The 49th Seattle International Film Festival came to a close with the award ceremony and Dancing Queen directed by Aurora Gossé won the Golden Space Needle Audience Award – Best Film, and 26.2 to Life directed by Christine Yoo won for Best Documentary.
In the Juried Competition, the Grand Jury prize for the Official Competition went to 20,000 Species of Bees. In a statement, the jury commented, “The Grand Jury prize for the Official Competition goes to 20,000 Species of Bees, a thoughtful coming of age story that uses small, relatable moments to navigate a trans awakening, and a family’s journey to understanding. Led by the unforgettable Sofía Otero, in their feature film debut, the remarkable ensemble cast guides the audience through the experience of acceptance.”
Other top prizes went to The Fishbowl directed by Glorimar Marrero Sánchez won in the Ibero-American Competition, Next Sohee directed by July Jung (South Korea) won in the New Directors Competition, Mutt directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz won in the New American Cinema Competition, and Against the Tide | dir. Sarvnik Kaur won in the Documentary Competition.
Complete list of winners of 2023 Seattle International Film Festival
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST FILM
Dancing Queen, directed by Aurora Gossé (Norway)
First runner-up: Theater Camp, directed by Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman (USA)
Second runner-up: Harvest Moon, directed by Amarsaikhan Baljinnyam (Mongolia)
Third runner-up: Egghead & Twinkie, directed by Sarah Kambe Holland (USA)
Fourth runner-up: The Blue Caftan, directed by Maryam Touzani (Morocco/France)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY
26.2 to Life, directed by Christine Yoo (USA)
First runner-up: LIFT, directed by David Petersen (USA)
Second runner-up: It’s Only Life After All, directed by Alexandria Bombach (USA)
Third runner-up: ABLED, directed by Einar Thorsteinsson (USA)
Fourth runner-up: 20 Days in Mariupol, directed by Mstyslav Chernov (Ukraine/USA)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST DIRECTOR
Maryam Touzani, The Blue Caftan (Morocco/France)
First runner-up: Laha Mebow, Gaga (Taiwan)
Second runner-up: Amarsaikhan Baljinnyam, Harvest Moon (Mongolia)
Third runner-up: Paul Urjiko Alijo, Irati (Spain)
Fourth runner-up: Lisa Steen, Late Bloomers (USA)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST PERFORMANCE
Lubna Azabal, The Blue Caftan (Morocco/France)
First runner-up: Anaita Wali Zada, Fremont (USA)
Second runner-up: Karen Gillan, Late Bloomers (USA)
Third runner-up: Nico Tortorella, The Mattachine Family (USA)
Fourth runner-up: Karin Franz Körlof, One Day All This Will Be Yours (Sweden)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM
Donkey, directed by Matt Kazman (USA)
First runner-up: The Blake, directed by Courtney Sposato, Mark Sposato (USA)
Second runner-up: Savi the Cat, directed by Netsie Tjirongo, Bryan Tucker (USA)
Third runner-up: Canary, directed by Pierre-Hugue Dallaire, Benoit Therriault (Canada (Québec))
Fourth runner-up: Get Away, directed by Michael Gabriele (USA)
LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION, presented by Women in Film Seattle.
26.2 to Life, directed by Christine Yoo (USA)
This award is given to the female director’s film that is the highest rated in public balloting at the Festival.
SIFF 2023 FEATURE COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF 2023 OFFICIAL COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
20,000 Species of Bees | dir. Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Actress Marall Nasiri in Opponent | dir. Milad Alami (Sweden)
2023 Entries:
20,000 Species of Bees (d: Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, Spain 2023, North American Premiere)
Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert (d: Margarethe von Trotta, Switzerland/Germany/Luxembourg Austria/Jordan/Italy 2023, North American Premiere)
Let the River Flow (d: Ole Giæver (Sámi), Norway/Sweden 2023, North American Premiere)
Opponent (d: Milad Alami, Sweden 2023, North American Premiere)
Plan 75 (d: Chie Hayakawa, Japan/France/Philippines 2022)
Pretty Red Dress (d: Dionne Edwards, United Kingdom 2022, US Premiere)
The Quiet Migration (d: Malene Choi, Denmark 2023, North American Premiere)
To Kill a Tiger (d: Nisha Pahuja, Canada 2022)
SIFF 2023 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Fishbowl | dir. Glorimar Marrero Sánchez (Spain)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Actress Maria Vásquez in Matria | dir. Álvaro Gago (Spain)
2023 entries:
Adolfo (d: Sofia Auza, Mexico/USA 2023, US Premiere)
Almamula (d: Juan Sebastian Torale, France/Argentina/Italy 2023, North American Premiere)
The Echo (d: Tatiana Huezo, Mexico/Germany 2023, US Premiere)
The Fishbowl (d: Glorimar Marrero Sánchez, Spain 2023)
Let the Dance Begin (d: Marina Seresesky, Argentina/Spain 2023, North American Premiere)
Matria (d: Álvaro Gago, Spain 2023, US Premiere)
Mom (d: Xun Sero (Tzotzil), Mexico 2022)
Sister & Sister (d: Kattia G. Zúñiga, Panama/Chile 2023)
SIFF 2023 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Next Sohee | dir. by July Jung (South Korea)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Hanging Gardens | dir. Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji (Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Kingdom)
2023 entries:
All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White (d: Babatunde Apalowo, Nigeria 2023, North American Premiere)
Copenhagen Does Not Exist (d: Martin Skovbjerg, Denmark 2023, North American Premiere)
Hanging Gardens (d: Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji, Iraq/Palestine/Saudi Arabia/Egypt/United Kingdom 2022, North American Premiere)
Harka (d: Lotfy Nathan, France/Germany/USA/Tunisia 2022)
Next Sohee (d: July Jung, South Korea 2022)
A Room of My Own (d: Ioseb “Soso” Bliadze, Georgia/Germany 2022, North American Premiere)
When It Melts (d: Veerle Baeten, Belgium/Netherlands 2023)
SIFF 2023 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Mutt | dir. Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (USA)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
This Closeness | dir. Kit Zauhar (USA)
2023 Entries:
Egghead & Twinkie (d: Sarah Kambe Holland, USA 2023)
Fremont (d: Babak Jalali, USA 2023)
Late Bloomers (d: Lisa Steen, USA 2023)
The Mattachine Family (d: Andy Vallentine, USA 2023, World Premiere)
Mutt (d: Vuk Lungulov-Klotz, USA 2023)
This Closeness (d: Kit Zauhar, USA 2023)
SIFF 2023 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Against the Tide | dir. Sarvnik Kaur (India, France)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
King Coal | Elaine McMillion Sheldon (USA)
2023 Entries:
Against the Tide (d: Sarvnik Kaur, India/France 2023)
And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine (d: Axel Danielson, Maximilien Van Aertryck, Sweden/Denmark 2023)
Gloriavale (d: Noel Smyth, Fergus Grady, Australia/New Zealand 2022, US Premiere)
The Grab (d: Gabriela Cowperthwaite, USA 2022)
King Coal (d: Elaine McMillion Sheldon, USA 2023)
Milisuthando (d: Milisuthando Bongela (Xhosa Nation), South Africa/Colombia 2023)
Motherland (d. Hanna Badziaka, Alexander Mihalkovich, Sweden/Ukraine/Belarus 2023, North American Premiere)
The Tuba Thieves (d: Alison O’Daniel, USA 2023)
YOUTH JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE
YOUTH JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE
And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine | dir. Axel Danielson, Maximilien Van Aertryck (Sweden, Denmark)
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Lonely Castle in the Mirror | dir. Keiichi Hara (Japan)
WAVEMAKER AWARD
WAVEMAKER AWARD (GRAND JURY PRIZE)
ROOM (USA 2022) | dir. Ian Dani Kim
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
American Ball Game (USA 2022) | dir. Teja Mettu, Krish Mysoor
SIFF 2023 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
LIVE ACTION SHORT
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Airhostess-737 | dir. Thanasis Neofotistos (Greece)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Sisters of the Rotation | dir. Gaby Zarazir, Michel Zarazir (Lebanon)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma) | dir. Sean Wang (USA)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
45th Parallel | dir. Lawrence Abu Hamdan (United Kingdom)
ANIMATED SHORT
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Fur | dir. Zhen Li (USA)