Seattle International Film Festival Announces 49th Annual Lineup

SIFF, or the Seattle International Film Festival, has released the official lineup of films for its 49th edition. The festival, which will run from May 11th to 21st at various venues across the city, will showcase 264 films representing 74 countries, including 94 narrative features, 45 documentaries, four archival films, two secret screenings, and 125 short films.

According to SIFF, this year’s festival will have 23 world premieres, 30 North American premieres, and 13 US premieres. Almost 70% of the feature films are by first or second-time filmmakers, making it the highest percentage in the festival’s 50-year history. Additionally, over 50% of the films are by women or nonbinary filmmakers, and 73% have yet to secure US distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States.

The festival will take place at venues such as SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, SIFF Film Center, AMC Pacific Place 11, The Paramount Theatre, Ark Lodge Cinemas, and Shoreline Community College Theater. There will also be a week of select films available for streaming on the SIFF Channel from May 22nd to 28th.

The festival’s opening night will feature Past Lives from A24, a modern romance directed by Celine Song. The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and will be followed by a Q&A with Writer/Director Celine Song and an after-party onstage and outside on Ninth Ave.

Meanwhile, Chandler Levack’s I Like Movies will serve as the festival’s closing night film. The movie follows a 17-year-old Canadian teen and film aficionado as he navigates the world of cinema while trying to pursue his dreams of attending NYU. The film will screen at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 21st, at SIFF Cinema Egyptian, followed by a Closing Night gala at the Museum of History and Industry.

Other highlights of the festival include The Eight Mountains, directed by Felix Van Groeningen and winner of the 2022 Cannes Grand Jury Prize, an archival 35mm screening of Seven Samurai dedicated to the memory of longtime SIFF Programmer Ruth Hayler, and Year of the Fox from filmmaker Megan Griffiths, which will have its world premiere during the festival.

“The Seattle International Film Festival has always been a space for discovery: there’s nothing quite like the revelation that can happen inside a movie theater when the lights go down,” said SIFF Artistic Director Beth Barrett. “This year, SIFF is celebrating just that—with films, filmmakers and communities from all over the world gathering around the joy of discovering new worlds through cinema.”

Tickets were made available for sale to SIFF members yesterday and will go on sale to the public today, April 27th. A variety of passes are available as well. For information on all event and screening packages and tickets, please visit siff.net/fest.

Past Lives
Thursday, May 11, 7:00 PM – Party to follow screening
Film and Party: The Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine Street

Korean-Canadian playwright Celine Song (“Endlings”) makes her directorial debut with this beautiful and delicate romance about the depth of love and connection, as two childhood best friends reunite years after an untimely separation. Writer/Director Celine Song will be in attendance for a Q&A. (d: Celine Song c: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro, USA/Korea 2023, 106 min)

I Like Movies
Sunday, May 21, 5:00 PM – Party to follow screening
Film: SIFF Cinema Egyptian
Party: Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), 860 N. Terry Ave.

In 2002 suburban Canada, a 17-year-old film aficionado with his sights set on NYU picks up a gig at a local video store where he learns what it takes to grow up and that maybe not everybody wants to hear him bloviate about Paul Thomas Anderson movies all day. Director Chandler Levack will be in attendance for a Q&A. (d: Chandler Levack c: Isaiah Lehtinen, Romina D’Ugo, Krista Bridges, Percy Hynes White, Canada 2022, 99 min)

ABLED
Alan @ Work
ANU
Punderneath It All
The Mattachine Family
Year of the Fox

20,000 Species of Bees
A House in Jerusalem
A Room of My Own
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White
Almamula
Coo-Coo 043
Copenhagen Does Not Exist
Douglas Sirk – Hope as in Despair
Even Hell has its Heroes
Feast
Four Little Adults
Hanging Gardens
Hole in the Head
Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert
Irati
Let the Dance Begin
Let The River Flow
Motherland
One Day All This Will Be Yours
Opponent
Superposition
The Last Exit
The Quiet Migration
Whale Natio

Adolfo
Free Money
Gloriavale
Harvest Moon
Matria
Pretty Red Dress
The Echo
The Hummingbird
Yuku and the Himalayan Flower

Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) has various competitions that will be taking place at this year’s festival. The festival features both juried competitions and audience awards. The juried competitions, which are made up of films selected by SIFF’s festival programmers, include the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition, and Documentary Competition. The winners will be chosen by a carefully selected jury of industry professionals and film lovers. Additionally, the Golden Space Needle Awards are selected by SIFF audiences through post-screening ballots. The categories for the Golden Space Needle Awards include Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Performance, and Best Short Film. The winners of both the juried competitions and the Golden Space Needle Awards will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards Brunch on May 21. The winners will receive cash prizes of $5,000 and $2,500 respectively. The festival promises to showcase the best and most innovative works of filmmaking from around the world, with each category highlighting distinct and resonant voices in the industry. The awards ceremony will take place at the Grand Hyatt Seattle.

Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is one of the largest and most popular festivals in the United States, showcasing hundreds of films every year from all around the world. The festival features a diverse range of programs that cater to different tastes and preferences of cinephiles, including African Pictures, Alternate Cinema, Archival Films, Asian Crossroads, cINeDIGENOUS, Culinary Cinema, Face the Music, Ibero-American Cinema, New American Cinema, Northwest Connections, and Wild, Terrifying, Fantastic. Each program includes a carefully curated selection of films, ranging from shorts to feature-length, documentaries to fiction, and experimental to commercial. The festival aims to offer a unique and unforgettable cinematic experience to its audience, where they can discover new voices, stories, and cultures from different parts of the world.

As the excitement builds for the upcoming Seattle International Film Festival, moviegoers are eagerly anticipating the unique cinematic experience that this event always delivers. With an impressive lineup of films, competitions, and programs, this year’s festival promises to be one of the most unforgettable yet.

From thought-provoking documentaries to innovative indie films, this year’s festival promises to deliver a diverse selection of films that will captivate audiences of all ages and backgrounds. With programs like the New Directors Showcase and the Women in Cinema series, the festival is also committed to showcasing emerging talent and promoting diversity within the film industry.

As the festival approaches, film lovers are urged to grab their tickets and prepare for an unforgettable journey through the world of cinema. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of the medium or simply looking to explore something new, the Seattle International Film Festival is sure to deliver an unforgettable experience that will leave you inspired, entertained, and longing for more.