Northwest Film Forum’s Local Sightings Film Festival is back, bringing us their 2021 edition in a hybrid form with both virtual and in-person screenings. Showcasing 12 feature films, 15 shorts programs, and several other workshops and panels and special events, the festival begins today (September 16th) and runs through next Sunday, the 26th. Jenn and Morgen will be following along and sharing some highlights here on The SunBreak!
With the exceptions of the opening and closing night programs, all films will be presented via the fest’s Eventive platform to be viewed at home (Eventive has convenient apps for Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, etc), and they’ll all also get in-person screenings in the theater at Northwest Film Forum. Tickets are available both as passes or as individual ticket purchases (at least until they sell out)! Masks are required for in-person screenings, as well as either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test.
Films range from documentaries to dramas to experimental sci-fi, with shorts and features and several that fall somewhere in between. All come from filmmakers local to the PNW region: WA, OR, MT, and BC.
Highlights to Look Forward To
This program offers something for everybody, from outré experimental offerings to social justice-themed documentaries to all sorts of narratives. Some particular highlights in my (Jenn’s) opinion include:
Thin Skin: This film, made by a cadre of Seattle’s top talent, has been screening in various not-quite-finished iterations at celebration-type events at both SIFF and NWFF dating at least as far back as SIFF’s 2019 festival. Super exciting that it’s finally finished and seeing the light of day. (This is one of the few features of the Local Sightings program that is in-person only with no virtual component; director Charles Mudede, actor Ahamefule Oluo, and co-writer Lindy West will all be present for a post-screening panel discussion.)
A Black Rift Begins To Yawn: using “inspired by H.P. Lovecraft” in a film’s description grabs me every time. Sci-fi, horror, and “disorienting” “cosmic mystery”? I can never be sure a film with a description like that will be good, but I’m very much looking forward to finding out, and I’m 100% positive it won’t be boring – I’m always here for something that takes that kind of big swing.
Since I Been Down: a documentary about some of the victims of America’s dysfunctional carceral state finding some hope in their circumstances by creating a community centered on personal growth and mutual support.
And Morgen is looking forward to a couple herself:
Rehab Cabin: This one sounds like a dark buddy comedy and I can’t wait. A couple megafans kidnap their favorite actor in the hopes of helping her down the path to sobriety on to creating more works of art on the big screen. When she comes to the next day, hilarity (and possibly disaster) ensues. This one could go one of two ways, stay slapticky with a few moments of intensity about addiction or it could go down a black comedy path and to be honest I’d be happy either way.
Occupying the Megalopolis: Set in Mexico city, this documentary explores activists of all kinds: political, artistic, social and immigrant, in their attempt to take back public lands for use by everyone in the community. To support, dissent, and create, dance, explore and simply exist. There’s static between civilian and police just as there is in the US, we are not the only ones who fight injustice and I’m intrigued to see how Mexico and its natives fights their social and political battles.
Previous SunBreak Coverage
One film in this fest, The Invisible Father, also showed in Local Sightings’ 2020 virtual edition, so we probably won’t be reviewing it again here. But feel free to enjoy the gushing Tony and Jenn both did about Thérèse Heliczer’s film from a year ago on our festival preview post from back then. This year’s screening seems to acknowledge that it’s basically a (well-deserved) re-run, packaging it as a “Local Hindsightings” special event which is showing exclusively in-person in the theater.
Look forward to reviews and thoughts over these next couple of weeks as Jenn and Morgen dig into the program! Although we both deeply love the theatrical experience, we’re both very grateful for the option to participate safely at home this time around once again.
Individual tickets and festival passes are available via NWFF’s website. Local Sightings runs Sept 16th – 26th.
Images courtesy of Northwest Film Forum.