* Co-presented w/ CD Forum and LANGSTON Seattle! *

(Tia Young & Andrew Elizaga, Seattle, WA, 2019, 94 min)

Seattle’s extraordinarily gifted “First Lady of Gospel”, Rev. Patrinell Staten Wright, struggles to maintain the world-famous Total Experience Gospel Choir that she has directed for 45 years despite the exodus of African Americans from the rapidly gentrifying, historically black neighborhood of Seattle’s Central District. Fiercely independent, strong-willed and outspoken, she confronts bigotry, patriarchy, and social injustice along an uphill journey to share faith and build community through music.

“Reverend Patrinell Staten Wright is the closest thing Seattle has to the Queen of Soul (albeit with a heavier emphasis on church life), and this film portrays the septuagenarian gospel/R&B singer’s inspirational story with utmost reverence.” – Dave Segal, The Stranger

Presented by Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum, the 22nd Annual Local Sightings Film Festival (September 20-29, 2019) showcases the growing complexity of creative communities in the Pacific Northwest. Its 2019 edition features a competitive selection of curated shorts and feature film programs, inviting regional artists to experiment, break, and remake popular conceptions around filmmaking and film exhibition.

Programmed closely with community partners as curators, the festival uplifts new talent, provides educational opportunities for youth and adults, supports the regional film industry, and promotes diverse media as a critical tool for public engagement.

• FEATURE FILMS
• SHORT FILM PROGRAMS
• WORKSHOPS & PANELS
• SPECIAL EVENTS