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Film Talks

Film education for the movie-curious to the true cinema fanatics

Many of the films we screen at SIFF start a conversation, inspire an action, or pose a question. Our two-hour Film Talks span the world of cinema with expert instructors, covering everything from South Korean Cinema to the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems and more. Want to dig even deeper into the films you love? Try one of our shot-by-shot Cinema Dissection events.

Members Only - My Top 10 Favorite SIFF Films of All Time

June 6, 2025

SIFF Film Center

In this free, members-only Film Talk, join SIFF Senior Programmer, Dan Doody as he examines his top ten favorite Seattle International Film Festival films that he has ever seen (excluding Secret Fest of course).

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Members Only - Film Talk: A Brief History of Contemporary Cinema as Told Through James Bond

June 25, 2025

In this free, members-only Film Talk, join SIFF Development & Membership Manager Carson Rennekamp on a top secret mission to uncover and examine examples of a shifting film landscape.

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Members Only - Film Talk - 1999: The Year That Changed Everything

June 30, 2025

In this free, members-only Film Talk, Join local filmmaker and television producer Jeremy Cropf as he unpacks the unique cultural, industrial, and technological forces that reshaped Hollywood’s creative landscape.

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ABOUT FILM TALKS

SIFF Film Talks are led by cinephiles from film studies professors to film festival programmers. Talks take place in person, usually in the evenings, at the SIFF Film Center. Many of them are also available to participate in via Zoom livestream.

ABOUT CINEMA DISSECTIONS

Inspired by Roger Ebert's annual Cinema Interruptus in Boulder, CO, attendees will participate in a scene-by-scene, and sometimes shot-by-shot, deconstruction of the featured film. While the facilitator will certainly share their thoughts, anyone in the audience may call out 'Stop' and either ask a question of the group or make an observation around a certain shot or moment in the film.

Each Cinema Dissection program is expected be six hours in length with two 15-minute intermissions. The film will not be screened in its entirety so participants are encouraged to view the featured film in advance of the program. Participants will be jumping straight in to the analysis from the beginning of the session. If you have additional questions about this program, please email us.