Open Caption Screenings

SIFF is excited to bring more open caption screenings to better welcome deaf and hard of hearing audiences, as well as anyone who benefits from viewing captions. We present as many films as possible with open captions every Tuesday and during Sunday matinees.

WHAT ARE OPEN CAPTIONS?

Open captioning is when the dialogue and sounds of a film are written as text that is overlaid on the film image for anyone in the audience to see. It is considered passive assistance, a service that is there to use or ignore.

We understand that open captions can be distracting for those who are not accustomed to using them, but in the spirit of making SIFF accessible for all cinephiles we appreciate your consideration for those who need open captions.  

OPEN CAPTIONS vs. CLOSED CAPTIONS vs. SUBTITLES

As explained above, open captioning is when the dialogue and sounds of a film are written as text that is overlaid on the screen. Closed captioning is when dialogue and sounds of a film are visible through a single, personal device. Closed captioning availability differs per film and venue. Subtitles are the on screen translation from different languages which only translate dialogue and do not include audio descriptions like open and closed captioning. 

ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES

All SIFF Cinema venues and Seattle International Film Festival external venues will remain equipped with Assistive Listening devices on days when open captioning is not offered. Check-in with the Cinema or Festival Venue Manager to locate the devices at your venue.

All SIFF Cinema venues and Seattle International Film Festival external venues are equipped with Closed Captioning and Descriptive Listening devices, but services may vary per film. Call 206-464-5830 for more information.