The 51st Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) kicks off May 15, and this year’s theme is both a recommendation and an offer: “Escape to the Reel World.” Screening at venues throughout the Emerald City, from downtown to Shoreline, the festival has once again curated a road-trip-worthy line-up of kid-friendly selections for Seattle youth and teens to enjoy.
Films4Families is a family-friendly program geared towards kids under seven. This category has two animated features for early elementary school viewers and a shorts program. Curious teen cinephiles will love “The Dark Crystal” (1982), a later showing that is as close to terrifying and trauma-forming as parents want their kids to get.
“Ride the wave of the future” is SIFF’s introduction to FutureWave, a program aimed at viewers 13 to 21. Coming-of-age may differ slightly between generations, but this selection of films proves that it is still a universal experience that we will seek out on screen until the end of time. These nine entries include an eye-opening documentary, several coming-of-age dramas, a body-horror satire, and something everyone can enjoy.
(Photo courtesy SIFF)
“Dancing Queen in Hollywood” (FutureWave)
“Dancing Queen in Hollywood,” the sequel to SIFF 2023 Golden Space Needle Best Film winner “Dancing Queen,” picks up with Mina and Markus after their devastating competition loss. Hard work and perseverance pay off with the chance of a lifetime: starring roles in a music video! The duo travels to Los Angeles, where the pull towards stardom has Mina second-guessing her commitment to bigger projects. This family-friendly comedy will have audiences of all ages dancing and laughing at the growing pains of big dreams. Note: This film is presented with English subtitles.
Playing May 16, 6:30 p.m. at Shoreline Community College and May 19, 7:00 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown. Get tickets here.
(Photo courtesy SIFF)
“The Dark Crystal” (Films4Families)
Though it is from Jim Henson’s mind and utilizes his characteristic puppets, “The Dark Crystal” is, as the title suggests, quite dark indeed. With a later showtime, this screening is geared towards older kids and teens prepared for the weird and sometimes grotesque world of Skeksis and Mystics, two races of creatures dwelling together on a fictional planet. There’s a prophecy, a chosen one, an incredible journey, and some audacious puppet mastery that viewers new to the film will find utterly bewitching.
Playing May 20, 6:30 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Downtown. Get tickets here.
“The Family Picture Show” (Films4Families)
Travel the world from SIFF Cinema Uptown with “The Family Picture Show”, a collection of shorts that is as wide-ranging as it is emotionally stirring. Ian McKellen lends his voice to a stop-motion fox who leads a young boy on a magical journey. From the studio that brought us the Oscar-nominated “WolfWalkers,” comes a short story about another brave girl who is strong enough to save her village. A small indigenous child partakes in the traditions of her people: ice fishing with magical mittens. No film lasts more than 13 minutes, with some as short as three minutes, and the series consists of 12 entries from around the world: Taiwan, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Playing May 24, 11:30 a.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown and streaming online on May 26 through SIFF Streaming. Go online to get tickets and for more details on each short film presented in this 88-minute program.
“FutureWave: Teenage Hearts” (FutureWave)
Unlike “The Family Picture Show,” which is a program of shorts made for young viewers, “FutureWave: Teenage Hearts” is a program of shorts made by young filmmakers. This 98-minute collection features 14 short films ranging from three to 12 minutes. Each entry was submitted by a filmmaker aged 18 and under, who explored how their peers experience love. Swoon!
Playing May 18, 2:15 p.m. at SIFF Film Center and streaming online on May 26 through SIFF Streaming. Get tickets here.
“Happyend” (FutureWave)
Set in a subtly futuristic world, “Happyend” is for the teen obsessed with dystopian fiction. In the film, technology has become a weapon more than a tool, and surveillance is approaching tyranny. Following a prank involving the principal’s car, high school students must suffer through new oppressive rules and navigate the pitfalls of traditional teenagedom. “Happyend” is a politically aware, coming-of-age drama showcasing a new look for teenage angst, but featuring the familiar rage against societal expectations.
Note: This film is presented with English subtitles.
Playing May 22, 9:00 p.m. and May 23, 3:45 p.m. at AMC Pacific Place. Get tickets here.
(Photo courtesy: SIFF)
“Into the Wonderwoods” (Films4Families)
Elementary-aged viewers (and adults alike) will be entranced by “Into the Wonderwoods”, a mixed-media animated journey that finds its unassuming lead Angelo, a young boy with a penchant for epic daydreams, lost in a wondrous land that is beyond even the wildest of imaginations. With an eco-conscious focus more abstract than the literal threat in “Fern Gully”, “Into the Wonderwoods” is the captivating adventure that is as silly and childish as it is intricate and visually stunning.
Playing May 17, 12:00 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Downtown and May 18, 12:00 p.m. at Shoreline Community College. Get tickets here.
“Slanted” (FutureWave)
Following the incredible success of last year’s “The Substance”, a body-horror film that critiqued our view of the aging female figure, “Slanted” is a teen-friendly take for this generation of young adults. Shirley Chen and McKenna Grace star as Joan, a wannabe prom queen in a small town where only blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls get the crown. Joan before the experimental “ethnic reassignment” surgery (Chen) looks nothing like Joan after the procedure (Grace), but her fairy tale ending may not be as beautiful as she was expecting. Set against a regular American high school backdrop, “Slanted” is the satire we are most eager to experience at SIFF this year.
Playing May 24, 9:00 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown and May 25, 3:30 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown. Get tickets here.
(Photo courtesy: SIFF)
“Tales from the Magic Garden” (Films4Families)
If you enjoyed “Tony, Shelly, and the Magic Light”, a stop-motion feature from SIFF 2024, then “Tales from the Magic Garden” is your must-see SIFF entry. Interweaving themes of grief, familial love and imagination, this stop motion delight out of the Czech Republic is based on the stories of author Arnost Goldflam. It follows three siblings who use storytelling to amuse one another and bring back their beloved grandmother’s memory. Though viewers will need solid reading skills to watch this one, they will quickly fall in love with the film’s handmade aesthetic and whimsical style.
Note: This film is presented with English subtitles.
Playing May 18, 12:00 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown and May 25, 11:00 a.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown. Get tickets here.
“Unclickable” (FutureWave)
The only documentary on this list, “Unclickable,” will resonate with current tech-savvy teens. Ad fraud is a problem affecting all industries, and a former tech executive demonstrates just how easy it is to manipulate the system. Big companies like Uber lose millions to ad fraud, but the kicker is that Google and Meta, who run most of the internet’s digital advertising, make money regardless of authenticity. Put on your critical thinking caps, and introduce your young viewer to the art of investigative documentary filmmaking.
Note: This film is presented with English subtitles.
It will be shown on May 19 at 8:30 p.m. at SIFF Film Center, May 22 at 1:30 p.m. at SIFF Cinema Uptown, and online on May 26 through SIFF Streaming. Get tickets here.
