PNW Awards: A Simple Machine
November 13, 2026
Seattle Film Critics Society PNW Awards 2026
Coming out of the pandemic, an idealistic but indecisive young man makes a series of radical choices to get himself out of debt without telling his girlfriend-practically fiancée that he’s going to be homeless.
Director Mark Alan Hoffman and author Evan P. Schneider scheduled to attend, with post-film Q&A moderated by film critic Mike Ward (Should I See It).
SIFF year-round passes and vouchers are not valid for this screening.
Tickets
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Friday, November 13, 2026
A Simple Machine is the award-winning, debut feature from director Mark Alan Hoffman, featuring a breakout lead performance by rising star Richard Blackmon. A true indie from the PNW, it is a quietly profound tour-de-force stunningly shot by cinematographer Kevin Fletcher (It’s What’s Inside) and scored by renowned composer Mark Orton (The Holdovers, Nebraska).
As the country looks to mark its 250th anniversary amid deep uncertainty, this story offers rare respite - a modern-day, cinematic Walden - a luminous, deeply human meditation on personal freedom, economic independence, and the cost of wanting less in a culture built on more.
“…relevant to almost everyone in America, as affordability becomes one of our biggest worries.” —Tim Molloy, MovieMaker
- Director: Mark Alan Hoffman
- Principal Cast: Richard Blackmon, Gabriela Quezada, Brad Carter
- Country: USA
- Year: 2025
- Running Time: 100 min.
- Producer: Alyssa Roehrenbeck, Kyle Eaton
- Language: English