Today SIFF 2017 ended for real: the final Best of SIFF presentation ran this afternoon. It was a collection of six short films, and I was quite pleased with them. "J" wasn't able to go (and was less interested in a shorts series after one that rather disappointed her earlier in the festival); much thanks to her for encouraging me to go without her ( Read more... )

Films sorted by date Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday May 3 May 4 May 5 May 6 Note: Links marked with a bullet (•) are completed reviews. Links marked with a dash (-) are place-holders for unfinished reviews, and will go to a login page instead ( Read more... )

This afternoon "T" and I went to the usual Sunday brunch; "J" stayed home to work on various things she wanted to get done. T hadn't gone in a while, but enjoyed seeing the gang again. In addition to the usual people ("M", "N", another "J", and late-arriving "C"), we had the occasional participants "J" (yet another) and her husband "B". We were ( Read more... )

Today "J" had an appointment fairly early in the day, then a Best of SIFF film in the evening, and "T" was at school as usual, so I was home alone for much of the day.
Cheesecake

My main project for the day was making this year's annual cheesecake. After dropping off J at the bus to her appointment, I bought ingredients for a double batch of ( Read more... )

Every year, there are people who come to Seattle to attend SIFF, and some are here every year, and get to know the regulars who live here. So, some years ago, a tradition developed of having a going-away party for the out-of-town people, on the evening after the closing night party. Also by tradition, the party takes place at a Chinese restaurant. ( Read more... )

I already wrote about this morning's awards ceremony, so the link back is enough.
"J" and I saw three films today. The 11 am film was Secret Festival #4, which (in my opinion) broke our new artistic director's perfect record for selecting good films for Secret. But three out of four isn't bad.
We stayed at the Egyptian for the 1:30 pm film, This ( Read more... )

SIFF's capsule summary: "Director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) presents a lush period drama that joins 26-year-old Karl Marx (August Diehl) and his wife Jenny in exile in Europe, where they meet Friedrich Engels, who provides the final piece needed for the foundation of Marxist theory." (France, 2017, 118 minutes)
SIFF link: The Young Karl ( Read more... )

SIFF's capsule summary (from last year, because they don't have one for this year): "The Secret Festival is exactly what it says-all screenings are secret. What we can tell you is that you need to purchase a special Secret Festival pass to attend the screenings that occur on the four Sundays of the festival at 11 a.m. sharp."
SIFF link (also last ( Read more... )

This morning was a party to announce the winners of the Golden Space Needle awards. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was held at the Space Needle, though not all the way at the top. There's a triangular platform elevated from the ground, but still in the lower half of the structure, and there's a meeting room space there.
"J" and I arrived very early, ( Read more... )

The annual SIFF industry party is usually one of my favorites, because it's the one where local film people are most likely to show up, and one that visiting film people are likely to attend if they're still in Seattle. And of course there are always a lot of SIFF staff attending. And our friend "D" was there as a volunteer bartender; she poured a ( Read more... )