Humanity may be on the fritz, but you can still trust SIFF to move the needle. On Wednesday, April 23, the Seattle International Film Festival announced its programming lineup for the 51st edition of the annual event. Kicking off more than a week of Washington-area film screenings on May 15, with opening night film Darren Thornton’s “Four Mothers,” selections include a range of international and independent voices.
“At a time when the cultural cornerstones of discovery and diversity that make art so important are being threatened, SIFF is doubling down on bringing those stories to the screen,” artistic director Beth Barrett said in a statement. The festival will show 245 films from 74 different countries and regions. That’s 83 features, 122 short films, 35 documentaries, three archival features, and two secret projects. (Those confidential films are part of the fan-favorite Secret Fest and require attendees to sign an NDA prior to attending.)
“A large majority of these films are currently without distribution, and may not return to theaters,” Barrett continued. “Discovery and connection are at the very core of who we are, and we hope these 10 days are an escape into new worlds and bold, audacious artistic visions. With more than 60% of films coming from new voices, you might meet your next favorite filmmaker.” The closing night film is A24’s “Sorry, Baby,” produced by Barry Jenkins and writer/director/star Eva Victor’s directorial debut.
SIFF 2025 is a hybrid experience, with in-person screenings taking place at six different Seattle venues. After the festival wraps, select titles will stream on the SIFF Channel from May 26 to June 1. For SIFF members, tickets go on sale today, April 23, at $17. And for the public, tickets are available tomorrow, April 24, at $20. It’s $19 for students (with a valid ID), seniors (who are 65+), and $15 for children under 12. Learn more about ticketing on the official website.
One of the largest and most impactful film festivals, SIFF recruits expert jurors from around the world to assess their selections. For the past 31 years, the event has also featured an audience competition — known as the Golden Space Needle Awards. Categories include Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Performance, and Best Short Film. You can cast your vote by using a post-screening ballot. The Seattle Opera House will host the 2025 SIFF Awards ceremony on Sunday, May 25 at 4:30 p.m.
The 51st Seattle International Film Festival will take place from May 15 to 25, and 73 percent of the films are currently without U.S. distribution. Read SIFF 2025’s programming lineup below, with all film synopses and competition details provided by the festival.
Opening Night Film (& Party)
“Four Mothers”
Director: Darren Thornton
Cast: James McArdle, Fionnula Flanagan, Dearbhla Molloy, Paddy Glynn, Stella McCusker
Ireland/United Kingdom, 2024
Thursday, May 15 — The Paramount Theatre (911 Pine Street)
VIP Experience Pre-Reception: 5:00 p.m.
Doors Open to Public: 6:00 p.m.
Screening: 7:00 p.m.
Afterparty: 9:30 p.m.
Opening Night Tickets: $75 Members | $88 Non-Members
Opening Night VIP Tickets: $360
“Four Mothers,” which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival, follows Edward, a queer, up-and-coming novelist forced to balance press commitments with caring for his aging mother. But when his three closest friends, desperate to feel young and carefree again, go off on an impromptu Pride holiday, they leave their aging mothers in Edward’s care. Over the chaotic weekend that follows, people-pleaser Edward must juggle his burgeoning career plans with the care of four eccentric, combative, and wildly different ladies — none of whom really get along with any of the others. How could the weekend go wrong?
Closing Night Film (& Party)
“Sorry, Baby”
Director: Eva Victor
Cast: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi, Kelly McCormack
United States, 2025
Saturday, May 24 — SIFF Cinema Downtown (2100 4th Avenue)
Screening: 6:00 p.m.
**Audience Q&A with writer/director Eva Victor to follow**
Afterparty: 8:00 p.m.
Closing Night Film & Party Tickets: $78 Members | $88 Non-Members
Closing Night Party-Only Tickets: $47 Members | $52 Non-Members
Eva Victor (“Billions”) writes, directs, and stars in this nonlinear, seriocomic story about a melancholic English professor’s complicated path toward healing in the aftermath of a tragedy. The film spans several nonlinear chapters in the life of Agnes, a people-pleasing English professor, and showcases the ways that trauma ripples through a life and the slow ways it heals (and sometimes doesn’t). Through each hop through time, we follow Agnes as she experiences the unexpectedly transformational powers of the cuddly creatures found along the way, be it dear friends, surprisingly sensitive sandwich vendors, an abandoned kitten, or a sweet neighbor. This aching and tender debut premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Waldo Salt Screening Award.
Official Competition
Films in the Official Competition demonstrate some of the finest filmmaking this year from around the world. Spanning a variety of genres, these films advance themes of worldwide resonance in fresh ways. A cash prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of this competition.
“Home Sweet Home” (dir. Frelle Petersen, Denmark 2025, 112 min)
“The New Year That Never Came” (dir. Bogdan Mureşanu, Romania/Serbia 2024, 138 min)
“Raptures” (dir. Jon Blåhed, Sweden/Finland 2025, 108 min)
“Rebuilding” (dir. Max Walker-Silverman, USA 2025, 95 min)
“Remaining Native” (dir. Paige Bethmann (Haudenosaunee), USA 2025, 87 min)
“The Safe House” (dir. Lionel Baier, Switzerland/Luxembourg/France 2025, 90 min)
“Seeds” (dir: Brittany Shyne, USA 2025, 122 min)
“Summer’s Camera” (dir. Divine Sung, South Korea 2025, 82 min)
New America Cinema Competition
The New American Cinema Competition features a selection of remarkable independent films from US filmmakers to watch. To be eligible, the films must be without U.S. distribution at the time of the selection. A cash prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of this competition.
“BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions” (dir. Kahlil Joseph, USA 2025, 113 min)
“Color Book” (dir. David Fortune, USA 2024, 98 min)
“F*cktoys” (dir. Annapurna Sriram, USA 2025, 107 min)
“Invention” (dir. Courtney Stephens, USA 2024, 72 min)
“She’s The He” (dir. Siobhan McCarthy, USA 2025, 81 min)
“Slanted” (dir. Amy Wang, USA 2025, 104 min)
New Directors Competition
To qualify for the New Directors Competition, films must be dramatic features, a director’s debut or second feature, and without US distribution at the time of SIFF selection. This competition celebrates new directors whose films have original scripts, employ innovative cinematography, and offer unique insights on people and places. A cash prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of this competition.
“Beginnings” (dir. Jeanette Nordahl, Denmark/Sweden/Belgium 2025, 96 min)
“The Crowd” (dir. Sahand Kabiri, Iran 2025, 70 min)
“DJ Ahmet” (dir. Georgi M. Unkovski, North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Serbia/Croatia 2025, 97 min)
“Mongrels” (dir. Jerome Yoo, Canada 2024, 110 min)
“Ready or Not” (dir. Claire Frances Byrne, Ireland 2025, 84 min)
“To Kill a Mongolian Horse” (dir. Xiaoxuan Jiang, Malaysia/Hong Kong/South Korea/Japan/Saudi Arabia/Thailand/USA 2024, 97 min)
“The Village Next to Paradise” (dir. Mo Harawe, Somalia/Austria/France/Germany 2024, 133 min)
Ibero-American Competition
The Ibero-American Competition assesses outstanding films from Latin America and Spain for the strength of their storytelling and creativity of their cinematography. To be eligible, films must be without US distribution at the time of their selection. A cash prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of this competition.
“Beef” (dir. Ingride Santos, Spain/Mexico 2025, 85 min)
“Bitter Gold” (dir. Juan Olea, Chile/Mexico/Uruguay/Germany 2024, 83 min)
“Deaf” (dir. Eva Libertad, Spain 2025, 99 min)
“Hanami” (dir. Denise Fernandes, Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde 2024, 96 min)
“Manas” (dir. Marianna Brennand, Brazil/Portugal 2024, 101 min)
“The Nature of Invisible Things” (dir. Rafaela Camelo, Brazil/Chile 2025, 90 min)
“Transfers” (dir. Nicolás Gil Lavedra, Argentina/Uruguay 2024, 90 min)
“Undercover” (dir. Arantxa Echevarría, Spain 2024, 118 min)
Documentary Film Competition
Films competing in this competition broaden our horizons and invigorate our understanding of the world and its inhabitants through careful research, deft argumentation, and stunning cinematography. To be considered, the films also be without US distribution at the time of selection. A cash prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of this competition.
“Between Goodbyes” (dir. Jota Mun, USA 2024, 96 min)
“Billy” (dir. Lawrence Côté-Collins, Canada (Québec)/Finland 2024, 107 min)
“Drowned Land” (dir. Colleen Thurston (Choctaw Nation), USA 2025, 86 min)
“Freeing Juanita” (dir. Sebastián Lasaosa Rogers, Guatemala/Mexico/USA 2024, 74 min)
“The Librarians” (dir. Kim A. Snyder, USA 2025, 88 min)
“Suburban Fury” (dir. Robinson Devor, USA 2024, 118 min)
“Unclickable” (dir. Babis Makridis, Greece/Cyprus/USA 2024, 74 min)
“Viktor” (dir. Olivier Sarbil, Ukraine/USA 2024, 89 min)
Short Films Competition
Approximately 100 shorts were selected this year to play before features or in one of SIFF’s short film packages, all of which are eligible for the Short Films Competition. The Short Films Competition is divided into three categories: Live Action, Animation, and Documentary, with a cash prize of $2,500 awarded to one winner for each. SIFF is an Academy Award qualifier in all three categories.
FutureWave Features Competition
Films competing in the FutureWave Features Competition are geared toward viewers aged 13 through 21 and will be judged by a panel of youth filmmakers. A cash prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the winner of this competition.
