Our big list of film festivals (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Seattle is one of the top cities worldwide (easily in the top 100) for “cinemability”, which is a measure of our ability to support movie goers. Cinemability includes issues such as ticket price, available movie titles, and the number of movie screens, cinema multiplexes, independent movie houses, and film festivals.

About film festivals

Film festivals present a series of movies around a topic chosen by the organizer. Topics covered can be anything from nature to comedy or justice or may feature a culture or location such as Latino, Asian, LGBTQ, or French films. Film festivals may introduce and market new films, showcase short films, documentaries, or independent (“indie”) films. The possibilities are as endless as there are people who have something to say.

A small film festival might include a handful of films shown successively on one day in one theater. Major film festivals that have been running for decades typically include hundreds of films, screened in multiple theaters over many days or weeks.

Worldwide, some of the biggest, longest running, and most prestigious film festivals take place in Cannes, Berlin, and Venice (known as “The Big Three”). Other important international film festivals are held in Toronto, Hong Kong, London, and Mumbai. There are thousands more worldwide.

In the U.S., major film festivals include Sundance, SXSW, and Woodstock. Of course there are hundreds, if not thousands more. In Seattle, the major film festival is the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).

Seattle is one of the country’s best cities for movie makers. We are especially renowned as an indie moviemaking hub. As a film production center for over 75 years, resources for film producers include production studios, skilled industry workers, educational institutions, networking events, and fundraising opportunities.

In addition, Seattle and elsewhere around Washington State has been a backdrop for some of Hollywood’s biggest movies. A few notable films shot in Seattle over many decades include: The Slender Thread (1965), The Parallax View (1974), An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), WarGames (1983), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Enough (2002), The Ring (2002), and The Ring Two (2005), Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015), and dozens more.

How film festivals work

You can usually purchase individual screening tickets to see any film—although a few (smaller) festivals only offer a festival pass. Larger festivals that screen many films may also offer a package of a few tickets at a savings.

You buy a festival pass to see all of the films screened during the festival. Buy the festival pass if you are sure you will attend enough films to at least break even on the cost—any additional screenings are free! Compare the cost of a film festival pass with the price of an individual ticket multiplied by the number of films you expect to see.

“VIP” passes are often available at higher cost. VIP access not only includes all film screening, it may also include priority seating, opening and closing parties, meet-and-greet opportunities, concession discounts or freebies, SWAG, and other benefits. If you are a huge film buff (with a huge wallet), VIP status can be priceless.

Many festivals also have volunteer opportunities with free film tickets as a benefit. In fact, most smaller film festivals are organized entirely by volunteers. It’s a great way to see films for free, as well as hang out with like-minded individuals with a love of filmmaking and visual storytelling.

audience watching a film in a movie theater

Film festivals present a series of movies on the big screen – image via Depositphotos_122010646

Films festivals in the Puget Sound region

Listed below are some of the annual film festivals in the greater Seattle-Tacoma metro area.

(Listed alphabetically by city or location. Seattle is further listed alphabetically by festival name. Scroll down for a calendar list of upcoming film festivals and other movie events.)

Ashford Rainier Independent Film Festival explores a variety of cinematic themes in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.

Bremerton West Sound Film Festival shows a large array of films to encourage networking, growth, and storytelling.

Everett Film Festival features an eclectic mix of entertaining and informative woman-made films.

Gig Harbor Film Festival in a wide variety of genres that celebrate great cinematic storytelling.

Issaquah Film Festival showcases local filmmakers.

Lake Stevens Film Festival is a two-day screening and networking event for PacNW films & filmmakers.

Leavenworth Film Festival showcases recent short films focused on outdoor pursuits and the natural world.

Leavenworth Summit to Sea Filmfest celebrates independent and award-winning films that document the natural world and shines a light on conservation.

Leavenworth Vox Docs Film Festival screens great new award-winning documentaries at Icicle Creek.

North Bend Film Fest engages local and national audiences to support the creation of independent films.

Orcas Island Film Fest shares stories from around the world that will inspire, inform, and entertain.

Poulsbo Film Festival celebrates diverse stories from across the United States.

Seattle | 48 Hour Film Project challenges participants to write, shoot and edit a short film based on an assigned genre along with the required character, prop, and line.

Seattle Asian American Film Festival showcases feature-length and short format films by and about Asian Americans across North America, with an emphasis on filmmakers from the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle Black Film Festival – LANGSTON Seattle celebrates and uplifts the vibrant stories and creativity of Black people (people of African descent) in the world of cinema.

Seattle ByDesign Festival is a cross-cultural exploration at the intersection of design and the moving image featuring a broad selection of films, performances, and activities.

Seattle Cadence: Video Poetry Festival approaches video poetry as a literary genre that makes new meaning from the combination of text and moving image.

Seattle Children’s Film Festival is dedicated to children and their families.

Seattle Crypticon Film Festival is a film festival run by fans of the horror genre that takes place during the annual Crypticon gathering of all things macabre.

Seattle Fashion Film Festival fosters growth of the fashion film industry, uniting the worlds of

Seattle Georgetown Super 8 Film Festival is dedicated to the creation and sharing of Super 8 films in the south Seattle neighborhood.

Seattle Grave Plot Film Fest presents short horror films from all over the globe.

Seattle HUMP! is an amateur porn/erotic fiulm festival, an extraordinary celebration of human sexuality, creativity, and cinematic artistry.

Seattle International Fashion Film Festival strives to foster the growth of the fashion film industry, uniting the worlds of filmmaking and fashion.

Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is renowned for eclectic programming and screens hundreds of films from over 80 countries. Many of the films do not return to theaters, making SIFF a unique place to discover new and underrepresented films.

Seattle Jewish Film Festival seeks to deepen comprehension, inspire connections, and strengthen community through global Jewish cinema and conversation.

Seattle Latino Film Festival supports filmmaking as part of Hispanic and Romance Language Cinema globally.

Seattle Local Sightings Film Festival features a competitive selection of curated films by regional artists who experiment, break, and remake popular conceptions around filmmaking and film exhibition.

Seattle National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) is the world’s largest film festival for emerging filmmakers 24 years old and younger.

Seattle Post Alley Film Festival is a showcase for films with female perspectives and female subject matter (and not restricted only to women filmmakers).

Seattle Queer Film Festival features a diverse slate of queer cinema from around the globe.

Seattle Romanian Film Festival | ARCSproject offers thought-provoking and award-winning productions from Romania and Eastern Europe from new and established filmmakers.

Seattle Sámi Film Festival | National Nordic Museum includes a variety of contemporary and historical Sámi* films. *Sámi people speak the Sami language and historically inhabited Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland—especially Lapland), and the Kola Peninsula of Russia.

Seattle Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival celebrates out-of-this-world short cinema and the daring filmmakers who make it happen.

Seattle SIFF DocFest celebrates documentary films.

Seattle Social Justice Film Festival showcases brave and creative films that explore injustice around the world.

Seattle SPLIFF Film Festival features original short films that explore a wide range of stoner* themes from serious to comical. (* a stoner is a person who regularly takes drugs, especially marijuana)

Seattle Tasveer Film Festival in the aftermath of 9/11, Tasveer has become a renowned art and culture fixture in the Puget Sound region highlighting issues faced by South Asians.

Seattle Trans Film Festival “TRANSlations features unforgettable films that celebrate all things trans.

Shoreline Short Short Film Festival supports emerging and developing filmmakers in Washington State.

Snohomish Film Festival promotes local short films (any genre, under 30 minutes).

Tacoma Film Festival welcomes guests from around the world for a rich networking and collaborative space where new projects are born and inspiration for future work grows.

Vashon Island ConsciousCartoons – International Animation Festival is the first of its kind solely focused on short works (15 min. or less) addressing social issues.

Whidbey Island Film Festival features classic films in a chosen genre each year, such as suspense or comedy.