The 13th annual Tacoma Film Festival runs October 4–11, 2018. Established in 2006, TFF presents a lively week of films, workshops, events, and discussions. Visiting festival guests from around the world make for a rich networking and collaborative space where new projects are born and inspiration for future work grows.
See what Director/Cinematographer Nicholas Pilarski, a 2016 25 New Face had to say about his experience at TFF in this article from MovieMaker Magazine.
The Tacoma Film Festival screens more than 194 independent films and offers nine special events at eight venues across the city. TFF also includes many free events (see page 6) including film screenings at the University of Washington Tacoma and access to all VR/360 films at The Veldt. For the first time ever, Tacoma Film Festival is free for students.
This year’s film schedule is now available in full online and in print programs across the region. An official app is also available (search “Tacoma Film Festival” in any app store), allowing users to save films and build a festival schedule.
#2018TFF HIGHLIGHTS
Opening Night | Thurs, Oct 4 | 7:30 PM
Film: Prospect | Seattle-based filmmakers Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell in attendance | Filmed in the Hoh Rainforest, this sci-fi feature about a teenage girl and her father is the perfect film to launch the festival, and to show our love for the Pacific Northwest and the creative minds that call it home.
After party at The Grand | Food catered by Pacific Grill, music by Landmark DJ.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave Sponsored by Propel Insurance
Friday Feature | Fri, Oct 5 | 7:00 PM
Film: Thunder Road | Writer-director-star Jim Cummings adapted his acclaimed short film Thunder Road (TFF 2016) into a poignantly humorous feature. Cummings plays a flawed police officer whose shambolic life is made worse by his mother’s passing.
Festival happy hour at Peaks & Pints | Join the festival -crowd at Peaks & Pints from 3–7 PM to enjoy great happy hour food and beverage specials before the screening.
Blue Mouse Theatre | 2611 N Proctor St Sponsored by Peaks & Pints
Hal Ashby Spotlight | Nick Dawson, author of Being Hal Ashby, in attendance
TFF is proud to present a spotlight on Hal Ashby, who had a profound impact on cinema and influenced generations of filmmakers. His films blend cutting humor, poignant writing, and a true love for the complexity of the human spirit.
- Harold and Maude | Fri, Oct 5 | 9:00 PM | Blue Mouse Theatre | 2611 N Proctor St
- Hal | Sat, Oct 6 | 1:45 PM | The Grand Cinema | 606 S. Fawcett Ave
- Being There | Sun, Oct 7 | 11:00 AM | The Grand Cinema | 606 S. Fawcett Ave Sponsored by DP&C
I Want More, I Want Less | Sat, Oct 6 | 6:45 PM
World Premiere with cast members, crew, and director Bryce Richardson in attendance An accountant in Queens rents out the front of her store to a young man who repairs cell phones… and sometimes pickpockets them.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave
This World Made Itself: A cinematic performance | Sun, Oct 7 | 11:00 AM
LA based artist Miwa Matreyek creates live, staged performances where she interacts with her animations as a shadow silhouette. This program can be enjoyed by adults and children.
Alma Mater’s Fawcett Hall | 1322 S Fawcett Ave
Wanda | Sun, Oct 7 | 7:00 PM
With her first and only feature film released in 1970, Barbara Loden turned in a groundbreaking work of American independent cinema. Set amid a soot-choked Pennsylvania landscape, the film follows Wanda (Loden), who has left her husband, lost custody of her children, and now finds herself alone. Wanda is a compassionate portrait of a woman stranded on society’s margins.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave
Science on Screen | Sun, Oct 7 | 7:15 PM
Film: Wild Relatives | Special presentation with Dr. Carrie Woods, University of Puget Sound Follow the journey of seeds from an international agricultural research center affected by the war in Syria, to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the Arctic, and finally to Lebanon, where the replanting of this vital collection takes place. This Science on Screen presentation includes an introductory lecture from Dr. Woods.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave
Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin | Tues, Oct 9 | 7:00 PM
Ursula K. Le Guin is best known for her classic Earthsea fantasy series and masterworks of science fiction such as The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed. Director Arwen Curry worked with the groundbreaking feminist author for a decade to craft this documentary, which features stunning animation, commentary from Margaret Atwood, and more.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave
Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers | Wed, Oct 10 | 2:15 PM
Before Hollywood hardened into an assembly-line behemoth and boys’ club, women worked as writers, producers, and directors, instrumental in shaping film as we know it. Bringing together new restorations, this program spotlights the daring, innovative, and trailblazing work of the first female filmmakers and restores their centrality to cinema’s creation.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave
Sponsored by Northwest Public Broadcasting
Canyon Cinema 50: 16mm Films | Wed, Oct 10 | 7:00 PM
Join us for a singular and magical film experience in the beautiful Castle Room at the Knights of Pythias Lodge. Curated especially for the Tacoma Film Festival. Canyon Cinema 50 presents documentary, abstract, and experimental films from the 1960s to the present in their original 16mm format.
Knights of Pythias Lodge | 926 Broadway
Rodents of Unusual Size | Thurs, Oct 11 | 2:15 PM
A story about giant swamp rats invading coastal Louisiana and the defiant people on the edge of the world who are defending their communities, culture, and livelihoods from the onslaught of this curious and unexpected invasive species.
The Grand Cinema | 606 S Fawcett Ave
About TFF:
A program of nonprofit art house The Grand Cinema, The 13 year-old Tacoma Film Festival is the South Sound’s premiere film event. An interactive haven for thousands of filmmakers, industry, critics, and fans, TFF brings more than 100 high quality, emerging independent films to Tacoma, presenting the best of the festival circuit, Northwest work, and secret gems.
One of MovieMaker Magazine’s 50 festivals worth the submission fee for the past five years, TFF features inspiring visiting artists, workshops, parties, a VR studio, and events throughout our downtown Tacoma neighborhood at The Grand Cinema and local businesses, artists studios, and arts venues. Tacomafilmfestival.com.
