Seeds is planting itself firmly in the hearts of critics around the country.
Brittany Shyne’s documentary about Black farmers in the South won the Grand Jury Prize in Competition at the 2025 Seattle International Film Festival, the latest honor for a film that has won awards at Sundance, RiverRun in North Carolina, and the San Francisco International Film Festival.
The jury, comprised of David Ansen, Megan Griffiths, and Garineh Nazarian, saluted the film for “its lyric and compassionate evocation of an underrepresented community, filmed with great intimacy over 8 years.”
Eight fiction and nonfiction films contended for the Grand Jury Prize. The jury awarded a Special Mention to The New Year That Never Came, directed by Bogdan Mureșanu, calling the period drama set in Romania as dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was about to fall “a kaleidoscopic vision of life under authoritarianism that resonates with special urgency in these troubling times.”
SIFF, running May 15-25, closed its 51st edition Sunday with the presentation of Juried Competition Awards and Golden Space Needle Audience Awards at a ceremony held at Tagney Jones Hall. [Scroll for the full list of winners]
Elsewhere in juried categories, the Grand Jury Prize for New Directors Competition went to The Crowd, directed by Iranian filmmaker Sahand Kabiri (that victory for Kabiri came the same weekend as Iranian director Jafar Panahi won the Palme d’or in Cannes for It Was Just an Accident).
“The jury was captivated by this film from the first frame of cellphone video showing a part of Iranian life that very few have the privilege to witness,” wrote jurors Chris Lane, Jonathan Marlow, and Peter Van Steemburg. “We found the film to be so refreshing and joyous… The story is so bold, the actors deliver top notch performances, and the director sutures you to the screen. We also want to recognize the technical achievements of this film, from the photography, to the sound design, down to the lighting of a pop-rave in a Tehrani warehouse.”
A Special Jury Mention in the New Directors Competition was awarded to DJ Ahmet, directed by Georgi M. Unkovski.
Deaf, directed by Eva Libertad, won SIFF’s 2025 Ibero-American Competition. The jury, comprised of Florangela Davila, Luis Ortiz, and Claudia Puig, praised the film “for its authentic and emotionally layered portrayal of deaf motherhood. With rare intimacy and emotional depth, the film offers a powerful new perspective on communication, identity, and belonging within the deaf community.”
In Documentary Competition, Suburban Fury directed by Robinson Devor claimed the Grand Jury Prize. Devor’s film examines would-be presidential assassin Sara Jane Moore, now 95, who attempted to kill Gerald Ford in 1975.
“The Documentary Competition Jury was collectively obsessed by this film, which combines luscious visuals, compelling and relevant archival material, and a narrative track and singular protagonist that constantly escapes the viewer’s comprehension – in a good way,” wrote jurors Russel Brewer, Sarah Menzies, and Cara Ogburn. “This film left us thinking about big topics like truth, persuasion, and compulsion, positioning us alongside the filmmaker and leading us to want to talk and think about this film for hours.”
A Special Jury Mention in the doc competition went to Billy, directed by Lawrence Côté-Collins.
The festival screened 245 films from 74 countries and regions around the globe — including 83 features, 122 short films, 35 documentaries, three archival features, and two secret films. The lineup included 19 world premieres, 27 North American premieres, and 13 US premieres. “Nearly 51% of filmmakers are female or nonbinary-identifying, 37% identify as a BIPOC director, and 20% identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. 60% of the feature films are from first- or second-time filmmakers, and 73% of films don’t currently have US distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” the festival noted.
“When we announced our lineup for this year’s Festival slate, we wanted to make sure our audience knew that SIFF is doubling down on spotlighting independent and international voices, voices that need to be heard right now” SIFF Artistic Director Beth Barrett said in a statement. “This year’s award winners absolutely reflect the intention behind this year’s focal points. It has been an incredible 11 days; and with hundreds of filmmakers and thousands of patrons filling our theaters, it’s clear the need for these voices, these films, is greater than ever.”
In addition to juried awards, SIFF presents audience prizes – known as Golden Space Needle Awards. The Golden Space Needle Award – Best Film went to Tinā, directed by Miki Magasiva, a drama about a woman who loses her daughter in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand.
The Golden Space Needle Award – Best Documentary was earned by Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White, the story of poets-lovers Megan Falley and Andrea Gibson.
The Lena Sharpe Award For Persistence Of Vision went to The Librarians, Kim A. Snyder’s film about unhinged attacks on librarians that have sprung up around the country in a wave of conservative disinformation and hysteria. “This award is given to the female director’s film that receives the most votes in public balloting at the Festival,” SIFF explained. “Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. SIFF created this Award as a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence.”
These are the 2025 SIFF prize winners:
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD WINNERS
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST FILM
Tinā, directed by Miki Magasiva (Aotearoa New Zealand)
First runner-up: Twinless, directed by James Sweeney (USA)
Second runner-up: Color Book, directed by David Fortune (USA)
Third runner-up: DJ Ahmet, directed by Georgi M. Unkovski (North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Serbia/Croatia)
Fourth runner-up: Souleymane’s Story, directed by Boris Lojkine (France)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY
Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White (USA)
First runner-up: The Librarians, directed by Kim A. Snyder (USA)
Second runner-up: Remaining Native, directed by Paige Bethmann (USA)
Third runner-up: Paul Anka: His Way, directed by John Maggio (USA)
Fourth runner-up: Sally, directed by Cristina Costantini (USA)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DIRECTOR
James Sweeney, Twinless (USA)
First runner-up: Boris Lojkine, Souleymane’s Story (France)
Second runner-up: Annapurna Sriram, F*cktoys (USA)
Third runner-up: Ryan White, Come See Me in the Good Light (USA)
Fourth runner-up: Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby (USA)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST PERFORMANCE
Abou Sangaré, Souleymane’s Story (France)
First runner-up: Carolina Yuste, Undercover (Spain)
Second runner-up: Kathleen Chalfant, Familiar Touch (USA)
Third runner-up: Sam Riley, John Cranko (Germany)
Fourth runner-up: Lexi Venter, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (South Africa)
Very Special Mention for Indy the dog in Good Boy (USA)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM
Five Star, directed by Kai Hasson (USA)
First runner-up: Retirement Plan, directed by John Kelly (Ireland)
Second runner-up: Éiru, directed by Giovanna Ferrari (Ireland)
Third runner-up: Dear Aloha, directed by Cris Romento (USA)
Fourth runner-up: West Shore, directed by Jordan Riber, Jon Carroll (USA)
LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION
The Librarians, directed by Kim A. Snyder (USA)
This award is given to the female director’s film that receives the most votes in public balloting at the Festival. Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. SIFF created this Award as a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence.
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SIFF 2025 FEATURE COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF confers five juried competition awards: SIFF Official Competition, Ibero-American Competition, New Directors Competition, New American Cinema Competition, and Documentary Competition. The winners in each juried competition receive $5,000 in cash.
SIFF 2025 OFFICIAL COMPETITION WINNER
The SIFF Official Competition Jury members were David Ansen (Lead Programmer of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, former film critic for Newsweek, former Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Film Festival from 2010-2014), Megan Griffiths (film and television writer/director, board member of Northwest Film Forum), Garineh Nazarian (founder and managing director of Venera Films).
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Seeds, directed by Brittany Shyne (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: For its lyric and compassionate evocation of an underrepresented community, filmed with great intimacy over 8 years, we award the Grand Jury Prize to Seeds, by Brittany Shyne.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
The New Year That Never Came, directed by Bogdan Mureșanu(Romania/Serbia)
JURY STATEMENT: The New Year That Never Came, a kaleidoscopic vision of life under authoritarianism that resonates with special urgency in these troubling times.
2025 Entries:
Home Sweet Home (d: Frelle Petersen, Denmark 2025)
The New Year That Never Came (d: Bogdan Mureşanu, Romania/Serbia 2024)
Raptures (d: Jon Blåhed, Sweden/Finland 2025)
Rebuilding (d: Max Walker-Silverman, USA 2025)
Remaining Native (d: Paige Bethmann (Haudenosaunee), USA 2025)
The Safe House (d: Lionel Baier, Switzerland/Luxembourg/France 2025)
Seeds (d: Brittany Shyne, USA 2025)
Summer’s Camera (d: Divine Sung, South Korea 2025)
SIFF 2025 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION
The SIFF Ibero-American Competition Jury members were Florangela Davila (former race and immigration reporter at The Seattle Times, former managing editor and Crosscut Now host at Cascade PBS, former KNKX news director), Luis Ortiz (Managing Director at PBS), Claudia Puig (Director of Programming for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, National Public Radio’s “Film Week” film critic, lead critic at USA Today, host of The Screening Room.)
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Deaf, directed by Eva Libertad (Spain)
JURY STATEMENT: DEAF/SORDA is awarded the Grand Jury Prize for its authentic and emotionally layered portrayal of deaf motherhood. With rare intimacy and emotional depth, the film offers a powerful new perspective on communication, identity, and belonging within the deaf community.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Transfers, directed by Nicolás Gil Lavedra (Argentina/Uruguay)
JURY STATEMENT: TRANSFERS/TRANSLADOS is awarded a Special Jury Mention for its powerful reflection on dictatorship and historical memory—offering a haunting reminder of the dangers of authoritarianism that feels urgently relevant in today’s America.
2025 entries:
Beef (d: Ingride Santos, Spain/Mexico 2025)
Bitter Gold (d: Juan Olea, Chile/Mexico/Uruguay/Germany 2024)
Deaf (d: Eva Libertad, Spain 2025)
Hanami (d: Denise Fernandes, Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde 2024)
Manas (d: Marianna Brennand, Brazil/Portugal 2024)
The Nature of Invisible Things (d: Rafaela Camelo, Brazil/Chile 2025)
Transfers (d: Nicolás Gil Lavedra, Argentina/Uruguay 2024)
Undercover (d: Arantxa Echevarría, Spain 2024)
SIFF 2025 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION
The SIFF New Directors Competition Jury members were Chris Lane (President of Distribution and Audience at Joint Venture), Jonathan Marlow (Executive Director of Scarecrow Video Archive, curator, composer, cinematographer, filmmaker and producer), Peter Van Steemburg (Head of Talent Management at XYZ Films) .
GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Crowd, directed by Sahand Kabiri (Iran)
JURY STATEMENT: We are thrilled to award the SIFF New Director’s Grand Jury Prize to THE CROWD directed by Sahand Kabiri from Iran! The jury was captivated by this film from the first frame of cellphone video showing a part of Iranian life that very few have the privilege to witness. We found the film to be so refreshing and joyous and want to applaud the filmmakers for sharing this story with us. The story is so bold, the actors deliver top notch performances, and the director sutures you to the screen. We also want to recognize the technical achievements of this film, from the photography, to the sound design, down to the lighting of a pop-rave in a Tehrani warehouse. We applaud the filmmaking team of THE CROWD and thank them for sharing their story with us.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
DJ Ahmet, directed by Georgi M. Unkovski (North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Serbia/Croatia)
JURY STATEMENT: We also would like to provide special recognition to DJ AHMET directed by Georgi M. Unkovski from North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Serbia, and Croatia. We equally found DJ AHMET to be so joyous, refreshing, and surprising. This coming of age story captivated us all the way down the pink sheep. We thank the DJ AHMET filmmaking team for proving such a unique window into a part of the world very few get to see.
2025 entries:
Beginnings (d: Jeanette Nordahl, Denmark/Sweden/Belgium 2025)
The Crowd (d: Sahand Kabiri, Iran 2025)
DJ Ahmet (d: Georgi M. Unkovski, North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Serbia/Croatia 2025)
Mongrels (d: Jerome Yoo, Canada 2024)
Ready or Not (d: Claire Frances Byrne, Ireland 2025)
To Kill a Mongolian Horse (d: Xiaoxuan Jiang, Malaysia/Hong Kong/South Korea/Japan/Saudi Arabia/Thailand/USA 2024)
The Village Next to Paradise (d: Mo Harawe, Somalia/Austria/France/Germany 2024)
SIFF 2025 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION
The SIFF New American Cinema Jury members were Alison Foreman (Features Writer at IndieWire), Bill Guentzler (former Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Operations for Gravitas Ventures), Zia Mohajerjasbi (filmmaker, writer, director).
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Invention, directed by Courtney Stephens (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: For too many, American life is an endless source of grief. “Invention” navigates the so-called “free marketplace” by way of the death industrial complex to deliver a subtly ferocious reflection on that fact. Sensitive, strange, hopeful, and harrowing, director Courtney Stephens and star Callie Hernandez break the mold in this diaphanous meta dramedy — intuitively capturing the feeling of today with timeless vision.
2025 Entries:
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions (d: Kahlil Joseph, USA 2025)
Color Book (d: David Fortune, USA 2024)
F*cktoys (d: Annapurna Sriram, USA 2025)
Invention (d: Courtney Stephens, USA 2024)
She’s The He (d: Siobhan McCarthy, USA 2025)
Slanted (d: Amy Wang, USA 2025)
SIFF 2025 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
The SIFF Documentary Jury members were Russel Brewer (Operations Director for Denver Film’s Sie FilmCenter and the Denver Film Festival), Sarah Menzies (Director of Original Productions at Cascade PBS), Cara Ogburn (Artistic Director at Milwaukee Film, previous president of the Board of Directors of the national Film Festival Alliance).
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Suburban Fury, directed by Robinson Devor (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: The Documentary Competition Jury was collectively obsessed by this film, which combines luscious visuals, compelling and relevant archival material, and a narrative track and singular protagonist that constantly escapes the viewer’s comprehension – in a good way. This film left us thinking about big topics like truth, persuasion, and compulsion, positioning us alongside the filmmaker and leading us to want to talk and think about this film for hours. The Documentary Jury Grand Prize winner is… SUBURBAN FURY, directed by Robinson Devor.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Billy, directed by Lawrence Côté-Collins (Canada (Québec)/Finland)
JURY STATEMENT: For a deeply personal film which blends styles, serves as a vehicle for introspection, and puts the viewer in the position of understanding and experiencing mental health episodes on a visceral and empathetic level.
2025 Entries:
Between Goodbyes (d: Jota Mun, USA 2024)
Billy (d: Lawrence Côté-Collins, Canada (Québec)/Finland 2024)
Drowned Land (d: Colleen Thurston (Choctaw Nation), USA 2025)
Freeing Juanita (d: Sebastián Lasaosa Rogers, Guatemala/Mexico/USA 2024)
The Librarians (d: Kim A. Snyder, USA 2025)
Suburban Fury (d: Robinson Devor, USA 2024)
Unclickable (d: Babis Makridis, Greece/Cyprus/USA 2024)
Viktor (d: Olivier Sarbil, Ukraine/USA 2024)
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2025 SEATTLE FILM CRITICS SOCIETY FEATURE FILM AWARD
Sorry, Baby, directed by Eva Victor (USA)
The Seattle Film Critics Society polled all accredited media for their favorite new release feature films that played the 51st Seattle International Film Festival. 80 different films appeared on member ballots as favorites, but there was widespread consensus at the top of the list. We are thrilled to present the 2025 SIFF Seattle Critics Award to Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby.
About SFCS: With a membership of area critics, the Seattle Film Critics Society is dedicated to supporting local productions and festivals, enhancing public education, awareness, and appreciation of cinema, and strengthening the bonds of critical dialogue as it pertains to the cinematic arts. SFCS seeks to highlight the best films produced each year–both by the major studios and independent filmmakers–and share our love of cinema with Seattle-area residents.
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WAVEMAKER AWARD: BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE (Youth Jury Prize)
Summer’s Camera, directed by Divine Sung (South Korea 2025)
As students of Edmonds Woodway High School we are incredibly honored to be a part of the
FutureWave film selection process. This is an amazing opportunity and has helped our school
garner a larger interest in everything related to film. This year’s winner used silence in a powerful way to make their pacing dynamic.The various shot styles made this film engaging to watch and added onto the powerful imagery. We enjoyed how the characters developed in a natural and satisfying way, especially through their relationships. Their discovery of themselves unfolded beautifully on screen. This verdict was extremely hard for us to make, but after countless hours of watching and deliberating, the winning film for the 2025 Golden Space Needle WaveMaker is… Summer’s Camera! Congratulations to all the films.
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SIFF 2025 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
Every short film in the Seattle International Film Festival is eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize. Our Shorts Competition jurors will choose winners in the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each Grand Jury Prize winner will receive $2,500; winners may also qualify to enter their respective films in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards® for the concurrent season without a theatrical run.
The SIFF Short Film Juries were:
Live Action: Carlos A.F. Lopez (filmmaker), Chelsea Lupkin (Senior Programmer at Short of the Week), Gabe Van Amburgh (Senior Film Programmer and Manager for the SXSW Film & TV Festival)
Documentary / Animation: Michael Huang (founder and managing director of Milli, founding Seattle Film Commissioner), Missy Laney (Director of Development at Adult Swim), Anderson Le (Artistic Director for the Hawai’i International Film Festival, programming consultant for the far East Film Festival, former Head of Programming for the inaugural Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival)
LIVE ACTION SHORT
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Medusa, directed by Sarah Meyohas (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: An erotic exploration of scent and sexuality, a Swedish perfumer stung by a jellyfish off the South of France has a titillating encounter with a strange man who might just prefer the same aroma as she does. If we could bottle this film up for ourselves, we would. Congratulations Sarah Meyohas on her Grand Jury prize win for Medusa.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Majonezë, directed by Giulia Grandinetti (Italy)
JURY STATEMENT: A young woman defies all the men in her life in a rebellious act of revolution against the patriarchy with a little extra mayo on the side. Congratulations to our Special Mention Giulia Grandinetti on her film Majonezë for its incredible direction and poignant perspective.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Rat Rod, directed by Jared Jakins, Carly Jakins (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: A visually arresting film about a haunted mechanic, who muses on his experiences as an immigrant in rural America. As he reflects on identity, life, death, and the origins of resurrecting old cars, finding meaning in the machines he brings back to life–we see his raw passion and rebellion through the roaring soul of metal and machinery. On behalf of the jury, congratulations to the filmmaking team behind Rat Rod.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Style: A Seattle Basketball Story, directed by Bryan Tucker (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: This film rigorously captures the legacy and impact of Seattle’s vibrant and storied basketball community and culture through the lens of both towering legends and the generation of next. No fouls committed in this slam dunk. Congratulations to the team behind STYLE: A BASKETBALL STORY on a SPECIAL JURY MENTION.
ANIMATION SHORT
GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Eating of an Orange, directed by May Kindred-Boothby (United Kingdom)
JURY STATEMENT: The Eating of an Orange captivates with its minimalist and surrealist elegance, transforming a simple act into a profound journey filled with Lynchian dream logic and sensuous fluidity. On behalf of the jury, congratulations to the filmmaking team behind The Eating of an Orange.
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
View From the Floor, directed by Megan Griffiths & Mindie Lind (USA)
JURY STATEMENT: This film courageously illuminates the raw truth of navigating an able-centric world, where everyday realities are too often overlooked. Through its unflinching honesty and powerful storytelling, this film demands visibility, empathy, and true inclusion. On behalf of the esteemed jury, congratulations to the filmmaking team behind VIEW FROM THE FLOOR for a SPECIAL JURY MENTION.
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