Local Sightings 2025 – Because I Love You (Shorts)
Sun Sep 21:
In-person tickets >
$15 General Admission
$10 Student/Child/Senior
$7 Member
$100 General Admission
$70 Student/Child/Senior
$45 Member
Full Festival Passes and Individual Tickets are available!
Click for Accessibility Info
Ticketing, concessions, cinemas, restrooms, and our public edit lab are located on Northwest Film Forum’s ground floor, which is wheelchair accessible. All doors in Northwest Film Forum are non-motorized, and may require staff assistance to open. Our upstairs workshop room is not wheelchair accessible.
The majority of seats in our main cinema are 21″ wide from armrest to armrest; some seats are 19″ wide. We are working on creating the option of removable armrests!
We have a limited number of assistive listening devices available for programs hosted in our larger theater, Cinema 1. These devices are maintained by the Technical Director, and can be requested at the ticketing and concessions counter. Also available at the front desk is a Sensory Kit you can borrow, which includes a Communication Card, noise-reducing headphones, and fidget toys.
The Forum does NOT have assistive devices for the visually impaired, and is not (yet) a scent-free venue. Our commitment to increasing access for our audiences is ongoing, and we welcome all public input on the subject!
If you have additional specific questions about accessibility at our venue, please contact our Patron Services Manager at rajah@nwfilmforum.org. Our phone number (206-329-2629) is voicemail-only, but we check it often.
Made possible due to a grant from Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Sensory Access, our Sensory Access document presents a visual and descriptive walk-through of the NWFF space. View it in advance of attending an in-person event at bit.ly/nwffsocialnarrativepdf, in order to prepare yourself for the experience.
⚠️ COVID-19 Policies ⚠️
As of August 2024, NWFF has adjusted its mask policy from universally required to strongly encouraged at the majority of screenings. Occasional exceptions will be noted on each event’s page.
Disposable masks are available at the door for those who need them.
Read more about NWFF’s policies responding to the present pandemic here.
About
(56 min TRT)
Fall head over heels for these short films about the ups and downs of love, from meet-cutes to breakups–and everything in between. With humor, tenderness, and plenty of heart, these films explore the challenges of vulnerability, unconventional paths to love, and the journey of building a life with your partner.
Header photo credit: Empano Gleasium, dir. Joe Bowden
BUY TICKETS HERE
FAQ: What's the festival format this year?
- This year’s festival will be in-person only! For the past several years, we have been proud to offer the festival as a hybrid virtual-and-in-person experience, but due to staff capacity, we cannot do this for the 2025 fest.
FAQ: How do I watch in-person?
- Purchase your ticket through Brown Paper Tickets; come to the show!
- You can also purchase a ticket on the day of the screening at Northwest Film Forum’s box office (1515 12th Ave, Seattle).
- Pass-holders, we will be able to look you up using the name you purchased under.
Films in this program:
Inspire
(Sandra Garcia, Seattle, WA, 2025, 11 min, in English)
A young artist seeks inspiration as an art gallery deadline approaches. He meets a young woman at a house party, but things take a turn when he tries to use each moment as potential motivation for new artwork.
Empano Gleasium
(Joe Bowden, Portland, OR, 2025, 10 min, in English) WA State premiere!
A couple uses their love for each other and a magical spell to summon a galactic deity, but when they recite the spell’s magic words, they learn there’s more to magic than love.
The Lonely Ocnus
(Sao Khue, Vancouver, BC, 2025, 10 min, in English) World premiere!
While Son hesitates to call his ex, he unknowingly neglects both himself and his goldfish.
The Ride
(Zack Hamm, BC, 10 min, English) World premiere!
A late-night drive has Sean and Louis reflecting on their surrogacy journey.
Ranch Hands
(Stefan Hajek, Vashon Island, WA, 2025, 15 min, in English) Northwest premiere!
Ren and Matt are lifelong bunkmates, workmates, and playmates on a rural farm. But when the farm’s matriarch ends up in Matt’s bed, it sparks a bold proposal from Ren to challenge the system. Matt’s resistance, however, throws their relationship into turmoil, threatening their deep bond.
Festival Directory
Presented by Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum, the 28th Annual Local Sightings Film Festival is a showcase of creative communities from throughout the Pacific Northwest. The 2025 program, which runs from September 19–28, features a competitive selection of curated short film programs and feature films, inviting regional artists to experiment, break, and remake popular conceptions around filmmaking and film exhibition.
Local Sightings champions emerging and established talent, supports the regional film industry, and promotes diverse media as a critical tool for public engagement.