Seattle Film Fest opens Art-House cinema

by Kaitlin | March 1, 2007 at 10:39 am

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The northwest certainly seems to be a booming place for film fests; here in Vancouver the film fest is an annual favourite, and it seems Seattle is having similar success. Like our VIFF theatre on Seymour, Seattle's fest has opened a cinema to take advantage of the enthusiasm for the fest all year.

I may have to take a trip down to check it out; they're playing Kurosawa's Seven Samurai in this inaugural year. The fest itself runs in May-June.

"If you have more year-round programs ... you have year-round income," said Person. "It gives us stability and a stronger organization."

Denver and Vancouver, B.C., film festivals already operate art-house theaters, and Toronto is undertaking arguably the most ambitious expansion — a five-story facility with multiple screens and a library.

SIFF Cinema: Opens Thursday at McCaw Hall, Seattle Center, 321 Mercer St., Seattle. For schedule of upcoming movies, check Seattlefilm.org or call the box office at 206 464-5830; $9 admission or $7.50 for SIFF members and students (with valid membership card/student ID).

Such expansions allow festival organizers to drive up memberships, a major fundraising source, several festival organizers said.

SIFF, a 33-year-old organization, is coming off another year of record ticket sales — a 10 percent increase over the prior year, executives said.