Local Sightings 2026 – Queer As In (Shorts)

Fri Sep 25:

In-person tickets >

$15 General Admission
$10 Student/Child/Senior
$7 Member

Three-Ticket Bundle >

$35 General Admission
$25 Student/Child/Senior
$17 Member

Festival passes >

Weekend Passes

$80 General Admission
$50 Student/Child/Senior
$35 Member

Full Festival Pass

$150 General Admission
$100 Student/Child/Senior
$75 Member

Dual Full Festival Pass 

$250 General Admission
$150 Student/Child/Senior
$125 Member

Full Festival Passes and Individual Tickets are available!

Visiting Artist

*Filmmakers in attendance for Q&A*

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

(76 min TRT)

Free your mind and your ass will follow! Join us for films that explore every stage of queer life, from coming out to cruising to commitment.

Header photo credit: Qualia, dir. Savannah Jay

BUY TICKETS HERE

FAQ: What's the festival format this year?
  • This year’s festival will be in-person only! In the past, 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 2026 fest.
FAQ: How do I watch in-person?
  • Purchase your ticket through Eventive; 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:

Fadeaway

(Brendan Prost, Canada, 2025, 14min, in English) Seattle premiere!

After a hookup text leads to the discovery of a deadly overdose, a closeted bisexual man is confronted by memories of his initial connection with the victim, and an old omen with newfound meaning. Trailer

Lingering

(Anna Robbins, Seattle, 2025, 9min, in English) World premiere!

Jane ignores her best friend Ivy, who’s clearly pining for her, so that she can gain the attention and approval of a guy who clearly doesn’t give a shit about her. Trailer

Embrace

(Matthew Rush, Washington, 2025, 9min, in English) World premiere!

When a bar bathroom hookup takes an otherworldly turn, two men must work through their problems to move forward.

Arman

(Farzad Kiyafar, Tacoma, 2024, 12min, in English and Persian with English subtitles)

Overwhelmed and isolated on his wedding day, a closeted immigrant speaks to his family on the phone moments before walking down the aisle. Trailer

Cambio

(Alberto A. Torres, Puyallup, 2026, 10min)

In this silent tale, Lux is a closeted young man who lives in a conservative household and confines the truth of his sexuality to his sketchbook. When he suddenly manifests the ability to project his fantasies onto screens and reflections, he accidentally outs himself to his parents.

Qualia

(Savannah Jay, Portland, 2026, 22min, in English)

Dove, a repressed college student, languishes away her summer until Anya, a mesmerizing party girl crashes into her life and proves just how down bad she really is. Trailer


Festival Directory

Presented by Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum, the 29th Annual Local Sightings Film Festival is a showcase of creative communities from throughout the Pacific Northwest. The 2026 program, which runs from September 18–27, 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.


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Northwest Film Forum
1515 12th Ave,

Seattle, WA 98122

206 329 2629


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