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L: The People’s Joker, R: Fancy Dance

CELEBRATING QUEER FILMMAKING EXCELLENCE: JURY AND AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 28TH SEATTLE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL

The People’s Joker and Fancy Dance receive top honors

Two films with Seattle-area connections win Audience Awards for Favorite Feature and Documentary

Three Dollar Bill Cinema is proud to announce the Jury, Youth Jury, and Audience Award winners for the 28th Seattle Queer Film Festival (SQFF). Vera Drew's debut, The People's Joker, was chosen by the Narrative Jury, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project by the Documentary Jury, the Shorts Jury chose William Means' Blue Square Heart and awarded the Most Innovative Short Film to Rraine Hanson's Mooncake. The Youth Jury chose Big Boys by Corey Sherman for Best Feature Length Film and Ana Puentes Margarito's My Life at The Beginning for Best Short Film.

The Audience Awards went to Fancy Dance for Favorite Feature, 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture for Favorite Documentary, and Peccadillo for Favorite Short Film.

SQFF concluded its in-person screenings on October 22 and is currently screening select films virtually through October 29.  

"The 28th festival truly was a joy and embodied our theme of Queer Joy is cinematic," said Kathleen Mullen, Artistic Director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema and The Seattle Queer Film Festival. "Robust audiences, active engagement with films, panels, and events, and showcasing new voices in queer film are just some of this year's highlights. We thank our juries for their time and expertise and congratulate all of the award recipients and all of our 28th SQFF filmmakers."

The full list of jury winners and audience awards

The Features Jury members were Cinema Program Manager for the Seattle International Film Festival, Kasi Gaarenstroom, Gabi Grossman, Program Manager at the Transgender Film Center, and director of the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, Sridhar Rangayan.

Features Jury Winner: The People's Joker, directed by Vera Drew

Jury statement: "We loved Vera Drew's debut for its unapologetically rebellious and iconoclastic spirit. With a playful DIY fluidity of form and rare vulnerability, The People's Joker creates a totally immersive—even transcendent—theatrical experience. What a treat to see a film that feels so bracingly alive." 

Honorable Mention: Big Boys, directed by Corey Sherman

Jury statement: "This film touched each of the jurors and has us reliving the thrills and terrors of self-discovery. It is a warm-hearted, raw, and honest portrayal of youth, led by an incredible performance from an up-and-coming actor we are sure will go on to do incredible things. Big Boys delivers on all emotional frequencies and leaves us excited to see what first-time director Corey Sherman will do next."

The Documentary Jury members were filmmaker, animator, and former Director of TRANSlations: The Seattle Trans Film Festival, Sam Berliner; Executive Director of Jefferson County Memorial Project in Alabama, Gina Mallisham; and Director of the Documentary Lab at Firelight Media, Lucy Mukerjee.

Documentary Jury Winner: Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, directed by Michèle Stephenson

Jury Statement: "We loved this film's unapologetic spirit, ambitious authorship, and artistic vision. This peek into the life of poet Nikki Giovanni and the revolutionary periods during which she wrote, from the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, really moved us. The film is an edited tapestry of nature and elegant present-day b-roll and archival that flows like her poetry. We found Nikki's wisdom a balm during these distressing times and appreciated that the film embodies Nikki's queerness without having to talk about it. "I remember what's important, and I make up the rest. That's what storytelling is all about." -Nikki Giovanni"

The Shorts Jury members were Mari Kishi, queer film scholar from Japan and Ph.D. Candidate at Harvard University, Maisha Manson, Director of Community Programs and Culture at Seattle’s LGBTQ Center, and Senior Communications & Marketing Manager for Frameline, Court Ross.

Shorts Jury Winner: Blue Square Heart, directed by William Means

Jury Statement: "William Means' Blue Square Heart is the rare 30-minute short that earns every second, grabbing hold of you and never letting go. The jury was moved by this visually stunning journey of unlearning sexual and creative repression. So many queer folks are told to "tone it down," and this piece proves the power of letting all the parts of yourself truly be seen. These shocking but grounded performances underscore the necessity of drag to express what words simply can't. The viewer can't help but want to stand up and applaud, too."

Honorable Mention: Sequin, directed by Averi Israel

Jury Winner for Most Innovative Short: Mooncake, directed by Rraine Hanson

Jury Statement: "Rraine Hanson's Mooncake delves into the tender memory of queer childhood and the blurred lines between admiration, obsession, and desires that contribute to forming one's queer identity. The experimental fusion of cinematic styles and the accompanying nostalgic undertones captivated the jury. Visually original and innovative, Mooncake is a unique work that reimagines the transnational experience of reconnecting with one's homeland past from a queer perspective." 

The Youth Jury members apply to be on the jury through the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY) and TeenTix. Chosen jurors review and consider the short and feature-length films in the festival with a majority of youth subject matter. 

Youth Jury Winner for Best Short: My Life at the Beginning, directed by Ana Puentes Margarito's

Jury Statement: "Ana Puentes Margarito's short film portrays the mixed emotions of growing up queer. The young actor at the forefront of the film, Cosette Silguero, does a brilliant job of portraying the confusing and painful parts of gender discovery while also showing the wonder and beauty of it. Emotions are the film's star, but it also has vivid cinematography. Watching the film feels like recalling a childhood memory you're starting to understand the implications of, beautifully vague but in an intentional way that, along with the quiet and intimate ambiance, gives you a sense of nostalgia that stays with you after you've finished it. The simple motifs of the water and fossil invent an artwork queer folks can relate to, a shared memory through film."

Honorable Mention: Piece by Piece, directed by Alexander Gratzer

Jury statement: "Piece by Piece is a vivid and passionate story of friendship, queerness, and the beautiful intersection of the two. Piece by Piece can be recognized for its striking cinematography, drawing viewers in to share the vulnerability, healing, and queer joy felt by the two characters on screen. The film's excellent writing and outstanding acting produce a sense of peaceful authenticity, showing a command over the more understated elements of filmmaking. Piece by Piece is an emotionally charged portrayal of the beauty self-expression brings within the confines of a friendship through the ethereal cinematography and compassionate characterization."

Honorable Mention: Zeke's Magic Plant Shop, directed by Seattleite Lucas Marchi

Youth Jury Best Full-Length Film: Big Boys, directed by Corey Sherman

Jury Statement: If a movie makes you feel something, it has achieved its goal. Big Boys' writer and director Corey Sherman wrote an emotionally realistic yet internally provocative film about how confusing queer "inner coming out" can be and did a fantastic job displaying the awkwardness and joy of queer teenhood. The genuine performances of the entire cast, especially the main actor, Isaac Krasner, helped create an intimate atmosphere that told its story with clarity and thoughtfulness, intertwining each character's identities and emotions into a singular cohesive movement, a style unique to cinema. 

Audience Awards:

Favorite Documentary: 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture, directed by Sharon “Rocky” Roggio

Runner Up: Not Quite That, directed by Ali Grant

Favorite Narrative Feature: Fancy Dance, directed by Erica Tremblay

Runner Up: Big Boys, directed by Corey Sherman

Favorite Short Film: Peccadillo, directed by Sofia Garza-Barba

Runner Up: Transenders, directed by Hayley Young

"Our 28th film festival was one for the record books!" said Billy Ray Brewton, Managing Director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema. "Our community came out in full force, the energy was infectious, and filmmakers and audiences alike came together to celebrate queer voices and revel in the onscreen representations of queer joy. Our incredible award winners represent the spirit and mission of the festival, and we couldn't be more excited to see how this helps them and their projects reach audiences in the future."

On the festival's final weekend, SQFF awarded actor, screenwriter, and director Guinevere Turner the Queer Luminary Award for her legacy and outstanding contributions to queer cinema. Turner was presented with the award before a screening of the new film in which she stars, Healed, and a screening of her iconic work Go Fish was also screened during the festival. 

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About the Seattle Queer Film Festival
Started as the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival in October 1996, the Seattle Queer Film Festival has grown into the largest event of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, gaining industry and audience recognition for showcasing the latest and greatest in queer film, from major motion picture premieres to emerging talent. An important venue in the Seattle film scene, the festival provides unique opportunities for visiting and local filmmakers to engage and entertain the Greater Seattle region's LGBTQ and allied community. For more information, visit https://threedollarbillcinema.org/sqff

About Three Dollar Bill Cinema

Three Dollar Bill Cinema fosters deeper community engagement by showcasing queer film programming, educational experiences, and social dialogue. We provide access to films by, for, and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people and their families and a forum for LGBTQ+ filmmakers to share and discuss their work with audiences. We curate themed screenings throughout the year and produce programs in partnership with other arts, cultural, and service delivery organizations in the Greater Seattle area. Programs include Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival, Three Dollar Bill OUTdoor Cinema, Reel Queer Youth, and the Seattle Queer Film Festival. For more information, visit threedollarbillcinema.org and @threedollarbillcinema on Instagram and Facebook.