SeattleQueer Film Festival is an annual film festival in Seattle. The 25th Annual Seattle Queer Film Festival will take place October 15–25, 2020. It is the largest LGBTQ film festival in the Pacific Northwest, and its award-winning films receive national praise. At the festival each film is able to receive an award which is decided on by a jury. Kathleen Mullen is the Interim Executive Director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema the organization that produces the Seattle Queer Film Festival. Kathleen Mullen is the Festival Director of the Seattle Queer Film Festival in charge of all festival programming and operations. The festival is produced by Three Dollar Bill Cinema, a nonprofit organization which promotes queer cinema. Their mission is to provide films by, for, and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The festival is a place where the filmmakers can have contact and interact with their audiences and fellow filmmakers. Films are screened in cinemas around Seattle including AMC Pacific Place, SIFF Cinema Egyptian, and Northwest Film Forum. There are also after parties at local spots like Pony and Queer/Bar following the showings. SQFF was inspired by early gay film festivals in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Olympia, WA, popping up in the early 1990s. Skylar Fein moved to Seattle in 1994 and brought together Alan Goldwasser, Clair Kavanaugh, Gary Tucker, Rachel Venning and Sam Whiting to start a similar one in Seattle. In 1995, the organization incorporated, produced a few shorts programs with live music and programmed a 10-week summer archival series. Since the first Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival was produced in 1996, it has grown into the large vibrant event it is today, garnering national recognition for showcasing extraordinary and award-winning work. The festival has given awards for best feature film, best documentary film, documentary film honorable mention, best short film, short film honorable mention, and most innovative short film, and awards for audience choice. Three Dollar Bill Cinema will mark the 25th year of the film festival with a spring 2020 auction and dinner, the October 2020 SQFF and a series of celebratory events throughout the year.
