The 41st Seattle International Film Festival to be held May 14 to June 7, 2015, unveiled the 14 feature films of its third annual African Pictures program. Since 2013, African Pictures has presented documentaries, narrative features, and short films from 25 African countries. With something for everyone — from ethereal and experimental to gritty and provocative — African Pictures showcases a microcosm of world cinema available only at SIFF.
Topping the 2015 program is The Boda Boda Thieves (pictured above), an absorbing urban narrative from SIFF sophomore Donald Mugisha (The Kampala Story, 2012), who will be in attendance for the North American premiere of his new film. Fans of U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (2005) will be glad to see the North American premiere of director Mark Dornford-May’s striking modern South African opera,Breathe Umphefumlo, adapted with deftness and compassion from Puccini’s “La Bohème.”
Also traveling to Seattle, up-and-coming director Cheick Fantamady Camara will appear at screenings of his expansive drama Morbayassa in its North American premiere, representing Guinean film in African Pictures at SIFF for the first time. This story of inter-generational and inter-continental culture clash is anchored by a masterful performance from Fatoumata Diawara (Timbuktu, 2014). SIFF 2015 will also feature the North American premiere of Sugarcane Shadows, the first film from the island nation of Mauritius ever to play in a US festival.
Making its North American premiere among four short films in African Pictures 2015 is I’m Not Hereby 15-year-old South African Jack Markovitz, presented as part of SIFF’s youth-centered FutureWave program.
The African Pictures Film & Party will feature Excuse My French, a coming-of-age comedy from Egyptian director Amr Salama (Asma’a, 2011; Tahrir, 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Politician, 2011). A lively celebration will follow at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle.
The following African Pictures titles are the first films to be announced among official selections of the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival.
Alyam, Alyam
d: Ahmed El Maanouni, Morocco 1978, 80 min
Following his father’s death, Abdelwahad is expected to provide for his mother and his seven brothers. But faced with the cycle of poverty that rural farmers seem doomed to repeat, he dares to hope for something better. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory.
Beats of the Antonov
d: Hajooj Kuka, Sudan/South Africa 2014, 65 min
Set in the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountain regions of Sudan, Beats of the Antonov celebrates South Sudan’s vibrant musical culture surviving by any means necessary in the face of their prolonged civil war.
Beti and Amare
d: Andy Siege, Ethiopia/Germany 2014, 94 min
In this dreamy sci-fi fantasy, teenage Beti is forced to hide away in her uncle’s isolated hut to avoid Mussolini’s troops. Her strange dreams lead her to fall in love with a man who emerges from a glowing egg and may be a vampire.
Black Girl (La Noire de…)
d: Ousmane Sembène, Senegal/France 1966, 65 min
This 1966 film explores the complex dynamics and larger post-colonial implications that arise between a young Senegalese maid and the French family that employs her. This quiet, observational drama was esteemed African filmmaker Ousmane Sembène’s first feature film. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Sembène Estate, Institut National de l’Audiovisuel, INA and Centre National de Cinématographie, CNC.Restoration carried out at Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory; 4k scan performed at Eclair laboratories.
The Boda Boda Thieves (Abaabi ba boda boda)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Donald Mugisha, Uganda/Kenya 2015, 85 min
On teenage boy Abel’s first day of work as a boda boda (moto-taxi) driver to support his poor family, his bike is stolen, leaving him in pursuit of the ruthless thief who stole their livelihood. A Bicycle Thieves for urban Africa.
Breathe Umphefumlo
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Mark Dornford-May, South Africa/United Kingdom 2015, 89 min
Combining “La Boheme” with the tuberculosis epidemic in South Africa, Breathe Umphefumloprovides a dynamic twist on the classic opera through a uniquely African context and emotional urgency that’s not to be missed.
Challat of Tunis (Le Challat de Tunis)
d: Kaouther Ben Hania, Tunisia/France 2014, 90 min
A masked assailant rides through the Tunisian capital on a motor scooter slashing the backsides of women in jeans and short skirts in Kaouther Ben Hania’s genre-bending mockumentary about sexist attitudes in Arab culture.
Décor
d: Ahmad Abdalla, Egypt 2014, 116 min
An overworked film production designer begins to lose her grip on reality, slipping into the life she is creating on her latest movie set. This meta-movie playfully comments on the conventions of the classic “women’s picture.”
Excuse My French (Lamoakhzaa)
AFRICAN PICTURES FILM & PARTY
d: Amr Salama, Egypt 2014, 99 min
In this family comedy and Egyptian box office smash, 12-year-old Hany, a precocious kid from a privileged Coptic Christian family, must adjust when a change in circumstances sends him to the local majority-Muslim public school.
I Am the People (Je Suis le Peuple)
d: Anna Roussillon, France 2014, 111 min
I Am the People chronicles the 2011 revolution in Egypt and subsequent events from the perspective of a poor farming family in the country’s south, a depiction of world events refreshing in its warmth, wit, and humanity.
The Malagasy Way (Ady Gasy)
d: Lova Nantenaina, Madagascar/France 2014, 84 min
Filmed with a fascinated lens, this documentary explores the way of the Malagasy people and a third-world community portrait that is anything but bleak, as it celebrates a culture where wealth isn’t needed to find happiness and joy in the things you do.
Morbayassa
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Cheick Fantamady Camara, Guinea 2015, 122 min
Bella befriends a UN worker who promises to help her escape her domineering pimp and find the daughter she gave up for adoption 15 year ago in this tense, female-centered drama.
Run
d: Philippe Lacôte, Ivory Coast/France 2014, 97 min
After assassinating the Prime Minister, Run looks back on the varied mentors in his life, from a village rainmaker to a professional eater to the imperious revolutionary who’s living the gangster life, in this striking feature debut which reflects Ivory Coast’s recent, tumultuous history.
Sugarcane Shadows (Lonbraz Kann)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: David Constantin, Mauritius/France 2014, 88 min
Residents of Mauritius fight to maintain their culture despite a pervasive tourism economy and increased globalization. Gorgeous cinematography and non-actor authenticity ground David Constantin’s first feature.
The following short films will screen during SIFF 2015 as part of African Pictures.
The Call
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Zamo Mkhwanazi, South Africa 2014, 11 min
An emotionally disconnected taxi driver realizes that he does not want his prostitute girlfriend to abort the child that could be his.
I’m Not Here
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Jack Markovitz, South Africa 2014, 9 min
After his calls are repeatedly ignored, a young man turns to Facebook to tell a girl what he thinks
A Quiet Memory (Uma Memória Quieta)
US PREMIERE
d: Inadelso Cossa, Mozambique 2014, 14 min
Langa dramatically details his history as a political prisoner in 1970s Mozambique.
Treat (Zawadi)
d: Richard Card, Kenya 2014, 12 min
In the Kenyan slums of Kibera, a ten-year-old boy hustles to provide for his family, taking him away from his crush on her birthday.Seattle International Film Festival
SIFF hosts the annual Seattle International Film Festival— traditionally attracting nearly 150,000 attendees to celebrate films from more than 80 countries and regions around the world. Many of the features, short films, and documentaries we screen will not have a return to US cinemas, making it an amazing event to discover new and underrepresented voices and stories.
Seattle International Film Festival started in 1976 and takes place in Seattle, Washington
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Films on African Pictures Program is First Announced for 2015 Seattle International Film Festival
The 41st Seattle International Film Festival to be held May 14 to June 7, 2015, unveiled the 14 feature films of its third annual African Pictures program. Since 2013, African Pictures has presented documentaries, narrative features, and short films from 25 African countries. With something for everyone — from ethereal and experimental to gritty and provocative — African Pictures showcases a microcosm of world cinema available only at SIFF.
Topping the 2015 program is The Boda Boda Thieves (pictured above), an absorbing urban narrative from SIFF sophomore Donald Mugisha (The Kampala Story, 2012), who will be in attendance for the North American premiere of his new film. Fans of U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (2005) will be glad to see the North American premiere of director Mark Dornford-May’s striking modern South African opera,Breathe Umphefumlo, adapted with deftness and compassion from Puccini’s “La Bohème.”
Also traveling to Seattle, up-and-coming director Cheick Fantamady Camara will appear at screenings of his expansive drama Morbayassa in its North American premiere, representing Guinean film in African Pictures at SIFF for the first time. This story of inter-generational and inter-continental culture clash is anchored by a masterful performance from Fatoumata Diawara (Timbuktu, 2014). SIFF 2015 will also feature the North American premiere of Sugarcane Shadows, the first film from the island nation of Mauritius ever to play in a US festival.
Making its North American premiere among four short films in African Pictures 2015 is I’m Not Hereby 15-year-old South African Jack Markovitz, presented as part of SIFF’s youth-centered FutureWave program.
The African Pictures Film & Party will feature Excuse My French, a coming-of-age comedy from Egyptian director Amr Salama (Asma’a, 2011; Tahrir, 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Politician, 2011). A lively celebration will follow at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle.
The following African Pictures titles are the first films to be announced among official selections of the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival.
Alyam, Alyam
d: Ahmed El Maanouni, Morocco 1978, 80 min
Following his father’s death, Abdelwahad is expected to provide for his mother and his seven brothers. But faced with the cycle of poverty that rural farmers seem doomed to repeat, he dares to hope for something better. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory.
Beats of the Antonov
d: Hajooj Kuka, Sudan/South Africa 2014, 65 min
Set in the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountain regions of Sudan, Beats of the Antonov celebrates South Sudan’s vibrant musical culture surviving by any means necessary in the face of their prolonged civil war.
Beti and Amare
d: Andy Siege, Ethiopia/Germany 2014, 94 min
In this dreamy sci-fi fantasy, teenage Beti is forced to hide away in her uncle’s isolated hut to avoid Mussolini’s troops. Her strange dreams lead her to fall in love with a man who emerges from a glowing egg and may be a vampire.
Black Girl (La Noire de…)
d: Ousmane Sembène, Senegal/France 1966, 65 min
This 1966 film explores the complex dynamics and larger post-colonial implications that arise between a young Senegalese maid and the French family that employs her. This quiet, observational drama was esteemed African filmmaker Ousmane Sembène’s first feature film. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Sembène Estate, Institut National de l’Audiovisuel, INA and Centre National de Cinématographie, CNC.Restoration carried out at Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory; 4k scan performed at Eclair laboratories.
The Boda Boda Thieves (Abaabi ba boda boda)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Donald Mugisha, Uganda/Kenya 2015, 85 min
On teenage boy Abel’s first day of work as a boda boda (moto-taxi) driver to support his poor family, his bike is stolen, leaving him in pursuit of the ruthless thief who stole their livelihood. A Bicycle Thieves for urban Africa.
Breathe Umphefumlo
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Mark Dornford-May, South Africa/United Kingdom 2015, 89 min
Combining “La Boheme” with the tuberculosis epidemic in South Africa, Breathe Umphefumloprovides a dynamic twist on the classic opera through a uniquely African context and emotional urgency that’s not to be missed.
Challat of Tunis (Le Challat de Tunis)
d: Kaouther Ben Hania, Tunisia/France 2014, 90 min
A masked assailant rides through the Tunisian capital on a motor scooter slashing the backsides of women in jeans and short skirts in Kaouther Ben Hania’s genre-bending mockumentary about sexist attitudes in Arab culture.
Décor
d: Ahmad Abdalla, Egypt 2014, 116 min
An overworked film production designer begins to lose her grip on reality, slipping into the life she is creating on her latest movie set. This meta-movie playfully comments on the conventions of the classic “women’s picture.”
Excuse My French (Lamoakhzaa)
AFRICAN PICTURES FILM & PARTY
d: Amr Salama, Egypt 2014, 99 min
In this family comedy and Egyptian box office smash, 12-year-old Hany, a precocious kid from a privileged Coptic Christian family, must adjust when a change in circumstances sends him to the local majority-Muslim public school.
I Am the People (Je Suis le Peuple)
d: Anna Roussillon, France 2014, 111 min
I Am the People chronicles the 2011 revolution in Egypt and subsequent events from the perspective of a poor farming family in the country’s south, a depiction of world events refreshing in its warmth, wit, and humanity.
The Malagasy Way (Ady Gasy)
d: Lova Nantenaina, Madagascar/France 2014, 84 min
Filmed with a fascinated lens, this documentary explores the way of the Malagasy people and a third-world community portrait that is anything but bleak, as it celebrates a culture where wealth isn’t needed to find happiness and joy in the things you do.
Morbayassa
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Cheick Fantamady Camara, Guinea 2015, 122 min
Bella befriends a UN worker who promises to help her escape her domineering pimp and find the daughter she gave up for adoption 15 year ago in this tense, female-centered drama.
Run
d: Philippe Lacôte, Ivory Coast/France 2014, 97 min
After assassinating the Prime Minister, Run looks back on the varied mentors in his life, from a village rainmaker to a professional eater to the imperious revolutionary who’s living the gangster life, in this striking feature debut which reflects Ivory Coast’s recent, tumultuous history.
Sugarcane Shadows (Lonbraz Kann)
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: David Constantin, Mauritius/France 2014, 88 min
Residents of Mauritius fight to maintain their culture despite a pervasive tourism economy and increased globalization. Gorgeous cinematography and non-actor authenticity ground David Constantin’s first feature.
The following short films will screen during SIFF 2015 as part of African Pictures.
The Call
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Zamo Mkhwanazi, South Africa 2014, 11 min
An emotionally disconnected taxi driver realizes that he does not want his prostitute girlfriend to abort the child that could be his.
I’m Not Here
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Jack Markovitz, South Africa 2014, 9 min
After his calls are repeatedly ignored, a young man turns to Facebook to tell a girl what he thinks
A Quiet Memory (Uma Memória Quieta)
US PREMIERE
d: Inadelso Cossa, Mozambique 2014, 14 min
Langa dramatically details his history as a political prisoner in 1970s Mozambique.
Treat (Zawadi)
d: Richard Card, Kenya 2014, 12 min
In the Kenyan slums of Kibera, a ten-year-old boy hustles to provide for his family, taking him away from his crush on her birthday.
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Comedy “SPY” Starring Melissa McCarthy to Open 2015 Seattle International Film Festival
Spy, “the side-splitting, action-packed, globetrotting comedy from the mind of Paul Feig,” and starring Emmy-winning and Oscar®-nominated Melissa McCarthy, will be the Opening Night Film for the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival on Thursday, May 14, 2015.
A hilariously incisive send-up of the spy genre, Spy stars McCarthy as Susan Cooper, an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst who is the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. When her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham, spoofing the gritty roles that have made him famous) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer and prevent a global disaster.
The ensemble cast also features Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) as Cooper’s agency chief and Rose Byrne (The Neighbors) as a Bulgarian assassin. Bobby Cannavale (Adult Beginners), Morena Baccarin (“Homeland”), Miranda Hart (“Call the Midwife”), and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson round out the incredible lineup. The film, which is from 20th Century Fox, will open nationwide on June 5, 2015.
Director Paul Feig is scheduled to attend the evening’s festivities. He will participate in a Q&A following the screening moderated by SIFF Artistic Director Carl Spence. Notes Carl, “Paul Feig has done the impossible and catapulted Melissa McCarthy to even funnier heights than her previous roles in The Heat and Bridesmaids. I actually need to see this hilarious film again – the first time I saw it, the audience was laughing so loud, I missed some of the lines! Witty, smart, and thrilling,Spy is destined to be one of the biggest hits of the summer – it’s the perfect movie to open the largest and best attended film festival in the country.”
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Lynn Shelton’s LAGGGIES, Starring Keira Knightly to Open Seattle Intl Film Festival’s Women in Cinema,
LaggiesSeattle International Film Festival‘s annual Women in Cinema, returns, on Wednesday September 18 to 21, 2014, showcasing exceptional films made by women from around the world. The four-day event will feature 12 exciting features and documentaries. Opening Night takes place at the soon-to-be-opened SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and features Seattle favorite Lynn Shelton’s new film Laggies, starring Keira Knightly.
The festival continues with Danish master Pernille Christensen’s award-winning Someone You Love; stunning foreign Oscar® submissions from Norway (I Am Yours) and the Philippines (Transit); and enlightening new documentaries from Jessica Yu (Misconception), Winter’s Bone director Debra Granik (Stray Dog), and Tina Mascara and Guido Santi (Monk with a Camera). A screening of NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) shorts will also be presented, as well as an eye-opening panel presented by Women in Film on how groundbreaking female filmmakers are eschewing traditional methodologies to get their films made. All of these films and the panel will be held at SIFF Cinema Uptown.
Laggies
d: Lynn Shelton c: Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell, USA 2014, 95 minHaving spent her twenties comfortably inert, 28-year-old Megan (Keira Knightley) finds herself squarely in an adulthood crisis with no career prospects, no particular motivation to find one and no one to relate to, including her high school boyfriend. When he proposes, Megan panics and – at least temporarily – hides out in the home of her new friend, 16-year-old Annika (Chloë Grace Moritz) and Annika’s world-weary single dad (Sam Rockwell).
Transit
d: Hannah Espia c: Ping Medina, Irma Adlawan, Jasmine Curtis, Marc Justine Alvarez, Mercedes Cabral, Omer Juran, Philippines 2013, 93 minThis affecting and very timely drama deals with the struggle of an extended Filipino family working in Israel but faced with the prospect of separation when a new law threatens their children with deportation. The Philippines’ Oscar Submission.
Inbetween Worlds
d: Feo Aladag c: Ronald Zehrfeld, Abdul Salam Yosofzai, Saida Barmaki, Germany 2014, 102 minGerman army commander Jesper forms a bond with his Afghani translator, Tarik, as they try to protect a village from the growing Taliban influence. Gorgeously shot on location in Afghanistan, Inbetween Worlds is fair-handed without becoming overly sentimental or inflammatory.
Rocks in My Pockets
d: Signe Baumane, USA/Latvia 2014, 88 minFive fantastical animated tales based on the courageous women of Latvian filmmaker Signe Baumane’s family and their battles with madness. With boundless imagination, a twisted sense of humor, and a unique, beautifully textured combination of papier-mâché stop-motion and classic hand-drawn animation, Baumane has produced a poignant and often hilarious tale of mystery, mental health, redemption and survival. FIPRESCI Award, Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Monk With a Camera
d: Tina Mascara, Guido Santi c: Nicholas Vreeland, Khyongla Rinpoche, Richard Gere, USA 2013, 90 minIn this enthralling documentary portrait, Nicholas Vreeland, grandson of fashion icon Diana Vreeland, is headed for life as a high-powered photographer until he undergoes a personal transformation: next stop, life as a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
Misconception
d: Jessica Yu Narrated by: Kyra Sedgwick, USA 2014, 93 minFor almost 50 years, the world’s population has grown at an alarming rate, raising fears about strains on the Earth’s resources. But how true are these claims? Taking cues from statistics guru Hans Rosling, Misconception offers a provocative glimpse at how the world – and women in particular – are tackling a subject at once personal and global.
The Last Season
d: Sara Dosa, USA 2014, 78 minAmid the bustling world of Central Oregon’s wild mushroom hunting camps, two former soldiers discover the means to gradually heal their wounds of war, bonding over the search of the elusive and lucrative matsutake mushroom.
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Seattle International Film Festival Announces 2014 Award Winners; “Boyhood” Sweeps with 3 Golden Space Needle Awards
Boyhood The 40th Seattle International Film Festival announced the winners of the SIFF 2014 Golden Space Needle and Competition Awards. Boyhood sweeps with 3 Golden Space Needle Awards including Best Film, Director, and Actress, Keep On Keepin’ On wins Golden Space Needle for Best Documentary. The 25-day festival, which began May 15, featured 452 films representing 83 countries, including 44 World Premieres (20 features, 24 shorts), 30 North American Premieres (22 features, 8 shorts), 14 US Premieres (8 features, 6 shorts), and over 770 Festival screenings and events.
Carl Spence, SIFF’s Artistic Director, says, “This has been an extraordinary 40th anniversary Festival. From welcoming back Richard Linklater to Seattle with his groundbreaking epic Boyhood, to honoring Laura Dern, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Quincy Jones for their masterful work, to welcoming Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who has brought Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life for years, to the hundreds of first-time directors making their debut, it’s been another year of indelible cinematic experiences. Every year, it’s so thrilling to see our legendary Seattle audiences discover our lineup of films and wholly immerse themselves in the Festival experience. Congratulations to every single film and filmmaker that we had the opportunity to present!”
Adds Mary Bacarella, SIFF’s Managing Director, “Beginning with our big Opening Night announcement about the purchase of the SIFF Cinema Uptown and lease on the historic Egyptian Theatre, this Festival has blown away all of my expectations. Each day (and there’s 25 of them!) seemed to bring even more exciting events and can’t-miss moments. I’m thrilled to be leading SIFF in this time of growth, and can’t wait to get to work on bringing incredible films to two neighborhood cinemas.”
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST FILM
Boyhood, directed by Richard Linklater (USA 2014)
First runner-up: Life Feels Good, directed by Maciej Pieprzyca (Poland 2013)
Second runner-up: How to Train Your Dragon 2, directed by Dean DeBlois (USA 2014)
Third runner-up: The Fault in Our Stars, directed by Josh Boone (USA 2014)
Fourth runner-up: Big in Japan, directed by John Jeffcoat (USA 2014)GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY
Keep On Keepin’ On, directed by Alan Hicks (USA 2014)
First runner-up: Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory, directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett (USA 2014)
Second runner-up: I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story, directed by Dave LaMattina, Chad Walker (USA 2014)
Third runner-up: Strictly Sacred: The Story of Girl Trouble, directed by Isaac Olsen (USA 2014)
Fourth runner-up: The Case Against 8, directed by Ben Cotner, Ryan White (USA 2014)GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DIRECTOR
Richard Linklater, Boyhood (USA 2014)
First runner-up: Maciej Pieprzyca, Life Feels Good (Poland 2013)
Second runner-up: Zaza Urushadze, Tangerines (Estonia/Georgia 2013)
Third runner-up: Pawel Pawlikowski, Ida (Poland 2013)
Fourth runner-up: Sara Colangelo, Little Accidents (USA 2014)GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTOR
Dawid Ogrodnik, Life Feels Good (Poland 2013)
First runner-up: Guillaume Gallienne, Me, Myself and Mum (Belgium/France/Spain 2013)
Second runner-up: Matt Smith, My Last Year With the Nuns (USA 2014)
Third runner-up: Felix Bossuet, Belle & Sebastien (France 2013)
Fourth runner-up: Igor Samobor, Class Enemy (Slovenia 2013)GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood (USA 2014)
First runner-up: Juliette Binoche, 1,000 Times Good Night (Norway 2013)
Second runner-up: Agata Kulesza, Ida (Poland 2013)
Third runner-up: Jenny Slate, Obvious Child (USA 2014)
Fourth runner-up: Jördis Triebel, West (Germany 2013)GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM
Fool’s Day, directed by Cody Blue Snider (USA 2013)
First runner-up: The Hero Pose, directed by Mischa Jakupcak (USA 2013)
Second runner-up: Strings, directed by Pedro Solis (Spain 2013)
Third runner-up: Mr. Invisible, directed by Greg Ash (United Kingdom 2014)
Fourth runner-up: Aban + Khorshid, directed by Darwin Serink (USA 2014)LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION
Bound: Africans Versus African Americans, directed by Peres Owino (USA 2014)
This award is given to the female director’s film that receives the most votes in public balloting at the Festival. Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. As a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence, SIFF created this special award and asked Women in Film Seattle to bestow it.
SIFF 2014 COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF 2014 BEST NEW DIRECTOR
GRAND JURY PRIZE
10,000KM, directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet (Spain/USA 2014)JURY STATEMENT: Our unanimous winner is Carlos Marques-Marcet’s 10,000KM for its ability to simply and creatively convey the complexity and fragility of human relationships with gorgeous attention to detail.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
B For Boy, directed by Chika Anadu (Nigeria 2013)JURY STATEMENT: Our special jury mention goes to B For Boy’s director Chika Anadu for her assured and fierce storytelling.
Festival programmers select 12 films remarkable for their original concept, striking style, and overall excellence. 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 New Directors Jury is comprised of Ron Leamon (costume designer), Sharon Swart (journalist), and Helen du Toit (Artistic Director, Palm Springs International Film Festival).
SIFF 2014 BEST DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Marmato, directed by Mark Grieco (Colombia/USA 2014)JURY STATEMENT: We give the documentary prize to Marmato. With courage and ambition, director Mark Grieco artfully brings to life a personal story with global significance and provides a window into a world that few would have access to.
SPECIAL JURY MENTIONS
Dior and I,directed by Frédéric Tcheng (France 2014) and Garden Lovers, directed by Virpi Suutari (Finland 2014)JURY STATEMENT: We want to give special recognition for the aesthetic richness and cinematography of these films.
Unscripted and uncut, the world is a resource of unexpected, informative, and altogether exciting storytelling. Documentary filmmakers have, for years, brought these untold stories to life and introduced us to a vast number of fascinating topics we may have never known existed-let alone known were so fascinating. The Documentary Jury is comprised of Brian Brooks (FilmLinc.com), Claudia Puig (USA Today), and Pat Saperstein (Variety).
SIFF 2014 BEST NEW AMERICAN CINEMA
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Red Knot, directed by Scott Cohen (USA/Argentina/Antarctica 2014)JURY STATEMENT: An ethnographic journey to the South Pole becomes an unsettling tale of fumbled love and transcendent redemption, capped by an extraordinary performance from Olivia Thirlby.
Festival programmers select 12 films without U.S. distribution that are sure to delight audiences looking to explore the exciting vanguard of New American Cinema and compete for the FIPRESCI Award for Best New American Film. The New American Cinema Jury is comprised of members of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI): Juan Manuel Dominguez, Gerald Peary, and Amber Wilkinson.
SIFF 2014 FUTUREWAVE AND YOUTH JURY AWARDS
YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Dear White People, directed by Justin Simien (USA)JURY STATEMENT: For skillfully using humor as a vehicle for social awareness, breaking the mold of traditional cinematic archetypes, and unifying audiences of all backgrounds.
YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FILMS4FAMILIES FEATURE
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Belle & Sebastien, directed by Nicolas Vanier (France)JURY STATEMENT: For its realistic characters, beautiful scenery and cinematography, and strong, touching theme of friendship through hard times.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang, directed by Óskar Santos (Spain)JURY STATEMENT: For being a funny, adventurous story about the importance of creativity in children’s lives.
FUTUREWAVE WAVEMAKER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN YOUTH FILMMAKING
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Malone Lumarda, Black Rock Creek (USA)JURY STATEMENT: For its gentle depiction of a young girl exploring her natural surroundings that was both captivating and realistic.
FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
While We’re Asleep, directed by Summer Matthews (USA)FUTUREWAVE PRODIGY CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
Khidr Joseph, Clapping for the Wrong Reasons (USA)SIFF 2014 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
All short films shown at the Festival are eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Award and Jury Award. Jurors choose winners in the Narrative, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each jury winner will receive $1,000 and winners in any of the three categories may also qualify to enter their respective films in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.
LIVE ACTION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Twaaga, directed by Cédric Ido (Burkina Faso/France)JURY STATEMENT: A rich and compelling world with beautiful cultural and generational chapters. The seamless use of animated comic book imagery to reflect the protagonist’s journey and the larger political backdrop.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Aban + Khorshid, directed by Darwin Serink (USA)JURY STATEMENT: A beautifully filmed and tragic story, based on real life events, about freedoms here that carry the death penalty elsewhere.
DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Maikaru, directed by Amanda Harryman (USA)JURY STATEMENT: An honest, vulnerable and authentic piece that exposes an invisible issue that is happening in Seattle and worldwide. The character’s story of healing leaves the audience with a sense of hope. The use of artistic footage illustrating the character’s transformative journey.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
The Queen (La Reina), directed by Manuel Abramovich (Argentina)JURY STATEMENT: Effective framing, to craft a haunting portrait of youth in exhibition pageants.
ANIMATION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Rhino Full Throttle, directed by Erik Schmitt (Germany)JURY STATEMENT: A story of self redemption told through quirky and playful animation bounding with shifting formats that would be dizzying if the story wasn’t so timeless. An animated love story that tips its hat to its own genre.
The Short Film Jury comprised of Laura Jean Cronin (B47 Studios), Craig Downing (Couch Fest Films), and Brooks Peck (EMP Museum).
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The Best in New American Independent Cinema: Catalyst Program Kicks Off This Weekend at Seattle International Film Festival.
Five Star Now in its third year, the Catalyst program kicks off this weekend at the 40th annual Seattle International Film Festival. The program includes six films and four panels over the course of one trailblazing weekend. As crowdfunding platforms and new digital technologies pave the way for more storytellers, both film festivals and distributors often still serve as the primary filter between these new films and their prospective audiences; the Catalyst program aims to change that by connecting filmmakers and their films directly with their audience.
Carl Spence, SIFF’s Artistic Director, says, “The Catalyst program is still relatively new to the Festival, but it’s only becoming more relevant and revelatory. I’m thrilled to welcome these directors to the Festival and share their new voices with our cinema-loving audience.”
This year’s program includes something for everyone, including the North American premiere of Bradley King’s complex time travel thriller, Time Lapse. SIFF 2012 FIPRESCI-winning writer/director Keith Miller returns with his stunning sophomore effort, Five Star, and we welcome Slamdance co-founder Lise Raven’s taut period mystery Kinderwald, the second in a three-part series. Catalyst 2014 is also proud to present three World premieres: Scott Cohen’s Antarctica-set relationship piece Red Knot (starring Vincent Kartheiser and Olivia Thirlby), debut director Joshua Caldwell’s kinetic French-language drama Layover, and producer-turned-director Sean Mullin’s (Recalled, SIFF 2012) nuanced multicultural romance Sam & Amira.
The Catalyst program also offers a full day of inspiring panels, including the highly anticipated filmmaker panel – featuring all six Catalyst directors – and a keynote address from Emily Best, the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark. Following the Catalyst panels will be a Happy Hour at 4:00 PM.
By supporting the next generation of independent storytellers through film screenings and panels, the Catalyst program hopes to remove some of the barriers that exist between filmmakers and audiences. A sea change is coming in the indie film world, and the SIFF Catalyst program offers a front row seat to the new normal.
Brad Wilke, the SIFF programmer who spearheads the Catalyst program, says, “SIFF developed the Catalyst program to support the discovery, cultivation, and development of new voices in independent film. We accomplish this both through our year-round educational offerings, such as our monthly First Draft live script-reading series, as well as the six-film Festival program (and day of industry panels). I’m really excited about this year’s incredible lineup!”
The 40th Seattle International Film Festival runs from May 15 through June 8, 2014 at venues in Seattle and around the Northwest.
THE FILMS
Five Star
d: Keith Miller c: James Grant, John Diaz, Jasmin Burgos, Tamara Robinson, Wanda Colon
USA 2014, 83 minA riveting drama following a blooming mentorship between Primo, an East New York Blood, and John, the son of a fallen gang member, as a shared secret threatens both men’s futures.
Kinderwald
d: Lise Raven c: Emily Behr, Frank Brückner, Max Cove, Leopold Fischer Pasternak
USA 2013, 87 minThis visually stunning drama illustrates the journey of a man who must bring his dead brother’s wife and sons across rural 19th century Pennsylvania.
Layover
d: Joshua Caldwell c: Nathalie Fay, Karl E. Landler, Bella Dayne, Hal Ozsan
USA 2014, 83 minWhen Simone lands in Los Angeles on her way to Singapore and finds her flight cancelled, a mysterious motorcyclist convinces Simone to ride along through LA’s glittering nightlife.
Red Knot
d: Scott Cohen c: Vincent Kartheiser, Olivia Thirlby, Billy Campbell, Lisa Harrow
USA 2014, 82 minA beautifully shot meditation on love and loss about New York couple Peter and Chloe falling into marital crisis while on a research vessel en route to Antarctica.
Sam & Amira
d: Sean Mullin c: Martin Starr, Dina Shihabi, Paul Wesley, Laith Nakli, David Rasche
USA 2014, 90 minForbidden love and complicated emotions are explored in the relationship between Sam, an Iraq war veteran, and Amira, an Iraqi immigrant on the verge of deportation.
Time Lapse
d: Bradley King c: Danielle Panabaker, Matt O’Leary, George Finn, Amin Joseph
USA 2014, 103 minA “Twilight Zone”-esque indie about three opportunistic friends who discover a machine with a mysterious power – it takes pictures exactly 24 hours into the future.
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SIFF Announces 2014 ShortFest Jury Award Winners; “Twaaga” Wins Grand Jury Prize
Twaaga, directed by Cedric IdoThe Seattle International Film Festival, the largest and most highly attended festival in the United States, announced today this year’s ShortsFest Jury Award winners. ShortsFest Weekend, SIFF’s celebration of the short film, takes place every year over Memorial Day Weekend at SIFF Cinema Uptown. This year’s Festival (May 15 – June 8) features 168 short films, including 24 World, 8 North American, and 6 US premieres.
Carl Spence, SIFF’s Artistic Director, says, “ShortsFest Weekend is always one of the most fun events of the Festival. Once again this year, the selection reveals the incredible vibrancy and diversity of the short form. The audience here in Seattle loves shorts, and it’s great to bring these filmmakers together for the long weekend so they can share ideas while we celebrate their work.”
Adds Beth Barrett, Director of Programming, “From recognizable names to emerging talent, ShortsFest 2014 showcased an impressive array of films. Six years ago, SIFF became an Academy Award®-qualifying festival, and we are proud to be part of the development of these significant voices in filmmaking.”
ShortsFest jurors choose winners in the Live Action, Documentary, and Animation categories. All ShortsFest films shown at the Festival are also eligible for Golden Space Needle Audience Awards. Each ShortsFest Grand Jury winner will receive $1,000, and the winners in the three categories are eligible for the Academy Awards® in their respective Short Film category (Live Action, Documentary, or Animated). ShortsFest is sponsored by The Mac Store and Classical KING FM 98.1.
SIFF 2014 SHORTSFEST AWARD WINNERS
LIVE ACTION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Twaaga, directed by Cedric Ido (Burkina Faso, France)JURY STATEMENT: A rich and compelling world with beautiful cultural and generational chapters. The seamless use of animated comic book imagery reflects the protagonist’s journey and the larger political backdrop.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Aban + Khorshid, directed by Darwin Serink (USA)JURY STATEMENT: A beautifully filmed and tragic story, based on real life events, about freedoms here in the US that carry the death penalty elsewhere.
DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Maikaru, directed by Amanda Harryman (USA)JURY STATEMENT: An honest, vulnerable, and authentic piece that exposes an invisible issue that is happening in Seattle and worldwide. The character’s story of healing leaves the audience with a sense of hope. The use of artistic footage illustrates the character’s transformative journey.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
The Queen (La Reina), directed by Manuel Abramovich (Argentina)JURY STATEMENT: Effective framing crafts a haunting portrait of youth in exhibition pageants.
ANIMATION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Rhino Full Throttle, directed by Erik Schmitt (Germany)JURY STATEMENT: A story of self redemption told through quirky and playful animation bounding with shifting formats that would be dizzying if the story wasn’t so timeless. An animated love story that tips its hat to its own genre.
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Full Lineup Announced for 40th Seattle International Film Festival; “The One I Love” to Close Fest
The One I Love Seattle International Film Festival unveiled the complete lineup of films and events for the 40th annual Festival taking place May 15 to June 8, 2014. This year, SIFF will screen 440 films: 198 features (plus 4 secret films), 60 documentaries, 14 archival films, and 168 shorts, representing 83 countries. The Festival will open with the previously announced screening of JIMI: All Is By My Side, the Hendrix biopic starring Outkast’s André Benjamin from John Ridley, Oscar®-winning screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave, and close with Charlie McDowell’s twisted romantic comedy The One I Love, produced by Seattle’s Mel Eslyn and starring Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass.
In addition, legendary producer and Seattle native Quincy Jones will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the screening of doc Keep on Keepin’ On.
In addition to the gala screenings, this year’s premieres and special presentations feature a star-studded lineup including Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Laura Dern in The Fault in Our Stars, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood with Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke; Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock in Keep On Keepin’ On; Kim Basinger, Richard Jenkins and Cam Gigandet in 4 Minute Mile; Trent Reznor and Billy Corgan in Beautiful Noise; Nia Vardalos in Helicopter Mom; Vincent Kartheiser and Olivia Thirlby in Red Knot; Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Miranda Otto, and Mia Wasikowska in The Turning; the voices of Cate Blanchett, Kristen Wiig, and Jay Baruchel in How To Train Your Dragon 2; Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey in I Origins,and Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler in They Came Together.
COMPETITIONS
New Directors Competition
10,000KM (d: Carlos Marques-Marcet, Spain/USA 2014)
40 Days of Silence (d: Saodat Ismailova, Uzbekistan/Tajikistan/Netherlands/Germany/
France 2014, North American Premiere)
B For Boy (d: Chika Anadu, Nigeria 2013)
Eastern Boys (d: Robin Campillo, France 2013)
History of Fear (d: Benjamín Naishtat, Argentina/Uruguay/France/Germany 2013)
Life Feels Good (d: Maciej Pieprzyca, Poland 2013)
Macondo (d: Sudabeh Mortezai, Austria 2014, North American Premiere)
Me, Myself and Mum (d: Guillaume Gallienne, Belgium/France/Spain 2013)
Remote Control (d: Byamba Sakhya, Mongolia/Germany/USA 2013)
Rhymes for Young Ghouls (d: Jeff Barnaby, Canada (Québec) 2013, US Premiere)
Standing Aside, Watching (d: Yorgos Servetas, Greece 2013)
Viktoria (d: Maya Vitkova, Bulgaria/Romania 2014)
New American Cinema Competition
Festival programmers select 12 films without U.S. distribution that are sure to delight audiences looking to explore the exciting vanguard of New American Cinema and compete for the FIPRESCI Award for Best New American Film. Jury is comprised of 3 members from the International Federation of Film Critics.
Alex of Venice (d: Chris Messina, USA 2014)
Another (d: Jason Bognacki, USA 2014, World Premiere)
Five Star (d: Keith Miller, USA 2014)
Kinderwald (d: Lise Raven, USA 2013)
Layover (d: Joshua Caldwell, USA 2014, World Premiere)
Little Accidents (d: Sara Colangelo, USA 2014)
Medeas (d: Andrea Pallaoro, USA/Italy/Mexico 2013)
Red Knot (d: Scott Cohen, USA/Argentina/Antarctica 2014, World Premiere)
Sam & Amira (d: Sean Mullin, USA 2014, World Premiere)
The Sleepwalker (d: Mona Fastvold, USA/Norway 2014)
Time Lapse (d: Bradley King, USA 2014, North American Premiere)
X/Y (d: Ryan Piers Williams, USA 2014)
Documentary Competition
Ballet 422 (d: Jody Lee Lipes, USA 2014)
#ChicagoGirl – The Social Network Takes on a Dictator (d: Joe Piscatella, USA/Syria 2013, North American Premiere)
Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus (d: Madeleine Sackler, United Kingdom/USA/Belarus 2013, US Premiere)
Dior and I (d: Frédéric Tcheng, France 2014, 89 min)
Garden Lovers (d: Virpi Suutari, Finland 2014, US Premiere)
I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (d: Dave LaMattina, USA 2014)
Leninland (d: Askold Kurov, Russia/Germany/Netherlands 2013, North American Premiere)
Marmato (d: Mark Grieco, Colombia/USA 2014)
Obama Mama (d: Vivian Norris, USA/Poland/France 2014, World Premiere)
Shake the Dust (d: Adam Sjöberg, USA 2014, World Premiere)
Song of the New Earth (d: Ward Serrill, USA 2014, World Premiere)
Two Raging Grannies (d: Håvard Bustnes, Norway/Denmark/Italy 2014, North American Premiere)
FACE THE MUSIC
Seattle is a music-obsessed city, so it’s only fitting that the Festival features films that showcase the many ways in which music affects our lives, ranging from biopics and documentaries to concert films and live events. This year’s Live Performance Event features Keep on Keepin’ On subject and Quincy Jones-signed artist Justin Kauflin live with his trio at the Triple Door.
20,000 Days on Earth (d: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard f: Nick Cave, United Kingdom 2014, 95 min)
Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory (d: Michael Rossato-Bennett, USA 2014, 74 min)
Beautiful Noise (d: Eric Green f: Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan, Robert Smith, Wayne Coyne, USA 2014, 87 min)
Big in Japan (d: John Jeffcoat c: David Drury, Philip A. Peterson, Sean Lowry, Alex Vincent, Adam Powers, USA/Japan 2014, 100 min)
Electro Chaabi (d: Hind Meddeb, Egypt/France 2013, 77 min)
Finding Fela (d: Alex Gibney, USA 2014, 120 min)
God Help the Girl (d: Stuart Murdoch c: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Cora Bissett, Pierre Boulanger, United Kingdom 2014, 111 min)
Keep On Keepin’ On (d: Alan Hicks f: Clark Terry, Justin Kauflin, Quincy Jones, Gwen Terry, Herbie Hancock, USA 2014, 84 min)
Lady Be Good: Instrumental Women In Jazz (d: Kay D. Ray Narrated by: Patrice Rushen, USA 2014, 80 min)
Razing the Bar (d: Ryan Worsley f: Brian Foss, Joetta Velasquez, Bill Bullock, Chris Chambers, Jake Stratton, Rachel Ratner, USA 2014, 83 min)
Song of the New Earth (d: Ward Serrill f: Tom Kenyon, USA 2014, 89 min)
Strictly Sacred: The Story of Girl Trouble (d: Isaac Olsen f: Kurt Kendall, Bill Henderson, Bon Henderson, Dale Phillips, Neko Case, USA 2014, 95 min)
NORTHWEST CONNECTIONS
Seattleites see more films per capita than the residents of any other American city. This year’s lineup of films with their roots in the Pacific Northwest reveals a filmmaking region officially on the map. Every year, SIFF honors the many ways in which the Puget Sound region contributes to the world of cinema, whether it’s as an evocative location for outside filmmakers or inspiration for local filmmakers on the rise.
4 Minute Mile (d: Charles-Olivier Michaud c: Kelly Blatz, Richard Jenkins, Kim Basinger, Cam Gigandet, Analeigh Tipton, USA 2014, 96 min)
BFE (d: Shawn Telford c: Wally Dalton, Kelsey Packwood, Aleksander Greenleaf, Ian Lerch, Abby Dylan, USA 2014, 98 min)
Big in Japan (d: John Jeffcoat c: David Drury, Philip A. Peterson, Sean Lowry, Alex Vincent, Adam Powers, USA/Japan 2014, 100 min)
The Breach (d: Mark Titus Narrated by: Kate O’Toole, USA 2014, 85 min)
Burkholder (d: Taylor Guterson c: Bob Burkholder, Britton Crosley, David VanderWal, Sean MacLean, James Molyball, USA 2014, 81 min)
DamNation (d: Ben Knight, Travis Rummel, USA 2014, 92 min)
Desert Cathedral (d: Travis Gutiérrez Senger c: Lee Tergesen, Chaske Spencer, Petra Wright, Tony Doupe, Russell Hodgkinson, Aron Michael Thompson, USA 2014, 90 min)
Fly Colt Fly: The Legend of The Barefoot Bandit (d: Adam Gray, Andrew Gray, Canada 2013, 82 min)
Lucky Them (d: Megan Griffiths c: Toni Collette, Thomas Haden Church, Oliver Platt, Ahna O’Reilly, USA 2013, 96 min)
My Last Year With the Nuns (d: Bret Fetzer c: Matt Smith, USA 2014, 77 min)
Oil & Water (d: Laurel Spellman Smith, Francine Strickwerda, USA 2014, 78 min)
Razing the Bar (d: Ryan Worsley f: Brian Foss, Joetta Velasquez, Bill Bullock, Chris Chambers, Jake Stratton, Rachel Ratner, USA 2014, 83 min)
Sold (d: Jeffrey Brown c: Niyar Saikia, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette, USA/India, Nepal, United Kingdom 2014, 97 min)
Song of the New Earth (d: Ward Serrill f: Tom Kenyon, USA 2014, 89 min)
Strictly Sacred: The Story of Girl Trouble (d: Isaac Olsen f: Kurt Kendall, Bill Henderson, Bon Henderson, Dale Phillips, Neko Case, USA 2014, 95 min)
Two Raging Grannies (d: Håvard Bustnes, Norway/Denmark, Italy 2014, 78 min)
AFRICAN PICTURES
Now in its second year, this program once again presents an impressive and diverse selection of films from and about Africa. Supported by a generous multi-year grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, African Pictures brings the best in cinema to audiences in Seattle and the broader Northwest. Featured selections include indigenous films, films by African filmmakers working outside the continent, and films on topics relating to Africa’s changing contemporary political and social landscape.
African Metropolis (d: Marie Ka, Philippe Lacote, Ahmed Ghoneimy, Vincent Moloi, Folsakin Iwajomo, Jim Chuchu, Kenya/Ivory Coast/Egypt/Senegal/Nigeria/ South Africa 2013, 92 min)
B For Boy (d: Chika Anadu c: Uche Nwadili, Nonso Odogwu, Ngozi Amarikwa, Frances Okeke, Iheoma Opara, Nigeria 2013, 118 min)
Bound: Africans versus African Americans (d: Peres Owino, USA 2014, 90 min)
Difret (d: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari c: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere, Ethiopia 2014, 99 min)
Electro Chaabi (d: Hind Meddeb, Egypt/France 2013, 77 min)
Finding Fela (d: Alex Gibney, USA 2014, 120 min)
Four Corners (d: Ian Gabriel c: Brendon Daniels, Irshaad Ally, Jezriel Skei, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Abduragman Adams, South Africa 2014, 119 min)
Half of a Yellow Sun (d: Biyi Bandele c: Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Boyega, Anika Noni Rose, Joseph Mawle, Nigeria/United Kingdom 2013, 106 min)
Leading Lady (d: Henk Pretorius c: Gil Bellows, Katie McGrath, Brumilda van Rensburg, Bok van Blerk, Eduan van Jaarsveldt, South Africa 2014, 96 min)
Rags and Tatters (d: Ahmad Abdalla c: Asser Yassin, Atef Yousef, Amr Abed, Yara Gubran, Mohamed Mamdouh, Egypt 2013, 87 min)
The Rooftops (d: Merzak Allouache c: Adila Bendimerad, Nassima Belmihoub, Ahcene Benzerari, Aïssa Chouat, Mourad Khen, Algeria/France 2013, 92 min)
Salvation Army (d: Abdellah Taïa c: Saïd Mrini, Karim Ait M’Hand, Amine Ennaji, Malika El Hamaoui, Frederic Landenberg, Morocco/France 2013, 82 min)
Under the Starry Sky (d: Dyana Gaye c: Marème Demba Ly, Ralph Amoussou, France/Senegal 2013, 86 min)
White Shadow (d: Noaz Deshe c: Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu, Salum Abdallah, Germany/Italy/Tanzania 2013, 115 min)
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40th Seattle International Film Festival To Open With Jimi Hendrix Biopic
The Seattle International Film Festival announced that the Opening Night Film for its 40th annual Festival will be Jimi: All Is By My Side. Musician, actor, and style icon André Benjamin stars as Seattle rock legend Jimi Hendrix in this film from Academy Award®-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave). Ridley is scheduled to attend the Opening Night festivities on Thursday, May 15.
It’s 1966 and James Hendrix is an unknown backup guitarist in New York City. One night, Linda Keith (rising British talent Imogen Poots) – girlfriend to Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards – happens to catch a set he’s playing and, mesmerized by his skills, brings Hendrix into her inner circle in London. There, Hendrix has the freedom to develop his craft and personal style. Before long, however, he finds himself caught between Linda’s protective grasp and the charms of a new admirer (Hayley Atwell, Captain America). With these two women by his side, Jimi, as he is now known, navigates the London music scene and begins to make his mark in the world of rock ‘n’ roll – the rest is history.
Ridley, who also wrote and executive produced the film, has crafted a daring, wholly original interpretation of an artist’s origins, perfectly blending his story with archival footage of the era. Benjamin’s magnetic, nuanced performance is the beating heart of Jimi: All Is By My Side; he brilliantly distills the essence of Hendrix before Hendrix. The result is an intimate portrait of the early, momentous years in the life of the legendary guitarist.
The film will be released in theaters this summer by XLrator Media with Open Road Films.
Carl Spence, SIFF’s Artistic Director, says, “I can’t think of a more fitting film to open our 40th – as SIFF looks back on where we’ve come from and forward to where we’re going, we’re inviting everyone to come together to see a film that traces the origins of a Seattle music legend. The film and music communities of Seattle have proved to be a source of incredible creative expression capable of garnering attention worldwide, and Jimi encapsulates that.”
Adds Mary Bacarella, SIFF’s Managing Director, “I am thrilled to kick off the Festival with such an exciting film and guests. 2014 has been an incredible year for Seattle, with the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl and Macklemore taking the world by storm – SIFF’s 40th Festival will keep the party going!”
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Seattle International Film Festival Reveals First Films for 2014 – African Pictures Lineup
Four CornersThe Seattle International Film Festival taking place May 15 to June 8, 2014, revealed the selection of films from and about Africa as part of its African Pictures program. Supported by a generous multi-year grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, African Pictures brings the best in cinema to audiences in Seattle and the broader Northwest. This year’s lineup includes the world premiere of Leading Lady, the latest comedic romp from the director of SIFF 2013 audience favorite Fanie Fourie’s Lobola. In addition, Four Corners makes its North American premiere and brings a stark and gritty narrative of strategy and the streets to SIFF audiences.
In 2013, the inaugural African Pictures lineup challenged and delighted viewers with documentaries, comedies, political dramas, and snappy shorts. SIFF 2013’s Best Director Golden Space Needle Award, a write-in competition open to all films in the Festival, went to Nabil Ayouch for his Horses of God, an African Pictures selection from Morocco. Likewise, Fanie Fourie’s Lobola, an African Pictures romantic comedy from South Africa, took home the Best Film Golden Space Needle Award.
The following African Pictures titles are the first films to be announced among official selections of the 2014 Seattle International Film Festival. Screening details to follow on May 1.
African Metropolis
d: Marie Ka, Philippe Lacote, Ahmed Ghoneimy, Vincent Moloi, Folsakin Iwajomo, Jim Chuchu, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa 2013, 92 minFilmmakers from across the African continent paint a vivid picture of a new, urbanized Africa through innovative short stories featuring six fast-growing major cities: Abidjan, Cairo, Dakar, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Nairobi.
B For BoyB For Boy
d: Chika Anadu c: Uche Nwadili, Nonso Odogwu, Ngozi Amarikwa, Frances Okeke, Nigeria 2013, 118 minIn Chika Anadu’s award-winning debut film, Amaka, a 40-year-old Nigerian woman, is expected to produce a male heir. But when the baby dies in utero, she desperately searches for a solution that would keep her husband from taking a second wife.
DifretDifret
d: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari c: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere, Ethiopia 2014, 99 minAfter being beaten, assaulted, and kidnapped, 14-year-old Aberash shoots and kills her attacker in an act of self-defense, pitting herself and her tenacious lawyer against Ethiopia’s long-standing tradition of marriage by abduction. Based on an extraordinary true story.
Electro ChaabiElectro Chaabi
d: Hind Meddeb, Egypt/France 2013, 77 minThey started as performers in the poorest neighborhoods of Cairo; now they’re among Egypt’s fastest-rising stars. Unlikely musical celebrities, their electrifying version of Arab hip hop has flourished across social classes to become the inspiring soundtrack to a tumultuous time.
Finding FelaFinding Fela
d: Alex Gibney, USA 2014, 120 minAfrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti’s magnetism reverberates through time. The social and political significance of his life’s work is considered through historic clips and scenes from the Broadway musical FELA!
Four Corners
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
d: Ian Gabriel c: Brendon Daniels, Irshaad Ally, Jezriel Skei, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Abdurahman Adams, South Africa 2014, 114 min13-year-old chess prodigy Ricardo gets caught between two long-warring gangs, the 26s and the 28s of the pitiless Cape Flats of South Africa, just as the father he’s never known is released from prison.
Half of a Yellow SunHalf of a Yellow Sun
d: Biyi Bandele c: Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Boyega, Anika Noni Rose, Joseph Mawle, Nigeria/United Kingdom 2013, 106 minBased on the eponymous novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun follows the lives of two Nigerian sisters in the 1960s who return home after receiving educations in England. The tumultuous Nigerian Civil War is the backdrop to this author-approved drama adaptation.
Leading Lady
WORLD PREMIERE
d: Henk Pretorius c: Gil Bellows, Katie McGrath, Brumilda van Rensburg, Bok van Blerk, Eduan van Jaarsveldt, South Africa 2014, 96 minFrom the director of Fanie Fourie’s Lobola, winner of the SIFF 2013 Golden Space Needle Award for Best Film, comes this uplifting tale of a teacher and struggling actress who enlist a South African sheep farmer in helping her prepare for a make-or-break film role.
Rags and TattersRags and Tatters
d: Ahmad Abdalla c: Asser Yassin, Atef Yousef, Amr Abed, Yara Gubran, Mohamed Mamdouh, Egypt 2013, 87 minA nameless fugitive fights his way through the chaos of revolutionary Cairo to deliver cell phone footage of police brutality from his dying friend to the outside world. Hailed as “a touchstone of post-revolutionary Egyptian cinema.”
The RooftopsThe Rooftops
d: Merzak Allouache c: Adila Bendimerad, Nassima Belmihoub, Ahcene Benzerari, Aïssa Chouat, Mourad Khen, Algeria/France 2013, 92 minAlgeria’s most beloved director weaves the story of five Algiers neighborhoods organized according to the five calls to prayer over the course of a single day.
Salvation ArmySalvation Army
d: Abdellah Taïa c: Saïd Mrini, Karim Ait M’hand, Amine Ennaji, Malika El Hamaoui, Frederic Landenberg, Morocco/France 2013, 82 minInspired by the director’s own experiences, the film recounts the journey of a gay Moroccan teenager who uses his sexuality to advance his position in, and eventually escape, the society that shuns him. A brave, provocative film that tackles taboo issues to offer a new vision of the queer Arab experience.
Under the Starry SkyUnder the Starry Sky
d: Dyana Gaye c: Marème Demba Ly, Ralph Amoussou, Souleymane Seye N’Diaye, Maya Sansa, Babacar M’Baye Fall, France/Senegal 2013, 86 minThrough three emotionally charged story lines, taking viewers from Senegal to Italy to America and back again, the destinies of three far-flung sojourners connect in this transcontinental drama that’s a richly realized examination of the African diaspora and the often fractal nature of contemporary emigration.
White ShadowWhite Shadow
d: Noaz Deshe c: Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu, Salum Abdallah, Germany/Italy, Tanzania 2013, 115 minIn Tanzania, young albino Alias is on the run after witnessing his father’s murder. He finds city life as fraught with danger as the bush in this intense and stunning feature debut centering on crime perpetrated because of superstition.
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“OUR NIXON” “C.O.G.” Among Top Winning Films at 39th Seattle International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_4092" align="alignnone" width="550"]
C.O.G.[/caption]The 39th Seattle International Film Festival announced the winners of the SIFF 2013 Competition and Golden Space Needle Audience Awards – OUR NIXON, directed by Penny Lane won the GRAND JURY PRIZE for Best Documentary and C.O.G., directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez won the GRAND JURY PRIZE for Best New American Cinema. OUR NIXON is described as an “all-archival documentary, constructed from Super8 footage shot by three White House aides (Watergate conspirators Ehrlichman, Haldeman, and Chapin), creates an intimate and complex portrait of the Nixon presidency, as it has never been seen before.” C.O.G. is described as the “first film adaptation of David Sedaris’ work .. a funny and poignant portrait of a lost soul and the amusing characters he meets as he pursues his Steinbeckian dream—to spend his summer working on an apple farm in Oregon.”
SIFF 2013 COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF 2013 BEST NEW DIRECTOR
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Harmony Lessons, directed by Emir Baigazin (2013, Kazakhstan)JURY STATEMENT: Emir Baigazin’s astounding debut feature Harmony Lessons set the bar for all the films that the Narrative Jury watched before and after. On one level, it’s the simple tale of a bullied Muslim boy in rural Kazakhstan. But as no single child’s life is ever as simple as adults believe, from the moment we meet the dark-eyed, pimply hero chasing down a family sheep to slaughter with his aging babushka, to his ultimate act of vengeance in his struggle for survival, his confrontation with bullies at his local school spirals into a larger tale of societal dominance and submission. Power relations based on intimidation and violence flow from boy to sheep, alpha boy to beta, local police to accused criminals, and ultimately an entire society defined by a hierarchy of male bullying male. Visually exact, transparently acted by a mostly juvenile cast, and quietly terrifying, this Kazakhstan/Germany/France co-production is a hard-won lesson in how brutal life can be that is told with spellbinding assurance by a visionary young talent.
SIFF 2013 BEST DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Our Nixon, directed by Penny Lane (2013, USA)JURY STATEMENT: For Best Documentary the prize goes to Penny Lane for Our Nixon. For this original telling of the unraveling of the Nixon presidency, Lane poured over a mountain of archival Super 8 home movie footage and audio to take a story that we think we already know and give it a fresh and human perspective.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
The Crash Reel, directed by Lucy Walker (2013, USAJURY STATEMENT: We’re giving a Special Jury Prize to Lucy Walker for The Crash Reel, a deeply emotional and nuanced look at snowboarder and Olympic hopeful Kevin Pearce, his inspiring journey back from traumatic brain injury, and the healing power of family.
SIFF 2013 BEST NEW AMERICAN CINEMA
GRAND JURY PRIZE
C.O.G., directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez (USA, 2013)JURY STATEMENT: We, the members of FIPRESCI, are very pleased to award the International Critics Prize for Best New American Film to C.O.G., written and directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez. Unsentimental yet openhearted, Alvarez’s adaptation of David Sedaris’ essay tells a compelling story of youthful self-actualization, of defining encounters with class, sex and religion, that refuses to succumb to the dictates of fashionable identity politics. Its narrative trajectory is fundamentally wayward, yet its clipped, idiosyncratic pacing, its evocative visualization of the fecund landscapes and overcast light of the Pacific Northwest, and its use of the percussive music of Steve Reich converge to immerse us in a very particular world, and to create a film of unlikely momentum, unnerving humour and subtle emotional resonance.
SIFF 2013 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARDS
BEST FILM GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD
Fanie Fourie’s Lobola, directed by Henk Pretorius (South Africa, 2013)
First runner-up: The Rocket, directed by Kim Mordaunt (Australia, 2013)
Second runner-up: Monsters University, directed by Dan Scanlon (USA, 2013)
Third runner-up: Decoding Annie Parker, directed by Steven Bernstein (USA, 2013)
Fourth runner-up: Still Mine, directed by Michael McGowan (Canada, 2013)
Rounding out the top ten: Short Term 12, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (USA, 2013); Horses of God, directed by Nabil Ayouch (Morocco, 2013); Circles, directed by Srdan Golubovic (Serbia, 2013); The Forgotten Kingdom, directed by Andrew Mudge (USA, 2013); Unfinished Song, directed by Paul Andrew Williams (United Kingdom, 2012); Populaire, directed by Régis Roinsard (France, 2012).BEST DOCUMENTARY GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD
Twenty Feet from Stardom, directed by Morgan Neville (USA, 2013)First runner-up: The Punk Singer, directed by Sini Anderson (USA, 2013)
Second runner-up: Harana, directed by Benito Bautista (Philippines, 2012)
Third runner-up: Alive and Well, directed by Josh Taft (USA, 2013)
Fourth runner-up: Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (USA, 2013)
Rounding out the top ten: Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth, directed by Pratibha Parmar (USA, 2013); Finding Hillywood, directed by Leah Warshawski, Chris Towey (USA, 2013); Evergreen: The Road to Legalization in Washington, directed by Riley Morton (USA, 2013); SOMM, directed by Jason Wise (USA, 2012); The Otherside, directed by Daniel Torok (USA, 2013); Inequality for All, directed by Jacob Kornbluth (USA, 2013).BEST DIRECTOR GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD
Nabil Ayouch, Horses of God, (Morocco, 2012)First runner-up: David Ondříček, In the Shadow, (Czech Republic, 2012)
Second runner-up: Joss Whedon, Much Ado About Nothing, (USA, 2012)
Third runner-up: Thomas Vinterberg, The Hunt, (Denmark, 2012)
Fourth runner-up: Andrew Mudge, The Forgotten Kingdom, (USA, 2013)
Rounding out the top ten: Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell, (Canada, 2012); Brady Hall, Scrapper, (USA, 2013);Juan Carlos Maneglia,Tana Schémbori, 7 Boxes, (Paraguay, 2012); Reha Erdem, Jin, (Turkey, 2012); Michael Mayer, Out in the Dark, (Israel, 2012);Destin Daniel Cretton, Short Term 12, (USA, 2013).BEST ACTOR GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD
James Cromwell, Still Mine, (Canada, 2012)First runner-up: Mads Mikkelsen, The Hunt, (Denmark, 2012)
Second runner-up: Terence Stamp, Unfinished Song (United Kingdom, 2012)
Third runner-up: Ivan Trejon, In the Shadow, (Czech Republic, 2012)
Fourth runner-up: Sabin Tambrea, Ludwig II, (Germany, 2013)
Rounding out the top ten: Michael Beach, Scrapper, (USA, 2013);Niels Arestrup, You Will Be My Son, (France, 2012); Edward Hogg, Imagine, (Poland, 2012); Ali Suliman, The Attack, (Lebanon, 2012); Casey Affleck, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (USA, 2013); Paul Eenhoorn, This is Martin Bonner, (USA, 2013).BEST ACTRESS GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD
Samantha Morton, Decoding Annie Parker, (USA, 2013)First runner-up: Onata Aprile, What Maisie Knew, (USA, 2012)
Second runner-up: Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha, (USA, 2012)
Third runner-up: Juliane Köhler, Two Lives, (Germany, 2012)
Fourth runner-up: Martina Gedeck, The Wall, (Austria, 2012)
Rounding out the top ten: Brie Larson, Short Term 12, (USA, 2013); Robin Weigert, Concussion, (USA, 2013); Lisa Tomaschewsky, The Girl With Nine Wigs, (Germany, 2013); Anna Giles, Scrapper, (USA, 2013); Jeanne Moreau, A Lady in Paris, (Estonia, 2012); Alma Prica, Halima’s Path, (Croatia, 2012).BEST SHORT FILM GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD
Spooners, directed by Bryan Horch (USA, 2012)First runner-up: My Right Eye (The Apple of My Eye), directed by Josecho de Linares (Spain, 2012)
Second runner-up: Malaria, directed by Edson Oda (Brazil, 2013)
Third runner-up: Fora, directed by Ayuub Kasasa Mago (Rwanda, 2012)
Fourth runner-up: While You Weren’t Looking, directed by Jeremy Mackie (USA, 2012)
Rounding out the top ten: Good Karma $1, directed by Jason Berger, Amy Laslett (USA, 2012); Noodle Fish, directed by Jin-man Kim (South Korea, 2012); Walking the Dogs, directed by Jeremy Brock (United Kingdom, 2012); The Roper, directed by Ewan McNichol, Anna Sandilands (USA, 2012); Macropolis, directed by Joel Simon (United Kingdom, 2012); Penny Dreadful, directed by Shane Atkinson (USA, 2012).LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION, PRESENTED BY WOMEN IN FILM/SEATTLE
The Punk Singer, directed by Sini Anderson (USA, 2013)REEL NW AWARD, PRESENTED BY KCTS 9
REEL NW AWARD
GRAND JURY PRIZE Big Joy, directed by Eric Slade and Stephen Silha (USA)JURY STATEMENT: The Seattle International Film Festival assembled an impressive array of Northwest Connection films in 2013, with stories ranging from heart-breaking illness to life-affirming music, from the ballot box to the scrap yard, from Northwest noir to volatile blends of fact and fiction, and many places in between. Quality was very high across the board, great news for local film fans and a difficult challenge for the jurors. In a very close decision, the 2013 Reel NW Award goes to a beautifully constructed film that personifies the essence of independent creative spirit and re-discovers a great American story, which has been largely forgotten.
SIFF 2013 FUTUREWAVE AND YOUTH JURY AWARDS
YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE
GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Spectacular Now, directed by James Ponsoldt (USA)JURY STATEMENT: For its relatable story that embodies the teenage struggle in a realistic manner and for its powerful ensemble of actors, the Youth Jury Award for Best FutureWave Feature goes to The Spectacular Now.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Blackbird, directed by Jason Buxton (Canada)The FutureWave Jury would also like to give a Special Jury Prize toBlackbird for its subtly powerful and original story featuring compelling performances.
YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FILMS4FAMILIES FEATURE
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Ernest & Celestine, directed by Benjamin Renner, Stephane Aubier, and Vincent Patar (France)JURY STATEMENT: The film we chose told a fascinating story about characters from two different worlds learning to be friends. Through their friendship we learned that even though two worlds may seem completely different, in many ways they are the same.
WAVEMAKER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN YOUTH FILMMAKING
GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Painted Girl, directed by Ben Kadie (USA, 2013)FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
Piece of Cake, directed by Susan Procopio and Katherine Procopio (Canada, 2012)THEFILMSCHOOL PRODIGY CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
A Quest for Peace: Nonviolence Among Religions, directed by Matthew Evans (USA, 2013)Runner up: Laser Rabbit, directed by Matt Wells (USA, 2013)
SIFF 2013 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
As a qualifying festival of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, short films that received the Grand Jury Prize for Best Live Action, Animated, and Documentary Short at SIFF may qualify to enter the Short Films category of the Academy Awards® for the concurrent season without the standard theatrical run, provided the film complies with the Academy rules. Winners received a $1,000 cash prize.
LIVE ACTION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
My Right Eye (The Apple of My Eye), directed by Josecho de Linares (Spain, 2012)JURY STATEMENT: For its beautifully crafted and profound exploration of love and loss told through touching performances that depict a young man’s authentic journey of rediscovery, the jury awards Best Narrative Short to The Apple of My Eye, written and directed by Josecho de Linares.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZES
Penny Dreadful, directed by Shane Atkinson (USA, 2012)
Mobile Homes, directed by Vladimir de Fontenay (USA/France, 2012)
Decimation, directed by Wade Jackson (USA, 2013)
JURY STATEMENT: For its stylish direction and a terrific performance by Oona Laurence as a young kidnap victim who turns the tables on her abductors, the jury would like to give a Special Jury Mention to the short film Penny Dreadful. The jury would also like to award a Special Jury Mention to Mobile Homes, a suspenseful, moving narrative with where the main characters stumble upon a most unexpected mean of escape. The jury awards a Special Jury Mention for outstanding ensemble filmmaking supported by the Northwest filmmaking community to the cast and crew of Decimation, written and directed by Wade Jackson.DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Keep a Modest Head, directed by Deco Dawson (Canada, 2012)JURY STATEMENT: Although there were many great films to discuss and debate, ultimately there was one film that the jury unanimously felt was particularly worthy of receiving the Best Documentary Short award. For its brilliantly surrealistic imagining of the life of the last of the surrealists, the jury gives its award to Keep A Modest Head, directed by Deco Dawson.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Today, directed by Philip Montgomery (USA, 2013)
JURY STATEMENT: For its touching and inspiring story about a man who learns to find meaning in his life’s work even after a tragic accident, the jury awards a Special Jury Mention to Today, directed by Phillip Montgomery.ANIMATION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Woody, directed by Stuart Bowen (Australia)JURY STATEMENT: For the award for Best Animated Short, the jury has unanimously decided upon a film that told a lovely story about a guy who was just like everyone else, but wanted deeply to be something different than what he was. The filmmakers took the art of film as a visual medium to heart – with no dialogue and without facial expressions, they crafted a complete story that evoked compassion for the character. The jury awards Best Animated Short to Woody, directed by Stuart Bowen.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Malaria, directed by Edson Oda (Brazil, 2013)
The Hunter, directed by Marieka Walsh (Australia, 2012)
JURY STATEMENT: For its intriguing and original visual storytelling, combined with the tautness of an old-school Western, the jury awards a Special Jury Mention to Malaria, directed by Edson Shundl Oda. We had a very difficult time making a final decision between two films. After much discussion, the jury has decided to award a Special Jury Mention to The Hunter, directed by Marieka Walsh, for its beautifully simple, yet deeply emotional illustrations integrated into a folk-tale of a story.
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“MY RIGHT EYE” Wins Top ShortsFest Jury Award at Seattle International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_3997" align="alignnone" width="550"]
My Right Eye (The Apple of my Eye)[/caption]“MY RIGHT EYE” (The Apple of My Eye), written and directed by Josecho de Linares (Spain) was the big winner – winning the GRAND JURY PRIZE – when the 39th Seattle International Film Festival announced this year’s ShortsFest Jury Award winners. The film is described as the story of “Zurdo who has a a special relationship with his grandmother. Since he went away to study they have lost contact. On the last day of summer Zurdo decides to visit her with the intuition that he might not see her again.”
Trailer Cortometraje / Short Film: Mi Ojo Derecho (My Right Eye) from Josecho de Linares on Vimeo.
SIFF 2013 SHORTSFEST AWARD WINNERS
LIVE ACTION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
My Right Eye (The Apple of My Eye), directed by Josecho de Linares (Spain)
JURY STATEMENT: For its beautifully crafted and profound exploration of love and loss told through touching performances that depict a young man’s authentic journey of rediscovery, the jury awards Best Narrative Short to The Apple of My Eye, written and directed by Josecho de Linares.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZES
Penny Dreadful, directed by Shane Atkinson (USA)
Mobile Homes, directed by Vladimir de Fontenay (USA/France)
Decimation, directed by Wade Jackson (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: For its stylish direction and a terrific performance by Oona Laurence as a young kidnap victim who turns the tables on her abductors, the jury would like to give a Special Jury Mention to the short film Penny Dreadful. The jury would also like to award a Special Jury Mention to Mobile Homes, a suspenseful, moving narrative with where the main characters stumble upon a most unexpected means of escape. The jury awards a Special Jury Mention for outstanding ensemble filmmaking supported by the Northwest filmmaking community to the cast and crew of Decimation, written and directed by Wade Jackson.DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Keep a Modest Head, directed by Deco Dawson (Canada)
JURY STATEMENT: Although there were many great films to discuss and debate, ultimately there was one film that the jury unanimously felt was particularly worthy of receiving the Best Documentary Short award. For its brilliantly surrealistic imagining of the life of the last of the surrealists, the jury gives its award to
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Today, directed by Philip Montgomery (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: For its touching and inspiring story about a man who learns to find meaning in his life’s work even after a tragic accident, the jury awards a Special Jury Mention to Today, directed by Phillip Montgomery.ANIMATION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Woody, directed by Stuart Bowen (Australia)
JURY STATEMENT: For the award for Best Animated Short, the jury has unanimously decided upon a film that told a lovely story about a guy who was just like everyone else, but wanted deeply to be something different than what he was. The filmmakers took the art of film as a visual medium to heart – with no dialogue and without facial expressions, they crafted a complete story that evoked compassion for the character. The jury awards Best Animated Short toWoody, directed by Stuart Bowen.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZES
Malaria, directed by Edson Oda (Brazil)
The Hunter, directed by Marieka Walsh (Australia)
JURY STATEMENT: For its intriguing and original visual storytelling, combined with the tautness of an old-school Western, the jury awards a Special Jury Mention to Malaria, directed by Edson Shundl Oda. We had a very difficult time making a final decision between two films. After much discussion, the jury has decided to award a Special Jury Mention to The Hunter, directed by Marieka Walsh, for its beautifully simple, yet deeply emotional illustrations integrated into a folk-tale of a story.FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AWARDS
WAVEMAKER AWARD (GRAND PRIZE)
The Painted Girl, directed by Ben Kadie (USA)
THEFILMSCHOOL PRODIGY CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS
A Quest for Peace: Nonviolence Among Religions, directed by Matthew Evans (USA)
Runner up: Laser Rabbit, directed by Matt Wells (USA)
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Much Ado About Nothing To Open 2013 Seattle International Film Festival
The 2013 Seattle International Film Festival will kick off on Thursday, May 16, 2013 with the Seattle premiere of Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing. The film stars Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Clark Gregg, Reed Diamond, Fran Kranz, and Nathan Fillion.
Shakespeare’s classic comedy is given a contemporary spin in Joss Whedon’s film, Much Ado About Nothing. Shot in just 12 days and cast with a bunch of Whedon’s famous friends, they use the original text to tell the story of sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick, offering a dark, sexy and occasionally absurd view of the intricate game that is love.
The 2013 Seattle International Film Festival will run May 16 to June 9th 2013
http://youtu.be/KT8TWSJYrJU