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E2 The Mix | | SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2019 2 R festival in threeways. One is by blind submission— films that are sent to SIFF for consideration in response to a general invitation. Artistic director Beth Barrett esti- mated that several thousand films were submitted for the 2019 festi- val; all were viewed by festival pro- grammers, and about 10 to 15%of thesewere chosen for inclusion. It’s a small percentage, but Barrett noted that “sometimes those are the actual gems that you find.” She recalled that “Kedi,” a charming Turkish documentary about the cats of Istanbul, turned up that way a couple of years ago; it ended up as one of the biggest hits of SIFF that year. Other films, in contrast, are direct- ly solicited. “If it’s a filmmaker you really admire, and you hear they have something they’reworking on, youmight follow that project in its progress,” said senior programmer Justine Barda. Being a programmer means doing a lot of research, keep- ing an eye out for projects that sound of interest to SIFF audiences. Other films come to SIFF after being spotted at film festivals—an ideal way to viewa film, as it’ll be on a big screen as the filmmaker in- tended. Film-festival “season” for SIFF programmers begins with the Toronto International FilmFestival in September, and ends with the Berlin International FilmFestival in February. SIFF reps travel theworld, looking for treasures to bring back home. This adds up to a lot of watching; Barrett and festival programming manager Stan Shields estimated that they eachwatch somewhere between 400 and 500 films in con- sideration for SIFF each year; Barda (who is contracted by SIFF and not a full-time staffer), said she’s at around 200. And yes, they dowatch all theway through, hoping that films that don’t start well might turn themselves around. “You can’t do this job and not aspire for every movie youwatch to be great,” said Shields. Most of the festival programmers have specific specialty areas. Barda, for example, focuses on films from France, NorthAfrica and theMiddle East; programmer Tracy Rector’s specialty is indigenous films. Each genre brings its own chal- lenges: Barda, for example, has to sort through a vast roster of French films, and try to present a diverse picture of the country’s offerings (i.e. not entirely, say, romantic comedies set in Paris). Rector has fewer films to evaluate, and they can be harder to find. “So often, non-Na- tive people have told the stories of Native people,” she said. “It’s been my priority to search out work that’s actually created byNative filmmak- ers.” Committees helpwith thework of choosing each festival section’s final lineup. Most of these aremade up of < SIFF FROM E1 Finally, by early April, the sched- ule ismore or less set (there’s always room, right up until final deadline for the festival program, to squeeze in onemore), and the hoped-for result is a festival with something for everyone. “That’s the great thing about being as large and broad-reaching as we are—we can take chances on some of those films that we know from the outset that the audience will be small, but it will be a very important film for that audience,” said Barrett, noting that the festival can offset this withmore general-in- terest films that can fill the Egyptian or the Uptown. “It’s really a balanc- ing act of trying to find that right size and the right breadth of the festival.” Here are some recommendations from four SIFF programmers: Beth Barrett, artistic director “ The Extraordinary Journey of CelesteGarcia ,” 4 p.m. May 17 at the Egyptian; 7 p.m. May 22 at the Uptown; 6:30 p.m. May 28 at Shore- line Community College . In this Cu- ban film, a planetariumguide (María Isabel Díaz) is chosen to begin a new life on another planet. “It’s quirkywithout ever being ‘quirky,’ ” said Barrett, describing the filmas “constantly surprising.” “ Celebration ,” 4 p.m. May 24 at Pacific Place; 9:30 p.m. May 25 at the Egyptian . This documentary about designer Yves Saint Laurent and his longtime business partner Pierre Bergéwas filmed in the ’90s and shelved for two decades. “It’s just a fascinating portrait of this brilliant man and an equally brilliant man, and their different spheres of bril- liance,” said Barrett. “ Pity the Lovers ,” 6 p.m. May 18 at theMajestic Bay; 3:30 p.m. May 19 at the Uptown . From the Swedish Film Institute, this is “a very funny filmabout two brothers who are very unlucky in love, for very differ- ent reasons.” Stan Shields, festival programming manager “ Shut Up and Play the Piano ,” 9:30 p.m. May 20 at Pacific Place; 4 p.m. May 28 at the Uptown . This music documentary about Canadian art-punkmusicianChilly Gonzales is “a fascinating look at a very gregari- ous and shape-shifting performer that not a lot of people in the U.S. know,” said Shields. “One of the strongest music docs I’ve seen in a while.” “ Retrospekt ,” 4:30 p.m. May 23 at Pacific Place; 9:30 p.m. May 25 at Pacific Place; 1:30 p.m. June 7 at Pacific Place . From theNetherlands, this filmabout awomanwhoworks for a domestic-abuse shelter juggles multiple timelines; “you slowly fall,” said Shields, “from this fascinating character study to realizing you’re actually embarking on a thriller, and that transition is really smartly done.” “ QBall ,” 6:30 p.m. May 17 at Ark Lodge; noonMay 18 at the Uptown; SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL K E N L AMB E R T / T H E S E A T T L E T I ME S Tracy Rector, left, Beth Barrett, Stan Shields and Justine Barda are just a few of the programmers who worked on this year’s SIFF lineup. 3:30 p.m. May 21 at the Uptown . Basketball star KevinDurant pro- duced this documentary about the SanQuentin State Prison basketball squad. “It’s a really great character study on howpeople try to find redemption in somanyways, and how little things can lead to greater truths.” Tracy Rector, programmer (focusing on indigenous films) “ Sgaawaay K’uuna (Edge of the Knife) ,” 3:30 p.m. May 25 at the Uptown; 8:30 p.m. May 26 at the Uptown; 9:15 p.m. May 30 at Shore- line Community College . Madewith an all-indigenous cast and crew, this narrative about a nobleman spiral- ing into insanity is the first filmever made in the endangeredHaida language—“a huge undertaking for the community,” saidRector. “ Top EndWedding ,” 6 p.m. May 25 at the Uptown; 1 p.m. May 26 at Shoreline Community College; 3:45 p.m. May 27 at the Egyptian . In this rom-com fromAustralia, a young couple returns to the bride’s North- ern Territory hometown. “It’s a hilarious relationship film,” said Rector, “and I think it’s good that people see that there’s a lot of humor within indigenous communities.” SIFF staffers and programmers; sometimes outside help is also in- volved. Barrett explained that the Asian Crossroads and the African Pictures programs involve local communitymembers “who assist us inwatching a lot of those films and talking to us about how to best rep- resent those communities at the festival.” Slowly, a schedule begins to take shape, with attention constantly paid to balance and diversity, and with every considered filmwatched bymore than one person (to rule out the “I was just in a really goodmood that day” factor). Ultimately, there’s alwaysmore good films than there are slots available; SIFF is vast, but its schedule is finite. That’s when lively conversations begin. “It’s painful at the end, with everyone advocating for that one film that they love,” said Barrett. The challenge becomes separat- ing out the best of the best, said Shields. Suppose this year’s crop included seven great documentaries submitted about mountain climb- ing. “We probably can’t show them all.What three are showing some- thingwe’ve never seen before?Or is it just one?” ON THE WEB After the movie Tell us about your favorite SIFF films from the first week, in 150 words or less. We may print some of your contributions. st.news/siff A guide to tickets, parking and the Secret Festival What about crowds? There will be crowds, particular- ly at the better-known films; not a lot you can do about that. Maybe you’ll meet somebody nice in line. Weekday screenings generally have shorter lines, as do the out-of-Seat- tle venues — some of which have free parking, too. What is the Secret Festival? Long a SIFF trademark, this fest- within-the-fest takes place every Sunday morning during SIFF, at the Egyptian. Youmust buy a Se- cret Festival pass ($80/$70 SIFF members) to attend, and youmust sign an Oath of Silence, vowing that you will never breathe a word about what you’ve seen. (And no, they are not fooling around. Expect to be swallowed by the fires of hell if you blab. Only once, inmy many years of covering the festival, has anyone connected with SIFF ever revealed tome the name of a Secret Festival film. I haven’t seen that person around for a while and am trying not to draw alarming conclu- sions.) Programming at the Secret Festi- val might be a movie tied up in legal/copyright problems that can’t officially be shown; a movie prom- ised for a prominent premiere else- where post-SIFF; a lost classic; a sneak peek. Youmight see some- thing great; youmight be disap- pointed. Who knows? I certainly don’t. Go and tell me all about it! Just kidding. Really. Moira Macdonald: mmacdonald@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @moiraverse a ticket or a pass, if you arrive less than 10minutes before showtime.) If it’s raining and you’re buying a day-of-show ticket, consider seeing a film at Pacific Place, Lincoln Square, Shoreline Community College or SIFF FilmCenter, where the lines are indoors. What about food and drink? Thoughmost SIFF venues serve the usual popcorn/candy/soft- drink fare, some have a few extras (there’s beer and wine at the Up- town and Egyptian, for example, and weirdly tasty little chicken- waffle sandwiches at Pacific Place) andmany have a wealth of restau- rants just steps from the door. Out- side food and drink is officially not allowed in the theaters, but SIFFgo- ers have been known to get away with it; be discreet, considerate and tidy. (I have, myself, frequently and quietly smuggled burgers into the Uptown fromDick’s — it’s just across the street — to pleasant effect.) What about bus routes and parking? Lots of info at siff.net/festival/fes- tival-venues— including details on bus/light rail routes. If youmust drive, take note of one of SIFF’s bargains: The Uptown offers vali- dated parking at two nearby parking lots; showyour ticket stub or pass at the Uptown box office and get a parking pass to put on your dash- board. Passes are good for week- days after 6 p.m. and after 10 a.m. Saturday/Sunday; a limited num- ber are available, so get there early. bought in person during operating hours at the SIFF Cinema Uptown, Egyptian and FilmCenter. As of May 18, all festival venues (Up- town, SIFF FilmCenter, Egyptian, Pacific Place, Lincoln Square, Kirk- land Performance Center, Majestic Bay, Ark Lodge, Shoreline Commu- nity College) will have a box office open daily, one hour before the day’s first screening. What about ticket packages? If you’re planning to go to a few films, the Cinematic Six-Pack is a good deal: six tickets for $72 ($60 for SIFFmembers), compared to individual ticket prices of $15 each. Also a saver is the FilmBuff 20- Pack, at $240 ($180 SIFFmem- bers) for 20 tickets. In both cases, there’s a maximumof two tickets per individual film, and a $3.50 service charge for online/phone purchases of ticket packages. See siff.net for details. What about all those lines outside the theaters? Each SIFF screening will have three separate queues: a pass-hold- er line (for those with passes hang- ing around their necks; you know who you are), a ticket-holders line (for those with tickets in hand) and a rush line. Standby tickets, for screenings that are sold out, go on sale 10minutes before showtime, at full price (cash preferred). Nomatter which line you’re in, arriving at least 30minutes early is a good idea, particularly if you’re picky about where you sit. (Seating is not guaranteed, even if you have • “The Art of Self-Defense” (June TBD) • “Blinded by the Light” (Aug. 14) • “Brittany Runs aMarathon” (Aug. 23) • “Clemency” (summer TBD) • “David Crosby: Remember My Name” (summer TBD) • “The Dead Don’t Die” (June 14) • “The Death of Dick Long” (TBD) • “The Fall of the American Em- pire” (June TBD) • “The Farewell” (July 12) • “Halston” (summer TBD) • “Honeyland” (summer TBD) • “In Fabric” (TBD) • “Late Night” (June 7) • “Maiden” (July 19) • “The Nightingale” (August TBD) • “Non-Fiction” (June 14) • “Official Secrets” (August TBD) • “One Child Nation” (Aug. 9) • “Sword of Trust” (July 26) • “Troop Zero” (2019 TBD) • “Wild Rose” (summer TBD) • “Yesterday” (June 28) (This list will be updated at st.news/siffhowto as more informa- tion becomes available.) How and where do I buy tickets? You can buy tickets online at siff.net and print your tickets at home, or call 206-324-9996 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, or use the SIFF ticket app. Note that there is a service charge for online and phone orders: $1.25 per single ticket, up to $5 per order. Before the festival opening, tickets can be ByMOIRA MACDONALD Seattle Times arts critic The 45th annual Seattle Interna- tional FilmFestival is about to spring upon us, taking over cine- mas around the city — and beyond —with some 410 films represent- ing 86 countries. Running from May 16 to June 9, it’s best ap- proached like a multicountry over- seas vacation: with preplanning, and lots of it. Here are some tips for your SIFF trip. What movies to choose? On siff.net/festival — look under “Film and Event Guide” — you’ll find films organized by program, by mood (e.g. Make Me Laugh!, Thrill Me!, Creative Streak, WTF), by country of origin, by genre, and by director. See what intrigues you! Also, check to see which films have a guest attending (noted on each film’s individual page), which might mean an interesting Q&A. You can also peruse the printed SIFF guides, available at Starbucks and other venues all over town (including all festival venues), but note that most information about guests is online only. As always, a number of SIFF films will be returning to theaters for regular runs post-festival. It can be fun to see these during SIFF, partic- ularly if a guest is coming with the film. But a lot of us might prefer to wait until the crowds are smaller, and spend our SIFF time seeing something that probably isn’t com- ing back. Here are some of the films with post-SIFF distribution planned for 2019, with tentative dates: Now Streaming and TV Picks are on page E5.