel’s Adventures in Moviegoing with Fred Armisen & Carrie Brownstein
May 31
Portland Art Museum
7 p.m.
Join Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein for a live recording of the Criterion Channel’s original series Adventures in Moviegoing. In this intimate conversation, the longtime collaborators reflect on how they came to love cinema and the movies that inspire them.
2026 Cinema Unbound Awards Honorees
Titus Kaphar — Artistic Polymath
Painter, sculptor, filmmaker, and installation artist Titus Kaphar confronts history by dismantling classical structures and styles of Western art, as well as draws deeply from his own life. Themes of family and intergenerational reconciliation are also explored in his filmmaking, including 2023 narrative feature film, Exhibiting Forgiveness. Kaphar presented and discussed Exhibiting Forgiveness in an extraordinary Carte Blanche event at PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater in 2024, where the artist visited Portland for the first time to discuss how his new filmmaking practice extended and deepened his work as a world-renowned polymath creative and activist.
Beyond his personal practice, Kaphar is a co-founder of NXTHVN (Next Haven), a nonprofit arts hub in New Haven, Connecticut. NXTHVN nurtures creative talent through fellowships and residencies for artists and curators, housing exhibition spaces and studios in repurposed factory buildings. Kaphar is represented by Gagosian.
Maria Bamford — Creative Original
Maria Bamford is revered for her deeply personal and experimental comedy about mental illness. She’s the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult and is the star of four hour-long standup specials and the surreal, semi-autobiographical Netflix comedy series Lady Dynamite, about a comedian who suffers a nervous breakdown. Maria was the first female comic to have two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and starred alongside Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn in The Comedians of Comedy. She also created and starred in the cult hit web series The Maria Bamford Show, in which she plays all the characters, and has a new feature film Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story, which premiered at Sundance 2026 and is screening May 30 at PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, followed by a conversation with Bamford and director Neil Berkeley.Her interview series What’s Your Ailment? deals with the various mental struggles of celebrities and is available on the Topic streaming service. Her Audible Original You Are (A Comedy) Special is a semi-mock instructional book for both standup and life.
Emma McIlroy — The Groundbreaker
Emma McIlroy is a Northern Irish entrepreneur, activist, and the co-founder and CEO of Wildfang, the Portland-based fashion brand known for reimagining menswear-inspired fashion for women and challenging outdated ideas about how women should look and dress. Under her leadership, Wildfang has grown into a multi-million-dollar fashion brand known for blending style with cultural commentary. The company has donated over $1 million to organizations supporting LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive justice, racial justice, and immigrant rights, and has launched high-profile collaborations with partners including Nordstrom, TOMS, Taco Bell, LAIKA Studios, Debbie Harry, Vivian Jenna Wilson, and Peanuts.
In 2023, McIlroy co-produced Drag-a-Thon, a 48-hour drag performance in Portland, OR that set a Guinness World Record for the world’s longest drag show and raised over $300,000 for The Trevor Project. Her TED Talk, “Yeah Maybe,” has been viewed more than 100,000 times.
She has been recognized by Inc.’s Female Founders 100, Gaingels 100, the Portland Business Journal Executive of the Year, and the Aspen Institute, where she was selected as a Henry Crown Fellow.
Culinary Collaboration
Mariah Pisha-Duffly
Gado Gado and Oma’s Hideaway, Owner & Captain
Mariah Pisha-Duffly’s career in hospitality started in her hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, where she developed a deep appreciation for the unique community and camaraderie found within bars and restaurants. In Portland, Maine, Mariah served as the front of house manager for James Beard Award-winning Duckfat before opening The Honey Paw, a noodle bar where she and husband Thomas Pisha-Duffly served as General Manager and Executive Chef, respectively. It was during their time in Maine when the couple also launched their first-ever pop-up, Family Feast. This creative venture allowed them to explore a range of concepts and garner a devoted following, laying the groundwork for their future endeavors. Mariah is now the Owner & Captain of 2026 James Beard Award finalist restaurant Gado Gado and Oma’s Hideaway in Portland, Oregon. Mariah’s passion for arts and crafts, coupled with her love for creative self-expression, plays a significant role in her approach to creating a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere in her restaurants.
Thomas Pisha-Duffly
Gado Gado and Oma’s Hideaway, Owner & Executive Chef
Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Thomas Pisha-Duffly’s culinary path began with humble teenage roles before flourishing during his studies at the University of Vermont. His career gained momentum in Boston at the renowned East Coast Grill, leading to a pivotal role at the James Beard Award-winning Hugo’s in Maine, where he mastered the art of charcuterie.
A transformative trip to Indonesia inspired Tom to reconnect with his heritage, resulting in the launch of Gado Gado. Originally a pop-up, the celebrated restaurant features a menu deeply influenced by his grandmother’s recipes and Southeast Asian flavors. Tom’s approach blends tradition with innovation, focusing on dishes that tell a meaningful story. Beyond the kitchen, he is a dedicated father and an avid cyclist who supports the community through initiatives like Chef’s Cycle for No Kid Hungry. Throughout his journey, Tom remains committed to culinary excellence and fostering a supportive environment for his team.
About PAM CUT’s Cinema Unbound Awards and Cinema Unbound Week
PAM CUT’s seventh annual Cinema Unbound Awards are coming May 29, 2026, amplifying Portland’s growing importance as an international hub for multi-faceted artists, filmmakers, animation leaders and unbound storytellers. This West Coast cultural highlight will celebrate visionary creators who redefine cinematic storytelling and media arts. Proceeds from the Cinema Unbound Awards benefit PAM CUT’s year-round youth programs, artist services, and exhibitions—directly supporting the local and global artists that embrace artistic exploration. The Cinema Unbound Awards is PAM CUT’s biggest fundraising event and supports artists and over 350 one-night-only events for unbound audiences each year.
PAM CUT’s Cinema Unbound Week takes place Wednesday, May 27, through Sunday, May 31, 2026, featuring public screenings, programs and events that celebrate multi-media artists and storytellers from around the corner and across the globe expanding the notion of what’s possible in media arts. Embracing artists and audiences who want to express themselves in a variety of ways, the week defies expectation, bursting out of the box of what cinema can be. Celebrating the intersection of film, art, music, sports, culinary arts, fashion and pop culture, the week redefines how audiences experience storytelling in Portland—and beyond!
About Criterion
Since 1984, the Criterion Collection has been dedicated to publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. No matter the medium—from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD to streaming on the Criterion Channel—Criterion has maintained its pioneering commitment to presenting each film as its maker would want it seen, in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer’s appreciation of the art of film.
About Criterion Mobile Closet
Stocked with more than 1,700 of the greatest films from around the world, the Criterion Collection Closet may offer more cinematic inspiration per square foot than any other place on the planet. Filmmakers, stars, and creative luminaries of all kinds come to Criterion to champion their favorite films in our popular Criterion Closet Picks video series. In 2024, Criterion opened the door to everyone by taking the Closet out on the road, and Portland will be its eighth stop.
Come in, explore the collection, and make your own Closet video!
If you’re planning to join us in Portland, please sign up here to get important real-time updates on location, the opening and closing of our line, logistics, etc. Please note: signing up here does not guarantee entry to the Criterion Mobile Closet experience, which operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
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