SIFF: Movie lovers rejoice

Back in 1980, when the Seattle Film Festival was still a toddler, the premiere of a “Star Wars” movie was actually part of the fest: “The Empire Strikes Back” was officially a SIFF movie.

Things have changed in the movie landscape in 25 years. This time the new “Star Wars” movie opened the same day as SIFF, thus stealing some galactic thunder from the big local festival. The George Lucas epic will even steal away the Cinerama and Pacific Place theaters, which have been a comfy part of SIFF for the last few years.

So the film festival’s response has been to add a couple of different theaters and keep to its usual Herculean schedule and dizzying pace. At last count, this means nearly 250 feature-length films, more than 100 shorts, lots of special guests, awards, panels, and parties.

The marathon blitz (it’s the biggest and longest film festival in the United States) began Thursday night with an unusually good opening-night presentation, Miranda July’s “Me and You and Everyone We Know.”

Today is the real start of things, though, as four theaters crank up into full-time gear through June 12. The four theaters are the Egyptian, Harvard Exit, Neptune, and Broadway Performance Hall, with the Uptown joining in on the final week. There will also be scattered events at other venues, including rock and roll movies at the Experience Music Project.

SIFF’s most prominent guests are showing up the first weekend. Oscar-nominated actress Joan Allen will appear Sunday afternoon for a career tribute, and then introduce her new movie, “Yes,” at a screening that evening.

And Peter Sarsgaard will be honored for his acting in movies such as “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Shattered Glass” and “Garden State.” Sarsgaard is a little wet behind the ears for a tribute, but he’s undeniably one of the most consistently intriguing young actors around, and he’s shown uncommon taste in his projects. Sarsgaard will be interviewed on stage Saturday night and present his new film, “The Dying Gaul.”

The fest is sticking with its bread-and-butter programs, such as the Secret Festival, that hush-hush Sunday afternoon series of movies that can’t be legally identified; the poster auction; the deranged set of midnight movies (including a new 50th anniversary “Godzilla” picture); and the Fly Filmmaking Challenge, wherein local directors are given a chance to complete a short film in exactly 10 days.

Documentaries at SIFF are always an important part of the experience, and this year the schedule claims an amazing 55 feature docs. Many of these films don’t come again for regular runs at theaters, so if the subject of some of the SIFF docs interests you, it’s a good idea to check them out here.

Included in the documentary slate are movies as diverse as “Twist of Faith,” a devastating and intimate investigation of a Catholic priest child-abuse scandal in Toledo, Ohio, and “The Aristocrats,” an utterly profane and outrageous look at the world’s most famous comedians all pondering the same legendary dirty joke. And there’s a long list of music-related documentaries, on subjects such as Arvo Part, Gram Parsons, Jeff Buckley, and the Northwest band The Gits, whose lead singer Mia Zapata was murdered more than 10 years ago.

Archival selections include Charlie Chaplin’s great comedy “The Circus,” which isn’t exactly a rare film but is a treat; “The Peach Girl,” a 1931 film from China; “Nightmare,” a 1956 film noir based on a Cornell Woolrich story, starring Edward G. Robinson; and the excellent Russian “Gorky Trilogy,” which will take up much of Sunday.

To get the whole picture of one of the legendary debacles of movie history, SIFF will present not only the fully restored “Heaven’s Gate,” the 1980 western that sank a studio and the career of director Michael Cimino, but also the documentary “Final Cut,” which looks at the history of the expensive fiasco.

There are always festivals-within-the-festival. This is one way people stave off insanity during the onslaught: Pick your favorite place (France, Africa) or genre (Asian horror, erotica) and see your favorite kinds of things.

The festival’s programmers have chosen Argentina for a special focus this year, with a list of 13 films from that South American nation, led by the terrific, attention-getting “The Holy Girl,” directed by Lucrecia Martel.

If you’re adventurous, you can sample films by first-time directors – there are many represented here. You can also opt for films by established filmmakers. Based on that, my must-see list this year would include movies by Ingmar Bergman (“Saraband”), Wong Kar-Wai (“2046”), Olivier Assayas (“Clean”), Werner Herzog (“Grizzly Man”), animation master Hayao Miyazaki (“Howl’s Moving Castle”) and Wim Wenders (“Land of Plenty”).

As usual, there are a variety of passes and tickets, from the whopping Full Series pass to a ticket you can walk up and buy on the day of the show. The main SIFF box office for advance tickets is in Pacific Place, and there’s also a box office for single tickets at the Broadway Performance Hall. You can also buy over the phone, 206-324-9996, or over the web, at www.seattlefilm.org.

The official closing bash is June 12, when director Gus Van Sant arrives with his new movie, “Last Days,” the U.S. premiere of an experimental look at Kurt Cobain. Until then, may the Force be with us all.

Michael Pitt stars in “Last Days,” Gus Van Sant’s experimental look at Kurt Cobain, which will have its U.S. premiere on the closing day of the Seattle International Film Festival.

Getting tickets

There are a variety of passes and tickets, from the whopping Full Series pass to a $5 bargain matinee ticket you can walk up and buy on the day of the show.

Advance tickets

In Person: Advance tickets for all films and events are available 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Seattle International Film Festival’s two main ticket outlets:

SIFF Main Box Office

Pacific Place, Sixth Avenue and Pine Street, Seattle, Level 2

With more ticket windows, this may be the faster and more convenient box office. It is also the home for pass fulfillment – anybody getting a pass must have their photo taken and pass processed at this location.

SIFF Single Ticket Outlet

Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle

Advance single tickets for films and events, and home to Will Call for early pickup of advance internet and phone orders.

Charge by phone

206-324-9996

All tickets and passes (with the exception of Cinematic Six-Packs, The Film Buff 20 Pack and Student-Senior Reel Deals) may be purchased by phone with Visa, MasterCard or American Express during regular box office hours. Subject to a $3.50 handling charge per order.

Charge on the Web

www.seattlefilm.org

Subject to a $3.50 handling charge per order.