The 21st edition of Local Sightings features new NW film talents

Northwest Film Forum is getting ready to kick off its 21st edition of Local Sightings— Seattle’s only festival dedicated to Pacific Northwest films and filmmakers: a showcase of new films from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, the Yukon and British Columbia. Produced every year by Northwest Film Forum, the festival features new films, parties, juried prizes and film conversation. Screenings are only part of the story: artist talks, performances and networking events held throughout the week allow film lovers and filmmakers to explore local creativity together. In 2012, Seattle Weekly called Local Sightings the “best film festival” in Seattle.

In recent years, Local Sightings hosted the first ever Northwest edition of the Sundance Institute Artist Services Workshop. Jurors have included Oscar winner and Seattle native TJ Martin, Oscar winner Barry Jenkins, and Ted Hope. The 20th edition of the festival is featured in an episode of 'Art House America' on the Criterion Channel on FilmStruck. Local Sightings plays a significant regional role as a platform of discovery for new film talent.

Some Festival Highlights:
-A multi-faceted event based around the recently published .GIF comic by the artist Kelton Sears, which you can view here. This is an opportunity for audiences to learn more about gif making and ask any questions they have for Kelton Sears.
-"Fantasy A Gets Jacked" (Directed by David Norman Lewis and Noah Sofian, 2017). Even if you’re not familiar with Fantasy A’s music, many Seattleites might recognize him from the posters he pastes all over the city. This narrative short follows autistic rapper Fantasy A on his birthday, as a series of unfortunate events and mean people threaten to ruin the party he’s been looking forward to so much.
-"Chronic Means Forever" (Directed by Kadazia Allen-Perry) Is a deeply personal immersive experimental documentary about Allen-Perry’s experience as a “queer, disabled, Black woman” living with a chronic illness.
-The 21st edition of Local Sightings has received many short films by women directors about female experience that imbue personal stories with their political implications.
-Special September 25 screening of "It Happened at the World's Fair" at The Egyptian.
-More special event highlights to come!

ABOUT NORTHWEST FILM FORUM
An independent film and arts nonprofit located in Seattle, Northwest Film Forum incites public dialogue and creative action through collective cinematic experiences. Each year the Forum presents hundreds of films, festivals, community events, multidisciplinary performances, and public discussions. A comprehensive visual media organization, the Forum offers educational workshops and artist services for film and media makers at all stages of their development. More information is available at nwfilmforum.org.