Seattle Int'l Film Fest Announces Massive 2016 Lineup
The Seattle International Film Fest is just about the biggest film festival around, with a whopping 421 films across the 25-day fest from May 19-June 21. The festival is so big they can't even list all of the movies in their press release. But if you head to the SIFF website you will find the full program there (including Folk Hero & Funny Guy and some other surprises).
We'll have a preview of some top picks soon but ahead of that, check out the full press release.
SEATTLE -- May 3, 2016 -- The Seattle International Film Festival, the largest and most highly attended festival in the United States, announced today the complete lineup of films, guests, and events for the 42nd annual 25-day Festival (May 19 - June 12, 2016).
This year, SIFF will screen 421 films representing 85 countries: 181 features (plus 4 secret films), 75 documentaries, 8 archival films, and 153 shorts. The films include 54 World premieres (29 features, 25 shorts), 56 North American premieres (42 features, 14 shorts), and 27 US premieres (15 features, 12 shorts).
Both Opening and Closing Nights include period comedies: hearkening to the golden 1930s heyday of Hollywood, Opening Night film Café Society from master filmmaker Woody Allen stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, and Blake Lively; the 1950s-set Australian revenge comedy-drama The Dressmaker closes SIFF 2016 on Sunday, June 12 with an acclaimed cast including Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, and Hugo Weaving. The emotionally wrenching documentary Gleason, follows Spokane-born NFL star Steve Gleason's battle with ALS using intimate footage masterfully assembled by director Clay Tweel, and will screen at the Festival’s Centerpiece Gala on Saturday, June 4.
The Northwest premiere of Matt Ross’s Captain Fantastic, filmed in Washington, will screen as part of a tribute presentation to Viggo Mortensen on Saturday, June 11, where the acclaimed actor will be presented with the Festival’s Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award and interviewed on stage at the flagship SIFF Cinema Egyptian. Selections from Mortensen’s rich and diverse career are slated during SIFF 2016 in celebration of his work, including A Walk on the Moon, Eastern Promises, and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
On Sunday, May 22, An Afternoon with Molly Shannon will feature an on-stage interview and a screening of four-time Emmy-nominated SNL and Broad City writer Chris Kelly’s feature directorial debut Other People, an unflinching, emotional seriocomedy starring Shannon as well as Jesse Plemons, Maude Apatow, Zach Woods, Bradley Whitford, and June Squibb. Shannon’s latest film, Miles, will make its World premiere at SIFF 2016 on Saturday, May 21 with director Nathan Adloff, Molly Shannon, and other cast in attendance. Miles is a sweet tale of a cleverly resourceful mother and son making the best of a tough situation.
“This year’s Festival is bursting at the seams with extraordinary talent and revelatory, exciting stories from all over the world,” says Carl Spence, SIFF Festival Director and Chief Curator. “We have more World, North American, and US premieres than ever before, as always bringing Seattle audiences the first opportunity to experience cinematic discoveries and essential masterpieces from all points of view.”
Among this year’s 53 World premieres is Seattle native Megan Griffiths’s The Night Stalker, a penetrating psychological thriller centered on the spine-chilling character of Richard Ramirez, California's most notorious serial killer. Griffiths and star Lou Diamond Phillips will be in attendance at the June 4 screening.
SIFF is inaugurating an Official Main Competition Slate of 12 films to highlight and celebrate compelling stories made by exceptional filmmakers. In addition to SIFF’s longstanding juried competitions for New Directors, Documentary Features, the New American Cinema Competition and short films, SIFF 2016 for the first time will also feature a brand-new Ibero-American Competition, which aims to highlight the increasing power, creativity, and influence of storytelling from two continents. Juried by film professionals, the winner of each of these 5 feature film competitions will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards on June 12 and will split the proceeds of a $32,500 cash prize-pool ($5,000 for features and $2,500 for shorts).
Adds Spence, “SIFF strives to recognize outstanding talent and champion up-and-coming filmmakers in all genres and from nations across the globe. Our competitions provide a platform to elevate and promote excellence in the art and science of cinematic storytelling.”
The 2016 Seattle International Film Festival is presented by SIFF, the non-profit arts organization that reaches more than 350,000 annually through SIFF Cinema, SIFF Education, and the annual flagship Festival.
Festival Box office opens May 5 online at siff.net, by phone at 206.324.9996, and in person at any SIFF venue box office. View the full public program here.
GALAS
Opening Night Gala
Café Society
Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg star in a sparkling new romantic comedy from Woody Allen about a movie-industry hopeful who arrives in 1930s Hollywood, falls in love, and finds himself swept up in the vibrant café society that defined the age. North American Premiere (d: Woody Allen c: Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Steve Carell, Parker Posey, Judy Davis, USA 2016, 96 min)
Centerpiece Gala
Gleason
Director Clay Tweel scheduled to attend
Director Clay Tweel delivers a bold and moving portrait of beloved Spokane born, former WSU and New Orleans Saints football player Steve Gleason, who at age 34 was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease and courageously filmed his journey for the public eye. (d: Clay Tweel f: Steve Gleason, Michel Gleason, Rivers Gleason, USA 2016, 110 min)
Closing Night Gala
The Dressmaker
Director Jocelyn Moorhouse scheduled to attend
Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, and Judy Davis star in this hysterically madcap adaptation of the beloved novel about a chic 1950s dressmaker who returns from Paris to her small Australian town to right the wrongs of the past and revolutionize the local couture. (d: Jocelyn Moorhouse c: Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Judy Davis, Hugo Weaving, Australia 2015, 118 min)
SPECIAL GUESTS
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ACTING AWARD
Viggo Mortensen
Featuring Captain Fantastic
Plus screenings of A Walk on the Moon, Eastern Promises, and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
An actor, painter, poet, photographer, and jazz musician, Viggo Mortensen’s combination of rugged exterior and reflective interior have infused his wide range of film roles with equal parts gravitas and compassion—from criminals to cowboys, lovers to lieutenants, post-apocalyptic survivors to sagacious psychoanalysts, and the rightful king of Gondor.
Past honorees of the SIFF Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award include Laura Dern, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kyle MacLachlan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Kevin Bacon, Edward Norton, Sissy Spacek, Joan Allen, and Anthony Hopkins amongst others.
AN AFTERNOON WITH
Molly Shannon
Featuring Other People
Plus World Premiere of Miles
Molly Shannon’s penchant for theatrical comedy inspired some of “Saturday Night Live”'s most famous characters from 1995-2001, including Mary Catherine Gallagher and Sally O’Malley. Shannon went on to appear in several films such as Superstar, Wet Hot American Summer, Marie Antoinette, last year’s SIFF favorite Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and the TV series “Glee” and “Enlightened.” Her ability to shift seamlessly from comic characters to more nuanced dramatic roles is something not many can match. Tonight, SIFF will welcome her to the stage for an interview featuring film clips from her career, followed by a screening of one of Shannon’s latest films, Other People, directed by Chris Kelly. There will also be an opportunity for audience questions following the screening.
FEATURE FILM PREMIERES
World (29)
Action Comandante (d: Nadine Angel Cloete, South Africa/Lesotho 2016, 90 min)
All the Birds Have Flown South (d: Joshua H. Miller, Miles B. Miller c: Paul Sparks, Joey Lauren Adams, Dallas Roberts, USA 2016, 98 min)
Americana (d: Zachary Shedd c: David Call, Kelli Garner, Frank Mosley, Jennifer Stuckert, Peter Coyote, Jack Davenport, USA 2016, 81 min)
The Architect (d: Jonathan Parker c: Parker Posey, Eric McCormack, James Frain, John Carroll Lynch, USA 2016, 95 min)
The Coop (d: Ufuk Bayraktar c: Ufuk Bayraktar, Hasibe Eren, Selen Domaç, Turkey 2016, 86 min)
Death by Design (d: Sue Williams f: Ted Smith, Ma Jun, Kyle Wiens, Luke Soules, Paul Maher, China/Ireland 2016, 73 min)
Finding Babel (d: David Novack f: Liev Schreiber, Andrei Malaev-Babel, Antonina Pirozhkova, Marina Vlady, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, USA/Ukraine/ Russia/ France 2015, 89 min)
Finding Kim (d: Aaron Bear f: Kim B, Dan Savage, Buck Angel, Carmen Carrera, Calpernia Addams, Jamison Green, Dr. Tony Mangubat, USA 2016, 82 min)
Finding October (d: Nick Terry c: Michael Ward, Karin Terry, Nick Terry, Delaney Berreth, Ryan Woodyard, USA 2016, 77 min)
foreveryone.net (d: Jessica Yu f: Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Mary Lee Berners-Lee, Jeff Jaffe, Jonathan Zittrain, Tilly Blyth, USA/United Kingdom 2016, 35 min)
Full Court: The Spencer Haywood Story (d: Martin Spirit f: Spencer Haywood, Charles Barkley, Pat Riley, Lenny Wilkens, Chuck D, USA 2016, 90 min)
Gold Balls (d: Kate Dandel f: John Powless, Ron Tonidandel, Bob Sherman, George McCabe, Marcus Freeman, Steve Tignor, USA 2016, 85 min)
Hummus (d: Oren Rosenfeld f: Eliyahu Shmueli, Suheila Al Hindi, Jalil Dabit, Israel 2016, 70 min)
The IF Project (d: Kathlyn Horan f: Kim Bogucki, Renata Abramson, Tiffany Doll, Angela Vargas, LaKeisha ""KeWee"" Hamilton, USA 2016, 88 min)
Kingdom of Clay Subjects (d: Bijon c: Mahmudur Anindo, Sheuly Aktar, Chinmoyee Gupta, Monir Ahmed Shakeel, Rokeya Prachy, Bangladesh/USA 2016, 88 min)
The Memory of Fish (d: Jennifer Galvin, Sachi Cunningham Narrated by Lili Taylor, USA 2016, 54 min)
Middle Man (d: Ned Crowley c: Jim O'Heir, Andrew J. West, Josh McDermitt, Anne Dudek, Tracey Walter, USA 2016, 101 min)
Miles (d: Nathan Adloff c: Molly Shannon, Tim Boardman, Annie Golden, Paul Reiser, Ethan Phillips, USA 2016, 90 min)
Moon in the 12th House (d: Dorit Hakim c: Yaara Pelzig, Yuval Scharf, Gefen Barkai, Gal Toren, Avraham Horowitz, Israel 2016, 110 min)
Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale (d: Ben Bowie, Geoff Luck, USA/Botswana 2016, 90 min)
The Night Stalker (d: Megan Griffiths c: Lou Diamond Phillips, Bellamy Young, Chelle Sherrill, Benjamin Barrett, USA 2016, 89 min)
One Kiss (d: Ivan Cotroneo c: Rimau Grillo Ritzberger, Valentina Romani, Leonardo Pazzagli, Italy 2016, 102 min)
Paralytic (d: Joey Johnson c: David S. Hogan, Darlene Sellers, Angela DiMarco, D'Angelo Midili, Richard Carmen, USA 2016, 87 min)
Sam Choy's Poké to the Max (d: Terrence Jeffrey Santos f: Sam Choy, Geo Quibuyen, Yuji Okumoto, Max Heigh, USA 2016, 40 min)
Sustainable (d: Matt Wechsler f: Marty Travis, Greg Wade, Rick Bayless, Mark Bittman, John Ikerd, USA 2016, 96 min)
Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell (d: Martin Bell f: Erin Blackwell, Mary Ellen Mark, USA 2016, 86 min)
Tsukiji Wonderland (d: Naotaro Endo f: Jiro Ono, Rene Redzepi, Theodore C. Bestor, Japan 2016, 110 min)
We the People 2.0 (d: Leila Conners f: Thomas Linzey, Ben Price, Cathy Miorelli, Tish O'Dell, Doug Shields, USA 2016, 90 min)
Where Have All the Good Men Gone (d: René Frelle Petersen c: Julie Brochorst Andersen, Simone Lykke, Alexandre Willaume, Denmark 2016, 93 min)
North American (42)
13 Minutes (d: Oliver Hirschbiegel c: Christian Friedel, Katharina Schüttler, Burghart Klaussner, Johann von Bülow, Felix Eitner, David Zimmerschied, Rüdiger Klink, Germany 2016, 108 min)
Alone (d: Park Hong-min c: Lee Ju-won, Song You-hyun, South Korea 2015, 99 min)
Antonia (d: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino c: Linda Caridi, Filippo Dini, Alessio Praticò, Luca Lo Monaco, Perla Ambrosini, Italy/Greece 2015, 96 min)
Awaiting (d: Daniela Fejerman c: Nora Navas, Francesc Garrido, Larissa Kalpokaite, Vytautas Kaniušonis, Šarūnas Puidokas, Spain/Lithuania 2015, 96 min)
The Bacchus Lady (d: E J-yong c: Youn Yuh-jung, Chon Moo-song, Yoon Kye-sang, An A-zu, Choi Hyun-jun, South Korea 2016, 110 min)
Battle of Sevastopol (d: Sergey Mokritskiy c: Yulia Peresild, Joan Blacham, Evgeniy Tsyganov, Vitali Linetski, Ukraine/Russia 2015, 122 min)
Being 17 (d: André Téchiné c: Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Corentin Fila, Alexis Loret, France 2016, 116 min)
The Bodyguard (d: Sammo Hung c: Sammo Hung, Andy Lau, Zhu Yu Chen, Li Qin Qin, Jack Feng, Jacqueline Chan, Hong Kong/China 2016, 99 min)
A Bride for Rip Van Winkle (d: Shunji Iwai c: Haru Kuroki, Go Ayano, Cocco, Japan 2016, 179 min)
Burn Burn Burn (d: Chanya Button c: Laura Carmichael, Chloe Pirrie, Jack Farthing, Joe Dempsie, Alison Steadman, United Kingdom 2015, 106 min)
Café Society (d: Woody Allen c: Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Steve Carell, Parker Posey, Judy Davis, USA 2016, 96 min)
Ceviche’s DNA (d: Orlando Arriagada f: José Antonio del Castillo, Victor Pimentel, Ulla Holmquist, Valentín Paso Purisaca, Santiago Uceda Castillo, Canada/Peru 2015, 85 min)
Checks and Balances (d: Malek Bensmaïl f: Omar Belhouchet, Hacène Ouali, Hassene Moali, Mustapha Benfodil, Ali Benyahia, Algeria/France 2015, 97 min)
Coconut Hero (d: Florian Cossen c: Alex Ozerov, Bea Santos, Krista Bridges, Sebastian Schipper, Germany/Canada 2015, 101 min)
Creepy (d: Kiyoshi Kurosawa c: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Yuko Takeuchi, Haruna Kawaguchi, Masahiro Higashide, Teruyuki Kagawa, Ryoko Fujino, Masahiro Toda, Toru Baba, Misaki Saisyo, Takashi Sasano, Japan 2016, 130 min)
The Curve (d: Rifqi Assaf c: Ashraf Barhoum, Fatina Layla, Mazen Mouadam, Ashraf Telfah, Jordan/France/ Egypt/ United Arab Emirates 2015, 81 min)
Deconstructing Dani García (d: Iñigo Ruiz, Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas, Spain 2015, 72 min)
Eternal Summer (d: Andreas Öhman c: Filip Berg, Madeleine Martin, Torkel Petersson, Fanny Ketter, Sweden 2015, 107 min)
Family Film (d: Olmo Omerzu c: Karel Roden, Vanda Hybnerová, Daniel Kadlec, Jenovéfa Boková, Eliska Krenkova, Martin Pechlát, Czech Republic/Germany/ Slovenia/ France/ Slovakia 2015, 95 min)
The Final Master (d: Xu Haofeng c: Liao Fan, Song Jia, Jiang Wenli, Jin Shijie, Song Yang, China 2015, 109 min)
Girl Asleep (d: Rosemary Myers c: Eamon Farren, Bethany Whitmore, Harrison Feldman, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Matthew Whittet, Australia 2016, 77 min)
Holding the Man (d: Neil Armfield c: Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Kerry Fox, Camilla Ah Kin, Sarah Snook, Guy Pearce, Australia 2015, 127 min)
Illegitimate (d: Adrian Sitaru c: Alina Grigore, Robi Urs, Bogdan Albulescu, Adrian Titieni, Cristina Olteanu, Romania/Poland/France 2016, 89 min)
Immortal (d: Hadi Mohaghegh c: Yadollah Shadmani, Iran 2015, 90 min)
The Island Funeral (d: Pimpaka Towira c: Heen Sasithorn, Aukrit Pornsumpunsuk, Yossawat Sittiwong, Pattanapong Sriboonrueang, Thailand 2015, 105 min)
Lily Lane (d: Bence Fliegauf c: Angéla Stefanovics, Bálint Sótonyi, Miklós B. Székely, Mária Gindert, Maja Balogh, Hungary 2016, 91 min)
Other Girls (d: Esa Illi c: Sara Soulié, Ida Vakkuri, Misa Lommi, Bahar Tokat, Finland 2015, 80 min)
The Patriarch (d: Lee Tamahori c: Temuera Morrison, Akuhuta Keefe,Nancy Brunning, Jim Moriarty, Regan Taylor, Maria Walker, New Zealand 2016, 102 min)
The Pretty Ones (d: Melisa Liebenthal f: Melisa Liebenthal, Josefina Roveta, Victoria D'Amuri, Camila Magliano, Michelle Sterzorvsky, Sofía Mele, Argentina 2016, 77 min)
The Queen of Ireland (d: Conor Horgan f: Rory O'Neill, Panti Bliss, Ireland 2015, 82 min)
Rara (d: Pepa San Martín c: Mariana Loyola, Agustina Muñoz, Julia Lubbert, Emilia Ossandon, Daniel Muñoz, Michaele Cristi, Chile/Argentina 2016, 92 min)
Red Gringo (d: Miguel Ángel Vidaurre f: Dean Reed, José Roman, Gonzalo Planet, Chile 2016, 67 min)
The Scent of Mandarin (d: Gilles Legrand c: Olivier Gourmet, Georgia Scalliet, Dimitri Storoge, France 2015, 110 min)
Seasons (d: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud, France/Germany 2015, 95 min)
The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger (d: Colin MacCabe, Tilda Swinton, Christopher Roth, Bartek Dziadosz, United Kingdom 2016, 89 min)
Summer of ‘92 (d: Kasper Barfoed c: Ulrich Thomsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Cyron Melville, Esben Smed Jensen, Henning Jensen, Denmark/United Kingdom 2016, 90 min)
They Call Me Jeeg Robot (d: Gabriele Mainetti c: Claudio Santamaria, Luca Marinelli, Stefano Ambrogi, Ilenia Pastorelli, Italy 2015, 112 min)
Welcome To Norway! (d: Rune Denstad Langlo c: Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Slimane Dazi, Henriette Steenstrup, Olivier Mukata, Norway 2016, 90 min)
While the Women Are Sleeping (d: Wayne Wang c: Beat Takeshi, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Shioli Kutsuna, Sayuri Oyamada, Lily Franky, Hirofumi Arai, Makiko Watanabe, Japan 2016, 103 min)
Whistleblower (d: Adolfo Alix Jr. c: Nora Aunor, Cherry Pie Picache, Angelica Panganiban, Philippines 2016, 75 min)
The Wounded Angel (d: Emir Baigazin c: Nurlybek Saktaganov, Madiyar Aripbay, Madiyar Nazarov, Omar Adilov, Anzara Barlykova, Kazakhstan/France/ Germany 2016, 112 min)
Zud (d: Marta Minorowicz c: Batsaikhan Budee, Sukhbat Batsaikhan, Bayasgalan Batsaikhan, Germany/Poland/Mongolia 2016, 85 min)
US (15)
The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Maddin (d: Yves Montmayeur f: Guy Maddin, Udo Kier, Stephen Quay,Timothy Quay, Isabella Rossellini, France 2015, 65 min)
Ants on a Shrimp (d: Maurice Dekkers f: René Redzepi, Lars Williams, Rosio Sanchez, Thomas Frebel, Dan Giusti, Netherlands 2016, 88 min)
Before the Streets (d: Chloé Leriche c: Rykko Bellemare, Jacques Newashish, Kwena Bellemare Boivin, Martin Dubreuil, Janis Ottawa, Canada (Québec) 2016, 97 min)
Dawn (d: Laila Pakalnina c: Antons Grauds, Vilis Daudzins, Wiktor Zbarovsky, Andris Keish, Liena Smukste, Latvia/Poland/Estonia 2015, 96 min)
Death By a Thousand Cuts (d: Juan Mejia Botero, Jake Kheel, Dominican Republic/Haiti/USA 2016, 73 min)
Honor Thy Father (d: Erik Matti c: John Lloyd Cruz, Meryll Soriano, Tirso Cruz III, Philippines 2015, 115 min)
How Most Things Work (d: Fernando Salem c: Verónica Gerez, Pilar Gamboa, Marilú Marini, Miriam Odorico, María Ucedo, Argentina 2015, 93 min)
News From Planet Mars (d: Dominik Moll c: François Damiens, Vincent Macaigne,
Veerle Baetens, Jeanne Guittet, Tom Rivoire, France/Belgium 2016, 101 min)
Nueva Venecia (d: Emiliano Mazza de Luca, Colombia/Mexico/Uruguay 2016, 80 min)
Paul à Québec (d: François Bouvier c: François Létourneau, Gilbert Sicotte, Julie Le Breton, Louise Portal, Shanti Corbeil-Gauvreau, Canada (Québec) 2015, 98 min)
The Revolution Won’t Be Televised (d: Rama Thiaw, Senegal 2016, 110 min)
The Sound of Trees (d: François Péloquin c: Antoine l’Ecuyer, Roy Dupuis, Willia Ferland- Tanguay, Rémi Goulet, Charles-Emile Lafleur, Canada (Québec) 2015, 78 min)
Stranger (d: Yermek Tursunov c: Yerzhan Nurymbet, Elina Abay Kyzy, Kuandyk Kystykbayev, Alexander Karpov, Roza Khairullina, Kazakhstan 2015, 105 min)
Warehoused (d: Jack Zagha c: José Carlos Ruiz, Hoze Meléndez, Mexico 2015, 90 min)
You’ll Never Be Alone (d: Alex Anwandter c: Sergio Hernánde, Gabriela Hernández, Edgardo Bruna, Antonia Zegers, Jaime Leiva, Chile 2016, 81 min)
COMPETITIONS
Official Competition
Juried by a team of international industry members, the Official Competition recognizes distinct and resonant voices in filmmaking from around the world. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
2016 Entries:
Battle of Sevastopol (d: Sergey Mokritskiy, Ukraine/Russia 2015, North American Premiere)
Burn Burn Burn (d: Chanya Button, United Kingdom 2015, North American Premiere)
Creepy (d: Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan 2016, North American Premiere)
Eternal Summer (d: Andreas Öhman, Sweden 2015, North American Premiere)
Girl Asleep (d: Rosemary Myers, Australia 2016, North American Premiere)
Holding the Man (d: Neil Armfield, Australia 2015, North American Premiere)
Moon in the 12th House (d: Dorit Hakim, Israel 2016, World Premiere)
News From Planet Mars (d: Dominik Moll, France/Belgium 2016, US Premiere)
Radio Dreams (d: Babak Jalali, Iran/USA 2016)
The Scent of Mandarin (d: Gilles Legrand, France 2015, North American Premiere)
The Sound of Trees (d: François Péloquin, Canada (Québec) 2015, US Premiere)
Welcome To Norway! (d: Rune Denstad Langlo, Norway 2016, North American Premiere)
New Directors Competition
Festival programmers select 12 films remarkable for their original scripts, innovative cinematography, and unique insights into people, places, and story. To be eligible, films must be a director’s first or second feature and without U.S. distribution at the time of their selection. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
2016 Entries:
Antonia (d: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino, Italy/Greece 2015, North American Premiere)
Before the Streets (d: Chloé Leriche, Canada (Québec) 2016, US Premiere)
Coconut Hero (d: Florian Cossen, Germany/Canada 2015, North American Premiere)
Family Film (d: Olmo Omerzu, Czech Republic/Germany/Slovenia/France/Slovakia 2015, North American Premiere)
The Lure (d: Agnieszka Smoczynska, Poland 2015)
Nakom (d: Kelly Daniela Norris, TW Pittman, Ghana/USA 2016)
The Paradise Suite (d: Joost van Ginkel, Netherlands/Sweden/Bulgaria 2015)
Rara (d: Pepa San Martín, Chile/Argentina 2016, North American Premiere)
Sand Storm (d: Elite Zexer, Israel 2016)
Sparrows (d: Rúnar Rúnarsson, Iceland/Denmark/Croatia 2015)
The Violators (d: Helen Walsh, United Kingdom 2015)
Where Have All the Good Men Gone (d: René Frelle Petersen, Denmark 2016, World Premiere)
Ibero-American Competition
New this year, the Ibero-American Competition selects 8 outstanding films from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal to highlight the increasing power, creativity, and influence of storytelling in the region. To be eligible, films must be making their U.S. premiere at the Festival and be without U.S. distribution at the time of their selection. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
2016 Entries:
Awaiting (d: Daniela Fejerman, Spain/Lithuania 2015, North American Premiere)
Deconstructing Dani García (d: Iñigo Ruiz, Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas, Spain 2015, North American Premiere)
How Most Things Work (d: Fernando Salem, Argentina 2015, US Premiere)
Nueva Venecia (d: Emiliano Mazza de Luca, Colombia/Mexico/Uruguay 2016, US Premiere)
The Pretty Ones (d: Melisa Liebenthal, Argentina 2016, North American Premiere)
Red Gringo (d: Miguel Ángel Vidaurre, Chile 2016, North American Premiere)
Warehoused (d: Jack Zagha, Mexico 2015, US Premiere)
You’ll Never Be Alone (d: Alex Anwandter, Chile 2016, US Premiere)
New American Cinema Competition
Each of these films has found a champion in the SIFF programming team and was selected for its potential to capture the hearts of audiences looking to explore the exciting vanguard of New American Cinema. Jury is comprised of 3 members from the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
2016 Entries:
11:55 (d: Ari Issler, Ben Snyder, USA 2016)
All the Birds Have Flown South (d: Joshua H. Miller, Miles B. Miller, USA 2016, World Premiere)
Americana (d: Zachary Shedd, USA 2016, World Premiere)
The Architect (d: Jonathan Parker, USA 2016, World Premiere)
As You Are (d: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, USA 2016)
Claire in Motion (d: Lisa Robinson, Annie J. Howell, USA 2016)
Free In Deed (d: Jake Mahaffy, USA/New Zealand 2015)
Middle Man (d: Ned Crowley, USA 2016, World Premiere)
The Night Stalker (d: Megan Griffiths, USA 2016, World Premiere)
Transpecos (d: Greg Kwedar, USA 2016)
Documentary Competition
For the documentarian, the world around us provides a seemingly inexhaustible source of material. From the ridiculous to the sublime and everything in between, documentary art is about showing the world how it is, how it was, and how it could be. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
2016 Entries:
The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Maddin (d: Yves Montmayeur, France 2015, US Premiere)
Action Comandante (d: Nadine Angel Cloete, South Africa/Lesotho 2016, World Premiere)
Death By a Thousand Cuts (d: Juan Mejia Botero, Jake Kheel, USA 2016, US Premiere)
Death by Design (d: Sue Williams, China/Ireland 2016, World Premiere)
Finding Babel (d: David Novack, USA/Ukraine/Russia/France 2015, North American Premiere)
The IF Project (d: Kathlyn Horan, USA 2016, World Premiere)
Mr. Gaga (d: Tomer Heymann, Israel/Sweden/Germany/Netherlands 2015)
Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale (d: Ben Bowie, Geoff Luck, USA/Botswana 2016, World Premiere)
The Queen of Ireland (d: Conor Horgan, Ireland 2015, North American Premiere)
The Revolution Won’t Be Televised (d: Rama Thiaw, Senegal 2016, US Premiere)
Tsukiji Wonderland (d: Naotaro Endo, Japan 2016, World Premiere)
We the People 2.0 (d: Leila Conners, USA 2016, World Premiere)
Shorts Competition
All short films shown at the Festival are eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and Jury Award. Jurors will choose winners in the Narrative, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each jury winner will receive $2,500 and winners in any of the three categories may also qualify to enter the respective Short Film category of the Academy Awards® for the concurrent season without the theatrical run.
Golden Space Needle Awards
For the past 30 years, SIFF has celebrated its most popular films and filmmakers with the Golden Space Needle Audience Award. Awards by Festival audiences are given in five categories: Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Short Film.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
The Final Master
Director Xu Haofeng scheduled to attend
A Wing Chun master must singlehandedly take on a town full of martial-arts schools jockeying for dominance through realistic, bone-crunching hand-to-hand combat in this action-packed film from the writer of Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster. North American Premiere (d: Xu Haofeng c: Liao Fan, Song Jia, Jiang Wenli, Jin Shijie, Song Yang, China 2015, 109 min)
Truman
Director Cesc Gay scheduled to attend
A wise and tender ode to friendship, of man and dog, two middle-aged men reunite in Madrid and spend four days taking unexpected detours, reflecting on loves, losses, triumphs, and regrets. Winner of five Goya Awards including Best Picture. (d: Cesc Gay c: Ricardo Darín, Javier Cámara, Dolores Fonzi, Spain/Argentina 2015, 108 min)
Our Kind of Traitor
Ewan McGregor and Naomie Harris star as a couple who find themselves as pawns in a game between the Russian Mafia and the British Secret Service in this gripping spy thriller based on the novel by bestselling author John Le Carré ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"). (d: Susanna White c: Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris, Damian Lewis, Stellan Skarsgärd, United Kingdom 2016, 107 min)
The Night Stalker
Director Megan Griffiths and star Lou Diamond Phillips scheduled to attend
This penetrating psychological thriller from Seattle's Megan Griffiths (Lucky Them) features a spine-chillingly magnetic performance from Lou Diamond Phillips as death-row inmate Richard Ramirez, California's notorious serial killer. World Premiere (d: Megan Griffiths c: Lou Diamond Phillips, Bellamy Young, Chelle Sherrill, Benjamin Barrett, USA 2016, 89 min)
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Big Road With a live score performed by Donald Sosin. (d: Sun Yu, China 1935, 104 min)
B-Movie Bingo presents Rambu: The Intruder With comedy team Wolf Choir. (d: Jopi Burnama, Indonesia 1986, 120 min)
The Mads are Back: Glen or Glenda With live comedy riffing from Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu, the B-movie-tormenting mad scientists of ""Mystery Science Theater 3000. (d: Ed Wood Jr., USA 1953, 120 min)
Oh, You Pretty Things! - A David Bowie and Glam Rock dance party at the Neptune Theatre
FILMS WITH PARTIES
Indignation (d: James Schamus c: Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts, Linda Emond, Danny Burstein, Ben Rosenfield, USA 2016, 109 min)
Director James Schamus and actor Logan Lerman scheduled to attend
Saturday Party at Pacific Place
My Blind Brother - Renton Opening Night (d: Sophie Goodhart c: Adam Scott, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Zoe Kazan, Charlie Hewson, Maryann Nagel, USA 2016, 90 min)
Director Sophie Goodhart scheduled to attend
Party at Renton Pavilion Center
The Intervention (d: Clea DuVall c: Melanie Lynskey, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat, Clea DuVall, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Schwartz, USA 2016, 91 min)
Director Clea DuVall scheduled to attend
Saturday Party at Seattle Art Museum
Paul à Québec - Kirkland Opening Night (d: François Bouvier c: François Létourneau, Gilbert Sicotte, Julie Le Breton, Louise Portal, Shanti Corbeil-Gauvreau, Canada (Québec) 2015, 98 min)
Actor François Létourneau scheduled to attend
Party at Kirkland Performance Center
Being 17 - Gay-La (d: André Téchiné c: Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Corentin Fila, Alexis Loret, France 2016, 116 min)
Actor Kacey Mottet Klein scheduled to attend
Party at the Baltic Room
Frank & Lola (d: Matthew Ross c: Michael Shannon, Imogen Poots, Michael Nyqvist, Justin Long, USA 2016, 88 min)
Director Matthew Ross scheduled to attend
Saturday Party at Hotel Monaco
AFRICAN PICTURES
African Pictures showcases the best filmmaking happening in and about Africa today. This program, made possible through the generous support of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, will bring shorts and features, documentaries and fiction films to American audiences who might never have the chance to see them otherwise. This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to experience innovative and inspiring filmmaking from across the continent.
Action Comandante (d: Nadine Angel Cloete, South Africa/Lesotho 2016, 90 min)
Aisha (d: Chande Omar c: Godliver Gordian, Adarusi Walii, Flora Nicholas, Juma Madenge, Tanzania 2015, 112 min)
As I Open My Eyes (d: Leyla Bouzid c: Baya Medhaffer, Ghalia Benali, Montassar Ayari, Aymen Omrani, Lassaad Jamoussi, Tunisia/France/ Belgium/ United Arab Emirates 2015, 102 min)
Atlantic Heart (d: Robbie McCallum c: Elton Medina, Aurizania Monteiro, Julio Brito, Christian Neves, José 'Bana' Delgado, Cape Verde/United Kingdom 2016, 87 min)
Checks and Balances (d: Malek Bensmaïl f: Omar Belhouchet, Hacène Ouali, Hassene Moali, Mustapha Benfodil, Ali Benyahia, Algeria/France 2015, 97 min)
Eye of the Storm (d: Sékou Traoré c: Maïmouna N'Diaye, Fargass Assandé, Abidine Dioari, Issaka Sawadogo, Burkina Faso/France 2015, 101 min)
Lamb (d: Yared Zeleke c: Redial Amare, Kidist Siyum, Welela Assefa, Rahel Teshome, Surafel Teka, Ethiopia/France/Germany/Norway/Qatar 2015, 94 min)
Much Loved (d: Nabil Ayouch c: Loubna Abidar, Asma Lazrak, Halima Karaouane, Sara Elmhamdi Elalaoui, Abdellah Didane, Morocco/France 2015, 103 min)
Nakom (d: Kelly Daniela Norris, TW Pittman c: Jacob Ayanaba, Grace Ayariga, Justina Kulidu, James Azudago, Felicia Atampuri, Ghana/USA 2016, 90 min
Naledi: A Baby Elephant's Tale (d: Ben Bowie, Geoff Luck, USA/Botswana 2016, 90 min)
The Revolution Won’t Be Televised (d: Rama Thiaw, Senegal 2016, 110 min)
CHINA STARS
SIFF is proud to launch the China Stars Showcase series in Seattle during the 42nd annual Seattle International Film Festival, with support from WASA North America Group and Hainan Airlines. With the purpose of fostering cross-cultural exchange and artistic vision, SIFF has collaborated with WASA North America Group to select five wonderful feature films from mainland China to screen as part of the 2016 showcase series. These films will screen before audiences in Seattle, Renton, Shoreline, and on the Eastside at Bellevue's Lincoln Square.
The Big Road (d: Sun Yu c: Chen Yanyan, Zheng Junli, Li Lili, Liu Qiong, Jin Yan, China 1935, 104 min)
Death by Design (d: Sue Williams f: Ted Smith, Ma Jun, Kyle Wiens, Luke Soules, Paul Maher, China/Ireland 2016, 73 min)
The Final Master (d: Xu Haofeng c: Liao Fan, Song Jia, Jiang Wenli, Jin Shijie, Song Yang, China 2015, 109 min)
Mountains May Depart (d: Jia Zhangke c: Zhao Tao, Zhang Yi, Liang Jin Dong, Dong Zijian, Sylvia Chang, China/Japan/France 2015, 131 min)
Paths of the Soul (d: Zhang Yang c: Yang Pei, Nyima Zadui, Tsewang Dolkar, Tsring Chodron, Seba Jiangcuo, China 2015, 115 min)
CULINARY CINEMA
Popcorn is no longer king as the phenomenon of food culture has exploded into cinema. We’ve selected 9 extraordinary films that explore different aspects of taste and the senses for the cinematically inclined.
Ants on a Shrimp (d: Maurice Dekkers f: René Redzepi, Lars Williams, Rosio Sanchez, Thomas Frebel, Dan Giusti, Netherlands 2016, 88 min)
Bugs (d: Andreas Johnsen f: Ben Reade, Josh Evans, Roberto Flore, Denmark 2016, 76 min)
Ceviche’s DNA (d: Orlando Arriagada f: José Antonio del Castillo, Victor Pimentel, Ulla Holmquist, Valentín Paso Purisaca, Santiago Uceda Castillo, Canada/Peru 2015, 85 min)
Deconstructing Dani García (d: Iñigo Ruiz, Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas, Spain 2015, 72 min)
Hummus (d: Oren Rosenfeld f: Eliyahu Shmueli, Suheila Al Hindi, Jalil Dabit, Israel 2016, 70 min)
Insatiable: The Homaro Cantu Story (d: Brett A. Schwartz f: Homaro Cantu, Richie Farina, Angela Cantu-Reeder, Trevor Rose-Hamblin, Mark Caro, Scott Trotter, USA 2016, 98 min)
Sam Choy's Poké to the Max screens with Harlem on My Plate (28 minutes) (d: Terrence Jeffrey Santos f: Sam Choy, Geo Quibuyen, Yuji Okumoto, Max Heigh, USA 2016, 40 min)
Sustainable (d: Matt Wechsler f: Marty Travis, Greg Wade, Rick Bayless, Mark Bittman, John Ikerd, USA 2016, 96 min)
Tsukiji Wonderland (d: Naotaro Endo f: Jiro Ono, Rene Redzepi, Theodore C. Bestor, Japan 2016, 110 min)
FACE THE MUSIC
Four out of five SIFF programmers agree that regular exposure to music and film are essential to your overall well-being. With that in mind, this year’s Face the Music program has been specifically designed to provide a holistic regimen for your audio-visual health. Taken together, these remedies are guaranteed to expand your visual and sonic parameters, as well as set you on the righteous path to living a more audio-visually conscious lifestyle, with optimal aural performance.
BANG! The Bert Berns Story (d: Brett Berns, Bob Sarles f: Paul McCartney, Van Morrison, Ronald Isley, Solomon Burke, Ben E. King, USA 2016, 94 min)
Concerto - A Beethoven Journey (d: Phil Grabsky f: Leif Ove Andsnes, Gustavo Dudamel, United Kingdom 2015, 92 min)
Contemporary Color (d: Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross f: David Byrne, Lucius, Nico Muhly, Ira Glass, Nelly Furtado, St.Vincent, Devonte Hynes, How To Dress Well, Zola Jesus, AD-
Rock, Money Mark, tUnE-yArDs, USA 2016, 96 min)
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (d: Morgan Neville f: Yo-Yo Ma, Wu Man, Kinan Azmeh, Kayhan Kalhor, Cristina Pato, USA 2015, 96 min)
Presenting Princess Shaw (d: Ido Haar f: Kutiman, Samantha Montgomery, Israel 2015, 80 min)
The Prince Sing Along
Red Gringo (d: Miguel Ángel Vidaurre f: Dean Reed, José Roman, Gonzalo Planet, Chile 2016, 67 min)
A Song For You: The Austin City Limits Story (d: Keith Maitland f: Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Ray Vaughan, Matthew McConaughey, Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Beck, Ray Charles, Emmylou Harris, Buddy Guy, USA 2016, 91 min)
We Are X (d: Stephen Kijak f: Yoshiki, Toshi, Pata, Hiroshi, USA/Japan/United Kingdom 2016, 89 min)
NORTHWEST CONNECTIONS
Seattleites see more films per capita than the residents of any other American city, and a growing number of these selections have their roots in the fertile Pacific Northwest film community. Each year, SIFF honors the many ways in which the Puget Sound region contributes to the world of cinema, whether as an evocative location for outside filmmakers or as inspiration for local filmmakers ready to strut their stuff.
The Architect (d: Jonathan Parker c: Parker Posey, Eric McCormack, James Frain, John Carroll Lynch, USA 2016, 95 min)
Big Sonia (d: Leah Warshawski, Todd Soliday f: Sonia Warshawski, USA 2016, 90 min)
Finding Kim (d: Aaron Bear f: Kim B, Dan Savage, Buck Angel, Carmen Carrera, Calpernia Addams, Jamison Green, Dr. Tony Mangubat, USA 2016, 82 min)
Finding October (d: Nick Terry c: Michael Ward, Karin Terry, Nick Terry, Delaney Berreth, Ryan Woodyard, USA 2016, 77 min)
Full Court: The Spencer Haywood Story (d: Martin Spirit f: Spencer Haywood, Charles Barkley, Pat Riley, Lenny Wilkens, Chuck D, USA 2016, 90 min)
Gold Balls (d: Kate Dandel f: John Powless, Ron Tonidandel, Bob Sherman, George McCabe, Marcus Freeman, Steve Tignor, USA 2016, 85 min)
The IF Project (d: Kathlyn Horan f: Kim Bogucki, Renata Abramson, Tiffany Doll, Angela Vargas, LaKeisha ""KeWee"" Hamilton, USA 2016, 88 min)
If There's a Hell Below (d: Nathan Williams c: Carol Roscoe, Conner Marx, Mark Carr, Paul Budraitis, USA 2016, 94 min)
The Memory of Fish (d: Jennifer Galvin, Sachi Cunningham Narrated by Lili Taylor, USA 2016, 54 min)
A New High (d: Samuel Miron, Stephen Scott Scarpulla USA 2015, 100 min)
Paralytic (d: Joey Johnson c: David S. Hogan, Darlene Sellers, Angela DiMarco, D'Angelo Midili, Richard Carmen, USA 2016, 87 min)
Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell (d: Martin Bell f: Erin Blackwell, Mary Ellen Mark, USA 2016, 86 min)
SIFFX
For the first time this year, SIFF includes an unprecedented display of cutting-edge modes of storytelling using Virtual Reality, 360° video and Augmented Reality. Called SIFFX, the four-day festival-within-a-festival (June 2-5) takes place at venues across Seattle Center, including SIFF Film Center and Pacific Science Center’s Laser Dome. The 2016 SIFFX program features 360° screenings, Virtual Reality media, panel discussions, and presentations from the Virtual Reality vanguard: local, national, and international leaders in this rapidly evolving field.
SHORTSFEST
Too often, short films are viewed as apprentice works—a practical workshop for a filmmaker to ply his or her craft before embarking upon a career in feature films. And while there is certainly some truth to this observation, it belies the fact that features and short films are two very different cinematic forms. With short films, the filmmaker is freed from most, if not all, commercial constraints. Indeed, the only constraint is time—less than 30 minutes, please. In exchange for this freedom, short-film practitioners must distill their creative vision to its most vital essence, without wasting a single frame of film, and take deliberate care to achieve a certain unique, singular effect. Year after year, the most original cinematic work emerges in these fleeting, yet no less intense, flashes of inspiration.
MOODS
With our handy moods groupings, we’ve made it easy to find the type of cinematic experience you’re in the mood for. Instead of using traditional categories, we’ve aimed to connect films with you, the audience, by organizing them into eight areas that match your mood.
CREATIVE STREAK
The exploration of artistic endeavors from all disciplines: music, literature, cooking, film, art, dance, and performance.
DARE
Mesmerizing dramas and documentaries that explore provocative questions, realities, and topics.
LOVE
Romance and love in all its forms, pleasures, and idiosyncrasies.
MAKE ME LAUGH!
Films that make you chuckle and tickle your funny bone.
OPEN MY EYES
Revealing films and documentaries revolving around history, politics, and contemporary events from around the world.
SHOW ME THE WORLD!
Prepare to be taken to another place—from exotic, far-off lands to vibrant experiences outside of everyday life.
THRILL ME!
Suspense, thrills, and action. Films with a faster pace that might also surprise you when you least expect it!
WTF (WILD, TITILLATING, AND FANTASTIC)
The most outrageous, mind-blowing, and unexpected tales in genre filmmaking that will stimulate your brain, keep you up at night, or simply leave you happily exclaiming "WTF?!"
SIFF EDUCATION
SIFF offers three programs during Festival: FutureWave, Films4Families, and Forums.
FUTUREWAVE AND FILM4FAMILIES
SIFF has programs curated to make the Festival more accessible to younger audiences. FutureWave features are a great place for our cinema-savvy teen audience to find their love of world cinema and Films4Families is the perfect way for younger children (and the young at heart) to have a fabulous experience at SIFF. Both programs also have Youth Juries comprised of youth from their age bracket to watch all the films and present the Youth Jury Award in their respective categories.
FORUMS & PANELS
Where audiences and filmmakers come together to learn about and experience making movies. Unless otherwise noted, Festival forums and panels are held at SIFF Film Center.
● The Art of Writing a Short
● Audience Development on Social Media
● Can Critics Save the Movies?
● Catalyst Filmmaker Panel
● Catalyst Keynote
● Catalyst Screenplay Competition Winner
● Developing Audience on Social Media
● Getting it Done: Taking Documentaries from Seed to Completion
● Light the Set Up: Cinematography Panel
● Masterclass with James Schamus
● Producing: Balancing Art and Commerce
● Scoring the New Storytelling Frontier
● Short Film Happy Hour and Networking Panel
● State of the Short with Kathleen McInnis
● Who Should Release My Movie?
VENUES
SEATTLE
SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, SIFF Film Center, AMC Pacific Place 11, McCaw Hall, Cinerama, Majestic Bay Theatres, Ark Lodge Cinemas, Neptune Theatre, SIFF Lounge at Triumph Bar
BELLEVUE
Lincoln Square Cinemas
KIRKLAND
Kirkland Performance Center
RENTON
Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center
SHORELINE
Shoreline Community College
SIFF 2016 BY THE NUMBERS
421 films
85 countries
181 feature films
75 documentary features
8 archival films
153 short films
4 secret films
54 World Premieres (29 features, 25 shorts)
56 North American Premieres (42 features, 14 shorts)
27 US Premieres (15 features, 12 shorts)
