Guillermo del Toro Visited Portland Restaurant
The Oscar-winning director was spotted at a local bistro while working on his latest stop-motion project.
Updated on Sept. 26, 2026 in Animation
Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro visited Mother's Bistro on Southwest Third Avenue in Portland this week. The visit occurred while the filmmaker continues production on his upcoming stop-motion feature, The Buried Giant.
Why it matters
The presence of a high-profile filmmaker in Portland highlights the city's growing role as a hub for the stop-motion industry. This project serves as a major production for the local studio scene.
Guillermo del Toro won an Academy Award in 2023 for co-directing his previous stop-motion project, Pinocchio. His current work on The Buried Giant is intended for adult audiences and will stream on Netflix.
The players
Guillermo del Toro
He is an acclaimed film director and Academy Award winner known for his mastery of dark fantasy and animation.
ShadowMachine
This is a prominent animation studio known for its work in stop-motion and adult-oriented projects.
The details
The director is actively collaborating with the Los Angeles-based studio ShadowMachine, which maintains a production outpost in Portland. This film is an adaptation of the 2015 novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Timeline
Kazuo Ishiguro published the novel The Buried Giant in 2015.
Guillermo del Toro won an Oscar for Pinocchio in 2023.
The director visited Mother's Bistro on September 25, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The use of stop-motion animation in major feature films marks a significant commitment to a labor-intensive craft within an industry increasingly dominated by digital effects. By collaborating with studios like ShadowMachine, creators are reinforcing Portland's status as a key technical center for high-quality animation.
Fans of the director can expect the upcoming film to be released on Netflix once production concludes. The project is being developed specifically for adult viewers, differentiating it from traditional family-oriented animated features.
The takeaway
The continued presence of high-profile directors in Portland underscores the city's vital contribution to modern cinema production. Aspiring animators can watch how regional studios like ShadowMachine integrate with major streaming platforms for large-scale releases.
Further reading
Learn more about the local industry at the Animation section.
