52nd Seattle International Film Festival

Find Films That Spark You

This guide spotlights a curated selection of films chosen by our programmers from across the Festival. To see all the Programmers’ Picks or explore the full lineup, visit the links below.

Programmers' Picks for Fest

Our programmers share their can’t-miss films, personal favorites, and hidden gems to help you discover something new. Meet the programmers and follow the tastes that match yours.

siff.net/programmerspicks

Films A-Z Film Finder

Browse the full Festival lineup A–Z or filter by genre, mood, country, program, and more—to discover screenings that spark your curiosity. Hover to preview a film, then click for showtimes and full details.

siff.net/filmfinder

Great films don’t just entertain—they spark something. A rush of curiosity. A shift in perspective. A moment of connection. That’s the SIFF Effect.

At SIFF, we’re fortunate to experience that spark year-round, but the Festival is our biggest celebration of it. There’s nothing quite like sharing a film with a room full of strangers—the collective laughter, the gasps, the quiet reflection that follows a powerful story.

This year’s Festival brings together 203 films from 71 countries and regions, including 71 narrative features, 98 shorts and 34 documentary features, showcasing bold storytelling and exciting new voices from around the world. Among them are 18 World, 12 North American, and 10 US premieres.

We’re also proud to spotlight the artists behind the work: 49% of our filmmakers identify as women or nonbinary, 49% as BIPOC directors, and 19% as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. 62% of the feature films come from first- or second-time filmmakers, and 67% of the films currently do not yet have US distribution, making the Festival an opportunity to discover stories you may not see anywhere else.

The 52nd Seattle International Film Festival would not be possible without the support of our members, donors, sponsors, partners, and staff, who help sustain SIFF’s mission to champion cinema as a vital cultural force. At a time when the arts face real challenges, your support and participation matter more than ever.

Thank you for being here and for being a part of SIFF. With much appreciation,

Beth Barrett Artistic Director

Megan Leonard Festival Programming Manager

Opening Night Film & Party

Kick off the Festival with I Love Boosters at the Paramount Theatre. Then follow the energy to Cannonball Arts for SIFF’s official launch party.

This one-of-a-kind space for artistic experimentation comes alive with immersive gallery exhibits and a unique photo experience. Enjoy complimentary drinks and bites from Seattle favorites, then hit the dance floor for a live set from DJ Eliogold, the artist behind this year’s official trailer music.

Film + Party Tickets:

Regular: $75 | Members: $55

siff.net/open

Film Only Tickets:

Regular: $40 | Members: $35

OPENING NIGHT FILM

THU|MAY7|7PM

PARAMOUNT THEATRE

I Love Boosters

A crew of professional shoplifters take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. It’s like community service.

(d: Boots Riley c: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza Gonzalez, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, Demi Moore, USA 2026, 115 min)

FRI|MAY8|6:45 PM

SAT|MAY9|3:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

Power Ballad

When Rick (Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Jonas), the two bond over a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves.

(d: John Carney c: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor, Ireland/ USA 2026, 98 min)

SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

FRI|MAY8|MIDNIGHT IRIS IGNIGHTING

Obsession

When Bear wishes upon a One Wish Willow for his longtime crush to fall madly in love with him, he sets off a horrific and bloody chain of events in this darkly comic, twisted horror fable from writer/director Curry Barker.

(d: Curry Barker c: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter, USA 2025, 109 min)

TUE|MAY12|9:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

A Nightmare on Elm Street with DJ NicFit

VENTRICULAR WARMING PULSE ACCELERATING

CLOSING NIGHT FILM

SUN|MAY17|7:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN LAUGH INDUCING

The

Invite

Cross-Faded Cinema returns to the Festival to provide an all-new soundtrack to Wes Craven’s iconic horror film, promising a trippy, ultra-sensory time live on two turntables. What will DJ NicFit deem worthy of A Nightmare on Elm Street or this one-of-a-kind music and film hybrid event?

Joe and Angela’s marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down?

(d: Olivia Wilde c: Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, USA 2026, 107 min)

New American Cinema

Bold stories pushing the future of US cinema and reflecting the rich diversity of the American experience.

April X

Chili Finger

Drunken Noodles

Edie Arnold is a Loser

Hot Water

If I Go Will They Miss Me

I Want Your Sex

Late Fame

Lucky Lu

See You When I See You

Valentina

April X

A black-market body parts hustler (Connor Storrie) desperately searches for his missing twin sister who can digitally record her dreams. As he digs deeper, a sinister conspiracy threatens to consume them both in this sci-fi noir thriller. (d: Michel K. Parandi, USA/Romania 2025, 93 min)

Drunken Noodles

Narrative shifts, flashbacks, folds, and even a dash of magical realism, mark this quiet examination of modern queer relationships, presenting three facets of the romantic life of a young New Yorker. (d: Lucio Castro, USA/Argentina 2025, 81 min)

Late Fame

Willem Dafoe plays a post office employee whose early book of poetry is “rediscovered” by a group of aspiring artists who adopt him as an elder statesman, flattering him but also causing him to question their authenticity. (d: Kent Jones, USA 2025, 96 min)

See You When I See You

A comedy writer struggles to process the grief over his younger sister’s suicide in this Jay Duplass ensemble “traumedy,” based on the real-life experiences of screenwriter Adam Clayton-Holland’s emotionally raw memoir. (d: Jay Duplass, USA 2026, 101 min)

I Want Your Sex

When fresh-faced Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) lands an exciting job for renowned artist, icon, and provocateur Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), his fantasies come true as Erika taps him to become her sexual muse. (d: Gregg Araki, USA 2026, 90 min)

Northwest Connections

Celebrating the people, landscapes, and spirit of the Pacific Northwest.

Again Again

Assets & Liabilities

The Life We Leave

Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero

RADIOHEART: The Drive and Times of DJ Kevin Cole

Sound Visions (Short Film Package)

Under a Million Stars

Again Again

Aberdeen-raised director Mia Moore’s debut film, executive produced by Lilly Wachowski, is a heady, romantic sci-fi starring a trans woman who enters a new day after ten years stuck in “the loop.” (d: Mia Moore, Heather Ballish, USA 2026, 99 min)

Assets & Liabilities

Tacoma-based director Zach Weintraub’s fictional counterpart— also named Zach—is a burnt-out suburban dad who is taken on a wild supernatural odyssey when he meets a skater kid at the park who reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self. (d: Zach Weintraub, USA 2026, 62 min)

In this humorous docu-comedy, Keyla Monterrose Mejia shines as the titular character Valentina, a beleaguered El Paso resident confronting city council in her campaign for local economic justice. (d: Tatti Ribeiro, USA 2025, 84 min)

5/14 5:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN FRI 5/15 3:00 PM SIFF FILM CENTER

RADIOHEART: The Drive and Times of Kevin Cole

Over 25 years at KEXP, DJ Kevin Cole shaped what Seattle listens to and how we listen. RADIOHEART, a bio-doc about his life, features a killer soundtrack, archival footage, and cameos from Seattle music legends. (d: Peter Hilgendorf, Andrew Franks, USA 2026, 83 min)

World Cinema

These stories showcase bold voices, fresh perspectives, and unforgettable storytelling from today’s international filmmakers.

African Pictures

Black Burns Fast

Cotton Queen

Happy Birthday

Promised Sky

Asian Crossroads

Another World

Becoming Human

Burn

Deadline

En Route To

Renoir

Roid

Shape of Momo

Sons of the Neon Night

Australia

Body Blow

Canada

100 Sunset

Ibero-American Balandrau, Where the Fierce Wind Blew

The Condor Daughter

The Garden We Dreamed

It Would Be Night in Caracas

Iván & Hadoum

Maspalomas

The Red Hangar

Strange River

Sundays

Europe

Amrum

Case 137

Franz

Hen

Lady

Murder in the Building

Primavera

Silent Friend

Tell Everyone

Three Goodbyes

Three of a Kind

Trial of Hein

Middle East

The Friend’s House is Here

Hijra

Hold Onto Me

Salvation

100 Sunset

An introverted teen in a Tibetan diaspora section of Toronto bonds with a mysterious, like-minded woman who just moved in, leading to a slow-building conflict over money and missing objects within the insular community. (d: Kunsang Kyirong Tenzin, Canada 2025, 99 min) SUN 5/10 6:00 PM SIFF FILM CENTER MON 5/11 6:00 PM SIFF FILM CENTER

Body Blow

Danger and desire go hand-in-hand as a musclebound young cop goes undercover in Sydney’s gay scene, only to fall for an alluring twink fatale, in Dean Francis’ explicit and campy neo-noir that refracts the erotic thriller through an unapologetically queer lens. (d: Dean Francis, Australia/USA 2025, 99 min)

Amrum

Twelve-year-old Nanning learns of his parents’ hideous convictions and their Nazi past in this sea-shot, boy’s-eye view of the upheaval on a North Sea island in the last days of World War II. (d: Fatih Akin, Germany 2025, 93 min)

Balandrau, Where the Fierce Wind Blew

On December 30, 2000, friends climbing Mount Balandrau get caught in a sudden blizzard. Visibility vanishes, winds roar, and survival becomes a fight against the mountain’s deadliest storms. (d: Fernando Trullols, Spain 2026, 116 min)

Case 137

When a 20-year-old protester is shot in the head by the police, wholly unprovoked, during demonstrations in Paris, it’s up to Stéphanie, a dedicated officer in the internal affairs unit, to deliver justice. (d: Dominik Moll, France 2025, 116 min) FRI 5/8 12:30 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN MON 5/11 8:45 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN THU 5/14 9:30

Deadline

Use the Film Finder to sort by country/ region and browse films alphabetically. siff.net/filmfinder

In Kiwi Chao’s drama-thriller, an elite academy drives students to pills, rebellion, and a suicide ultimatum—exposing an authority-soaked system through stunning visuals and standout young performances. (d: Kiwi Chow, Taiwan/Hong Kong/ UK 2025, 118 min)

Franz

How do you make sense of Franz Kafka? With fictional interviews with Kafka’s friends and family and thrilling plunges into his fiction, Franz does not explain, but playfully and inventively explores the man and his work. (d: Agnieszka Holland, Czech Republic/Poland/Germany/France/ Turkey 2025, 127 min) FRI 5/8 3:30

Cotton Queen

In a Sudanese cotton village where the matriarch is rumored to have killed a British general, teenage Nafisa must decide what she owes her grandmother's legacy and what she's willing to burn down to claim her own. (d: Suzannah Mirghani, Germany/ France/Palestine/Egypt/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Sudan 2025, 94 min)

FRI 5/8 8:30 PM SIFF FILM CENTER SAT 5/9 3:30 PM SIFF FILM CENTER

Happy Birthday

Eight-year-old Toha has big plans; she wants to throw her friend Nelly a birthday party. But the differences between them will make this a challenge in ways she may not fully understand. (d: Sarah Goher, Egypt 2025, 92 min)

Hen

A runaway hen finds refuge in a crumbling Greek taverna and bears witness to a human-smuggling operation. Hen proves motherhood looks the same across species. If you think this is a goofy movie about a chicken, you couldn't be more wrong. (d: György Pálfi, Germany/ Greece/Hungary 2025, 96 min)

MON 5/11 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

TUE 5/12 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Murder in the Building

A crime writer and his film professor partner become caught up in a real-life mystery of their own when they witness a crime in the apartment across the courtyard of their Paris apartment building. (d: Rémi Bezançon, France 2026, 104 min)

TUE 5/12 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

FRI 5/15 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

Silent Friend

Award-winning director Ildikó Enyedi delivers another mesmerizing visual tale, set across three time periods at a historic German university, united by a gingko tree. (d: Ildikó Enyedi, Germany/Hungary 2025, 146 min)

Hijra

Sitti is on a pilgrimage to Mecca with her two rebellious granddaughters, Sarah and Janna. But everything changes when one of the granddaughters goes missing. (d: Shahad Ameen, Saudi Arabia/Iraq/Egypt/ UK 2025, 114 min)

WED 5/13 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN THU 5/14 12:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Primavera

Inspired by Antonio Vivaldi’s nearly three decades at the Ospedale della Pietà, where orphaned girls performed from behind screens and convent walls, this dramatic story follows Cecilia—a gifted young virtuoso who refused to be silenced. (d: Damiano Michieletto, Italy/ France 2025, 110 min)

It Would Be Night in Caracas

Set in Caracas during the 2017 protests, this gripping thriller follows a woman trapped in a city consumed by repression and chaos. When loyalists seize her apartment, she goes into hiding and begins a desperate plan to escape. (d: Mariana Rondón, Marité Ugás, Mexico/Venezuela 2025, 97 min)

FRI 5/15 12:30 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN SAT 5/16 6:30 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN

Renoir

A coming-of-age story following a tomboyish 11-year-old girl whose intellectual father is dying of cancer and mother at her wits’ end. The courageous girl seeks adventures, some involving the paranormal. (d: Chie Hayakawa, Japan/France/ Singapore/Philippines/Indonesia/ Qatar/USA 2025, 118 min)

Maspalomas

After a stroke while vacationing in Maspalomas, Vicente—played by 2026 Goya Award winner José Ramón Soroiz—is placed in a nursing home where he’s forced back into the closet, confronting a fight for freedom he thought he’d already won. (d: Aitor Arregi, Jose Mari Goenaga, Spain 2025, 115 min)

MON 5/11 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN FRI 5/15 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN SUN 5/10 5:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN WED 5/13 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRI 5/8 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN TUE 5/12 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Sons of the Neon Night

An elite cast of Hong Kong action legends assemble for this sprawling, mega-budget thriller that hearkens back to the wildly ambitious, hyper-stylized crime cinema that put Hong Kong filmmaking on the international map. (d: Juno Mak, Hong Kong/China 2025, 124 min)

Sundays

At 17, Ainara faces a life-changing choice: after high school, she considers becoming a nun. Her decision unsettles her family, especially her aunt, who fears it means losing freedom. This Goya Award standout explores the fragile balance between faith and skepticism. (d: Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, Spain 2025, 117 min)

Shape of Momo

After quitting her job in Delhi, Bishnu returns to her Himalayan village, only to find the women around her still bound by the same expectations. Change, it turns out, is harder than she thought. (d: Tribeny Rai, India/South Korea 2025, 115 min)

FRI 5/8 6:00 PM SIFF FILM CENTER SUN 5/10 3:30 PM SIFF FILM

Three Goodbyes

After years together, Marta and Antonio are undone by an argument that should have amounted to nothing. When Marta's loss of appetite turns out to be about more than heartbreak, everything she thought she knew about her life comes into question. (d: Isabel Coixet, Italy/ Spain 2025, 124 min)

Secret Fest GO IN BLIND. COME OUT BUZZING.

Sundays, May 10 & 17, 11:00am

Screenings might be rare archival finds, unofficial debuts, or anything in between! siff.net/secretfest

Find Your Films

Browse the full lineup with the film finder or explore the Programmers’ Picks for can’t-miss favorites and hidden gems to help you discover your next screening. siff.net/filmfinder siff.net/programmerspicks

Find Open Caption Screenings:

Some screenings will be presented with open captions when available. For a list visit siff.net/opencaptions.

Stay Up To Date:

Visit siff.net for up-to-date schedule information, guest announcements, film descriptions, trailers, and more.

Documentary Films

From intimate portraits to thrilling reconstructions of historical events and everything in between.

American Doctor

The Ascent

Barbara Forever

Beat the Lotto

Birds of War

Boorman and the Devil

Bucks Harbor

Cuba & Alaska

Ghost in the Machine

Hanging by a Wire

Jaripeo

Kikuyu Land

Love Chaos Kin

Maintenance Artist

Nuisance Bear

Rising Through the Fray

Reality Check (Short Film Package)

The Seoul Guardians

Soul Patrol

To Hold a Mountain

When A Witness Recants

Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)

Culinary Cinema

The Big Cheese

One of Our Own: A Tribute to Joan Roca

Face the Music

The Best Summer

Broken English

The Best Summer

A found-footage documentary from a 1995 concert tour featuring live performances, candid interviews, and a behind-the-scenes look at life on tour with Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Foo Fighters, Beck, Pavement, Rancid, The Amps, and Bikini Kill. (d: Tamra Davis, USA/Australia/Indonesia/ Philippines/Thailand 2026, 84 min)

The Big Cheese

Adam “Mr. Moo” Moskowitz is on a mission to make the world take American cheesemongers seriously. For over a decade, he’s led a team of eccentric misfits to the Olympics of Cheese, where Team USA has never won. Could this be their year? (d: Sara Joe Wolansky, USA/France/ Sweden 2025, 88 min)

SAT 5/16 6:15 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN SUN 5/17 1:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Kikuyu Land

Birds of War

Lebanese journalist Janay Boulos and Syrian activist and cameraman Abd Alkader Habak share their extraordinary love story, told through 13 years of personal archives spanning revolutions, war, and exile. (d: Janay Boulos, Abd Alkader Habak, UK/Syria/Lebanon 2026, 85 min)

The Life We Leave

siff.net/docs

Set amid Michoacán’s electrifying bull-riding celebrations, Jaripeo uncovers queer desire within a fiercely hypermasculine world— blending music, dance, and intimate stories into a vibrant celebration of sensuality, joy, and living openly. (d: Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig, Mexico/USA/France 2026, 71 min)

Nuisance Bear

A polar bear is forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its migration collides with modern life. When a sacred predator is branded a nuisance, it becomes unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape. (d: Gabriela Osio Vanden, Jack Weisman, USA/ Canada/UK 2026, 90 min)

Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Superhero

Real-life superhero or untrained vigilante? This documentary revisits the Phoenix Jones saga, a fascinating chapter in Seattle history, with never-before-seen footage and interviews with his family, co-superheroes, and enemies. (d: Bayan Joonam, USA 2026, 116 min)

What begins as a seemingly straightforward investigation into land restitution in Kenya leads to a web of exploitation, family secrets, and death threats in this riveting political documentary. (d: Andrew H. Brown (Huron-Wyandot), Bea Wangondu (Kikuyu), Kenya/USA 2026, 93 min)

An ambitious entrepreneur and two funeral directors pioneer a groundbreaking eco-friendly deathcare facility in Washington state, challenging traditional burial practices and transforming end-of-life rituals. (d: JJ Gerber, USA 2026, 87 min)

The Seoul Guardians

On the night of December 3, 2024, South Korea pushed back against its own president. The Seoul Guardians puts you on the streets and inside the National Assembly chamber as it happened. (d: Jong-woo Kim, ShinWan Kim, Chul-Young Cho, South Korea 2026, 71 min)

Under a Million Stars

Experts and homeless neighbors alike bust myths about Seattle’s homelessness crisis in a deeply reported, humanistic dispatch from the front lines. (d: Chezik Tsunoda, USA 2026, 77 min)

Alternate Cinema

Experimental films with fresh narratives and unconventional style.

Alt Shorts (Short Film Package)

EIGHT BRIDGES

Archival Films

Restored classics that celebrate the craft, style, and magic of cinema’s past.

Prisoners of the Earth

Queen Kelly

Films4Families

Big-screen adventures for kids and the young at heart.

Cookie Queens

The Family Picture Show (Short Film Package)

Songbirds’ Secret

cINeDIGENOUS

Indigenous films from around the world, presented on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish people.

Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/ great-grandparent/great-grandchild]

Crystal Cross

Mārama

Meadowlarks

Powwow People

Reservation Redemption

Teachings of the Elders (Short Film Package)

WTF

Wild, Terrifying, Fantastic!

Weird, shocking, unforgettable films that push boundaries.

Camp Fifteen

The Furious Gaua

Obsession

The Restoration at Grayson Manor

WTF! Nightmare Fuel (Short Film Package)

EIGHT BRIDGES

There is something hypnotically alluring about James Benning’s work. With only eight shots, each of a different bridge, it’s like taking more than a cursory look at a gallery painting: the longer you look, the deeper you see. (d: James Benning, USA 2026, 82 min)

Queen Kelly

In this restoration of the silent epic melodrama, Patricia Kelly (Gloria Swanson), a flirtatious girl, captures the eye of Prince Wolfram. Using Erich von Stroheim’s shooting script, this version incorporates previously unseen material to recreate the film’s original dénouement. (d: Erich von Stroheim, USA 1929, 105 min)

Cookie Queens

This charming SXSW Film & TV Festival Audience Award-winning documentary profiles four resolute girls through Girl Scout Cookie season as they find their place in the $800 million phenomenon. (d: Alysa Nahmias, USA 2026, 91 min)

Mārama

Mārama, Taratoa Stappard’s feature debut, is an anti-colonial horror story confronting oppression while honoring the strength and resilience of Māori women. (d: Taratoa Stappard (Māori), New Zealand 2025, 83 min)

Powwow People

Powwow People immerses us in a single day at a powwow, guided by Reuben Little Head’s humor and heart, culminating in a long take honoring community as privilege.

(d: Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/ Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians), USA 2025, 88 min)

Teachings of the Elders Indigenous Elders share teachings through story, land, and memory, guiding future generations with wisdom rooted in perseverance, relationship, and enduring cultural knowledge across communities. (Short Film Package, 70 min)

Use the Film Finder to sort by program and browse films alphabetically.

siff.net/filmfinder

FRI 5/8 9:15 PM SIFF CINEMA DOWNTOWN SAT 5/9 3:15 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Fifteen

Growing up is terrifying enough, but for two best friends planning the ultimate quinceañera, the real horror is what’s growing inside one of them. (d: Jack Zagha, Yossy Zagha Mexico/Argentina 2026, 99 min)

The Furious

After the daughter of Wang Wei (Xie Miao) is kidnapped by a criminal network and he receives no help from the corrupt police, Wei sets out on a rampage to find her in this explosive martial arts showdown. (d: Kenji Tanigaki, Hong Kong/China 2025, 113 min)

5/16

The Restoration at Grayson Manor

When a spoiled Irish playboy loses his hands, his controlling mother replaces them with mechanical ones — operated entirely by his murderous subconscious. (d: Glenn McQuaid, Ireland 2025, 90 min)

Shorts Packages

Themed collections of short films bring diverse voices together in dynamic conversation.

SIFF’s top prize winners in Live Action, Animation, and Documentary shorts become eligible for Oscars® consideration, making these programs a launchpad for emerging filmmakers.

Alt Shorts

Animation4Adults

Best of NFFTY 2026*

Brave New World

The Family Picture Show

Reality Check

ShortsFest Opening Night

Sound Visions

Spacing OUT

Teachings of the Elders

WTF! Nightmare Fuel

ShortsFest Opening Night

Open ShortsFest with a standout collection of films from around the world. Spanning narrative and documentary, live action and animation, these films prove shorts are truly sweet. (Short Film Package, 93 min)

FRI 5/8 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Juried Competitions

These competitions showcase standout films selected by our Festival programmers. A jury of industry professionals selects the winners, announced May 17 at the Golden Space Needle Awards Reception.

Official Competition

Outstanding films from across the Festival—among the year’s very best.

Burn

The Friend’s House is Here

Lady Mārama

Silent Friend

Sundays

New American Cinema Competition

Remarkable independent films from US filmmakers to watch.

April X

Crystal Cross

Edie Arnold is a Loser

Hot Water

Lucky Lu

Valentina

*Presented out of competition.

New Directors Competition

Breakthrough international films without US distribution at the time of selection.

Becoming Human

Cotton Queen

Happy Birthday

Hijra

Shape of Momo

Three of a Kind

Trial of Hein

Ibero-American Competition

Latin American and Spanish films, rich in voice, culture, and storytelling.

Balandrau, Where the Fierce Wind Blew

The Condor Daughter

Fifteen

The Garden We Dreamed

It Would Be Night in Caracas

Iván & Hadoum

Jaripeo

The Red Hangar

Documentary Competition

Compelling nonfiction films that inform, challenge, and spark conversation.

American Doctor

Birds of War

Bucks Harbor

Kikuyu Land

Nuisance Bear

The Seoul Guardians

To Hold a Mountain

Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)

Golden Space Needle Audience Awards

Rate the films you see and help choose the winners. Look for the QR code onscreen and posted in the theater to submit your vote. Categories include Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Performance, and Best Short Film.

Special Thanks

$25,000+

Anonymous (3)

Brettler Family Foundation

Lynn Hubbard & David Zapolsky

Christopher Newell

Estate of Elaine M. Nonneman

David Prokopy

$10,000–$24,999

Noel Caraig

Katherine & David De Bruyn

Rob & Donna Dughi

Joseph Heinrich

Diana Knauf & Bjorn Levidow

Brian A. LaMacchia

Mary Metastasio

Mary Pigott

Sara Rogge

Sudeshna Sen & Parvez Anandam

Alec Stais & Elissa Burke

Rose Tatlow & Neil Roseman

$5,000–$9,999

Anonymous

Bryan Abell & Lynn Spohn

Joan Alworth

Brian Bass

Jenifer Bunis & Dave Clarke

Katie & Dustin Campbell

Ted Chiang & Marcia Glover

Amy Green

Susan Harmon & Richie Meyer

Virl & Nancy Hill

Michael Lockman & Woody Davidson

David Lowe

David Lubell

Hans & Nikki Lundin

Yazmin Mehdi & Liam Lavery

Dan Poliak

Ed & Marjorie Ringness

Nikki & Mike Santoro

Jeff Stolz & Tim O’Connor

SIFF thanks all our donors and members for your invaluable support this past year!

DONORS MEMBERS

Platinum & Luminary

Platinum Lifetime

Nicole & Renee Beaudoin

Tika Bordelon & Xo Larimer

Lisa Brummel & Celeste Keaton

Brian Cartmell

Christopher & Janet Conrad

Jill Cook & AJ Ostman

Kenneth Dale

Anita & Jack Dingrani

Dwight Gaut

Elva Gonzalez & Brian Miller

Patrick Halstead & Naoko Ishikawa

Paula & Mike Hlastala

Doug Ing

Darlene Johnson

Brian LaMacchia

Michael Lockman

Jon Luker III

Kim McIver & John Davis

Brian & Bridget O’Neill

Deborah & Jeff Parsons

Deborah Person

Mary Rainwater

Steve & Jennifer Schonberger

Heidi Stephens

Lea & Rick Sund

Liza, Mark, & Krista Taylor

Erika & Michael Tedin

Ken & Roberta Williams

Dennis & Peggy Willingham

Bic Wong

Lifetime

Sherman Alexie

Robert R. Braun, Jr & Renee Braun

Bebe Burns

Virginia Callison-Dolan

Paul Canniff

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Deb Clark

John W. Comerford

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Carrie Gorringe

Daniel Herda & Stephen Mellander

Steve Kelley

Diana Knauf

June Krumpotick

Jerry Luiten

Renee Lund

Stephen McCandless

Judith Mercer

Mary Metastasio

Elizabeth Mitchell

Walter Moore

Tom O’Brien

June Peters

Kevin Phaup

Dan Poliak

Meredith Potochnic

Jessica Prince

Leela Sasaki

Tom Skerritt & Julie Tokashiki Skerritt

Steven Smith

Jane Suzick

Sylvester Thomas III

Rich Wasserman

Joe Welinske

Robin Reynolds Wilt

Virginia Wright

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Find Films

Explore the full lineup—search or filter by genre, mood, program, and more. Then dive into our programmers’ picks for Festival favorites. siff.net/filmfinder | siff.net/programmerspicks

Get Tickets

Buy tickets at siff.net by selecting a showtime or at any SIFF Cinema April 16–May 7 or at Festival venues during box office hours.

SIFF Members: Sign in to your SIFF account to get your discounts.

How To Fest

Everything you need to know—from pass pickup to finding your line. Get more details at siff.net/howtofest

Pick up passes at the SIFF Film Center: April 16–May 7: 10am–6pm (M-F) May 8–17: 10am–6pm (daily) Pickup not available at Preview Screenings.

Arrive Early: To guarantee your seat, arrive at least 10 minutes before the screening. After that, seats may be released to standby. Lines may form up to an hour before showtime.

Find Your Line: When you arrive at the venue, follow the signs to join the correct line: Passholders, Ticket Holders, or Standby.

Become a member to support yearround cinema, save on tickets 6-packs and passes and enjoy free popcorn. Join at siff.net/membership

Get six tickets for any regularpriced Festival screenings. Keep them all or share the SIFF Effect. Get yours at siff.net/6packs

Stay Up To Date

For schedule changes, daily updates, and more, sign up for SIFF’s email list at siff.net/enews and be sure to follow us on social.

Standby: If advance tickets sell out, a Standby line typically forms about one hour before showtime. Around 10 minutes before the screening, any available seats are sold first-come, first-served. Vouchers are accepted. Not all screenings will release standby tickets.

Inclusion & Accessibility: Inclusivity is a core value at SIFF. Visit siff.net/termsandconditions. We strive to make all events accessible. Learn more at siff.net/equity. To see a list of open caption screenings, visit siff.net/opencaptions.