PMA Films Series: “Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair”

Presented in partnership with the American Cinematheque, “Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair” is an annual festival showcasing some of the greatest works of cinema from across the globe that venture into the darkest sides of humanity and the bleakest points in human history.

PMA Films joins the fifth annual edition in June 2026 as the festival expands to nearly 100 theaters across the U.S., Canada, UK and South and Central America, with each venue presenting its own lineup of uncompromising films defined by unpleasant truths and raw empathy.

The Portland Museum of Art’s lineup features 11 masterpieces from a variety of decades, genres, and international auteurs, beginning with Ingmar Bergman’s Cries and Whispers on June 8 and concluding with Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry on June 14. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Todd Field (In the Bedroom, Tár) will join us to discuss Taste of Cherry. PMA Films will partner with Kinonik on June 9 to screen Kiss Me Deadly and La Jetée at their venue on 121 Cassidy St. in Portland for a special 16mm film screening. We will also partner with SPACE Gallery to screen the devastating animated films Watership Down and The Plague Dogs at SPACE on June 13.

Discounted “Bleak Week” festival passes ($65, or $50 for members and students) are available here. A festival pass will register you for all individual screenings. Individual film tickets are available at the screening pages linked below.