SEATTLE — The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is one of the largest in North America and this year it’s celebrating its golden anniversary.
Beth Barrett has been with SIFF for nearly half of those 50 years. Now the artistic director, we asked Barrett to go on the record about why SIFF matters, her love of film and the power they hold for all of us.
Joyce Taylor: Can we first talk about the fact we're sitting in this theater?
Barrett: I know, I know. This is one of the most beautiful theaters I've ever been in - the former Cinerama saved by Paul Allen and the 90s. We were so excited and so blessed to take possession of it this last year and 2023 and run it as SIFF Cinema.
Taylor: What is it about film? Why should people care about films to keep places like this open?
Barrett: All of the things that filmmakers want in making the film is here on the screen and I think that there's something that is in our DNA about coming into a movie theater, that you understand you, you don't look at your phone, you don't like talk to the person next to you, you don't do all these things that would take you away from having the experience.
Taylor: How do you convey that to a younger generation, surrounded by so many distractions?
Barrett: What’s really interesting is that the audiences that we are seeing growing post-pandemic, are actually the younger generations. They are folks that are starting to really recognize that all the distractions that they have in their daily life, the fact that when they go to work, it's just email and Zoom, and Slack and all these things. They actually are craving this kind of community to sit and watch a film.
Taylor: It feels like you're saying younger people want less noise, more substance.
Barrett: I think that's true. Yeah. We showed Alien a year ago, a double feature with Alien and Alien 2. And we asked the audience, 'How many of them had never seen the film?' And half of them had never seen it. And then (we) asked them, 'How many of you've never seen it in the theater?' and three-quarters have never seen it in a theater. And everyone knew the scene where the alien comes out of the stomach.
Taylor: That broke me. I could never see a scary movie after that. Where it comes up and scampers – ahhhhhhhhh.
Barrett: Terrifying. And they had all seen it on memes, on their mobile device.They had never seen the film…
Taylor: Isn’t that just stunning?
Barrett: It’s crazy but it’s true and it’s not just happening in Seattle. It’s happening across the country.
Taylor: It’s kind of a relief isn’t it?
Barrett: It’s a relief and it’s exciting because like all arts, cultivating new and younger audiences as our audiences age out is crucial.
Taylor: What is your first memory of film when you fell in love with it?
Barrett: A key memory of mine was when I was able to drive the car by myself. I just gotten my license and I went to the movies by myself. For the first time, I went and saw The Killing Fields, which I think probably says a lot more about me than it should. That experience of going to the movies and being able to sit by myself and have the film there and just be alone and to be alone with my thoughts and be able to process that was life-changing. I was 16.
Taylor: There's a lot of talk about diversity and inclusion. They may seem like buzzwords, but is that part of the focus of SIFF?
Barrett: Absolutely, especially in the festival. Our programming team is made up of 28 different people who are all responsible for different sections. They are actually from the communities they are programming. And that was really important, because we also want to be sure that that the film teams behind those films are from those areas. This year, we're representing 84 different countries and regions from around the world. In 10 days, how many films 261?
Taylor: It's expensive to go to the red carpet event, the after-show, and some could argue at $350, it feels more exclusive than inclusive.
Barrett: That's a good argument, actually. So, the red carpet is a fundraiser for the organization. The opening night film itself is much more much - $75-80. That includes a party, the film and a Q&A.
Taylor: Because these things do not happen for free.
Barrett: Because they do not happen for free. No, they do not. It’s expensive to put on a festival. But it's also so worth it to bring the community together and to experience film for 10 days. Volunteering with SIFF is a great way to see films for free because every two hours you volunteer you get a voucher to see a film at the festival.
Taylor: Which is a great deal.
Barrett: Which is a great deal because nothing is more valuable to us than people’s time.
Taylor: You have been doing this for more than 20 years. You started out as an intern, yes,
Barrett: Volunteer. I volunteered.
Taylor: What keeps you here more than 20 years now?
Barrett: You know, I love that feeling of watching an audience connect to a film. I love a giant audience and I love the roar of approval or of laughter or screaming. But I also love the smaller audience that really is something changes for them. A film filmmaker that we brought – it was about older people understanding their trans grandkids. And one woman in the Q&A raised her hand and said, 'You know, my granddaughter is trans, and I never understood it until now. Thank you.' And that's why I do my job.
- SIFF runs from May 9-19 and opens with the comedy “Thelma," starring actress Hune Squibb.
You can find that on SIFF's website as well as festival passes and single film tickets.