New Directors Competition
To qualify for the New Directors Competition, films must be dramatic features, a director’s debut or second feature, and without U.S. distribution at the time of SIFF selection. This competition celebrates new directors whose films have original scripts, employ innovative cinematography, and offer unique insights on people and places.
The New Directors Competition jury, comprised of filmmakers, journalists, and industry professionals, selects the winning filmmaker, who will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards May 19 and awarded a cash prize of $5,000.
Àma Gloria
France | 2023 | 84 min. | Marie Amachoukeli
Young Cléo tags along with her beloved nanny to Cape Verde, learning more about the woman who practically raised her.
The Burdened
Yemen | 2023 | 90 min. | Amr Gamal
Ahmed and Isra’a struggle to raise their three children while maintaining multiple burdens in war-torn Yemen.
City of Wind
Mongolia | 2023 | 103 min. | Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir
A 17-year-old Mongolian shaman becomes enamored with a peer who needs heart surgery.
Excursion
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2023 | 94 min. | Una Gunjak
Teenage Iman becomes the center of controversy when she erroneously claims to have lost her virginity.
A Journey in Spring
Taiwan | 2023 | 90 min. | Wang Ping-Wen, Peng Tzu-Hui
A man unwilling to grapple with the grief of his wife’s sudden death places her body in the freezer…until family comes to visit.
Solitude
Iceland | 2023 | 75 min. | Ninna Pálmadóttir
An old and lonely farmer relocates to suburban Reykjavik and forms an unlikely friendship with a precocious young paperboy.
Young Hearts
Belgium | 2024 | 97 min. | Anthony Schatteman
When 14-year-old Elias first sets eyes on his new neighbor, Alexander, a delicate first love emerges between the two.