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52nd Seattle International Film Festival runs May 7-17
The 52nd Seattle International Film Festival runs May 7 through May 17. SIFF kicks off a celebration of movies—Classics, documentaries, first-looks and a whole lot more. Joining Adam Gehrke on Good Day Seattle, is SIFF Program Director Megan Leonard.
SEATTLE - The 52nd Seattle International Film Festival kicks off Thursday, May 7 in Seattle, showcasing a massive lineup of global cinema and personal appearances from Hollywood stars.
Global cinema takes over Seattle
What we know:
This year’s festival is a massive undertaking, with a team of about 25 programmers culling through approximately 4,000 submissions to finalize the lineup. The resulting schedule includes 203 features and shorts representing 59 different languages.
Programming Director Megan Leonard noted in an interview on Good Day Seattle with Adam Gehrke, that while there isn't one specific theme, the festival is "tackling all sorts of hot button issues" and giving audiences "a window into all those different elements."
Star-studded screenings and secret films
The festival features several notable guests, including director Boots Riley for the opening night film "I Love Boosters" and Olivia Wilde, who is expected to attend the closing night screening of "The Invite."
Leonard expressed particular excitement for the return of Riley, who previously brought "Sorry to Bother You" to SIFF in 2018.
"This film is a continuation of his surrealist visions," Leonard said.
A unique SIFF tradition returning this year is "Secret Fest," which takes place each Sunday. The premise relies on absolute confidentiality from the audience.
"Folks do have to sign an NDA," Leonard explained. "They are never allowed to speak about those films."
Local flavors and notable picks
Local perspective:
One of the festival's standout documentaries, "The Big Cheese," features a local connection. One of the cheese mongers highlighted in the film owns "Street Cheese," a shop located in the Ballard neighborhood. Both the filmmakers and the Seattle-based cheese mongers are expected to attend the screening.
By the numbers:
- 203: Total films including shorts and features.
- 71: Countries represented in this year's lineup.
- 4,000: Total film submissions reviewed by the programming team.
- 25: Number of programmers who selected the final films.
What's next:
The festival runs through May 17. Those interested in attending can find full schedules, ticket information, and venue details at SIFF.net.
The Source: Information in this story came from an interview on Good Day Seattle with SIFF Programming Director Megan Leonard regarding the 52nd annual festival schedule and highlights, SIFF.net and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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