Spring has sprung and if you’ve thoughts of leaping or gambolling outdoors well, carry on, while some of us seek distraction from the world in one of the loveliest ways possible, through film, at the 51st Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) to be held May 15-25.
Playing at various locations in Seattle, SIFF brings a broad lineup of films, and viewpoints, from around the world. The films present an opportunity to view the concerns of a diverse group of people, who we may only ever meet on the screen. For those unable to make it to in-person shows, select encore screenings will be available on the SIFF Channel May 26–June 1.
The importance of seeing the humanity of others cannot be understated in these times. Luckily for audiences, SIFF’s focus this year is on international and independent voices including a variety of films by Asian creators in this year’s program categories including, New American Cinema, Asian Crossroads, Documentary, Contemporary World Cinema and Future Wave.
The following selections are just a taste of what’s on offer and should in no way stop anyone from perusing all the selections for their viewing pleasure:
Sook-Yin Lee’s Paying for It is about a Toronto-based cartoonist who hires sex workers after he and his partner redefine their relationship.
Between Goodbyes by Jota Mun is a debut documentary film about a Dutch adoptee and her Korean birth parents.
Another debut film, Blue Sun Palace is Constance Tsang’s social realist drama about two Queens-based Chinese immigrants who navigate life after tragedy strikes.
Set in rural China, The Botanist is Jing Yi’s coming of age story about a lonely 13-year-old Kazakh boy who befriends a local Han girl.
Artists often articulate the hidden and submerged. The films at this year’s SIFF represent humanity in all its complexity, even if they may not be to everyone’s taste. The films reveal what’s it’s like to speak your truth. Let’s reward that bravery by watching their work–especially important in times when speech is silenced.
