New American Cinema Competition
None of these films have a distributor (yet), but they all have a champion on SIFF’s programming team. New American Cinema fields the largest number of submissions out of any of SIFF’s competitions by far. With so many entries, only a fraction can make it to the finals, and this stiff competition means that each of the finalist films has the potential to change the landscape of American cinema—they’re that good.
The New American Cinema Competition jury, comprised of filmmakers, journalists, and industry professionals, selects the winning film, which will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards May 19 and awarded a cash prize of $5,000.
The Black Sea
Bulgaria | 2024 | 93 min. | Crystal Moselle, Derrick B. Harden
Khalid travels to coastal Bulgaria for a work opportunity, only to be left high, dry, and the only Black man in sight.
Bob Trevino Likes It
USA | 2024 | 105 min. | Tracie Laymon
Lily finds solace in Facebook of all places when she connects with and befriends a kindhearted man who shares her father’s name.
Molokaʻi Bound
USA | 2024 | 112 min. | Alika Tengan (Kanaka Maoli)
Kainoa returns to his family to reconnect with his adolescent son, rekindle with his ex, and reintegrate into his native culture.
Mountains
USA | 2023 | 95 min. | Monica Sorelle
Demolition worker Xavier must tear apart his own neighborhood if he wants to afford a new house for his working-class family.
RATS!
USA | 2023 | 85 min. | Maxwell Nalevansky, Carl Fry
In this maniacal stoner epic of bad taste, young vandal Raphael must survive the unhinged citizens of Pfresno, Texas.
We Strangers
USA | 2024 | 86 min. | Anu Valia
A commercial cleaner accepts a high-paying job as a personal housekeeper and slowly, uncomfortably acclimates to high society.