25 Days of 2017 Seattle International Film Festival: Daily picks and suggestions
With approximately 400 feature-length and short films screening at the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival, the massive schedule can be pretty overwhelming.
To simplify the SIFF experience, here are 25 picks for each of the 25 days of SIFF, which begins May 18 and continues through June 11. If you can only catch one movie a day, here are some daily suggestions.
This collection includes a sampling of genres, including thrillers, horror, dramas documentaries and more from the nearly 160 feature-length films. When possible, many of these films made this list because a special guest is scheduled to attend that days selection.
The entire festival lineup can be found at the Seattle International Film Festival site, SIFF.net.
Day 1: "The Big Sick"
Thurs, May 18: Lauded by critics as a favorite of the film festival season, the true story rom-com has been picked as one of the best films screened at Sundance and SXSW. It has currently earned a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Director Michael Showalter ('Hello, My Name is Doris'), actor/co-writer Kumail Nanjiani, co-writer Emily V. Gordon scheduled to attend.
7pm at McCaw Hall
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 2: "Lemon"
Fri, May 19: The directorial debut of Janicza Bravo is an absurd, dark comedy that was a pick as one of the best films at Sundance this year.
Director Janicza Bravo and actor Brett Gelman ('Love') scheduled to attend.
9:30pm at SIFF Egyptian
Day 3: "The Trip to Spain"
Sat, May 20: Completing the "The Trip" trilogy, this latest film once again follows Steven Coogan and Rob Brydon on a scenic road trip while trading barbs and eating great food.
Screening will followed by a reception at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
7pm at Pacific Place
Day 4: "Step"
Sun, May 21: This documentary makes a great statement on the value and opportunities of education and a powerful film about strong girls becoming strong women.
Director Amanda Lipitz is scheduled to attend.
6pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 5: "Manifesto"
Mon, May 22: Selected as one of the best films of Sundance and Tribeca, this Cate Blanchett gives a performance showcase as she plays 13 characters.
9pm a SIFF Uptown
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 6: "Dina"
Tues, May 23: This Grand Jury prize winner at Sundance follows a pair of autistic adults in this rom-com documentary.
4pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 7: "Hedi"
Weds, May 24: A strong lead performance anchors this drama following a quiet man's last days before his arranged marriage - when he meets a free-spirited woman.
9:30pm at SIFF Uptown
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 8: "ShortsFest Opening Night"
Thurs, May 25: ShortsFest is always a great selection of stories - ranging from dramas to comedy.
7pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 9: "City of Ghosts"
Fri, May 26: The latest from the director of "Cartel Land" follows a group of underground citizen journalists risking their lives to fight ISIS.
Director Matthew Heineman is scheduled to attend.
6:30pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 10: "The Hero"
Sat, May 27: This featured presentation of the An Afternoon with Sam Elliott event is such a performance showcase for the great actor that it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the role.
Actor Sam Elliott and director Brett Haley ('I'll See You in My Dreams') are scheduled to attend
4pm at SIFF Egyptian
Day 11: "The Little Hours"
Sun, May 28: This profane and over-the-top trailer for this comedy about lewd nuns looks too good to pass up.
12:30pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 12: "Band Aid"
Mon, May 29: This indie comedy has much more dramatic depth than its light-sounding premise lets on.
Director Zoe Lister-Jones ('Life in Pieces') and Executive Producer Daryl Wein scheduled to attend
5:30pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 13: "Two Irenes"
Tues, May 30: A pair of girls - one an introvert and the other an extrovert - living in neighboring towns discover they share much more than just their name.
Actress Priscilla Bittencourt scheduled to attend
6pm at SIFF Uptown
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 14: "Crown Heights"
Weds, May 31: Breaking "Short Term 12" actor Lakeith Stanfield stars in this true story of a man wrongfully convicted of murder and his friend who worked to prove his innocence for more than two decades. Celebrated as one of the best films at Sundance by Slash Film and Business Insider.
7pm at Pacific Place
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 15: "Patti Cake$"
Thurs, June 1: The Hollywood Report,Variety and IndieWire called this drama - about an New Jersey girl chasing her dream of becoming a rap superstar - one of the best films at Sundance.
Director Geremy Jasper is scheduled to attend
6:30pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 16: "I, Daniel Blake"
Fri, June 2: This British drama - about a carpenter who suffers a heart attack and must fight a bureaucracythat says he must work - has won major honors at the BAFTA, Cannes, Cesar Awards and Vancouver Film Festival.
4:30pm at Pacific Place
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 17: "Landline" (Centerpiece Gala)
Sat, June 3: Selected by Esquire and Slash Film as one of the best films at Sundance, "Landline" reunites the director and star of the indie gem "Obvious Child" for this story about two sisters plotting to expose their cheating father in the pre-cell phone '90s.
Director Gillian Robespierre, actors Jenny Slate & Abby Quinn scheduled to attend
5:30pm at SIFF Egyptian
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 18: "Wind River"
Sun, June 4: Hot off his screenwriting success with "Hell or High Water," Taylor Sheridan directs Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen in this story of an FBI agent and a game tracker investigating a murder.
8:30pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 19: "Kati Kati"
Mon, June 5: A young woman wakes up in the middle of Kenya with no memory and is told that she is in limbo and everyone is dead in this drama that won awards at Toronto Int'l Film Festival and Palm Springs Int'l Film Festival.
9pm at SIFF Uptown
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 20: "Backpack Full of Cash"
Tues, June 6: Matt Damon narrates this Kickstarter-funded examination of an increasingly privatized American education system, and its affects on the nation's children.
Director Sarah Mondale scheduled to attend
7pm at Pacific Place
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 21: "Trouble"
Weds, June 7: The feature presentation of the "Tribute to Angelica Huston" event is the world premiere of her latest flick, which pits a fueding brother and sister.
Tributee Anjelica Huston, director Theresa Rebeck scheduled to attend
7pm at SIFF Egyptian
Day 22: "Gook"
Thurs, June 8: Winner of the "Best of Next!" audience award at Sundance, this black-and-white flick following two Korean brothers on the first day of 1992 L.A. riots has been called a mash-up of Spike Lee and "Clerks."
Director Justin Chon scheduled to attend
7pm at SIFF Uptown
Day 23: "A Ghost Story"
Fri, June 9: One of the tragically heralded great films of 2013 was "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" - and "Ghost Story" reteams its director and lead actors (Best Actor Academy Award winner Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara) for this tale of a deceased husband trying to connect with his grieving widow.
Director David Lowery scheduled to attend
9:30pm at SIFF Uptown
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 24: "God's Own Country"
Sat, June 10: Filmmaker Francis Lee won Best Director at Sundance and the Manner Jury Award for Best Film at the Berlin Int'l Film Festival for this story of a binge drinker whose life is upheaved by the arrival of a migrant worker.
6:30pm at SIFF Egyptian
(Photo courtesy of Seattle International Film Festival. Used with permission.)
Day 25: "Better Watch Out"
Sun, June 11: This 'Home Alone'-ish thriller pitting a pair of kids against a home invasion doesn't just have an awesome sounding premise - it has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has won several film festival honors, including Best Australian Feature Film at Monster Fest.
6:30pm at SIFF Egyptian
