Image by Seattle International Film Festival

By Allegra Simpkins

As part of a new partnership between Shoreline Community College and the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), SCC will play the newest host to the upcoming film event this year.

A total of 25 screenings will take place between May 27 and June 4 in the recently renovated theater on campus. The formats include feature length, short film and documentary – some of which have significant ties to the Pacific Northwest.

While many of the films have already been screened at other festivals, actor and SCC drama department professor Tony Doupe says that “seeking out relatively unknown films opens up a world that many students don’t have the opportunity to see without collaborations like this.”

As the largest film festival in the United States, SIFF has developed the reputation that Doupe calls “inclusive.”
“It’s an audience festival,” he says. “The films aren’t shown to be critiqued, they are shown to be seen and appreciated.” Doupe says the festival is going to be “widely educational” for the students who take advantage of it.

Not only are there titles for independent film lovers, but several other genres as well. Romance and drama can be found in “Complete Unknown,” showing at 6:30 p.m. on June 3. It follows a married man as he reconnects with an old flame that has repeatedly developed new identities for herself over the years since their relationship’s demise. Inspiration can be found close to home in “A New High,” showing at 7 p.m. on June 2. The story follows an ex-Army ranger who encourages a group of recovering addicts at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission to join him on a search for personal discovery and redemption by climbing the summit of Mt. Rainier.

While SIFF has three cinemas they use year-round for film screenings, a total of 15 theaters will be showing films for this year’s festival. Shoreline is the newest addition to the group, joining well-known venues like the Pacific Science Center and McCaw Hall.

“We had major upgrades done to the theater video and sound system, which made it state of the art and one of the best venues in Western Washington” Doupe says.

Over 400 films will be shown throughout the 25-day festival and a large turnout is expected, having hosted over 175,000 individuals in past years.

SIFF has a mission to “create experiences that bring people together. It is through the art of cinema that we foster a community that is more informed, aware, and alive.”

This collaboration with Shoreline Community College creates another space where students can discover original stories and explore diverse cultures while emotionally connecting to this form of media.
Students can purchase general admission tickets online for $13, and can print them directly or pick them up at will call. Opportunities for free screenings will also be given to students who volunteer at the festival.
Contact Debbie Hobart at [email protected] for more information on volunteer opportunities.