With the SIFF lineup out in the wild just this week, it’s still early days for festival strategizing. But like the rest of you, your SunBreak Film Team couldn’t wait to start getting our houses in order for the cinematic marathon to come.

Along the way, we’ll update you with weekly picks and capsule reviews as we get more information, but in the spirit of making big bets without much information, we asked all four of this year’s crew to dip their toes into the shallow end and pick one movie that we’re each preemptively excited to see.

Rémi, Nobody’s Boy, image courtesy SIFF

Morgen:

Rémi, Nobody’s Boy (France | 2018 | 104 minutes | Antoine Bossier)

I haven’t the foggiest reasoning, but the film Rémi, Nobody’s Boy immediately struck me. It could have been the screen-grab, the title, or just a sense that I knew I’d be incredibly intrigued by it, and this time my gut proved correct. I watched the trailer twice and I cannot wait to watch the film all the way through. It has that fantastical otherworldly aesthetic with a dark underbelly just waiting to catch your breath right at the moment you allowed yourself to relax in the frivolity. It’s a sweet and charming film that, unless something goes terribly awry, I will absolutely love.

• SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019 – Lincoln Square – 1:00 PM
• MONDAY, MAY 27, 2019 – SIFF Cinema Uptown – 1:00 PM

In Fabric, image courtesy SIFF

Tony:

In Fabric. (United Kingdom | 2018 | 119 minutes | Peter Strickland)

Writer/Director Peter Strickland is one of a new breed of filmmakers offering his own distinctive stamp on obscure cinema subgenres. His two previous features, 2012’s Berberian Sound Studio and 2014’s The Duke of Burgundy, were lushly-shot, creatively fertile takes on Italian horror cinema and European arthouse erotica respectively: Both of them were captivating. I’m over the moon that he’s back with another nod to Italian horror that reportedly adds a filigree of satire to his considerable gifts as an audio-visual stylist.   

• WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 – AMC Pacific Place – 4:00 PM
• FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2019 – SIFF Cinema Egyptian – 9:15 PM
  

What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael, image courtesy SIFF

Chris:

What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael. (USA | 2018 | 95 minutes | Rob Garver)

There was a period in my life where I wanted nothing more than to be a “Paulette,” the clique of film critics clearly and unashamedly influenced by Pauline Kael. Kael was, IMHO, the greatest film critic there ever was, and an absolute joy to read. She and Roger Ebert are most responsible (or to blame) for my love of film and criticism. Kael’s life is the subject of a documentary by Rob Garver, and I cannot wait to see it. Best case, the documentary is like Pauline Kael’s best work: it makes you feel smarter without being patronized; worst case, I get to spend an hour and a half watching movie stars (Sarah Jessica Parker, Alec Baldwin), filmmakers (Quentin Tarantino, Paul Schrader) and critics (Camille Paglia) praising my hero.

• SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2019 – Pacific Place – 7:00 PM
• WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2019 – SIFF Cinema Uptown – 3:30 PM
  

Lynch: A History, image courtesy SIFF

Josh:

Lynch: A History. (USA | 2019 | 85 minutes | David Shields)

Paging through the film guide, programs, and competitions, I’ve found more than enough to overfill my schedule. A lot are movies that I’ve heard about making rounds on the festival circuit, others are new films from directors I know I like. But nothing made me jump to attention with shock and delight more than running across Lynch: A History amid the Northwest Connections listings. A video collage about sports and society from UW Professor David Shields assembled from 700 clips that celebrates Our Very Greatest Seahawk Marshawn Lynch’s “attempt to be true to himself in a capitalist, racist society that wants to exploit him” is going to be making its world premiere at SIFF? Let’s just say that I felt the rumblings of a BeastQuake skipping across my heart.  

• MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2019 – SIFF Cinema Uptown – 7:00 PM
• WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019 – SIFF Cinema Uptown – 3:30 PM

Not content with our admittedly uninformed speculation? You can always put your faith in the advice of experts: collectively, 22 SIFF Programmers issued 102 “picks” to highlight their favorite films. I churned through the list (hint: there are more on the website than in the printout) and twelve films got a nod from three or more programmers. This “dozen of distinction” looks like a safe bets in terms of an adventurous and diverse set of films to put at the top of your priority list, both quality and potential for having something to talk about when you rub elbows with these hard-working festival gurus at parties.

Opening night gala The Farewell, Knife + Heart (giallo-inspired thriller, set in 1970s Parisian gay porn production), and the Nightingale (Jennifer Kent’s follow-up to The Babadook) were the most recommended (4 programmers); Another Day of Life (Angolan civil war animated documentary), Greener Grass (“Stepford Wives-by-way-of-Lisa Frank”), Non-Fiction (Olivier Assayas’s latest, a talky drama set amind new media vs. old publishing), Pigeon Kings (competitive bird-based acrobatics in LA), Q Ball (Kevin Durant-produced San Quentin Prison basketball squad documentary), Sibel (Turkish woman who communicates only with whistles tries to kill a wolf but finds a soldier), Stuffed (deep dive into the world of modern taxidermy), aforementioned In Fabric, What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael, and plugs for ShortsFest Weekend rounded out the most suggested suggestions.

In the meantime, if you see something we shouldn’t miss, say something! Keep track of the SunBreak’s ongoing SIFF coverage on our SIFF 2019 page, plus news, updates, and micro-reviews on Twitter @theSunBreak.