Welcome to the
Seattle Film Festival
A note from our Directors
The Seattle Film Festival ranks in the top 1% of more than 12,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world by Film Freeway, according to reviews from FilmFreeway users.
Last year, our festival expanded with additional film screenings at Seattle's historic Grand Illusion Cinema and Aegis Theater in the Queen Anne district and Belltown. We also enhanced the experience by partnering with eoFlix, allowing for more digital screenings, that were integrated into both our Program and Awards Ceremony.
Alongside filmmaker Q&A sessions, networking events, and the Getty Images Awards Show Gala, the festival features expert panel discussions. Last year, we covered key topics like distribution, indie filmmaking, script development, and post-production.
The 2025 judging panel was led by esteemed film critics Andres Benatar from Filmspeak.net and Bobby LePire from Film Threat.
Andres Benatar is known for his insightful reviews and deep understanding of cinema. In addition to his contributions with the Austin Film Festival and the Seattle Film festival, Andres is a published author.
Bobby LePire, a prominent film critic at Film Threat, is known for his sharp analyses and passion for independent film. His work spans a wide range of genres, bringing fresh and critical perspectives to both emerging and established filmmakers.
Seattle Film Festival attendees, official selection nominees and winners have included: Susan Sarandon, Mark Polish, Ryan Busse, Sean Astin, Bonnie McKee, Ice-T, Yukiko Mishima, Linda lew Woo, Paulina Porizkova, Xander Berkeley, Jennifer Beals, Michael Madsen, Jeffrey Combs, Eve Austin, Gary Busey, Kristen Johnston, Krista Allen, Yorick van Wageningen, Maxim Roy, Jeremy Sisto, Kellen Lutz, Amy Gordon, Kenny Hotz, Celine Abrahams, Amber Rose Revah, Kevin Guthrie, Goran Bogdan, Steve Spiers, Margaret Cho, Fabien Caleyere, Michael Gross, Mark Webber, Fedja van Huêt, John Capodice, Mick Fleetwood, Rocky Burnett, Christopher Backus, Michael Ironside, Patrick J. Adams, David Sullivan, Bill Heck and many more.
We look forward to welcoming you to our 11th annual festival in 2026.
Warm regards,
William Wayne & Michael Rey
Directors
The Seattle Film Festival, Seattle, WA
About
The Seattle Film Festival
An IMDb.com qualifying awards event and one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed film festivals on FilmFreeway, the Seattle Film Festival is dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences.
Since its relaunch in 2019, our festival has become a thriving community for filmmakers, offering a platform for storytelling that is innovative, diverse, and vibrant. This year's jury boasts a diverse group of industry professionals, each bringing a unique perspective to our selection process. Join us as we celebrate the art of cinema, support independent filmmakers, and enjoy the rich array of stories that challenge, entertain, and inspire.
Our festival takes pride in supporting and launching the Seattle area, national and international filmmakers, actors, writers and producers.
We support SAG-AFTRA and the WGA.
Festival Directors
William Wayne
Michael Rey