SIFF ANNOUNCES LINEUP FOR SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL'S 43RD EDITION

14 World, 22 North American and 11 U.S. Feature Premieres
North American Premiere of The Young Karl Marx to Close Festival
Landline to Screen as Centerpiece Gala
Fest Tributes to Sam Elliott and Anjelica Huston

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SEATTLE -- May 4, 2017 -- The Seattle International Film Festival, the largest and most highly attended festival in the United States, announced today the complete lineup of films, guests, and events for the 43rd annual 25-day Festival (May 18 - June 11, 2017).

This year, SIFF will screen 400 films representing 80 countries and will include: 161 features (plus 4 secret films), 58 documentaries, 14 archival films, and 163 shorts. The lineup includes 36 World premieres (14 features, 22 shorts), 34 North American premieres (22 features, 12 shorts), and 20 U.S. premieres (11 features, 19 shorts).

Opening night kicks off Thursday, May 18 with The Big Sick from Amazon Studios. Starring and written by Kumail Nanjiani ("Silicon Valley") along with his wife Emily V. Gordon, the film promises to electrify audiences with the smart and complicated romantic story based on the beginnings of their relationship. Nanjiani will be in attendance at the Seattle premiere and Opening Night Gala, along with co-writer Emily V. Gordon and director Michael Showalter (Hello, My Name is Doris and Wet Hot American Summer). Closing this year's Festival is the North American premiere of The Young Karl Marx, directed by Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro). The story follows 26-year-old Karl Marx (August Diehl) and his wife Jenny in exile in Europe, where they meet a man who provides them with the final piece needed for the foundation of Marxist theory.

At the annual Centerpiece Gala, SIFF will travel to 1990s Manhattan in the slice-of-life-comedy, Landline. Director Gillian Robespierre brings back actress-comedienne Jenny Slate following their SIFF 2014 run of Obvious Child. Slate, Robespierre, and new-coming actress Abby Quinn are all scheduled to attend the Seattle premiere taking place on Saturday, June 3.

The World premiere of Theresa Rebeck's Trouble will screen at Seattle's historic SIFF Cinema Egyptian as SIFF honors the film's executive producer and star, Anjelica Huston, with the Career Achievement in Acting Award. In addition to the award presentation and screening, the acclaimed actress is also slated for an on-stage interview at the Wednesday, June 7 event.

Also scheduled is An Afternoon with Sam Elliott, where the festival will pay tribute to the all-American actor. Along with his iconic voice, Elliott makes his way to SIFF on Saturday, May 27th for the Seattle premiere of his newest film The Hero following an onstage discussion that afternoon.

Receiving raving reviews following its' world premiere at SXSW is Seattle native S.J. Chiro's first full-length feature, Lane 1974. Drawing off of Chiro's own childhood experiences as well as those described in Clane Hayward's memoir "The Hypocrisy of Disco", SIFF is thrilled to present this 1970s coming-of-age narrative.

One of several interactive events features Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World, a documentary by Catherine Bainbridge celebrating the achievements and contributions of Native Americans in modern American music. Along with the screening of the film, guests will also enjoy Indigenous Centered Perspectives, an exhibit showcasing works by four indigenous artists at the Paramount Theater. The Friday, May 26 event is hosted by SIFF in collaboration with Amazon Video Direct, STG, and Longhouse Media.

"This year's robust line-up includes a wide variety of programs ranging from heartfelt features from comedy favorites to thought-provoking documentaries, as well as once in a lifetime conversations with Hollywood legends," says Interim Artistic Director Beth Barrett. "We are thrilled to jump into our 43rd edition and introduce spectacular programming from across the world to over 150,000 film enthusiasts in Seattle over the course of 25 days."

The 2017 Seattle International Film Festival is presented by SIFF, the non-profit arts organization that reaches more than 350,000 annually through SIFF Cinema, SIFF Education, and the annual flagship Festival.

Festival Box office opens May 4 online at siff.net and in person at any SIFF venue box office. View the full public program here: siff.net/festival

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GALAS

Opening Night Gala

The Big Sick

Director Michael Showalter, co-writer / actor Kumail Nanjiani, and co-writer Emily V. Gordon scheduled to attend.

The hilarious, romantic, and moving true story of the cross-cultural courtship between Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani ("Silicon Valley") and his wife Emily (Zoe Kazan) comes to life in this utterly delightful comedy from director Michael Showalter and producer Judd Apatow.  (d: Michael Showalter c: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, USA 2017, 119 min)

Centerpiece Gala

Landline

Director Gillian Robespierre and stars Jenny Slate and Abby Quinn scheduled to attend.

The director and star of Obvious Child reunite for this uproarious slice-of- life story about two sisters (Jenny Slate and breakout star Abby Quinn) in pre-cell-phone 1990s Manhattan who discover that their father is having an affair, and conspire to expose him. (d: Gillian Robespierre c: Jenny Slate, John Turturro, Edie Falco, Abby Quinn, Jay Duplass, Finn Wittrock, USA 2017, 93 min)

Closing Night Gala

The Young Karl Marx
North American Premiere

Director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) presents a lush period drama that joins 26-year- old Karl Marx (August Diehl) and his wife Jenny in exile in Europe, where they meet Friedrich Engels, who provides the final piece needed for the foundation of Marxist theory.  (d: Raoul Peck c: August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps, Hannah Steele, Olivier Gourmet, France/Germany/ Belgium 2016, 118 min)

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SPECIAL GUESTS

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ACTING AWARD

Anjelica Huston

Featuring Trouble
Plus screenings of The Grifters and The Witches

Anjelica Huston is a powerhouse of a woman whose career has spanned over 50 years: through modeling, film, television, and on the page. Born into the family of renowned film director John Huston and legendary grandfather Walter Huston, Anjelica was sure to make a splash in the industry with both her unique beauty and strong presence. Her penchant for and exquisite skill in portraying tenacious, crafty, emotionally strong women has undoubtedly made her among the greatest actresses of our time.

Past honorees of the SIFF Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award include Laura Dern, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Viggo Mortensen, Kyle MacLachlan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Kevin Bacon, Edward Norton, Sissy Spacek, Joan Allen, and Anthony Hopkins amongst others.

AN AFTERNOON WITH

Sam Elliott

Featuring The Hero

He of the gruff baritone voice and the luxuriant mustache, Sam Elliott is the quintessential portrait of the American cowboy, a quality he's drawn on since he first appeared onscreen in the 1969 Oscar® winner Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. From Tombstone to Gettysburg, The Big Lebowski to Mask, Road House to Thank You for Smoking, ad campaigns for Coors and the American Beef Council, and TV work ranging from "Mission: Impossible" to "Justified," his rugged, commanding presence is an unmistakable gift to American pop culture and any genre lucky enough to have him.

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FEATURE FILM PREMIERES

World (14)

Crazywise (d: Phil Borges, Kevin Tomlinson f: Adam Gentry, Ekhaya Esima, Angeles Arrien, Phil Borges, Carroll Dunham, USA 2017, 82 min)Entanglement (d: Jason James c: Thomas Middleditch, Jess Weixler, Diana Bang, Canada 2017, 85 min)

Escape Room (d: Will Wernick c: Evan Williams, Annabelle Stephenson, Elisabeth Hower, Dan J. Johnson,  John Ierardi, Kelly Delson, Billy Flynn, USA 2017, 81 min)

Fermented (d: Jonathan Cianfrani f: Edward Lee, USA 2017, 67 min)

Kakehashi: A Portrait of Chef Nobuo Fukuda (d: Andrew Gooi f: Nobuo Fukuda, Sarah Fukuda, Kazuko Fukuda, Japan 2017, 46 min)

Lives with Flavor (d: Pablo Gasca Gollas f: Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, Marco Beteta, Martha Ortiz, Israel Ronzon, Mexico 2017, 52 min)

Rocketmen (d: Webster Crowell c: Alycia Delmore, Basil Harris, Christopher Dietz, Ian Fraser, Ben Laurance, USA 2017, 67 min)

Say You Will (d: Nick Naveda c: Travis Tope, Katherine Hughes, Michelle Forbes, Sam Trammell, Israel Broussard, Adam Hagenbuch, Morgan Krantz, USA 2017, 97 min)

The Fabulous Allan Carr (d: Jeffrey Schwarz f: Allan Carr, Robert Osborne, Maxwell Caulfield, Steve Guttenberg, Randal Kleiser, USA 2017, 90 min)

The Feels  (d: Jenée LaMarque c: Constance Wu, Angela Trimbur, Jenée LaMarque, Lauren Parks, Ever Mainard, Josh  Fadem, Kárin Tatoyan, Doug Purdy, USA 2017, 90 min)

Time Trap  (d: Ben Foster c: Cassidy Gifford, Reiley McClendon, Brianne Howey, Olivia  Draguicevich, Max Wright, Andrew Wilson, USA 2017, 90 min)

Trouble (d: Theresa Rebeck c: Anjelica Huston, Bill Pullman, David Morse, Julie Stiles, Jim Parrack, Brian d'Arcy James, USA 2017, 90 min)

Wallflower  (d: Jagger Gravning c: David Call, Atsuko Okatsuka, Conner Marx, USA 2017, 84 min)

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North American (22)

7 Minutes (d: Michele Placido c: Ottavia Piccolo, Ambra Angiolini, Cristiana Capotondi, Fiorella Mannoia, Maria Nazionale, Violante Placido, Italy 2016, 92 min)

The Bloom of Yesterday (d: Chris Kraus c: Lars Eidinger, Adèle Haenel, Jan Josef Liefers, Hannah Herzsprung, Germany 2016, 125 min)

Borders (d: Apolline Traoré c: Amelie Mbaye, Naky Sy Savane, Burkina Faso 2017, 90 min)

Chameleon (d: Jorge Riquelme Serrano c: Gastón Salgado, Paula Zúñiga, Paulina Urrutia, Alejandro Goic, Chile 2016, 81 min)

Come, Together (d: SHINDong-il c: LEE Hye-eun, IM Hyeong-gook, CHAE Bin, KIM Jae-rok, HAN Kyung-hyun, South Korea 2016, 122 min)

The Door (d: LIANG Dong c: JIANG Wu, JIANG Qingin, ZHU Xu, FU Ying, LI Naiwen, China 2017, 104 min)

God of War (d: Gordon Chan c: Sammo Hung, Vincent Zhao, Regina Wan, Yasuaki Kurata, Keisuke Koide, China 2017, 130 min)

Have a Nice Day  (d: Liu Jian c: Yang Siming, Cao Kou, Ma Xiaofeng, Zhu Changlong, China 2017, 77 min)

The Inland Road (d: Jackie Van Beek c: Gloria Popata, David Elliot, Chelsie Preston Crayford, New Zealand 2017, 79 min)

I Was a Dreamer  (d: Michele Vannucci c: Mirko Frezza, Alessandro Borghi, Vittorio Viviani, Milena Mancini, Ivana Lotito, Ginevra De Carolis, Italy 2016, 100 min)

In Syria (d: Philippe Van Leeuw c: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Abou Abboud, Juliette Navis, Mohsen Abbas, Moustapha Al Kar, Alissar Kaghadou, Ninar Halabi, Mohammas, Jihad Sleik, Lebanon 2017, 85 min)

Investigating Paradise (d: Merzak Allouache f: Salima Abada, Younès Sabeur Chérif, France 2017, 135 min)

Ivan (d: Alyona Davydova c: Kirill Polukhin, Polina Gukhman, Anastasia Melnikova, Russia 2017, 94 min)

Paris Prestige (d: Hamé Bourokba c: Reda Kateb, Slimane Dazi, Yassine Azzouz, Elisa Bachir Bey, Mylene Bude, France 2016, 106 min)

Pavlensky - Man and Might (d: Irene Langemann, Germany 2016, 99 min)

Roberto Bolle - The Art of Dance (d: Francesca Pedroni f: Roberto Bolle, Nicoletta Manni, Melissa Hamilton, Eric Underwood, Matthew Golding, Jiři and Otto Bubeníček, Anna Tsygankova Maria Kochetkova, Joan Boada, Alexandre Riabko, Italy 2016, 105 min)

The Smuggler and Her Charges (d: Michaël Prazan, France 2016, 81 min)

Those Shocking Shaking Days (d: Selma Doborac c: Steve Crilley,  Paul Kraker, Austria 2016, 88 min)

Those Who Remain (d: Eliane Raheb f: Haykal Mikhael, Lebanon 2016, 95 min)

Two Irenes (d: Fabio Meira c: Priscila Bittencourt, Isabela Torres, Marco Ricca, Inês Peixoto, Brazil 2017, 89 min)

The Young Karl Marx (d: Raoul Peck c: August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps, Hannah Steele, Olivier Gourmet, France 2016, 118 min)

U.S. (11)

Becoming Who I Was (d: MOON Chang-yong c: Angdu Padma, Rigzin Urgain, South Korea 2016, 95 min)

Close Relations (d: Vitaly Mansky, Germany 2016, 114 min)

Devil's Freedom (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017, 74 min)

Emma' (Mother) (d: Riri Riza c: Cut Mini, Christoffer Nelwan, Arman Dewarti, Jajang C. Noer, Indonesia 2016, 77 min)  

Ghost Hunting (d: Raed Andoni c: Nakhane Mahlakahlaka, Niza Jay Ncoyini, Bongile Mantsai, Palestine 2016, 90 min)

Quit Staring at My Plate (d: Hana Jušić c: Mia Petričević, Nikša Butijer, Arijana Čulina, Zlatko Burić, Croatia 2016, 105 min)

Small Town Killers (d: Ole Borndal c: Ulrich Thomsen, Nicolas Bro, Lene Mara Christiansen, Mia Lyhne, Denmark 2017, 90 min)

Suffering of Ninko (d: Norihiro Niwatsukino c: Masato Tsujioka, Miho Wakabayashi, Hideta Iwahashi, Yukino Arimoto, Japan 2016, 70 min)

Susanne Bartsch: On Top (d: Anthony Caronna c: Susanne Bartsch, USA 2017, 84 min)

The Song of Cotton (d: ZHU Yuancheng c: YAN Bingyan, WANG Deshun, China 2016, 90 min)

Vampire Cleanup Department (d: YAN Pak Wing c: CHOI Babyjohn,  LIN Min Chen, CHIN Siu Ho, NG Richard, Hong Kong 2017, 94 min)

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COMPETITIONS

Official Competition

Juried by a team of international industry members, the Official Competition recognizes distinct and resonant voices in filmmaking from around the world. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.

2017 Entries:
7 Minutes (d. Michele Placido, Italy/France/Switzerland 2016, North American Premiere)
Bad Influence (d: Claudia Huaiqimilla, Chile 2016)
Beach Rats (d: Eliza Hittman, USA 2016)
Have A Nice Day (d: LIU Jian, China/Hong Kong 2017, North American Premiere)
Hedi (d: Mohamed Ben Attia, Tunisia/Belgium/France/Qatar/Uae 2016)
My Happy Family (d: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Georgia/Germany/France 2017)
Sami Blood (d: Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016)Zoology (d: Ivan I. Tverdovsky, Russia/France/Germany 2016)

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New Directors Competition

Festival programmers select 10 films remarkable for their original scripts, innovative cinematography, and unique insights into people, places, and story. To be eligible, films must be a director's first or second feature and without U.S. distribution at the time of their selection. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.

2017 Entries:
Anishoara (d: Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu, Germany 2016)
Boundaries (d: Chloé Robichaud, Canada (Québec) 2016)
Diamond Island (d: Davy Chou, France 2016)
The Inland Road (d: Jackie Van Beek, New Zealand 2017, North American Premiere)
I Was A Dreamer (d: Michele Vannucci, Italy 2016, North American Premiere)
Kati Kati (d: Mbithi Masya, Kenya 2016)
The Man (d: Charlotte Sieling, Denmark 2017)
Paris Prestige (d: Hamé Bourokba, Ekoué Labitey, France 2016)
Quit Staring at My Plate (d: Hana Jušić, Croatia 2016)
Struggle for Life (d: Antonin Peretjatko, Belgium 2016)

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Ibero-American Competition

New this year, the Ibero-American Competition selects 8 outstanding films from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal to highlight the increasing power, creativity, and influence of storytelling in the region. To be eligible, films must be making their U.S. premiere at the Festival and be without U.S. distribution at the time of their selection. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.

2017 Entries:
Chameleon (d: Jorge Riquelme Serrano, Chile 2016, North American Premiere)
Devil's Freedom (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017, US Premiere)
May God Save Us (d: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain 2016)
Pendular (d: Julia Murat, Brazil/Argentina/France 2017)
Santa & Andres (d: Carlos Lechuga, Cuba/Colombia/France 2016)
Two Irenes (d: Fabio Meira, Brazil 2017, North American Premiere)
The Winter (d: Emiliano Torres, Argentina/France 2016)
Woodpeckers (d: José María Cabral, Dominican Republic 2017)

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New American Cinema Competition

Each of these films has found a champion in the SIFF programming team and was selected for its potential to capture the hearts of audiences looking to explore the exciting vanguard of New American Cinema. Jury is comprised of 3 members from the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.

2017 Entries:
American Folk (d: David Heinz, USA 2017)
Columbus (d: Kogonada USA 2017)
Dara Ju (d: Anthony Onah, USA/Nigeria 2017)
The Feels (d: Jenée Lamarque, USA 2017, World Premiere)
In The Radiant City (d: Rachel Lambert, USA 2016)
The Landing (d: Mark Dodson and David Dodson, USA 2016)
Lane 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, USA 2017)
Say You Will (d: Nick Naveda, USA 2017, World Premiere)

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Documentary Competition

For the documentarian, the world around us provides a seemingly inexhaustible source of material. From the ridiculous to the sublime and everything in between, documentary art is about showing the world how it is, how it was, and how it could be. The Grand Jury Prize Winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize.

2017 Entries:
Becoming Who I Was (d: Moon Chang-Yong, Jeon Jin, South Korea 2016, US Premiere)
Close Relations (d: Vitaly Mansky, Germany/Latvia/Estonia/Ukraine 2016, US Premiere)
The Farthest (d: Emer Reynolds, Ireland 2017)
Ghost Hunting (d: Raed Andoni, Palestine/France/Switzerland 2016 US Premiere)
The Reagan Show (d: Pacho Velez, Sierra Pattengill, USA 2017)
Roberto Bolle - The Art Of Dance (d: Francesca Pedroni, Italy 2016, North American Premiere)
Those Who Remain (d: Eliane Raheb, Lebanon/Uae 2016, North American Premiere)
What Lies Upstream (d: Cullen Hoback, USA 2017)
Winnie (d: Pascale Lamche, France/Netherlands/South Africa 2017)

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Shorts Competition

All short films shown at the Festival are eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and Jury Award. Jurors will choose winners in the Narrative, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each jury winner will receive $2,500 and winners in any of the three categories may also qualify to enter the respective Short Film category of the Academy Awards® for the concurrent season without the theatrical run.

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Golden Space Needle Awards

For the past 30 years, SIFF has celebrated its most popular films and filmmakers with the Golden Space Needle Audience Award. Awards by Festival audiences are given in five categories: Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Short Film.

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SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

CABARET: AN EVENING OF CABARET WITH ROBBIE TURNER

Wednesday ∙ May 24 ∙ 7:00 PM
SIFF Cinema Egyptian

Life is a cabaret, old chum! Dress in your finest Cabaret-style duds and join us for an evening inside the fabled Kit Kat Klub as Seattle drag icon Robbie Turner ("RuPaul's Drag Race") presents an original Cabaret-inspired revue followed by a screening of Bob Fosse's Academy Award®- winning 1972 film.(d: Bob Fosse c: Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Michael York, Helmut Griem, 1972, 124 min)

THE '80S TEEN MOVIE HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

Friday ∙ May 26 ∙ 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM
The Neptune

Join us for this epic party celebrating a "totally rad" decade! Show off your '80s duds, competein our Yearbook Challenge, sing along to the decade's best movie anthems, laugh along with staged recreations of classic scenes performed by Ian Bell's Brown Derby Series, and dance the night away with live music from '80s Invasion.

RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD

Friday ∙ May 26 ∙ 7:00 PM
The Paramount

Repeat Screening: Saturday ∙ May 27 ∙ 11:30 AM
SIFF Cinema Uptown

The contributions of Native Americans in modern American music-from Link Wray to RobbieRobertson, Charlie Patton to Buffy Sainte-Marie-get a much-deserved showcase in this celebratory exposé of the indigenous influence on the soundtrack of popular culture.(d: Catherine Bainbridge f: Robbie Robertson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Martin Scorsese, Tony Bennett, Steven, Tyler, Iggy Pop, Canada 2017, 103 min)

PUGET SOUNDTRACK PRESENTS PROM QUEEN

Thursday ∙ June 1 ∙ 7:00 PM
The Triple Door

The dark-surf, girl-group noir sounds of Seattle's Prom Queen meets some of our favorite visuals from the catalogue of beloved exploitation film archivists Something Weird video, creating a unique new experience of B-movie indulgence. Co-presented by Northwest Film Forum's Puget Soundtrack series and Capitol Hill Block Party.

BRAINSTORM

Monday ∙ June 5 ∙ 6:30 PM
SIFF Cinema Egyptian

In visionary effects artist Douglas Trumbull's utterly mind-bending 1983 film, a pair of scientists (Louise Fletcher and Christopher Walken) invent an experimental brain-recording alternate-reality device and must fight to keep it out of the hands of the military. Post screening discussion to follow.(d: Douglas Trumbull c: Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood, Louise Fletcher, Cliff Robertson, USA 1983, 106 min)

LOVE AND DUTY

Tuesday ∙ June 6 ∙ 6:00 PM
SIFF Cinema Uptown

Chinese silent film icon Ruan Lingyu, frequently called the Greta Garbo of Shanghai, stars in this newly restored edition of one of the biggest films of early Chinese cinema, a decades-spanning romantic drama about a woman who pays dearly for following her heart. With live accompaniment by Donald Sosin.(d: Bu Wancang c: Chen Yen Yen, Jin Yan, Ruan Lingyu, China 1931, 153 min)

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE with live soundtrack by The Invincible Czars

Thursday ∙ June 8 ∙ 7:00 PM
The Triple Door

After more than a decade of silent film scores that beautifully blend rock and orchestral music, Austin band the Invincible Czars now unleash their spooky sonic reimagining of the classic silent adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's iconic tale starring the legendary John Barrymore. (d: John S. Robertson c: John Barrymore, Brandon Hurst, Martha Mansfield, Charles Lane, Cecil Clovelly, USA 1920, 79 min)

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FILMS WITH PARTIES

Opening Night Gala
The Big Sick
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 7:00 PM
Party to follow screening
FILM: MARION OLIVER MCCAW HALL
PARTY: FISHER PAVILION

The hilarious, romantic, and moving true story of the cross-cultural courtship between Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani ("Silicon Valley") and his wife Emily (Zoe Kazan) comes to life in this utterly delightful comedy from director Michael Showalter and producer Judd Apatow. (d: Michael Showalter c: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, USA 2017, 119 min)

Centerpiece Gala
Landline
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 5:30 PM
FILM: SIFF CINEMA EGYPTIAN
PARTY: DAR RAINIER CHAPTER HOUSE

The director and star of Obvious Child reunite for this uproarious slice-of-life story about two sisters (Jenny Slate and breakout star Abby Quinn) in pre-cell-phone 1990s Manhattan who discover that their father is having an affair, and conspire to expose him. (d: Gillian Robespierre c: Jenny Slate, John Turturro, Edie Falco, Abby Quinn, Jay Duplass, Finn Wittrock, USA 2017, 93 min)

Closing Night Gala
The Young Karl Marx
North American Premiere
SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 6:00 PM
FILM: CINERAMA
PARTY: MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND INDUSTRY (MOHAI)

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels meet and talk and lay the foundation for political revolution, compellingly, in Raoul Peck's follow-up to his Oscar®-nominated doc I Am Not Your Negro.(d: Raoul Peck c: August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps, Hannah Steele, Olivier Gourmet, France/Germany/ Belgium 2016, 118 min)

Saturday Film and Party #1
The Trip to Spain
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 7:00 PM
FILM: PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS
PARTY: SIFF LOUNGE

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reunite with director Michael Winterbottom for another chapter in their hilarious road-trip series. This time, on a tour through picturesque Spain, Coogan and Brydon trade comic observations on fame and friendship as dry as the finest Spanish wine. (d: Michael Winterbottom c: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon)

Saturday Film and Party #2
The Little Hours
SATURDAY, MAY 27, 7:00 P.M.
FILM: PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS
PARTY: SEATTLE ART MUSEUM

Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, and Kate Micucci star as a group of hilariously profane and emotionally unstable nuns all competing to seduce the convent's virile new servant (Dave Franco) in this bawdy, subversive comedy that turns the Middle Ages upside down.(d: Jeff Baena c: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Fred Armisen, Nick Offerman, USA/Italy 2017, 90 min)

Kirkland Opening Night
Footnotes
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 8:00 PM
PARTY AND FILM: KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

La La Land meets Norma Rae with a pinch of Jacques Demy in this toe-tapping working-class musical comedy with a social conscience about a young woman who gets her dream job at a luxury shoe factory, only to become enmeshed in a labor strike.(d: Kostia Testut, Paul Calori c: Pauline Etienne, Olivier Chantreau, Francois Morel, France 2016, 90 min)

Gay-La
Susanne Bartsch: On Top
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 7:00 PM
FILM: SIFF CINEMA EGYPTIAN
PARTY: BALTIC ROOM

Meet the irrepressible driving force behind New York City's nightlife scene for the past 30 years: event promoter and muse Susanne Bartsch, whose lavish, theatrical, trend-setting parties have embraced all walks of life and attracted a who's-who of the fashion underground.(d: Anthony Caronna, Alexander Smith f: Susanne Bartsch, USA 2017, 84 min)

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AFRICAN PICTURES

African Pictures showcases the best filmmaking happening in and about Africa today. This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to experience innovative and inspiring filmmaking from across the continent.

Borders (d: Apolline Traoré, c: Amelie Mbaye, Naky Sy Savane, Burkina Faso 2017, 90 min, North American Premiere)

Hedi (d: Mohamed Ben Attia, c: Majd Mastoura, Rym Ben Messaoud, Sabah Bouzouita, Hakim Boumessoudi, Ombia Ben Ghali, Tunisia 2016, 89 min)

Investigating Paradise (d: Merzak Allouache, c: Salima Abada, Younès Sabeur Chérif, France 2017, 135 min, North American Premiere)

Kalushi (d: Mandla Dube, c: Thabo Rametsi, Thabo Malema, Welile Nzuza, Jafta Mamabolo, Pearl Thusi, Gcina Mhlophe, South Africa 2016, 107 min)

The Nile Hilton Incident (d: Tarik Saleh, c: Fares Fares, Mari Malek, Mohamed Yousry, Yasser Ali Maher, Ahmed Selim, Hania Amar, Sweden 2017, 106 min)

The Wedding Party (d: Kemi Adetiba, c: Adesua Etomi, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Banky Wellington, Nigeria 2016, 110 min)

Winnie (d: Pascale Lamche, France 2017, 98 min)

Wùlu (d: Daouda Coulibaly, c: Ibrahim Koma, Inna Modja, Ismael Ndiaye, Jean-Marie Traore, Dembele Habib, Mariame Ndiaye, Quim Gutierrez, Oliver Rabourdin, France 2016, 95 min)

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CHINA STARS

SIFF is proud to present the second year of our China Stars Showcase series during the 43rd annual Seattle International Film Festival, with support from WASA North America Group and Hainan Airlines.

Collaborating with WASA North America Group to foster cross-cultural exchange and artistic vision, we are pleased to present 10 feature films from mainland China. SIFF also reached out to the Beijing Film Academy, and we are thrilled to present five short films from BFA students. These films will play prior to the Chinese feature films, and we know you will enjoy the creativity of the student filmmakers.

This year we are pleased to announce our inaugural China Stars awards. On Friday, June 9 at the Pan Pacific Hotel, SIFF will honor the talented Qin Yi with a Lifetime Achievement Award; we will present the Director of The Door, Dong Liang, with our China Stars Emerging Artist Award, and SIFF will present the China Stars Film Award to Wanda Film Group.

The SIFF China Stars showcase series is curated in part by Mr. Eugene Zhang of WASA North America Group.

The Beautiful Kokonor Lake (d. XING-HAO Shen, c: Qin Yi, Jiang Ping, Jennifer Shu Chang. Huang Hong, Tony Rui-Xin, China 2017, 98 min)

The Door (d. XING-HAO Shen, c: JIANG Wu, JIANG Qingin, ZHU Xu, FU Ying, LI Naiwen, China 2017, 98 min, North American Premiere)

Free and Easy (d. JUN Geng, c: ZU Gang, ZHANG Zhiyong, XUE Baohe, WANG Xuxu, GU Benbin, ZHANG Xun, YUAN Liguo China 2016, 99 min)

God of War (d. Gordon Chan, c: Sammo Hung, Vincent Zhao, Regina Wan, Yasuaki Kurata, Keisuke Koide, China 2017, 130 min)

Have a Nice Day (d. LIU Jian, c: Yang Siming, Cao Kou, Ma Xiaofeng, Zhu Changlong, China 2017, 77 min)

Knife in the Clear Water (d. WANG Xuebo, c: YANG Shengcang, ZHOU Jinhua, YANG Fan, YANG Xue, China 2016, 93 min, US Premiere)

Love and Duty (d. WANCANG Bu, c: RUAN Lingyu, JIN Yan, China 1931, 153 min)

The Song of Cotton (d. ZHU Yuancheng, c: YAN Bingyan, WANG Deshun, China 2016, 90 min)

Soul on a String (d. ZHANG Yang, c: Kimba, Quni Ciren, Siano Dudiom Zahi, Solange Nima, China 2016, 142 min)

Tea Pets (d. Gary Wang, c: Voices of: SHI Lei, YUAN Zeyu, JI Guanlin, China 2017, 93 min)

Short films from the Beijing Film Academy:
Bloom (d. SUN Yiran and XU Jiyao, c: Yiran SUN, Jiyao XU, China 2017, 8 min)
Elephant King (d. FU Yan and FU Chao, c: Wang Naizhen, Fan Meng, Fu Yan, Fu Yongcha, China 2017, 11 min)
Free Throw Line (d. ZHANG Yixin, China 2017, 7 min)
I Come From Prairie (d. Nuhan Arisbek, China 2017, 8 min)
The Sea (d. LI Yifan, China 2017, c: Jinshan Wang Feiyu Chen, Yihao Qian, 7 min)

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CULINARY CINEMA

Popcorn is no longer king as the phenomenon of food culture has exploded into cinema. We've selected some extraordinary films that explore different aspects of taste and the senses for the cinematically inclined.

Cook Up a Storm (d: Raymond Yip Wai Man, c: Alberto Calvet Gonzalez, You Ge, Yong-hwa Jung, Barbora Mottlová, Yan Tang, USA 2017, 97 min)

Fermented (d: Jonathan Cianfrani, c: Edward Lee, USA 2017, 67 min, World Premiereº

Food Evolution (d: Scott Hamilton Kennedy, c: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, Michael Pollan, Charles Benbrook, USA 2016, 92 min)

Kakehashi: A Portrait of Chef Nobuo Fukuda (d: Andrew Gooi, c: Nobuo Fukuda, Sarah Fukuda, Kazuko Fukuda, Japan 2017, 46 min, World Premiere)

Lives with Flavor (d: Pablo Gasca Gollas, c: Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, Marco Beteta,Martha Ortiz,Israel Ronzon, Alberto Albarran, Patricia Muñoz Zurita, Salomé Freixas, Gonzalo Serrano, Mexico 2017, 52 min, World Premiere)

New Chefs on the Block (d: Dustin Harrison-Atlas, c: Frank Linn,  Aaron Silverman, Kate Diamond, Michel Richard, Danny Meyer, Mike Isabella, Tim Carman, Emily Sprissler, USA 2016, 96 min)

The Turkish Way (d: Luis Gonzalez, c: Joan Roca, Josep Roca, Jordi Roca, Sabiha Apaydin,  Maksut Askar, Mehmet  Gurs, Sina Sucuka, Spain 2016, 120 min)

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FACE THE MUSIC

Four out of five SIFF programmers agree that regular exposure to music and film are essential to your overall well-being. With that in mind, this year's Face the Music program has been specifically designed to provide a holistic regimen for your audio-visual health.

Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall (d: Katherine Fairfax Wright f: Todrick Hall, Teresa Stanley, Wayne Brady, Chester Lockhart, Jesse Pattison, Brenda Cornish, Vonzell Solomon, Jenni Thomasson, Jazlyn Nicole Miller, USA 2017, 105 min)

Bill Frisell, A Portrait (d: Emma Franz f: Bill Frisell, Paul Motian, Jim Hall, Mike Gibbs, Jason Moran, Jim Woodring, Joey Baron, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, John Zorn, Australia 2017, 114 min)

Chavela (d: Catherine Gund, f: Chavela Vargas, Pedro Almodóvar, USA 2017, 90 min)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with live soundtrack by The Invincible Czars (d: John S. Robertson, c: John Barrymore, Brandon Hurst, Martha Mansfield, Charles Lane, Cecil Clovelly, USA 1920, 79 min)

Give Me Future (d: Austin Peters, USA 2017, 85 min)

A Life in Waves (d: Brett Whitcomb, f: Suzanne Ciani, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Kitaro, Peter Baumann, Dorit Chrysler, Sarah Davachi, Don Buchla, USA 2016, 75 min)

On the Road (d: Michael Winterbottom, f: Wolf Alice, James McArdle, Leah Harvey, Swim Deep, Bloody Knees, United Kingdom 2016, 112 min)

The Paris Opera (d: Jean-Stéphane Bron, f: Stéphane Lissner , Benjamin Millepied, France 2016, 110 min)

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NORTHWEST CONNECTIONS

Seattleites see more films per capita than the residents of any other American city, and a growing number of these selections have their roots in the fertile Pacific Northwest film community. Each year, SIFF honors the many ways in which the Puget Sound region contributes to the world of cinema, whether as an evocative location for outside filmmakers or as inspiration for local filmmakers ready to strut their stuff.

The Cage Fighter (d: Jeff Unay, f: Callie Carman, Joe Carman, Delanee Carman, Vernon Beach, USA 2017, 83 min)

Crazywise (d: Phil Borges, Kevin Tomlinson, f: Adam Gentry, Ekhaya Esima, Angeles Arrien, Phil Borges, Carroll Dunham, USA 2017, 82 min, World Premiere)

Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey (d: Dave O'Leske, USA 2017, 96 min)

Lane 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, c: Sophia Mitri Schloss, Katherine Moennig, Annette Toutonghi, Sara Coates, USA 2017, 80 min)

Pow Wow (d: Robinson Devor, USA 2016, 75 min)

Rocketmen (d: Webster Crowell, c: Alycia Delmore, Basil Harris, Christopher Dietz, Ian Fraser, Ben Laurance, USA 2017, 67 min, World Premiere)

Wallflower (d: Jagger Gravning, c: David Call, Atsuko Okatsuka, Conner Marx, USA 2017, 84 min, World Premiere)

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360˚/VR STORYTELLING POWERED BY WONDERTEK

360˚/VR STORYTELLING POP-UP, POWERED BY WONDERTEK LABS

Weekends from Friday, May 19 - Saturday, June 10
Passholder Happy Hours and Festival Forums times
SIFF Lounge, presented by Vulcan Productions

While the emerging tech behind-the-scenes of virtual reality and 360˚ have been evolving over the past few years, 360˚ filmmakers and VR content creators have been organically evolving a new language and tools for storytelling in this space. WonderTek Labs has curated a selection of some of the best in 360˚ storytelling from creators from the Seattle region and around the globe, showcased on Google Daydream headsets, that highlight a spectrum of where 360˚ storytelling is today.

Selections will include a work-in-progress cut of Seattle-based Mechanical Dreams' Potato Dreams, the VR companion to SIFF's short-film selection Little Potato; a reprise presentation of "The Stranger" Genius Award winner Tracy Rector's Eagle Bone; Madrid-based Future Lighthouse's groundbreaking branded storytelling piece Beefeater XO (a top-10 finalist for the Tribeca X Prize); an interactive VR episode for Spanish hit television series "El Ministerio Del Tiempo"; a selection of the best work to come out of the four SIXR Cinematic VR Hackathons; and other content TBD. 

360˚/VR STORYTELLING PLAYTANK

Saturday, June 10 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
SIFF Film Center

Are you a filmmaker who wants to learn more about transitioning to 360˚/VR, or a VR dev who wants to connect with filmmakers? Do you have a 360˚ or VR project in mind and want to connect with other folks interested in working on projects? Do you have expertise to share, or things you want to learn? The 360˚/VR Storytelling PlayTank is a hand-on, interactive event intended to bring together the Seattle 360˚/VR and filmmaking communities for a morning of topical small-group breakout conversations, hands-on demos and workshops, and informal opportunities to connect like-minded creatives, show personal projects and demos, and learn about emerging technologies.

The PlayTank will kick off with a Geekout Breakout Session Breakfast, where participants will join small, mentor-facilitated, small-group breakout sessions on topics including Spatial Audio, 360˚ Production and Post Production, Branching Narrative in 360˚ Storytelling, 360˚ Documentary Storytelling, and Ethics in Developing 360˚/VR Content.

Mettle CEO Chris Bobotis will be on hand to present a hands-on workshop for Mettle's 360˚ editing plug-ins for Adobe Premiere. Bring your laptop to participate (you must have Adobe Premiere; you can download a free 30-day trial version if you don't own Premiere). Participants will receive a free temporary license to use Mettle's products as a part of this workshop. Upstairs in the PlayTank, participants will explore hands-on demos and workshops, and grab another coffee and connect organically with others in the community. The PlayTank is an open and collaborative space. Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops and demos to share.

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SIFF EDUCATION

SIFF offers three programs during Festival: FutureWave, Films4Families, and Forums.

FUTUREWAVE AND FILM4FAMILIES

SIFF has programs curated to make the Festival more accessible to younger audiences. FutureWave features are a great place for our cinema-savvy teen audience to find their love of world cinema and Films4Families is the perfect way for younger children (and the young at heart) to have a fabulous experience at SIFF. Both programs also have Youth Juries comprised of youth from their age bracket to watch all the films and present the Youth Jury Award in their respective categories.

FORUMS & PANELS

Where audiences and filmmakers come together to learn about and experience making movies. Unless otherwise noted, Festival forums and panels are held at the SIFF Lounge, presented by Vulcan Productions. A complete list of this year's forums and panels can be found here: siff.net/festival

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VENUES

SEATTLE

SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, SIFF Film Center, AMC Pacific Place 11, McCaw Hall, Cinerama, Majestic Bay Theatres, Ark Lodge Cinemas, The Neptune, The Triple Door, The Paramount, and SIFF Lounge, presented by Vulcan Productions

BELLEVUE

Lincoln Square Cinemas

KIRKLAND

Kirkland Performance Center

SHORELINE

Shoreline Community College

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SIFF 2017 BY THE NUMBERS

400 Films
80 Countries
161 Features
58 Documentaries
14 Archival
163 Short Films
4 Secret Films
36 World Premieres (14 Features, 22 Shorts)
34 North American Premieres (22 Features, 12 Shorts)
20 US Premieres (11 Features, 9 Shorts)
50% 1st and 2nd time filmmakers
70% without US Distribution
30% Women Filmmakers (45% of Feature Competition films are Women directed)

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SIFF PRESS DEPARTMENT

Nina Cates, Festival Public Relations Manager
nina.cate@siff.net | 206.315.0690

Chason Gordon, Festival Publicist
chason.gordon@siff.net | 206.315.0690

Sophia Perez, Festival Publicist
sophia.perez@siff.net | 206.315.0690

Riley Siewert, Festival Publicist
riley.siewert@siff.net | 206.315.0690

Sara Wainwright-Feldman, Festival Publicist
sara.wainwright@siff.net | 206.315.0690

Steven Wilson  - National Publicist
stevenwilson@bwr-pr.com | 212.901.3920

Find the 2017 Media Guide, hi-res film stills, press kits, and more at press.siff.net.

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ABOUT SIFF

Founded in 1976, SIFF creates experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world with the Seattle International Film Festival, SIFF Cinema, and SIFF Education. Recognized as one of the top film festivals in North America, the Seattle International Film Festival is the largest, most highly attended film festival in the United States, reaching more than 150,000 annually. The 25-day festival is renowned for its wide-ranging and eclectic programming, presenting over 400 features, short films, and documentaries from over 80 countries each year. SIFF Cinema exhibits premiere theatrical engagements, repertory, classic, and revival film showings 365 days a year on five screens at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and SIFF Film Center, reaching more than 175,000 attendees annually. SIFF Education offers educational programs for all audiences serving more than 13,000 students and youth in the community with free programs each year.