In the midst of putting the finishing touches on their event, the festival’s leadership trio — Donna Laslo, Jared Lovejoy, and Carl Spence — were kind enough to make some time in their busy schedules to chat with me over e-mail to share some insights about the the practicalities of re-launching the in-person festival in the midst of a pandemic, highlights from a stacked schedule of film, and some recommendations for a visit to Orcas Island.
Category: Festivals
Movie Festivals around the world
SIFF reopens in-person theaters tonight(!!) with their first-ever DocFest
It’s hard to believe that it’s eighteen months before SIFF was showing in-person screenings at their theaters. I am having a hard …
Local Sightings 2021: Shorts, shorts, shorts Pt. 2
Even though Local Sightings came to a close yesterday, I had to fit in one more set of shorts. There were just so very many to choose from I know I missed out on more than a few that deserved attention but following are the ones that really stood out in the bunch I was able to get to. If you’re able to seek them out, I highly recommend finding them and enjoying them as much as I did.
Local Sightings 2021: Manifest Destiny Jesus
A documentary dealing with colonialism, gentrification, racial justice, and religious faith may have bitten off more than it can chew in its 40 minutes, but it’s got some valuable food for thought.
Local Sightings 2021: Native Wisdom, City By The Sound
Two uncoventionally-structured and short-for-feature-length documentaries, each taking a look at the changing face of the PNW.
Local Sightings 2021: Occupying the Megalopolis, Reflecting on Anti-biased Education
Morgen discusses two documentaries, Occupying the Megalopolis and Reflecting on Anti-biased Education, appearing at the Local Sightings festival currently being held by the NW Film Forum both virtually and in person.
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.
Local Sightings 2021: Rehab Cabin
A pair of best friends decide to take their favorite child-star actress to a cabin in the woods to help her dry out. As you can imagine, the aging actress isn’t into it, and chaos ensues.









