World Cinema News | Seattle International Film Festival 2015

The festival that featured 450 movies was held for 25 days. For Seattle International Film Festival it was 41st season. 92 countries presented their films this year. Seattle International Film Festival 2015 also honored the 25th anniversary of Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation.

Here you can read the list of this year’s Winners:


Frame by Frame
Afghanistan, 2014
Filmmakers: Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli

Frame by Frame is a documentary on Afghanistan’s fight for a free media and developing trend of photography after years of restriction.
This documentary received LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION.


The Dark Horse
New Zealand, 2014
Filmmaker: James Napier Robertson

The Dark Horse is an emotionally-charged and inspiring drama about a man who searches for the courage to lead, despite his own adversities – finding purpose and hope in passing on his gift to the children in his community.
This movie won GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD for Best Film and Best Actor: Cliff Curtis.


Romeo Is Bleeding
USA, 2015
Directed by Jason Zeldes

Romeo Is Bleeding is a movie about Richmond’s poet Donté Clark.
“A poet works through the perils of intense community violence to help local youth create a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.” (indiewire.com)
Romeo Is Bleeding took the top documentary prize.
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD for Best Documentary.


Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
USA, 2015
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl tells us the story of two teenagers befriending a girl with a potentially fatal disease.
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD for Best Director.


Phoenix
Germany, 2014
Director: Christian Petzold
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD for Best Actress: Nina Hoss.


Even The Walls
USA, 2015
Filmmakers: Sarah Kuck and Saman Maydání

Even the Walls documents the unique connectedness of a public-housing development on the eve of its destruction.
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD for Best Short Film.


Liza, the Fox-Fairy
Hungary, 2015
Director: Károly Ujj-Mészáros

Blending Japanese folklore with Amélie-inspired artistic direction, this dark fairytale follows Liza, a young woman looking for love who may or may not be a fox-fairy, an evil demon who sucks the souls out of the men she meets.
GRAND JURY PRIZE in New Directors Competition.


Chatty Catties
USA, 2015
Director: Pablo Valencia

GRAND JURY PRIZE | New American Cinema Award.


The Great Alone
USA, 2015
Director: Greg Kohs

GRAND JURY PRIZE | Documentary Award.


Seoul Searching
USA, 2015
Director: Benson Lee

FUTUREWAVE YOUTH JURY AWARD.


When Marnie Was There
Japan, 2014
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

When Marnie Was There is an animated film about a shy teenage tomboy who befriends a young blonde girl who may not be of this world.

FILMS4FAMILIES YOUTH JURY AWARD.


Minimum Max
USA, 2014
Director: Joshua Ovalle

Minimum Max is a 4 minute film about life of a teenage boy with ADD.
FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AWARD.


The Chicken
Croatia, 2014
Directed by Una Gunjak

When six-year-old Selma gets a chicken for her birthday, she must save her ‘pet’ from becoming dinner.
GRAND JURY PRIZE | Best Short: Live Action.



Bihttoš
Canada, 2014
Written and directed by Elle-Maija Tailfeathers.

Bihttoš is a 15 minutes unconventional documentary.
GRAND JURY PRIZE for Best Short Documentary.


The Mill at Calder’s End
USA, 2014
Director: Kevin McTurk

The Mill at Calder’s End is a 14 minutes animated film.
Nicholas Grimshaw returns to his childhood home intent on breaking a generations old family curse, featuring the voices of Barbara Steele and Jason Flemyng.
GRAND JURY PRIZE for Best Short Animation.


Audio Input
USA, 2015
Filmmakers: Sho Schrock, Piper Phillips, Duncan Boszko, Jack O’Neal

7 minutes of Local Seattle Podcasters sharing their experiences with podcasting and audience feedback.
GRAND JURY PRIZE | Wavemaker Award.

Visit Seattle International Film Festival’s site.