When “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won the 2023 Oscar as best animated film, it was happy news not just for the filmmaker, but for the Portland animation community, as well. The film was co-directed by del Toro and Mark Gustafson, a veteran of the Rose CIty’s well-respected stop-motion animation scene, and the new take on the tale of the wooden puppet was largely made in Portland, as well.
So, it’s only fitting that the exhibition, “Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio,” will be at the Portland Art Museum, June 10-Sept. 17. Related events will also include an in-person appearance by del Toro, on June 23.
“Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio” was organized by New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and made its debut there in December. The more than 8,000 square-foot exhibition will chronicle how the film, which is streaming on Netflix, was created, and will feature examples of stop-motion animation technology, set pieces, and other visual and sound elements. The Portland Art Museum exhibit will also spotlight the animators who worked on the film for ShadowMachine, the stop-motion animation studio that has a location in Portland.
Guillermo del Toro on the set of the stop-motion animated Oscar winning feature, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
Other events associated with “Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio” include “A Conversation With Guillermo del Toro,” on June 23. The director of such works as “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the Oscar-winning “The Shape of Water” will be in conversation with Amy Dotson, director of PAM CUT // Center for an Untold Tomorrow, and curator of film and new media at the Portland Art Museum.
That weekend, del Toro will also be honored as one of the winners of the 2023 Cinema Unbound Awards, presented by PAM CUT in a June 22 ceremony.
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In addition, the museum has programmed a “Discovering del Toro” film series, June 23-25, at the Whitsell Auditorium, presented in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art. The series will include “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “The Devil’s Backbone,” “Blade II,” “Hellboy,” “The Shape of Water,” and more. Free screenings of “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” are also scheduled.
Events centered around the art of animation will also be offered, in conjunction with the exhibition. Among the programs are presentations featuring ShadowMachine artists, and other members of Portland’s animation community. A series of summer camps for youth are also scheduled, with instructors exploring the art of animation and how such areas as gaming and design may relate to the form.
“Guillermo del Toro in Conversation With Amy Dotson” happens from 3-4 p.m. Friday, June 23, at Portland Art Museum’s Grand Ballroom. Tickets are $65 general admission. To purchase tickets: https://11099a.blackbaudhosting.com/11099a/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=754e070d-d097-4b06-817a-2fc58a652c46
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— Kristi Turnquist
503-221-8227; kturnquist@oregonian.com; @Kristiturnquist
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