Listen, digital editor Chase Burns and I hustled through a long line for "Press + Influencers" to get into the press preview of the 45th Seattle International Film Festival last night. "Influencers" was scribbled in pen beneath "Press" on the sign. We downed two beers in a matter of minutes before sitting through trailers of all the programmers' top movies, thumbing through the well-organized SIFF guide. This year, the festival will screen 410 (!) films from 86 countries over its 25-day run from May 16 to June 9.
The fest kicks off with Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton's Sword of Trust, starring everyone's favorite comedian-they're-weirdly-attracted-to-because-they're-working-out-their-issues-with-artistic-older-men Marc Maron and Michaela Watkins. The film, about two sisters who try to pass off an inherited Confederate store to a grumpy pawnshop owner, made its world premiere at 2019 SXSW and will open in July. Both Maron and Shelton will be in attendance at the screening on Thursday, May 16.
The tentpole of this whole affair, the "Centerpiece Gala," is the Mindy Kaling-written Late Night, a comedy about a late night TV show host played by Emma Thompson. Kaling plays her diversity hire. Comedy ensues (allegedly). Kaling and Thompson are not expected to be in attendance, in case you were hoping for it.
But, most excitingly, actress Regina Hall (who had major roles in the Scary Movie franchise, Girls Trip, Think Like a Man, Little—she's a black cinema icon) will be receiving the Seattle International Film Festival Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema as part of their celebration of women in comedy. Hall recently got a lot of attention for her more dramatic performance in indie flick Support the Girls, which will screen after Hall's award presentation and onstage interview on Sunday, June 2.
The Farewell closes this puppy out on Sunday, June 9. The film stars rapper-turned-actress Awkwafina of Crazy Rich Asians fame, who plays a young woman traveling back home to China to assist in an elaborate ruse to keep a truth from her terminally ill grandmother. Its director, Lulu Wang, is scheduled to attend.
SIFF is really emphasizing its "strong women-led" films this year, which is reflected in all of their flagship spots. (Though is it fucked up that the film I'm most excited to see is Olivier Assayas's very French, very rom-com-like Non-Fiction? I'm the complicated heroine of my own life!) The Stranger's own Charles Mudede will even make an appearance, showing a sneak-peek short excerpt from his upcoming feature Thin Skin and giving an onstage interview with his creative team about the film.
The festival box office opens to SIFF members today and to the general public tomorrow, May 2, here. You can still get tickets in person at any year-round SIFF box offices if you're really nasty. There are a shit ton of events thrown by the film festival this year, too. View the full lineup of films being screened and premiered on The Stranger's comprehensive SIFF 2019 Guide.
