Fall film festival season has already begun in and around Seattle, but some big events are still on the way. Whether you want to take a bit of a trip to a festival that consistently has one of the region’s most impressive lineups or go to a whole host of other local festivals in the city, here’s a look at everything that’s coming.
Tasveer Film Festival
Dedicated to South Asian films, the 19th Tasveer Film Festival boasts some great programming this year, including Payal Kapadia’s beautifully poetic narrative feature debut “All We Imagine as Light” (which won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival) and Roshan Sethi’s acclaimed dramedy “A Nice Indian Boy,” starring Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff. And for the first time, the festival will launch a global film market dedicated specifically to South Asian filmmakers as well as hosting speakers, various industry panels and networking sessions.
Oct. 15-20; multiple locations, Seattle; $150 for film festival virtual pass, $350 for in-person film festival pass, $450 for all-access badge, $10-$17 for individual tickets; tasveerfestival.org
Orcas Island Film Festival
With a decade under its belt, the Orcas Island Film Festival has become the recurring home to some of the most acclaimed films making their way through the festival circuit. Just to name a few you can see this year: Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel’s terrific thriller “Armand,” which won the Caméra d’Or at the most recent Cannes; Andrea Arnold’s soaring drama “Bird”; Edward Berger’s pulpy yet potent psychological thriller “Conclave”; Miguel Gomes’ sweeping drama “Grand Tour,” which won him best director at Cannes; Magnus von Horn’s “The Girl With the Needle,” a haunting historical drama that slips into horror; and Matthew Rankin’s wondrous dramedy “Universal Language.” No matter your interest, it’s a festival that’s never lacking in something stunning to choose from.
Oct. 16-20; multiple locations, Eastsound, Orcas Island; $250 for festival pass, $750 for patron pass, $15 for individual tickets; oifilmfest.org
Friday Harbor Film Festival
Devoted to documentaries, this year’s Friday Harbor Film Festival includes Cady Voge’s “All We Carry,” an essential portrait of an immigrant family coming to Seattle; a look at Indigenous fishing in Washington with “Fish War” from filmmakers Jeff Ostenson, Charles Atkinson and Skylar Wagner; plus local filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat’s shattering doc “Sugarcane.”
Oct. 25-27; multiple locations, Friday Harbor; $75 for six-pack of in-person tickets, $60 for local six-pack of individual tickets, $15 for individual tickets, $15 for online pass; fhff.org
Engauge Experimental Film Festival
Taking place at the Northwest Film Forum, this year’s Engauge Experimental Film Festival will include seven programs of shorts plus one feature, Kathryn Ramey’s “El Signo Vacío (The Empty Sign),” as well as a closing-night live performance from local cellist and composer Lori Goldston.
Nov. 6-9; Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., Seattle; individual tickets are $14 for general admission, $10 for student/child/senior, $7 for NWFF members; $60 for full in-person festival pass, $50 for student/child/senior, $40 for NWFF members; nwfilmforum.org
Seattle Polish Film Festival
The 32nd Seattle Polish Film Festival returns with a varied lineup of international dramas that includes Jan Holoubek’s “Doppelgänger: The Double,” Sławomir Fabicki’s “Anxiety,” Adrian Panek’s “Simona Kossak,” Paweł Maślona’s “Scarborn,” and Grzegorz Dębowski’s “Next to Nothing.”
Nov. 8-10; more details to be announced; polishfilms.org
Cinema Italian Style
This annual festival of Italian cinema is going into its 15th year with a lineup to be announced on Oct. 14 and a free pizza from Tutta Bella for the first 150 pass purchasers.
Nov. 7-14; SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle; $100 for member pass, $125 for nonmembers; siff.net
