SIFF kicks off in Seattle
May 17, 2012, 7:11 AM | Updated: 8:23 am
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It’s a big night for local film buffs, the Seattle
International Film Festival kicks off Thursday at the
glamorous digs of McCaw Hall.
Thursday is the fancy-schmancy side of the Festival,
the Opening Night Gala at Seattle’s McCaw Hall.
Everybody gets all dressed up and after the movie
there’s a party in the lobby with free drinks and fancy
food and music.
There’s added excitement this year because for the
first time in its 38 year history, the Festival’s Opening
Night movie is from Seattle.
The film is called “Your Sister’s Sister.” Its
director, Lynn Shelton, is from Seattle and it’s filmed in
the San Juan Islands. To top it off, it’s a really good
movie, one of those rare romantic comedies that feel real.
I hope to interview Lynn Thursday night, and let you
hear from her directly on Friday’s Seattle Morning News.
Speaking of Friday, that’s when the Festival begins in
earnest. Everybody puts away their fancy clothes and gets
down to the serious business of film-going.
Dozen
best bets for SIFF 2012
Here are the numbers:
For the next 25 days, we have a chance to see 273
feature films from 75 different countries at 8 Seattle
theatres, plus a week’s worth of films in Renton, Everett,
and Kirkland.
In addition to all the movies, there are special
tributes to Oscar-winner Sissy Spacek (Coalminer’s
Daughter, Carrie) who will do an onstage interview at the
Uptown Theatre and an Evening with William Friedkin, the
Oscar winning director of The Exorcist and The French
Connection. He’s bringing his latest film with him, a
controversial movie that’s been given an NC-17 rating for
violence.
SIFF is the largest film festival in the country – with
over 150,000 people attending each year.
Check out all that is going on at the SIFF website.
By TOM TANGNEY
