Every autumn, our city’s numerous and diverse film festivals present hundreds of short features and full-length movies to Seattle audiences, opening up views into a wide, diverse spectrum of human experience.  

One of the most important is the Local Sightings Film Festival (9/22–10/1), the Northwest’s premier showcase of new films, produced by the Northwest Film Forum (NWFF). For 10 days, filmgoers can witness juried selections that present the best in local filmmaking. NWFF partners with Longhouse Media to produce Indigenous Showcase (10/15 & 11/12), an ongoing series highlighting emerging talents in indigenous communities. In a partnership with Velocity Dance Center, NWFF will present Next Dance Cinema (12/5) at the V2 space (Capitol Hill, 1525 11th Ave.). The forum will also host Kinofest International Digital Film Festival (10/7–10/9) in partnership with the Portland German Film Festival, and coproduce the Seattle Polish Film Festival (10/12) and the Social Justice Film Festival (10/13–10/23). NWFF, Capitol Hill, 1515 12th Ave.; 206.329.2629; nwfilmforum.org

On silver screens elsewhere in town the Seattle International Film Festival (siff.net) delves into European films with
French Cinema Now (9/29–10/6) and Cinema Italian Style (11/10–11/17); the Seattle Art Museum (seattleartmuseum.org) explores the past with its latest Shadowland Film Noir Series (9/29–12/8); and the show goes on at a variety of venues around town for Twist: Seattle Queer Film Festival (10/13–10/23; threedollarbillcinema.org), formerly known as the Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.