SIFF opens submissions to the 2022 Seattle International Film Festival, scheduled for April 14-24.

SEATTLE (November 8, 2021) – SIFF is launching its preparations for the 2022 Seattle International Film Festival this week with a call for filmmaker submissions. This year, SIFF will join an increasing number of high-profile film festivals that will continue to use streaming as part of their festival experiences.

“After the challenges of the pandemic, it feels fantastic to be able to once again welcome our audiences back to the cinemas,” says SIFF’s Artistic Director Beth Barrett. “Based on the success of last year’s virtual festival, we are developing both physical and virtual ways to connect films and audiences in 2022.”

The Festival will feature hundreds of films with broad international scope and will see the return of many of the audience's favorite programs including Secret Fest, Member Preview Night, Best of SIFF, and Opening and Closing Night Celebrations.

“Nothing replaces the sense of community and excitement that the in-person screenings generate,” said Barrett. “But streaming films can help amplify these incredible stories and documentaries to people who might not otherwise be able to experience them.”

As one of the largest, and one of the most diverse, film festivals in the United States, the Seattle International Film Festival is an Academy Award-qualifying festival. Films will screen at multiple Seattle-area theaters.

Filmmakers can submit their feature or short length films and documentaries no later than January 7, 2022. Key competitions are listed below. More information can be found here.

Awards and Prizes:

• Golden Space Needle Award: Audience-choice awards for Best Film, Documentary Feature, Director, Actor, Actress, and Short Film.
• Official Competition: An internationally juried award for some of the Festival’s best films.
• New Directors Competition: An internationally juried award for best emerging directors.
• New American Cinema Competition: An internationally juried award for best American films.
• Ibero-American Cinema Competition: An internationally juried award for best films from Ibero-America who are firmly expressing issues, styles, and talent from the area.
• Documentary Film Competition: An internationally juried award for best documentary.
• Short Film Competition: Internationally juried awards for best live action, animated, and documentary short films.
• FutureWave Shorts Competition: A juried award for best short film created by filmmakers younger than 18 years old.
• FutureWave Features Competition: A selection of films curated for teen audiences and judged by youth aged 13 to 18. (Submission deadline January 14, 2022)
• Films4Families Features Competition: A selection of films curated for family audiences and judged by youth aged 8 to 12.

ABOUT SIFF

SIFF is known for our international festival that takes place in the late spring each year. For more than 47 years, SIFF has delighted moviegoers with films from all regions of the world and all genres of film. In addition, SIFF offers year-round arthouse screenings, curated mini-festivals, cinema events, and education opportunities - to keep up with them, visit SIFF.net.

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