SIFF non-profit slashes staff after festival ends
Jun 5, 2025, 3:00 PM
SIFF Cinema Egyptian in Capitol Hill (Photo courtesy of SIFF Cinema)
(Photo courtesy of SIFF Cinema)
The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) non-profit has announced it will lay off nine full-time employees, reducing its administrative staff by 21%.
The decision was shared with staff during a meeting on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after the conclusion of this year’s festival, according to The Seattle Times.
SIFF’s executive director, Tom Mara, explained the choice to reduce staff was made around three weeks ago. However, discussions about these cuts had been ongoing since April with the organization’s board.
The nonprofit had already been trimming costs, reducing technology expenses, renegotiating vendor contracts, and scaling back the festival in previous years. Despite these measures, further cuts became necessary.
SIFF cuts staff amid revenue and venue challenges
Mara stated that the main reason for the layoffs was a decline in revenue. The Seattle Times reported that SIFF needed to reduce its initial $11 million budget by approximately $900,000 to $1 million. Andrea Stuart-Lehalle, SIFF’s chief operating officer, added that the layoffs and hourly reductions are expected to save about $500,000 by the end of the year.
The announcement comes amid a series of setbacks for SIFF. The historic SIFF Egyptian theater remains closed following flood damage in November, and the annual festival has reduced both the number of films shown and the length of the event.
Despite the challenges, attendance grew slightly from nearly 90,000 tickets sold in 2023 to just under 95,000 in 2024.
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