SIFF Blog

Meet the Programmers 2025

Festival, Programmer Picks

Meet the Programmers 2025

April 23, 2025

Meet our programmers who watch films year-round to pluck the best of the best for the Seattle International Film Festival.

Festival

Celebrating World Premieres with SIFFTY

May 10, 2024

Each year, the Seattle International Film Festival is proud to host films from across the globe as they celebrate their U.S., North American, and world premieres. So here’s an extra-special SIFFTY toast to each of the films making their world premieres at our 50th anniversary Festival!

Festival, News

King County Proclamation of Seattle International Film Festival 50th Anniversary Day

May 9, 2024

May 9, 2024 is officially Seattle International Film Festival 50th Anniversary Day in King County.

Events, Festival

Forty Years of a Fantasy Cult Classic

May 8, 2024

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.

Festival

Selling Quickly

May 7, 2024

A list updated daily of films and events selling quickly at the 49th annual Seattle International Film Festival (in person May 11-21, 2023, followed by a week of select films streaming May 22–28).

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Archives, Festival

Looking Back: The SIFF Archives Are Now Available Online

May 1, 2024

The SIFF Archives are the culmination of nearly two years of compiling, digitizing, and organizing materials from SIFF’s past. You’ll find interactive flipbooks of each Festival’s catalog, photo and video assets, full lists of the feature films that we played each year, and other highlights. Learning about the history of Seattle’s film scene has never been easier, and it’s all publicly available—for researchers and the casually interested alike.

Festival, News

50th Seattle International Film Festival Merch is Here!

April 30, 2024

Our Festival Merch has hit the SIFF Shop! Celebrate in style with a fabulous and festive tee, hat, hoodie, and more. Order online, or get your merch in-person on Opening Night or at our Lounge or Downtown shop locations.

Cinema, Festival

Five Roles that Made SIFF Fall in Love with June Squibb

April 26, 2024

We’re opening this year’s Festival with the comedy–action flick Thelma because watching Squibb do her own stunts at 93 years old in her first leading film role is a complete joy to watch. Love June Squibb as much as we do? Meet the wonderful, utterly hilarious actor behind these amazing cinematic moments at a special Honoree Brunch at Palace Kitchen May 11!

Cinema, Festival

Choose Your SIFFTY 6-Pack Party Theme!

April 25, 2024

Hoping to catch a wide range of movies this year but only have your eye on a couple so far? Bought a 6-Pack but not sure which of SIFFTY’s 144 features to use it on? No matter what kind of partier you are, we’ve got you covered with these suggested 6-Pack party themes.

Events, Festival

SIFFTY Passport

April 24, 2024

Three cheers for SIFFTY years! If you loved exploring the movieverse last year with your handy dandy Captain’s Log, then hold onto your party hat because we’ve brought back the fun this year in the form of the SIFFTY Passport.

Events, Festival

Celebrate SIFF’s Golden Anniversary with 16 Golden Tickets

April 22, 2024

Get ready to party! It’s our golden anniversary, and to kick things off right, SIFF is working with 16 local businesses and organizations to hide a limited number of Golden Tickets all around Seattle.

Festival

Special Guests for SIFF 2024

April 17, 2024

A list of guests scheduled to attend the 50th Seattle International Film Festival.

Festival, Video

50th Seattle International Film Festival Trailer

April 17, 2024

The official trailer for the 50th Seattle International Film Festival, in theaters May 9–19 and streaming on the SIFF Channel May 20–27.

Cinema, Festival, News

2024 cINeDIGENOUS Program Highlights

April 12, 2024

A sneak preview of some of the films featured in the cINeDIGENOUS program at the 50th Seattle International Film Festival.

Cinema, Festival

SIFFRAFF's Most Surprising Cinema Moments

April 8, 2024

This year’s Seattle International Film Festival ushers in 50 Years of Surprising Cinema for SIFF, a milestone achievement for all the film lovers who have come together over the past half century to delight in films that shock, awe, and inspire. We here at the SIFF office thought it would be fun to kick off the SIFFTY season by sharing some of our most surprising cinema moments with you.

Cinema, Festival

Individuals and Immortality: Tilda Swinton

March 25, 2024

A 1993 interview with Tilda Swinton about her role in the film Orlando. Interview by Andy Spletzer, a former film critic and current programmer for the Seattle International Film Festival.

Events, Festival, Industry

Justine Barda’s Best of Berlinale 2024

March 20, 2024

Berlinale wrapped its 74th annual festival last month, culminating another spectacular 11-day showcase of artistic, forward-thinking, and political films. Justine Barda, one of our Senior Programmers, was there to enjoy some exciting new releases and experience the jubilant atmosphere of this fixture of Berlin culture.

Festival

Festival First Look: Six Films to Celebrate SIFFTY

March 12, 2024

Six films to celebrate SIFFTY. An early lineup preview release.

Festival

SIFF 2024 Social Media Toolkit

February 22, 2024

The 50th Seattle International Film Festival social media toolkit will help you celebrate 50 years of surprising cinema at the Seattle International Film Festival, from May 9 to 19, 2024.

Festival

My Festival Journey

January 15, 2024

Hear from Megan Leonard on her film festival journey—from starting as a programming intern at SIFF in 2010, to having her film premiering at Sundance this month.

Cinema, Festival, SIFFcast

A Film Frame of Mind with Megan Garbayo-López and Kelbi Maldonado

December 5, 2023

Presented by C89.5 in partnership with 4Culture, Coping 101’s Artist Mental Health Stories amplify voices from King County’s cultural sector to empower individual artists, uplift the creative community and destigmatize mental health from a teen’s perspective.

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