The long-running Seattle International Film Festival will unspool 418 films during its 25 day schedule, 43 of which are World preems. Fest will open with Stuart Townsend's homegrown "Battle in Seattle," starring Charlize Theron and close with Randall Miller's wine country pic, "Bottle Shock." In between, 69 countries will be repped with films like Benedek Fliegauf's Hungarian selection "Milky Way" and Russian helmer Anna Melikyan's "Mermaid," which picked up a directing award at Sundance.
Among the preems, SIFF co-founder Dan Ireland will unspool his drama "Jolene" starring Jessica Chastain and Dermot Mulroney and Peter Rosen will bring his doc "Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Tennis Shoes."
SIFF artistic director Carl Spence said, “Seventy percent of the films in the program are currently without US distribution, offering an array of options for new discoveries and extraordinary film experiences. It’s also of note that almost half of the features in the program are from first or second time directors.”
The 34th edition of SIFF will run May 22 - June 15. The program has three feature competitions sections. The winner of each will get $5000 cash.
New American Cinema
"The 27 Club," directed by Erica Dunton (2008)
"American Son," directed by Neil Abramson (2008)
"The Bluetooth Virgin," directed by Russell Brown (2008) WORLD PREMIERE
"Dream Boy," directed by James Bolton (2007) US PREMIERE
"Em," directed by Tony Barbieri (2007) WORLD PREMIERE
"My Effortless Brilliance," directed by Lynn Shelton (2008)
"Mysteries of Pittsburgh," directed by Rawson Thurber (2007)
"Visioneers," directed by Jared Drake (2008) WORLD PREMIERE
New Directors Showcase
"Apollo 54," directed by Giordano Giulivi (Italy, 2007)
"Captain Ahab", directed by Phillippe Ramos (France, 2007) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
"Cochochi," directed by Israel Cárdenas, Laura Amelia Guzmán (Mexico, 2007)
"Everything is Fine," directed by Yves-Christian Fournier (Candada, 2007) US PREMIERE
"Mermaid," directed by Anna Melikyan (Russia, 2007)
"Postcards from Leningrad," directed by Mariana Rondón (Venezuela, 2007)
"The Red Awn," directed by Cai Shangjun (China, 2007) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
"Seach’d: The Crimson Snowdrop," directed by Simon Miller (Scotland, 2007) US PREMIERE
Documentary Competition
"Accelerating America," directed by Timothy Hotchner (USA, 2007)
"Combalimon," directed by Raphaël Mathié (France, 2007) US PREMIERE
"Derek," directed by Isaac Julien (United Kingdom, 2008)
"Fairytale of Kathmandu," directed by Neasa Ní Chianáin (United Kingdom, 2007) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
"Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go," directed by Kim Longinotto (United Kingdom, 2007) US PREMIERE
"In Search of Kennedy," directed by Chuck Workman (USA, 2008) WORLD PREMIERE
"Shadow of the Holy Book," directed by Arto Halonen (Finland, 2007) US PREMIERE
"Trouble the Water," directed by Tia Lessin, Carl Deal (USA, 2007)
Human Rights Watch Festival 
Michael Jones is the film festival editor at Variety.com. 
