Forty Years of a Fantasy Cult Classic

It’s been 40 years since The NeverEnding Story first transported kids and adults alike to its fantasy realm of cutting-edge practical effects, and the Seattle International Film Festival is partnering with Cross-Faded Cinema again this year to bring you a special presentation of the beloved classic. To commemorate The NeverEnding Story’s 40th anniversary, the 2024 Seattle International Film Festival is screening the film with an original soundtrack mixed live by the Seattle-based DJ Nicfit May 14 at SIFF Cinema Egyptian.

The NeverEnding Story opens with Bastian, a shy young boy who seeks solace in books to help him cope with the bullying he faces and his mother’s recent passing. One morning while fleeing his bullies, Bastian ducks into a bookstore, where the owner tells him that a special book, "The NeverEnding Story," is unsafe for the likes of children to read. So of course Bastian lifts the book, leaving a note to the proprietor promising to bring it back, and heads to school. With the detours of the morning, Bastian arrives late for his math test, so he decides to skip class altogether and read his dangerous new book in the school’s attic. In the pages of "The NeverEnding Story," Bastian discovers the limitless land of imagination, Fantasia, which is under attack by the Nothing, a sinister force that’s steadily engulfing the fantasy world. Already wrapped up in the exciting, terrifying, beautiful story, Bastian is shocked when he discovers that he, the human child reading this book in the real world, is the crucial missing piece to saving Fantasia from the Nothing.

This new take on the fantasy classic is not to be missed! Get your ticket to this special screening.

Buy Tickets