The Seattle International Film Festival is in full swing right now, much to the chagrin of every person who hasn’t been in Seattle for the last few weeks. The festival started on May 19th, and will run though the 12th of June, if you were feeling ambitious, and wanted to hop on a plane and catch a few unusual, striking, and challenging screenings.
As with most film festivals, there are hundreds of movies to choose from, from documentaries to comedies to penetrating dramas to a short documentary about Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin. Also kitty cats. There’s that one about kitty cats.
We have pored over the calendar of films that have already played the Fest, and came up with a list of ten interesting-sounding films that we should all wisely add to our to-do list.
Ten Films You Missed at the Seattle International Film Festival:
Top Image: Termite Films
Witney Seibold is a contributor to the CraveOnline Film Channel, and the co-host of The B-Movies Podcast and Canceled Too Soon. He also contributes to Legion of Leia and to Blumhouse. You can follow him on “The Twitter” at @WitneySeibold, where he is slowly losing his mind.
SIFF 2016
-
Bugs
In this Danish documentary, the filmmakers examine the ever-growing and ever-distressing food shortage on this planet, and posit that eating bugs may be our salvation.
Image: Danish Documentary Production
-
Complete Unknown
Michael Shannon is celebrating his birthday when a mysterious woman from his past (Rachel Weisz) enters the room. Only she denies ever having known him and has a new name. Complications ensue.
Image: WME Entertainment
-
Author: The JT LeRoy Story
The hoax surrounding JT LeRoy was big news in the early 2000s, and this documentary film explores the oddness of the phenomenon, the fake personalities, and the actor who posed as LeRoy in public.
Image: A&E Indie Films
-
Kedi
Cats. Nothing but cats. Turkish cats. In the streets of Istanbul. Doing kitty things. That is all.
Image: Termite Films
-
Love & Friendship
Okay, fine. This film is indeed still currently in public theaters. But that doesn't change the fact that it was at SIFF, and that it's one of the best films of the year.
Image: Roadside Attractions
-
Slash
A salient comedy about the world of cosplayers and, more importantly, the authors of slash fiction. And what happens when popular porn writing is published by an underage author.
Image: Boxcar Films
-
Sunset Song
Based on the Gibbon novel, this earthy drama follows a young woman who comes of age in 1900 Scotland. Expect a lot of gorgeous outdoor photography.
Image: Iris Productions
-
The Innocents
In 1945 Poland, a doctor is sent to help war surivors. He finds that at the nearby convent, all the nuns are pregnant. Tests of faith ensue.
Image: Mars Distribution (France)
-
The Music of Strangers
From the director of 20 Feet from Stardom, The Music of Strangers follows famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and questions various talented people about the philosophy of music.
Image: Participant Media
-
The Queen of Ireland
Panti Bliss, a.k.a. Rory O'Neill, is a legendary drag queen from the Emerald Isle, and this documentary film follows her life and her experiences as an HIV activist.
Image: Universal
