Scenes from SIFF 2025: Large Rodents In the Reel World
The 51st Annual The Seattle International Film Festival
Various Theatres Across Seattle
May 15-25, 2025
Ten Days of Cinematic Globetrotting at Seattle’s International Film Festival
When a Seattle film festival curates over 50 years of international cinema, it should be clear as day that they aren’t messing around. So when I spotted a capybara—the largest rodent in the world, native to South America—while I was waiting in line for a film, I realized that SIFF is as international as it gets.
Unsurprisingly, this capybara sighting became a minor sensation. Rumor has it that posts about it went viral. I remember the buzz being palpable. People gathered around to catch a glimpse of the gentle giant. It appeared surprisingly content amidst the hustle and bustle of 4th and Lenora. Giddy festivalgoers (myself included) snapped several pictures. We were eager to share our unusual encounter online.
As the capybara calmly sniffed the pavement, I could see that it was unfazed by its newfound fame. I overheard speculations on how it had arrived in Seattle. Most didn’t even know what it was, while others proclaimed it as proof that tariffs were a terrible idea. The capybara, of course, paid no mind and continued to sniff the sidewalk.
Regardless of its origins, the capybara’s presence seemed to embody the spirit of SIFF—an event that celebrates diversity, creativity and the unexpected. Over the course of 10 days, I saw films from four continents: Asia, Africa, North America and Europe. I saw thrillers, comedies, dramas and documentaries. I saw how they used the language of cinema. And I saw how that language can be infused with cultural nuance.
Coming straight out of Turkey, The Things You Kill was described as a “Lynchian” thriller. While that descriptor (which implies a similarity to the surreal, often unsettling work of David Lynch) turned out to be a bit of a stretch, I believe it was the first Turkish film I’ve ever seen. I can’t say I loved it. For me, it was missing an emotional core. Maybe that’s because I’m not Turkish. I’m not sure. I’m just thankful that NadaMucho.com editor-in-chief Matt Ashworth and I got to see it together. We didn’t know what to expect, but I’m glad we took a chance. In a small way, we enriched our understanding of the world.
Maybe this is a new thing—it certainly was new for me—but SIFF handed out passports. They were intended as mementos for attendees. Inside them was a list of every film at the festival and a page with unique symbols for each of its venues. A corresponding stamp could be found at each location. Some may not have enjoyed this—I’m thinking of my colleague Tim Basaraba—but I thought it was fun to fill that page with stamps. It gave me a sense of accomplishment, even though there was one venue I didn’t make it to: Shoreline. According to Tim, that venue was, let’s say, lacking. But the passport tied into SIFF’s international street cred. As I mentioned earlier, they aren’t messing around.
I’m imagining a passport for the capybara. It has a squirrelly mugshot of his face alongside his name, weight, eye color, etc. In my mind, he’s male, and his name is Kirk.
The scene with Kirk was Thursday afternoon. Later that night, I saw a Danish film, Beginnings. Producer Eva Jakobsen and actress Bjørk Storm were in attendance. If you read my previous recap, you’ll notice a pattern here because they were there for a Q&A, but I didn’t seize the opportunity. I couldn’t think of a single question, and I’m really kicking myself. If I would’ve know that Jakobsen co-produced two of the best films I’ve seen in recent years—The Worst Person in the World (2021) and Godland (2022)—I would have had too many questions. But I didn’t, and a crowd immediately formed around them after the Q&A. I was nervous to approach, they are both very attractive, and I had to use the restroom—badly. I was hoping I’d catch them on their way out, but, unlike my encounter with the producer of Fucktoys, I had no such luck.
The previous evening, I saw a stunning South Korean love story, Summer’s Camera. Wow! What a gorgeous work of art. It’s worth noting that Summer’s Camera falls into the category of queer cinema. That’s because SIFF isn’t just international—it doesn’t just bring together different countries. SIFF brings together different lifestyles. I’m not sure what South Korea’s stance is on homosexuality—I’ll safely assume it’s more liberal than its neighbor to the North—but that’s not what I found compelling about this film. Divine Sung’s directorial debut avoids the clichés of queer cinema, and instead focuses on the transcendent power of love. Keep an eye out for my full review of this cinematic gem.
On Friday, Tim and I saw the Japanese “near future” film Happyend, and it floored me. Best film I saw at SIFF. Hats off to director Neo Sora for crafting an indelible coming-of-age story. We also watched the latest film from Polish prodigies the Brothers Quay, Sanitarium Under the Sign of the Hourglass. Apparently, these guys are a big deal. The British Film Institute (BFI) supplied over two-thirds of this stop-motion animation’s budget. And while BFI holds a special place in the hearts of me, Tim, and Matt—check out our weekly Stereo app discussion, Film Is Dead, every Friday at 7 p.m. to learn more—the Quay brothers’ nightmarish animation will not.
In short, I spent 10 days traveling the world through the medium of film, and the capybara was a fitting symbol of SIFF’s inclusive approach. As the doors to the theater opened on that Thursday afternoon and the crowd began to shuffle inside to see the South African biopic John Cranko, there was a sense of anticipation in the air—not just for the films to come, but for the delightful surprises that could be found around every corner at this truly international festival.
Thank you, SIFF, for showing me sights I’ve never seen. My passport is stamped and has pages yet unfilled. I’m ready for whatever’s next.
Editor’s note: Here are some iPhone pics from our SIFF 2025 adventures.
