Seattle, WA — The Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS), the Seattle-based critics group – released their 2026-27 membership roster today, announcing the acceptance of five new members, bringing the organization to more than 40 members representing print, radio, television and online media.
“This year’s excellent slate of new members demonstrate that film criticism remains alive and well in Seattle,” said SFCS President Chase Hutchinson. “We couldn’t be more happy to welcome them.”
The SFCS also announces today its 2026 awards calendar: nominations for the organization’s annual honors will be announced December 7 and winners will be announced on December 14.
SFCS is also pleased to announce that our annual series spotlighting nominees for the Best Pacific Northwest Film Awards (Shorts and Features) is scheduled to take place from November 11 – 15.
The annual awards and screenings cap off the organization’s year-round presence, allowing film journalists, critics and broadcasters opportunities to engage with the film industry and interact with filmgoers from Seattle, Western Washington, and beyond. This spring, the SFCS presented the John Hartl Pacific Northwest Spotlight Award to filmmaker Sky Hopinka; throughout the summer and fall SFCS is hosting a monthly screening series that celebrates a handful of favorite films that have been recognized over 10-years of nominations and awards.
The newly added members of the Seattle Film Critics Society are listed below, with photos and information about all current SFCS members available here.
Caleb Masters (He/him)
Caleb Masters is film critic and podcast host/producer with over fourteen years of experience who recently relocated from Oklahoma City to Seattle. He co-founded The Cinematropolis, which hosts reviews, filmmaker interviews, and retrospectives. Caleb’s work has also appeared in Screen Rant, The Oklahoma Gazette, and other outlets.
Li Lai (She/her)
Li Lai founded Mediaversity Reviews in 2016 — a website that rates movies and TV shows based on inclusiveness – and has covered festivals including Sundance, TIFF, and SXSW for the site. Formerly based in New York City, she moved to the Seattle area in 2023 and is the current Executive Editor at Common Sense Media.
Matt Erspamer (He/him)
Matt Erspamer is a passionate cinephile who is very active in the Seattle-area film scene. His coverage includes local screenings at independent theaters and reviews of both new releases and repertory programming. Publishing at his substack, The Normal Newsletter, Matt curates reviews, streaming recommendations, and coverage of film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Toronto, Seattle, and Vancouver.
Micah Rickard (He/him)
Micah Rickard is a freelance film critic who enjoys writing about a wide range of movies, often seeking connections between movies and film scholarship, philosophy, and literature. He has served as Editor in Chief the University of Edinburgh’s Film Dispatch, a graduate student-led film magazine. He regularly posts reviews on his website, MicahRickard.com and contributes to Christ and Pop Culture, APA Philosophy of Film Blog, among other outlets.
Zach Youngs (He/him)
Zach Youngs has been a lifelong cinephile whose love of film began in the days of Blockbuster Video. In addition to his film coverage, Zach has self-published a few books of short stories, a handful of novels, and other writings. He is a regular contributor to InSession Film where he pours out his love of movies in essays and criticism.