SIFF announces lineup for second annual DocFest to run at SIFF Cinema Uptown October 6-13

SEATTLE – SIFF’s second annual DocFest will return on October 6 and run through October 13, screening 14 films at SIFF Cinema Uptown. Tickets for the festival, a celebration of documentary films from around the world, are on sale September 22.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing DocFest back to SIFF for a second year, and couldn’t be more pleased with the lineup,” says Stan Shields, SIFF’s Programming Manager, “Our audience has shown us their enthusiasm for documentary filmmaking time and time again. We’re proud to be presenting such a wide variety of truly thrilling and informative stories from locations ranging from close to home, to underrepresented areas of our world, and all the way across the solar system.”

The 2022 lineup includes Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Winner All the Beauty and the Bloodshed following activist Nan Goldin’s fight against the opioid epidemic, Rover Opportunity documentary Good Night Oppy, and opening night film on the groundbreaking television show “Reading Rainbow”, Butterfly in the Sky.

Filmmakers will accompany a variety of screenings including director Evgeny Afineevsky for his newest film Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom, a behind the headlines account of the Ukrainian people’s resistance and resilience during the 2022 Russian invasion. Other guests include director Holly Morris for Exposure, Found Footage Festival Producer Nick Prueher and director Ben Steinbauer for Chop & Steele, and director Eliane Henri for Hargrove which will be followed by a Q&A moderated by Abe Beeson from KNKX. Various screenings will also be supported by local community members including local interplanetary scientists for Good Night Oppy, among others.

Passes for the event are on sale for $75 for SIFF members and $100 for non-members. Tickets for individual in-person screenings and select virtual screenings are $9 for SIFF members (on sale September 21) and $14 for non-members (on sale September 22).

Limited streaming options will also be available during select dates on the SIFF Channel, SIFF’s online streaming portal, for No Simple Way Home, Come Back Anytime, Hockey Dreams, and Still Working 9 to 5.

PRESS ONLY:
Press links are available for most films in addition to limited screening tickets for members of the press. To RSVP and filmmaker interview requests, email press@siff.net.

FULL SCHEDULE & ATTENDEES:
SIFF Cinema Uptown: Oct. 6-13

Butterfly in the Sky | Thursday, October 6 @ 7:00PM
Take a nostalgic journey back to the groundbreaking television show “Reading Rainbow”, revisiting its nearly 25 years on the air, and experience the immense impact it had on its viewers and creators alike. Seattle Urban Book Expo will be onsite at the screening. (USA 2022, 87 mins d: Bradford Thomason & Brett Whitcomb)

No Simple Way Home | Friday, October 7 @ 4:30PM
Born and raised in exile, director Akuol de Mabior returns home to South Sudan to document her mother’s path to becoming vice president and lead the country towards a peaceful future. Akuol also returns to explore what it means to call herself South Sudanese after a lifetime away. (Kenya 2022, 83 mins d: Akuol de Mabior)

Exposure | Friday, October 7 @ 7:00PM
As the Arctic polar ice cap melts, expeditions to the North Pole have become increasingly dangerous. But where others see obstacles, seasoned explorer Felicity Aston sees an opportunity, assembling a team of 11 women from both the Arab world and the West for a journey to the Pole. (USA 2021, 89 mins d: Holly Morris) Director Holly Morris scheduled to attend.

Lakota Nation Vs. United States | Saturday, October 8 @ 1:00PM
A lyrical, visually stunning portrait of resistance that chronicles the history of the Lakota people's quest to reclaim the Black Hills, their sacred land that was stolen in violation of treaty agreements. Written by acclaimed Oglala poet Layli Long Soldier, her evocative testimony creates a potent counter-narrative to the history most in the USA have been taught. (USA 2022, 121 mins d: Jesse Short Bull [Oglala Sioux] & Laura Tomaselli)

Come Back Anytime | Saturday, October 8 @ 4:00PM
Masamoto Ueda, the ramen master behind the renowned Tokyo ramen shop Bizentei, with the help of his wife Kazuko, has been perfecting his practice for the last 40 years. But the ramen isn’t the only reason people keep coming back. The community that Masamoto fosters makes every customer feel like they are part of the family. (Japan 2021, 81 mins d: John Daschbach)

Chop & Steele | Saturday, October 8 @7:30PM
When one of the Found Footage Festival pranksters’ (Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher) gags goes viral, they suddenly find themselves in federal court. Following their journey over four years, directors Steinbauer and Mader capture not only their David vs. Goliath court battle, but also create an endearing portrait of two lifelong friends. (USA 2022, 77 mins d: Ben Steinbauer & Berndt Mader) Nick Prueher & director Ben Steinbauer scheduled to attend. Screening will be followed by a 45 min. Found Footage Festival presentation.

Good Night Oppy | Sunday, October 9 @ 1:00PM
A spirited documentary about the exploration rover Opportunity, her ambitious 15-year journey across Mars, and the team of scientists and engineers that made the rover part of their aerospace family. (USA 2022, 105 mins d: Ryan White)

Fashion Reimagined | Sunday, October 9 @ 4:00PM
When fashion designer Amy Powney wins the coveted Vogue award for Best Young Designer of the Year in 2017, she decides to use the cash prize to create a collection that is ethical and sustainable at every point along the supply chain, from fiber to finished garment, clearing a path for much bigger, societal change. This screening of Fashion Reimagined is sponsored by EarthxFilm. (United Kingdom 2022, 100 mins d: Becky Hutner)

Still Working 9 to 5 | Sunday, October 9 @ 7:00PM
Forty years after their groundbreaking 1980 comedy was released, Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, and Lily Tomlin reunite to discuss the challenges of getting their hit film made. Directors Camille Hardman and Gary Lane simultaneously take us on a splendidly entertaining look back at how the comedy came together, as well as a worthwhile evaluation on how far we’ve progressed since its release. (USA 2022, 96 mins d: Camille Hardman & Gary Lane)

Hockey Dreams | Monday, October 10 @ 4:00PM
When South Korea is named host country for the 2018 Winter Olympics, their tiny, poorly performing national ice hockey team is automatically given a spot in the games. Fearing international embarrassment, they recruit two-time Stanley Cup winner Jim Paek—the first South Korean-born player to play in the NHL—to turn them into a contender, or at least not a laughingstock. (Finland 2022, 104 mins d: Oskari Pastila & Janne Niskala)

Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power | Monday, October 10 @ 7:00PM
A first-hand chronicle from the frontlines of 1960s Alabama, recounting the courageous campaign of citizens and activists who faced violence and oppression in their struggle for the right to vote. (USA 2022, 90 mins d: Sam Pollard & Geeta Gandbhir)

Hargrove | Tuesday, October 11 @ 7:00PM
Widely considered the best trumpet player of his generation, jazz legend Roy Hargrove galvanized audiences with his incisive playing and virtuosity. First time director Eliane Henri accompanies him across Europe to capture an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at his final European tour. This screening of Hargrove is sponsored by Adobe Premiere Pro & KNKX. (USA 2022, 105 mins d: Eliane Henri) Director Eliane Henri scheduled to attend, Q&A moderated by Abe Beeson from KNKX.

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed | Wednesday, October 12 @ 7:00PM
In her essential, urgent new documentary, Academy Award®–winning filmmaker Laura Poitras (Citizenfour) unspools an emotional story about renowned artist and activist Nan Goldin told through her slideshows, intimate dialogue, ground-breaking photography, and her powerful activism to hold the Sackler family accountable for the deadly opioid epidemic. Narrated by Goldin, with a deep trove of photographs and stories of her dysfunctional suburban upbringing, the loss of her teenage sister, and the art community’s fight against AIDS, Poitras’s film is an empowering work that weaves together personal tragedy, political awareness, and artistic expression. Winner of the Golden Lion at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. (USA 2022, 116 mins d: Laura Poitras)

Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom | Thursday, October 13 @ 7:00PM
SIFF is honored to receive acclaimed filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky's newest film that presents a moving, behind the headlines account of the Ukrainian people’s resistance and resilience during the 2022 Russian invasion. With unprecedented access to the events on the ground, he weaves together personal stories of civilians, soldiers, journalists, and international volunteers to give voice to the people whose lives have been turned upside down. (Ukraine 2022, 118 mins d: Evgeny Afineevsky & Alex Kashpur) Director Evgeny Afineevsky scheduled to attend.

SIFF DocFest is presented by Flyhomes, Inc.

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Press Contact:
For more information, images, event access, or to schedule an interview, please contact Madison Zimmerman | 206-315-0692 | press@siff.net

About SIFF:
Known for the international festival that takes place in the late spring each year, SIFF has delighted moviegoers for more than 47 years with films from all regions of the world, fostering an informed, aware, and vibrant community of film lovers. SIFF offers year-round arthouse screenings, curated mini-festivals, cinema events, and educational programs - to keep up with us, visit siff.net and find SIFF on Instagram, Twitter, Letterboxd and Facebook.