Seattle Int’nl Film Fest Press Launch

Joe Meek, Joe Dallesandro of the Warhol crew, a history of jazz and more: event for the celebrated annual festival happened April 30 at the Alki Room, Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington.

By Gillian G. Gaar

Telstar, Nick Moran's documentary about maverick British producer Joe Meek, Little Joe, a look at the life and times of Warhol screen legend Joe Dallesandro, and Icons Among Us, a history of jazz as told through the interviews of 75 jazz artists, are just some of the films that will have their premieres at the 35^th Seattle International Film Festival, which runs May 21-June 14 in Seattle (North American premieres for Telstar and Little Joe, World Premiere for Icons). Sub Pop act No Age will also debut an original score for a screening of the French film The Bear, which will play June 12 at Seattle club the Triple Door.

The preliminary lineup was announced at SIFF's press launch, held at what will be their future home on the Seattle Center grounds. After last year's "dry" press launch, this year media types (chiefly local media - Seattle Times, Seattle Metropolitan, Seattle Gay News, etc.), were given a nice spread, courtesy of Suess Chocolates, featuring a wide array of pastries and all the mimosas you could quaff (Blurt's favorite morning beverage). Blurt spoke with both Artistic Director Carl Spence and Programming Manager Beth Barrett who noted that this year's SIFF is one of their biggest (268 features and 124 shorts), thus continuing to hold down SIFF's rep as the largest film fest in North America (it's also the second highest attended fest in North America, with Toronto's fest coming in first). Spence said there was an effort to schedule more comedies this year to help alleviate the stresses of our troubled times, and both pointed out the strength of this year's offerings by Northwest filmmakers, including not only Icons, but also Trimpin: The Sound of Invention a doc about the artist/inventor/engineer/composer whose massive guitar sculpture hangs in Seattle's Experience Music Project rock museum, It Takes A Cult, about "The Love Family" commune, World's Greatest Dad, directed by comedian Bob Goldthwait and starring Robin Williams, and ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction.

Nine films are part of SIFF's "Face The Music" series, including not only Icons, Trimpin, Telstar, and The Bear presentation, but also documentaries on Bruce Springsteen, Youssou Ndour, the All Tomorrow's Parties festival, Favela on Blast, about Rio's Balle Funk music scene, and Sounds Like Teen Spirit: A Popumentary, which centers on the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Another music-related film not part of Face The Music series is Every Little Step, a documentary about the revival of the musical A Chorus Line.

SIFF has long described itself as a populist film fest, with films for virtually every taste. While some films are currently slated for theatrical release (such as Facing Ali, an homage to the boxing legend), there are others that have yet to secure widespread distribution (the cult hit Morris: A Life With Bells On, a faux documentary about Morris dancing). Along with the Face the Music series, other series highlight films with gay themes (La Mission; Benjamin Bratt freaks when he learns his son is gay), "eco-themes" (Food, Inc., an expose of our food industry), and the infamous "Midnight Adrenaline" series, offering late night sagas about "dead things and bleeding things" in Barrett's words (Black Dynamite, a modern day blaxploitation flick; the self-explanatory Yes, I Can See Dead People).

The press launch also included a screening of SIFF's opening night film, the British feature In The Loop, a riotous modern day political satire (which seemed even funnier after the consumption of so many mimosas) from the team of the UK TV series The Thick Of It. Opening night is one of three SIFF galas, with screenings followed by elaborate parties featuring much food and drink. The Centerpiece Gala, held June 5, will feature Humpday, about two straight guys who enter an amateur porn contest for the thrill of it; complications ensue (the story is loosely based on the real life amateur porn contest held by Seattle alternative weekly The Stranger). The Closing Night gala will feature OSS 117: Lost In Rio, the long-awaited sequel to OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, a French send-up of James Bond spy capers with agent OSS 117 tracking down Nazis in Rio in between gallivanting with lovelies in mini skirts.

Among the guests who are set to make SIFF appearances this year are Spike Lee, who will receive the 2009 Golden Space Needle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Directing in a special tribute program May 23 at Seattle's "World Famous" Egyptian Theatre that will include an on-stage interview with Lee and a screening of his latest film, Passing Strange, based on the Broadway musical of the same name. Francis Ford Coppola will arrive June 10 with his latest film, Tetro, and its star, Vincent Gallo, in tow.

SIFF's complete schedule will be available Thursday, May 7, with ticket sales for the general public beginning May 8. Info: www.siff.net .