Programmers' Picks: Beth Barrett

SIFF Artistic Director Beth Barrett shares some of her highlights from the 2023 Seattle International Film Festival.

Beth Barrett

Past Lives

A perfect ode to connection, love, and being human.

It's Only Life After All

Having come of age to an Indigo Girls soundtrack, this great doc not only brought me back, but reminded me how powerful their voices for justice still are.

The Blue Caftan

Precise, understated, and gorgeous—this quiet tale of love, understanding, and compassion is a feast for the eyes and the heart.

Being Mary Tyler Moore

Didn't we all want to be MTM? Her influence in TV cannot be understated—using incredible footage and interviews, this doc highlights her humor, tenacity, and unwillingness to back down from the status quo for what women were allowed to do.

Ajoomma

A middle-aged Singaporean widow obsessed with Korean culture heads out on her own for adventure. Sweet, funny, and filled with small moments of discovery.

Confessions Of A Good Samaritan

Penny Lane's newest has her donating a kidney to a total stranger in her quest to understand the true nature of altruism.

The Eight Mountains

The Italian Alps have never looked so beautiful. Alessandro Borghi and Luca Marinelli really bring this to life with a naturalistic and affecting tale of friendship.

And The King Said, What A Fantastic Machine

Terrific look at how what we see is affected by how we see it.

Art For Everybody

The surprising tale of Thomas Kinkade, the most successful artist of the 1990s, whose cozy little cottages have graced the walls of millions of homes and office walls.

Scandinavian Family Comedy/Drama 

You know me—this is my favorite genre of film (especially the dysfunctional branch), and we have them this year: One Day All This Will Be Yours, Four Little Adults, The Quiet Migration, Copenhagen Does Not Exist, and more!

Past Lives
It's Only Life After All
The Blue Caftan
Being Mary Tyler Moore
Ajoomma
Confessions Of A Good Samaritan
The Eight Mountains
And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine
Art For Everybody
One Day All This Will Be Yours
Four Little Adults
The Quiet Migration
Copenhagen Does Not Exist