Perhaps the most telltale sign that it’s once again SIFF season on Capitol Hill are the lines of filmgoers. It has become a symbol of the annual festival to see the crowd winding down Pine and up Harvard. Meanwhile, 2015 will bring the last SIFF lines — sigh — to E Roy for the Harvard Exit’s swan song before redevelopment. Here are a few of the people we found in line this weekend. CHS roster of SIFF 2015 Capitol Hill highlights is here.
Coming out of Love & Devotion at The Egyptian Friday night
| Ralph and Dan |
What brought you guys out to the festival tonight?
Ralph: You know just a wild hair for tonight. Because it was beautiful out. I kind of forgot about the festival because I’d been traveling. But, now, luckily I caught it on the first night. I’m gonna see a lot more.
Dan: He sent me an email with three different movies to choose from and, I don’t know, that got us to here. I’m glad though, it was an excellent movie.
You guys liked Love & Mercy?
Ralph: It was great. … It was very intense, and I don’t feel like I ever knew the story of Brian Wilson. … He was terribly manipulated, drugged, and he really could have been lost had someone not stepped in to help him.
Dan: I didn’t know the story at all. I thought it was an incredible story, I really enjoyed it a lot. I’m going to home and listen to some Beach Boys music now.
Do you guys have any other thoughts on SIFF?
Ralph: I was a member last year. And I haven’t renewed, but I’m going to now that I saw this film actually. I love it. I love it.
Dan: I will definitely see more movies. I don’t know if I’ll get a membership this year, but next year maybe.
| Lynn and John |
What brought you guys out to the festival on opening night?
Lynn: We started going last year and thought, ‘Next year, we’ll just pick a handful of movies together and just try it, go.’
What did you guys think of Love & Mercy?
Lynn: I found the story interesting, the movie was a little slow.
John: I like the idea of showing the life of this genius — the guy had incredible talent. I too, like Lynn, thought it went a little slow. And you know it kind of made you uncomfortable in parts — very uncomfortable for me — to see the kind of position a talent like him was put in to. To some degree he brought that upon himself, but on the other hand, he had a lot of help.
What part of town are you guys from?
Both: We’re from Issaquah.
Do you have any thoughts about SIFF in general?
Lynn: I think it’s great, I can’t wait for the next few — we picked a wide variety.
John: The movies are different and interesting. They’re fascinating in some regards. We probably would not have seen this movie if we were not SIFF members.
In line for Goodnight Mommy at The Egyptian on Friday night
| Tim |
– First in line Friday night for Goodnight Mommy.
Will this be your first film at the festival this year?
The first film I saw was Behavior. That was one of the best teacher movies I’ve ever seen. It’s from Cuba. I guess it was controversial — it told a little too much truth.
What makes you first in line for Goodnight Mommy? Which looks a little freaky, I must say.
I really want to have cover if it gets rainy. [Laughter]
How long have you been waiting?
About a half hour.
How many different tickets do you have for the festival? I noticed you going through a stack.
Probably about 40. I did a little over 50 last year.
How many years have you been coming to SIFF?
Only about four or five years now, but I’ve lived here all my life. I’d been missing out.
What part of town are you from?
Bellevue.
Do you have any top picks coming up?
This year? Corn Island — the cinematography looks like it could be real good on that one. … There’s The Russian Woodpecker — that looks pretty good, it’s a documentary. … And Ian McKellan plays Sherlock Holmes in one of the movies — that sounds real interesting.
| Nichole |
What brought you out tonight?
Film — I do film studies at UW.
Will this be the first film you’ve seen tonight?
First film at the festival this year, yeah.
What made you choose it?
I read a review about it, I heard it was really good. … I like the creeper movies.
How many films are you going to at SIFF?
I bought a ticket packet of six.
Any thoughts about SIFF, or what it means to have this here?
I think it’s really awesome. It’s the largest festival in the country. And you get a lot of movies that wouldn’t normally be released … It’s good to see more obscure films.
| Tara and Andrew |
How many films are you guys planning to go to?
Tara: We’re going to like 10 different movies, and then we’re doing the Secret Festival — that’s every Sunday for the next four Sundays. You don’t know what you’re getting in to.
Are you regular SIFF goers?
Tara: The last three years we’ve been going regularly.
Any thoughts on SIFF?
Tara: It’s got a super eclectic mix of movies. It’s always exciting to get to see things that you might not see otherwise.
What do you guys think about the Egyptian being back open?
Andrew: It’s pretty cool.
Tara: We love the Egyptian.
How long have you guys been coming to the theater?
Andrew: A long time. Since, probably the late 90’s, at least.
Tara: There’s nothing like going to see a midnight horror movie at the Egyptian.
| Denise |
What brought you out tonight? I see you’re a pass holder.
We see two or three movies a day. On the weekend — four, five, maybe six. That’s pretty intense. Just see as many as we can, and we look forward to it all year.
How many movies will you see throughout the festival?
About 50. It’s hard for me to see more than that because I work. And I’m unable to come to the press screenings. It’s nice. My husband actually acts as support staff — like has meals ready, and took care of the dog when she was alive. But, yeah, [seeing so much at the festival] is kind of like another job, but I love it.
How long have you been coming to SIFF?
2005 was the first year that I came. Somebody gave me a ticket. It was an Indian film and I was like, ‘Ok, I’ll go see this.’ And I went and I fell in love with it. … It was just really exciting, I’d never seen anything like it. And the director was there. I’d never been to a movie where you could actually ask questions to the director. And I was like, ‘That was the coolest thing in the world!’ … After that, it expanded from there, to what it is today.
Do you remember the name of that first film you saw at SIFF?
Yes: Hari Om.
| Jasara and Kelvin |
What brought you guys out tonight?
Jasara: Goodnight Mommy — looking for sort of a creepy thriller, saw the preview online, and thought, ‘When else are you going to see something like this [in theater]?’ Like I was telling the guy behind us, we wanted to see something you’re not going to see in a mainstream theater; something you can only see at the film festival.
Are you guys regular SIFF-goers?
Jasara: Yeees. I am. I get so excited every year when SIFF comes around. I obsess and do my research. Like, ‘Do I have time to do this one? Can I run around and go to that theater?’ … There’s so many, and you never know what you’re going to get. …
Plus they have really good popcorn at the Uptown Cinema — it’s a big deal.
What part of town are you guys from?
Jasara: I’m from Renton
Kelvin: Auburn.
Jasara: It’s a long way, but it’s worth it. Parking is terrible though
Any films you’re particularly looking forward to this year?
Jasara: Not really. Just as long as I can see as much as possible. Every week I try to get one to two in.
… and Kelvin? Just along for the ride?
Along for the ride, as long as we see a sci-fi flick.
In line for Strangerland at The Egyptian on Sunday night
| Audrey and her dad |
What brought you out tonight?
Dad: My daughter.
Audrey: I just like movies. My mom brought me to a couple a few years ago, and I got in to them.
… brought you to some at SIFF?
Daughter: Yeah.
Dad: She’s back from college for break and this is all she wants to do. [Laughter]
Really?
Audrey: I love movies. I was thinking of maybe writing scripts later.
How many films are you going to at the festival this year?
Audrey: Like ten. That’s all I have time for really.
| Mike |
What brought you out tonight?
I’m a movie buff.
How many movies have you seen at SIFF this year so far?
Five. I’m going to see 15 total.
Anything to say about SIFF?
Great films. Great festival. Great organization. But they need to get the projectionists here — first film opening night they had no projectionist, four o’clock was cancelled, good movie.
| Peter and Victor |
What brought you guys out tonight?
Peter: Our class goes to SIFF at the end of the class.
Victor: Class at UW.
What class is it?
Peter: History of film, 1989 to present.
Did you pick this film for any reason?
Peter: The trailer looked really interesting, and I saw Hugo Weaving in it, he’s a good actor.
Are you a film buff? Or just taking a class?
Victor: I really like Lord of the Rings. But yeah, I’m just taking a class. But I like it, it gets me involved in things.
| Purple |
What brought you out to Strangerland?
You got three fabulous leads. Joseph Fiennes, Nichole Kidman, Hugo Weaving. Australian thriller. I like Australian films.
How many films are you going to at SIFF this year?
19.
