SEATTLE — The Seattle International Film Festival turns “SIFFTY” this year.
2024 marks the 50th festival - nearly 50 years of bringing the world of cinema to local audiences.
"I think I was in kindergarten when the festival started,” laughed programming manager Stan Shields.
This year marks Artistic Director Beth Barrett’s 22nd SIFF.
Their team spent months pulling together archives in honor of the anniversary, dating back to the very first festival in 1976.
"They programmed the very first film festival in secret,” she said.
Founders Dan Ireland and Darryl Macdonald were worried another independent theater would scoop their idea, so they quietly pulled together the lineup - which included an unknown film called “The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
"It was a 'Hey we've got this film, what if we did a test screening with you?'" Barrett said.
There have been lots of stunning "firsts" at SIFF.
"There were a handful of global premieres,” Barrett said. “’Alien’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ big giant films that we technically had the premiere for because we started showing them at 12:01 a.m., because we had the print."
Some of today's biggest stars also got their start at festival screenings.
"Jennifer Lawrence in her first role (in ‘Winter’s Bone,’)” Barrett said. “(She was) not quite sure where to stand on the stage and was like, 'I made this film...' And five years later, she's tripping up the stairs accepting an Oscar. It really is a great place to discover new talent."
SIFF is - and always has been – an “audience festival” where crowds can actually connect with actors and filmmakers.
"Having that audience feedback, having that very honest response from one of the most film-literate audiences in the country… we constantly hearing from filmmakers, 'No one has ever asked me that question,’” Barrett said. "Edward Norton was one who didn't quite understand the uniqueness of our audiences. Viggo Mortensen, the same - who was just like, 'Do you think they like my films?' Yes, pretty sure that they really enjoy your films."
Over the decades, a steady stream of famous faces have visited Seattle in support of smaller projects including Daniel Day Lewis, Mel Gibson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Anthony Perkins, Brendan Fraser, River Phoenix, Sean Penn, Charlize Theron, Robin Wright and Regina Hall.
"Russell Crowe was here with ‘Romper Stomper.’ Salma Hayek was here,” Barrett said.
Shields added, "Joan Allen. Joan Allen was here, Peter Sarsgaard, Angelica Huston."
SIFF has also featured films that went on to massive mainstream success, including “The Notebook.”
"A controversial choice for opening night, for sure,” Barrett said, laughing. "But also one of our more successful opening nights. As a festival, we're here for everyone. The people that really want that deep dive Taiwanese documentary, and also the people that want to see Ryan Gosling."
Local filmmaking has also always played a role in the festival – in more recent years, showcasing the films and talent of director Lynn Shelton.
"That communal sense that Lynn brought, and the joy in other people succeeding has really allowed a whole new generation of filmmakers to rise,” Barrett said.
In the first year, SIFF showed 18 films.
In 2024?
"We have 261 films, we have 146 features, 115 shorts, spanning about 84 countries and regions,” Shields said.
What does the next half-century hold?
"More films!” Barrett said.
SIFF 2024 kicks off Thursday, May 9 with the Opening Night film “Thelma” starring June Squibb.
If you have a SIFF memory from the past 50 years, submit it online!
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