Since 2022 the Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) has specifically honored Pacific Northwest filmmaking as part of our annual awards. This award, Best Pacific Northwest Film, is meant to celebrate the many talented filmmakers who produce work here.
Beginning in 2025, SFCS will additionally honor short films as part of this effort.
Award History
WINNER:
- Rainier: A Beer Odyssey – Isaac Olsen
NOMINEES:
- All We Carry – Cady Voge
- Fish War – Jeff Ostenson, Charles Atkinson, and Skylar Wagner
- Gasoline Rainbow – Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross
- Strange Darling – J.T. Mollner
WINNER:
- Showing Up – Kelly Reichardt
OTHER NOMINEES:
- Dreamin’ Wild — Bill Pohlad
- Even Hell Has Its Heroes — Clyde Petersen
- Fantasy A Gets A Mattress — Noah Zoltan Sofian & David Norman Lewis
- Richland — Irene Lusztig
WINNER:
- Sweetheart Deal — Elisa Levine and Gabriel Miller
OTHER NOMINEES
- All Sorts — J. Rick Castañeda
- Kimi — Steven Soderbergh
- Know Your Place — Zia Mohajerjasbi
- Sam Now — Reed Harkness
Q&As from 2024 Screening Series:
As part of our 2024 awards we held screenings of nominated films at SIFF Film Center, most with guests in person or virtual attendances. They joined SFCS members for post-screening Q&As.
Eligibility
Full information is available for annual award timeline and eligibility; key details relevant to the PNW award are highlighted below.
The SFCS Board convenes a nominating committee for the award for Best Pacific Northwest Film. All traditionally eligible films are available for consideration, with a focus on those whose primary production was in the Pacific Northwest: specifically in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho (USA). Both feature-length documentary and narrative films are eligible for this award.
Films may additionally qualify for this award via theatrical or streaming presentation at the Seattle International Film Festival, the Local Sightings Film Festival, or others deemed appropriate by the Board.
The nominating committee will present a slate of PNW nominees to the full membership no later than one month prior to the SFCS general nomination deadline. The winner of the Best Pacific Northwest Film award will be decided by a vote of the full SFCS membership.
Submissions
No official submission is required. However, filmmakers, studios, their representatives, or other interested parties wishing to officially bring a film to the attention of the Nominating Committee should fill out the form below with the name of the film, the year of its release, and a digital screener that can be viewed by SFCS members.
To allow a thorough review of all potential films, the PNW Nominating Committee would greatly appreciate digital screeners by October 1.