This morning the Seattle International Film Festival unveiled the NW Connections series of films playing this year's festival. The Centerpiece Gala will be Humpday, the new film from director Lynn Shelton, that was the talk of Sundance and SXSW earlier in the year.
From the press release:
Crowning the series is the SIFF Centerpiece Gala on Friday, June 5, honoring Humpday, the acclaimed new feature from Seattle director Lynn Shelton. Filmed in Seattle, Humpday is the story of two college buddies who test the limits of heterosexual male bonding by agreeing to take part in an amateur porn contest, based on the real-life competition held by The Stranger. Humpday is a smart satire starring Joshua Leonard and Mark Duplass about the contradictions of the male ego, culminating in a hilariously uncomfortable finale.
…
In addition to Humpday, SIFF will present the celebrated Sundance hit and hometown production, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, directed by David Russo. Other highlights in the Northwest Connections program include the filmed-in-Wallingford feature World's Greatest Dad, starring Robin Williams and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, and Sandy Cioffi's much-anticipated documentary, Sweet Crude.
There are 15 feature films and 13 short films with northwest ties playing SIFF this year. The list of shorts are:
"Bedtime Story," directed by Sarah Jane Lapp (USA, 2009)
"CC 2010," directed by Travis Senger (USA, 2009)
"Endless Tunnel," directed by Tommy Thompson (USA, 2008)
"The Chronicles of Cleo and Jack," directed by Karn Junkinsmith (USA, 2009)
"The Day My Parents Became Cool," directed by Steve Edmiston (USA, 2008)
"Dark Material," directed by Maile Martinez (USA, 2009)
"Her Meds," directed by Matt Cibelli (USA, 2008)
"It's In The P-I," directed by Bradley Hutchinson (USA, 2009)
"November," directed by Benjamin Dobyns (USA, 2008)
"One Night," directed by Laura Jean Cronin (USA, 2009)
"Somewhere," directed by Salise Hughes (USA, 2009)
"Sophia + Anna," directed by Joy Andrews (USA, 2009)
"Thicker Than Water," directed by Sami Kubo (USA, 2008)
For more info on SIFF, visit their website and check back here periodically. I'm very excited for this year's festival, so I'll be sharing as much info as I can, as soon as I learn it.