Seattle Theatrical: April 2025
Featuring films by Rungano Nyoni, Miguel Gomes, David Cronenberg, Charles Burnett, Lav Diaz, and Frederick Wiseman
New Releases:
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Rungano Nyoni): Opens 4/11 at the NWFF
Rungano Nyoni’s strong sophomore feature, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, is a film of great sophistication. Beginning with a young woman’s discovery of her uncle’s dead body, Nyoni’s sophomore feature oscillates between genres and tones to explore the scars of patriarchal Zambian tradition.
Grand Tour (Miguel Gomes): Opens 4/18 at the SIFF Uptown
As a big Gomes fan, I’m willing to give Grand Tour, which I found relatively disappointing when I saw it last October, another chance. Following a Portuguese man and his fiancée as they pursue each other throughout colonial Asia, this film has all the hallmarks of classic Gomes: an indulgence in the exotic, elements of meta-cinema, beautiful musical sequences, and a mix of narrative and documentary footage. Shot by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, this is, if nothing else, an incredible-looking movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen.
The Shrouds (David Cronenberg): Opens 4/25 at the SIFF Uptown
In The Shrouds, Cronenberg exorcizes the death of his wife through his uber-romantic postmodern style. Concerning a techno-conspiracy around Grave Tech, a device which allows decedents to livestream the corpses of their loved ones, The Shrouds is strange, timely, and relentlessly heartbreaking. For my money, this is the movie of the year.
Repertory:
The Annihilation of Fish (Charles Burnett): April 7-8, NWFF
A new restoration of Charles Burnett’s long-unavailable offbeat romance The Annihilation of Fish plays as a Grand Illusion pop-up screening at the Northwest Film Forum in early April. I’ve been waiting to see this one for years! If you’re looking for even more Burnett, his debut (and one of the great American films), Killer of Sheep, also plays at the SIFF Uptown later this month.
Batang West Side (Lav Diaz, 2001): The Beacon April 19
Nestled within a month-long celebration of Lynch-ian cinema and a buzzy week-long run of Shinji Somai’s Love Hotel, The Beacon is giving Seattle audiences the rare opportunity to see a theatrical presentation of Lav Diaz’s Batang West Side. One of the Filipino director’s early works, The Beacon describes the film as “a powerful contemporary portrait of the Filipino diaspora in New York and New Jersey”.
The Films of Frederick Wiseman: SIFF Uptown and The Beacon 4/19-5/11
At long last, a selection of the touring of Frederick Wiseman restorations are landing in Seattle. SIFF and The Beacon have partnered to screen 10 of the legendary documentarian’s institutional portraits. As of right now, only the SIFF screenings have been announced, and they include High School, Welfare, The Store, Juvenile Court, and Welfare. Don’t be intimidated by the long runtimes. The Wisemans that I’ve seen are some of the most sensuous, rewarding films in the canon.