15 Can't Miss Films from Seattle Int'l Film Fest 2012

The world's biggest film festival (okay maybe not, but it sure seems that way) kicks off May 17th and runs through June 10th in and around the greater Seattle area. Check out the fest specs:

This year the Seattle International Film Festival will screen 273 features and 187 shorts representing 75 countries, from more than 5,676 submissions worldwide, compared to 5,213 in 2011, with the final selections representing 24 World, 25 North American, 16 U.S. premieres and 56 short film premieres. There will be 180 features at this year's Festival arriving without U.S. distribution and 85 films by female filmmakers, up from 62 last year.

We've poured through the extensive catalog and whittled it down to a few hits from the festival circuit worth checking out. There are wayyy too many films to detail here but check out the SIFF site for more details.


YOUR SISTER'S SISTER
The fest opens with Lynn Shelton's NW set romantic laugher. Mark Duplass stars alongside Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt in this smart Humpday follow-up.
Christopher Bourne's Review


BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Seattle audiences have a real treat in store with the opportunity to see Benh Zeitlin's uber-powerful Sundance winning drama before most of the country. The film opens in theaters June 27th.
Ryland Aldrich's Review


OSLO, AUGUST 31ST
Joachim Trier has made one of the most beautiful odes to addiction ever created with his follow-up to his incredible premiere Reprise. The performance by Anders Danielsen Lie is one of the best of the year.
Ryland Aldrich's Review


DRAGON (WU XIA)
Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, and Wei Tang star in Peter Ho-Sun Chan's flying kick costumer that was scooped up by the Weinstein's last summer.
Todd Brown's Review


KLOWN
If you've spent any time hanging around ScreenAnarchy, then you probably know how big of fans we are of this outlandish Danish camping trip laugher. Our friends at Drafthouse Films are bringing the film to theaters and VOD July 27th.
Charlie Hobbs's Review


V/H/S
This ultra fun found footage horror anthology has found nothing but fans around these parts. With shorts by David Bruckner, Ti West, Joe Swanberg, Adam Wingard, Glenn McQuaid, and the boys of Radio Silence, this brain child of Brad Miska, Simon Barrett, Roxanne Benjamin, and many others is sure to be a good time for a rowdy Seattle audience.
Ryland Aldrich's Review


THE IMPOSTER
Bart Layton's stylish docu is one of those stories that is far better to just experience than to read about. None the less, here's...
Peter Martin's Review


BADLANDS
Any opportunity to see Terrence Malick's classic on the big screen is not to be sneezed at. Check out the other archival screenings taking place at SIFF.


SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED
Colin Trevorrow's little sci-fi-lite love story with Northwest connections is just the kind of wacky fun that SIFF audiences should eat up. FilmDistrict will release the Mark Duplass, Aubrey Plaza, and Jake Johnson starring comedy later this summer.
Alex Koehne's Review


EDEN
Jamie Chung stars as a sex slave in Seattle filmmaker Megan Griffiths's SXSW hit follow up to The Off Hours. Matt O'Leary puts in a particularly great performance as her drug addicted Stockholm syndrome captor.
Peter Martin's Review


AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT
Salma Hayek stars in Álex De La Iglesia's much anticipated follow-up to The Last Circus.
Brian Clark's Review


RED ROAD
Andrea Arnold will be featured as one of SIFF's "Emerging Masters" this year, giving audiences the opportunity to see her 2006 paranoia-filled drama Red Road on the big screen. It may not be quite the masterpiece that is Fish Tank, but it's well worth a check out. More Emerging Masters here.


THE INVADER
Nicolas Provost's Belgian immigrant drama is a beautiful reflection on modern society with an incredible performance by Isaka Sawadogo. This little movie may not make many moviegoers' radars, but it certainly worth seeking out.
Todd Brown's Review


HELLO I MUST BE GOING
Melanie Lynskey turns in a scary good performance in one of the most charming of Sundance's charmer-heavy lineup. Christopher Abbot (now of Girls) and Blythe Danner co-star in Todd Louiso's third feature, set for release from Oscilloscope in September.


EXTRATERRESTRIAL
What international celebration of cinema would be complete without a wacky sci-fi romp by Spanish director extraordinaire Nacho Vigalondo.
Swarez's Review | Nacho's Own Review

This really only begins to scratch the surface of what is on offer at SIFF. Check out SIFF's website for much more, including hits like Don Coscarelli's drugged out midnighter JOHN DIES AT THE END, Josh Radnor's Sundance charmer LIBERAL ARTS , and the delightful Frank Langella-as-aging-cat-burgular dramedy ROBOT & FRANK . Enjoy the fest!