Two uncoventionally-structured and short-for-feature-length documentaries, each taking a look at the changing face of the PNW.
Author: Jenn Misko
Jenn Misko moved to Seattle in early 2014 and dove headfirst into the area's film scene, occasionally showing up as a production assistant or location assistant on local productions and serving in the SIFF festival box office annually thereafter. Some more informal versions of her thoughts on films can be found collected on her obsessive Letterboxd account.
Local Sightings 2021: Sing To Me Sylvie, Maxie
Two films – both romantic dramas set in Oregon over the course of one weekend – with two very different tones and outcomes.
Local Sightings 2021: A Black Rift Begins to Yawn
A cosmic horror film “inspired by H.P. Lovecraft” provides little-to-no narrative clarity, but goes heavy on dreamy visuals, time folding in on itself, identities questioned, and pink and blue lighting.
Local Sightings 2021: Thin Skin
The marquee event of this year’s festival delivers bone-dry deadpan humor wrapped in the pathos of fighting to achieve a dream under difficult circumstances.
Together finally brings us a lockdown relationship dramedy worth our time
A snapshot of a couple in this time, captured naturally and told compellingly.
Enemies of the State questions the truth in a whistleblower case
Sonia Kennebeck’s newest documentary examines the nature of truth via a twisty, conspiracy-filled case.
NBFF 2021: Ayar, The Witches of the Orient
Two films that were featured in this year’s North Bend Film Fest have unusual takes on what “experimental documentary filmmaking” might look like.
NBFF 2021: Superior announces an exciting new voice
Erin Vassilopoulos’ debut feature takes daring stylistic risks that pay off in this tense tale of misplaced identity, familial reconciliation, and feminist empowerment.
NBFF 2021: Tailgate, Luchadoras
A tense Dutch horror flick and an inspiring Mexican documentary, both available virtually via NBFF through the end of the weekend.
Finding You delivers gorgeous Irish landscapes and a by-the-numbers romance
A middling late-teen rom-com with some really lovely landscape photography.