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Once again, SIFF is upon us. Even though there are still three weeks until opening night, with today's press launch, things are gearing up for the 34th Seattle International Film Festival.
Running a full 25 days, SIFF will present 191 narrative features, 57 documentary features, and 170 short films from 69 countries, including 43 World Premieres (16 features, 27 shorts), 38 North American Premieres (19 features, 19 shorts) and 19 US Premieres (10 features, 9 shorts).
Of those films, a full 70% don't yet have US distribution. SIFF artistic director Carl Spence says that "offer[s] an array of options for new discoveries and extraordinary film experiences," but we think that means the festival is now with 70% more indie cred. Coupled with the fact that almost half of the features are from first- or second-time directors, you'd think that would make the program more of a crapshoot than usual, but it doesn't look like that will be the case.
The official lineup won't be announced to the public (via the Seattle Times and the SIFF website) until next Thursday, but we've got it now, and we can promise you, it is better than last year's, which we found quite underwhelming as a whole. (Here's where we would insert a link to last year's lineup, but with the new SIFF site redesign, there's a lot of links over there that aren't working).
Instead, we'll just give you some of the highlights of what'll be taking place during SIFF's twenty-five days:
-Along with opening night film Battle in Seattle, the closing night selection is Bottle Shock, a "cinematic love letter to California wine country." No, it's not Sideways 2. The film's based on the point in time (1974) when Napa Valley made a name for itself by out-wineing the French, beating 'em in an esteemed blinded Chardonnay tasting.
-John Waters will be in town to screen Cecil B. Demented at the Egyptian and forever sully Benaroya Hall.
-Plenty of music events, including a presentation of Alexander Nevsky (also at Benaroya Hall) with the Seattle Symphony playing Sergei Prokofiev's score and a screening of F.W. Murnau's silent classic Sunrise at the Triple Door, with a new original score performed live by Sub Pop band The Album Leaf.
-Other classics shown during the fest include new prints of Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet and Cassavetes' Faces.
-New this year is SIFF ShortsFest Weekend, "a Festival within the Festival at SIFF Cinema," featuring approximately one shit-ton of short films.
-Also making a debut is SIFF Lounge in the VIP Room at Neumo's, "the exclusive social networking hub for VIPs, filmmakers, invited guests, and the general public."
-Apparently, this is the year that SIFF discovered the internets, because for the first time they're really taking advantage of the medium. They're partnering with IndieFlix to stream 10 feature films and 10 short films. You'll be able to watch the movies and vote for your favorites, with the top vote-getters coming to town to show their films on the big screen at the end of the fest. There's also going to be daily audio and video podcasts, more short films streaming at Babelgum, and the SIFF short film of the day and trailers for most of the fest's films available at film.com.
-And yes, there's scads of films we're actually excited to see, including high school reality flick American Teen, the real-life Spinal Tap in Anvil! The Story of Anvil, and steroid doc Bigger Stronger Faster*, not to mention Sir Ben Kingsley as a pothead psychotherapist in The Wackness. There are even more movies we're somewhat intrigued by, like mumblecore meets the Blair Witch Project in Baghead, Blade Runner meets Clockwork Orange in France's Chrysalis, or Genghis Khan meets Braveheart in Mongol.
Look, we can't possibly list everything here--Ballast, Up the Yangtze, Mermaid, Encounters at the End of the World, Sukiyaki Western Django, Sita Sings the Blues, Man on Wire, Heavy Metal in Baghdad, Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, Frozen River--and we've gone on long enough already. But right now, we're really excited to see The Fall, based on this visually stunning trailer alone.
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