The Spokane International Film Festival is an intimate festival where filmmakers and audiences engage the art of cinema. We offer a small, selective offering of world-class films. These are the very best features, documentaries, and shorts that have been made around the world during the past year but have not yet been commercially released. SpIFF hosts screenings, parties, and other events that are open to the public and encourage lively and educational interactions between filmmakers and our audiences.

Schedule of Events

February 28, 2025

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: The Big Lebowski on 35mm at The Garland Theater

United States / 1998 / 117
Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

If you haven't seen The Big Lebowski on the big screen in glorious 35mm (or at all), now is your chance! Looking back, it seems fitting that The Big Lebowski was reviled by critics (with some notable exceptions of course). It is, after all, about a case of mistaken identity. After being attacked in the most peculiar way by thugs collecting a debt for a wife that Jeffrey Lebowski does not have, all The Dude wanted was his rug back. What follows is a misadventure for the ages, a tour through the greater Los Angeles metro area, from Venice to Pasadena and from Simi to Malibu. The Dude meets characters that you will remember, from Walter Sobchack to Jesus Quintana, and from Maude Lebowski to Donny. Both light and heavy, absurd and profound, The Big Lebowski is endlessly quotable and instantly memorable! Word of warning: Lebowski held the title of most movie f-bombs for a while, but a lot has happened since 1998!.

Cost: $10.00

8:30 pm - 10:30 pm: The Big Lebowski on 35mm at The Garland Theater

United States / 1998 / 117
Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

If you haven't seen The Big Lebowski on the big screen in glorious 35mm (or at all), now is your chance! Looking back, it seems fitting that The Big Lebowski was reviled by critics (with some notable exceptions of course). It is, after all, about a case of mistaken identity. After being attacked in the most peculiar way by thugs collecting a debt for a wife that Jeffrey Lebowski does not have, all The Dude wanted was his rug back. What follows is a misadventure for the ages, a tour through the greater Los Angeles metro area, from Venice to Pasadena and from Simi to Malibu. The Dude meets characters that you will remember, from Walter Sobchack to Jesus Quintana, and from Maude Lebowski to Donny. Both light and heavy, absurd and profound, The Big Lebowski is endlessly quotable and instantly memorable! Word of warning: Lebowski held the title of most movie f-bombs for a while, but a lot has happened since 1998!.

Ages 21+
Cost: $10.00

March 7, 2025

7:00 pm: Recollection at Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center

Directed by Caden Butera

In a world where people rely on technology to remove painful memories, a glitch returns Kate's memories, uncovering a dark truth about her past and those responsible. It's 2033, and memory cleansing has taken society by storm. Thanks to Vitality's technology, yesterday's troubles are forever forgotten‚ or so sullen Kate (Rosslyn Luke) believes until a glitch floods her with memories of a life erased. Now, Vitality wants to make Kate forget again. On the run, Kate joins reclusive Teddy (Falk Hentschel) who believes Vitality killed his wife and is hiding proof in one of Kate's memories. Kate agrees to help find her missing memory and use it to expose Vitality. After close calls and dead ends, Kate and Teddy meet Sid Dyas (Eric Roberts), a sleazy clerk in Vitality's underground who reveals a bigger conspiracy at play. Teddy and Kate are quick to devise a plan that hits straight at the heart of Vitality. As Kate connects pieces of her forgotten life, Teddy makes a shocking decision. Kate must choose to bury her pain again or face her past.

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March 8, 2025

11:00 am: Worlds of Animation at The Magic Lantern Theater

House Trap
Netherlands / 2
Directed by George Hampshire
When a mouse steals the last piece of a puzzle, an estranged family is brought together for a cat-and-mouse game.

Bubble
China / 4
Directed by Xin Zeng
A retired swimmer feels lost, but her life changes when her toy octopus takes her to a magical underwater world filled with amazing sea creatures and landscapes.

Ghariba & Ajeeb
United Arab Emirates / 7
Directed by Boubaker Boukhari
Ghariba embarks on a journey to find her friend Ajeeb and to find a way to cross a river guarded by a crocodile.

Maybe Elephants
Norway and Canada / 17
Directed by Torill Kove
Three rebellious teenage daughters, a restless mother, a father struggling with potatoes, and maybe some elephants, find themselves in Nairobi. What could possibly go wrong?

Eureka!
Belgium / 10
Directed by Kris Borghs
An extra-terrestial duo crosses the universe to share technological insights with less brilliant minds. On one peculiar planet, things don't quite go as planned.

The Little Ancestor
Canada / 11
Directed by Alexa Tremblay-Francoeur
On a windswept hill, in a place still young and devoid of life, an ancestral house comes to life and unveils its long life of one hundred and fifty years.

Skroll
Netherlands / 7
Directed by Marten Visser
Humans and some kind of gnomes have posted videos on social media platforms in their animated dimension. This film is a short compilation of these clips. Expect the unexpected.

Society of Clothes
South Korea and Canada / 15
Directed by Dahee Jeong
When morning arrives in Society of Clothes, a shirt and a pair of pants step outside the closet, transforming into a human figure. In this world, everyone exists only as clothes. They wander into the streets, bodiless and faceless, performing absurd daily tasks.

Echoes
France / 8
Directed by Robinson Drossos
This contemplative adventure into the depths of a noisy world follows a distant melody echoing through concrete and rock.

A Bird Hit My Window and Now I'm a Lesbian
United States, United States / 8
Directed by Carmela Marie Murphy, AJ Dubler
After a mysterious girl shows up at Gray's doorstep holding the corpse of a bird, an impromptu bird funeral changes the way Gray views herself.

En Surface (In the Shallows)
Canada / 4
Directed by Arash Akhgari
A deep dive into the shallow and fragmented world of news, entertainment and ads, where we can easily drown in the dangerous allure of mass media intoxication.

Jet Lag
United States, United States / 6
Directed by Kacey Morrow, Dustin Morrow
With a tongue-in-cheek, almost stream-of-consciousness narration, Jet Lag playfully communicates the shifting complex emotions, anxieties, frustrations, and excitement that coincide with air travel.

Quota
Netherlands / 3
Directed by Job, Joris & Marieke
When every global citizen is required to have their CO2 emissions tracked, it makes little impact‚ that is, until they discover the consequences of reaching their designated quota.

Cost: $7.00 - $12.00

11:15 am: Fish War at The Magic Lantern Theater

Fish War
United States / 80
Directed by Jeff Ostenson, Charles Atkinson, Skylar Wagner
When the state of Washington started arresting Indigenous tribal fishers, it was a declaration of war. Scores of legal battles culminated in a landmark Supreme Court case that was meant to put an end to the violent Fish Wars. Fifty years later, the fight for salmon continues.

The Deer Divide
United States / 15
Directed by Chloe Prahl, Nate Markquart
The Catalina Island Conservancy has proposed a plan to partner with White Buffalo Inc. to eliminate all 2,000 deer on the island by shooting them with sharpshooters from helicopters. This film explores themes of scientific integrity, community engagement through protest and other methods of direct action, and differing wildlife conservation philosophies.

Cost: $7.00 - $12.00

1:30 pm: PNW Makers at The Magic Lantern Theater

Expo 74' – Fair to Future
United States / 12
Directed by Beckett Schoenleber
A look at the World's Fair and how it transformed the landscape of Spokane, narrated by historian Dr. Bill Youngs.

Trick
United States / 7
Let's settle the question, is candy corn really candy? You better hope so.

Focal Plane
United States / 12
Directed by Tommy Heffernan, Nicole Olson
In the near future, a young activist goes on a date with a company woman bearing a secret.

Frankenstein's Confession
United States / 13
Directed by Ron Ford
The Frankenstein Monster, mortally wounded, seeks out a priest to confess his sins to and to give him a name before he dies.

A Parent
United States / 16
Directed by Eve Weston, Martin McGreevy
A few months after Lily's mother died, her conspiracy theorist father, decides to get back into the dating game. Unfortunately his hot date upends Lily's heartfelt plans. Based on a true story.

Navidad de Reserva (Silent Night)
Argentina, United States / 2024 / 12
Directed by Roberta Cumbianchera
On Christmas Eve, a South American immigrant struggles to connect with the "American Dream" ideal.

Vines
United States / 18
Directed by Luke Zwanziger
A mad botanist experiments on an unwilling human subject to give plants a fighting chance against climate change.

The Winemaker
United States, United States / 17
Directed by Sarey Martin
Joanie is a winemaker with a secret of cosmic proportions. A menacing gadget delivers a message that forces her to make a decision: Will she abandon all she's built or stay and finish the year's vintage before her enemies come for vengeance?

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

1:45 pm: La Estrella Que Perdí at The Magic Lantern Theater

Argentina / 100
Directed by Mirta Busnelli
Throughout her life, the great actress Norma Reyes (76) accepted to play all kinds of roles, except the one of being the perfect mother.

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

3:45 pm: The Birds Who Fear Death at The Magic Lantern Theater

Canada / 102
Directed by Sanjay Patel
Two brothers, disinherited and desperate for cash, journey into the Canadian wilds to find themselves, their people and their fortune.

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

4:00 pm: World Shorts I at The Magic Lantern Theater

It's Not About Ketchup
United Arab Emirates / 10
Directed by Nasser Saeed
It's Not About Ketchup delves into the intricate lives of a couple facing a challenge in their relationship. Centered around what seems a trivial issue in their relationship, the film captures the essence of their journey, portraying the nuanced dynamics of love and understanding.

Lollie
United States / 18
Directed by Agnès Shinozaki
A young lunch lady in Brazil needs to fight the world to protect her unique friendship with Lola, a helpless 71-year-old woman with a mental disability.

Sorry for complaining
United Kingdom / 6
Directed by Andrew Neet
A troubled man grapples with his loneliness and deep-rooted anxieties by seeking the comforting voice of a past lover.

Umm Salama The Matchmaker
United Arab Emirates / 11
Directed by Mariam Alawadhi
As Umm Salama finally persuades her stubborn daughter Salama to consider marriage, she embarks on a journey to find the perfect suitor for her daughter. However, as Salama starts considering potential suitors, Umm Salama's conflicting emotions cloud her judgment, leading to unexpected outcomes.

Blur
Iran, Islamic Republic of / 15
Directed by Sahra Asadollahi
In order for her husband to find solace and peace of mind after an accident that led to the tragic death of their one-year-old child, a woman borrows a child from her sister. She dresses the child in their daughter's clothes, hoping to make her husband believe their daughter is still alive. The woman is now torn between finding joy in his survival and grappling with the lie she told him.

Brooklyn
United States / 2024 / 20
Directed by Timur Guseynov
A troubled Brighton Beach teenanger who makes ends meet through crime while raising his little brother must protect a rescued dog.

El Canon
Chile / 19
Jean, a Haitian migrant in Chili, is admired everywhere he goes. His body represents all the classical values of the academy. However, in the anonymity of his existence, he is also a canon of marginality.

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

6:00 pm: Best of the Northwest at The Garland Theater

Three Women and a Possible Fire Next Door
United States / 6
Directed by Marcus Baker
Two roommates (and their friend) must decide whether or not to evacuate their apartment.

Ascension
Not Specified / 12
Directed by Thomas Wesley
A brutal accident strikes North Idaho climber Mason Keough, resulting in the loss of four fingers on his dominant hand, thrusting him into a profound search for new methods to advance his climbing. Despite this daunting challenge, Keough remains determined to adapt and solve this unexpected puzzle, discovering new ways to continue his ascent.

I Think I'd Like to Stay
United States / 12
Directed by Brianna Murphy
During a trip to her childhood home, a young woman is swallowed by the land.

Edibles
United States / 7
Directed by Pearl Lam, Tommy Heffernan
Two sisters are forced to resolve their family dispute after encountering a crisis on the road.

No Oats!
United States / 8
Directed by Hali Rose Morlin
A couple creates a cake so out of this world that aliens invade their home for the recipe.

The Worst Day Ever?
Canada / 17
Directed by Keegan Connor Tracy
Four siblings return to their childhood home to say goodbye to their mother on the day of her doctor-assisted death after her long and losing battle with cancer.

Heal
United States / 8
Directed by Dave Kotlan
A depressed man must run the gauntlet to try and reach the ultimate prize to make himself whole again.

Rivers of Reckoning
United States / 2024 / 5
Directed by Shaun Springer
Winner of the 50 Hour Slam Septi Award of 2024.

Courage
United States / 3
Directed by Harry Croy
A lost cat embarks on a adventure to find his human.

Violence and Nudity: A River Story
United States / 10
Directed by Chase Ogden
A poetic look at the Spokane River's past and present.

$55 Private Room In A Safe Quiet Neighborhood
United States / 13
Directed by Lauren Norby
Jennifer is crafty, from her handmade puppets and dioramas to her homespun plot to kill her husband by way of an Airbnb guest-turned-lover. Jennifer's husband Brad might seem like a clueless dick, but he's actually one step ahead of her, and sends his lover-turned-Airbnb guest to introduce his wife to the idea of a throuple. In the end they both win?

Cost: $10.00

8:30 pm: Tim Travers and the Time Traveler's Paradox at The Garland Theater

United States / 96
Directed by Stimson Snead
You saw the short at SpIFF 2022! A scientist creates a Time Machine and kills his younger self. But now a man who should not exist somehow does. That is the Paradox, and Paradoxes are impossible. Tim Travers takes on the mercenary gang whose stolen plutonium powers his machine, challenges a conspiracy-peddling podcaster to a battle of wits, creates a black hole, meets the one woman alive crazier than he is, clones himself, destroys the universe, makes a new one, and maybe—just maybe—learns to love himself at last. Made in Spokane!

Cost: $10.00

March 9, 2025

11:00 am: A Good Wolf at The Magic Lantern Theater

United States, United States / 93
Directed by Ramey Newell
Armed with thorough data, biologists and activists bring a new proposal to state authorities, hoping to regain protections for wolves near the park boundary. A volatile struggle between state and federal authorities, fur trappers and wildlife advocates, and competing human interests on public lands, A Good Wolf examines the 40-year conflict over a single tract of land adjacent to Denali National Park.

Cost: $7.00 - $12.00

11:15 am: World Shorts II at The Magic Lantern Theater

A Summer's End Poem
People's Republic of China , Switzerland , Malaysia / 2024 / 15
Directed by Lam Can-zhao
Shortly before the end of the summer holidays, a country boy spends his savings on his dream of a city hairstyle, with surprising results. A story about bidding farewell to childhood and the poetic end of a summer.

First Tango
Poland / 23
Directed by Aleksander Pakulski
Two teenagers who secretly fall in with each other are thrown by their friends into a sexual initiation ritual in the wild Kashubia. When they are left alone, they have to confront the pressure imposed on them and their feelings.

A Tin of White
United Kingdom / 12
Directed by Sara Stijovi?
A single mother is torn by guilt by her daughter's recent death. Pushing herself to move on for the sake of her teenage son, she decides they have to clear out and paint her room. The act of doing so ignites a fight between the two quietly grieving family members. Will a tin of white paint cover the pain and help them move on?

I Can Smell a Rat
Egypt / 17
Directed by Antonious George Bassily
Maribel, 10, is surprised when her drama teacher tells her that she has to play Hamlet in the school play just 2 days before the show. She goes home and spends the scariest night of her life with all her fears coming to life.

Their Universe
Korea, Republic of / 17
Directed by Jeong-gil HAN
Jun, who passed away in an accident a year ago, comes to Earth as a ghost to say goodbye to his lover, Hyun.

Cost: $7.00 - $12.00

1:30 pm: Through Indigenous Eyes at The Magic Lantern Theater

West Shore
United States / 18
Directed by Jordan Riber
Follow the West Shore Canoe Family as they paddle through their ancestral waters. Learn the integral role that song plays in Coast Salish Culture and how Tribal Journeys are healing and restorative in Coast Salish communities.

Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi (The Children are Coming Home)
United States / 11
Directed by Andy Wakeman
One of the Lakota Nation's most sacred places is Mato Paha, now part of Bear Butte State Park. The people's access to Bear Butte was severed in the late 19th century, when the U.S. government seized the Black Hills and broke up the Great Sioux Reservation. In 2024, the nonprofit Cheyenne River Youth Project took a major step toward restoring that access when it purchased a nearly 40-acre tract of land adjacent to Bear Butte, which it calls Wakanyeja Kin Wana Ku Pi (The Children Are Coming Home).

The Basket Lady
United States / 6
Directed by Jerilynn Arnold, Joey Lopez
Three young Indigenous women must contest with a power beyond their own worst nightmares, in this fictional depiction of a traditional Ute legend. Lisha, Lyric, and Riley are three young Native Ute teens who must heed the warnings of their elders or face the deadly consequences.

Dear Aloha
Not Specified / 16
Directed by Cris Romento
Two Native Hawaiians living in the Pacific Northwest reflect on how Aloha sustains them amidst distance, loss, and longing. Meanwhile, back in Hawaii, local residents grapple with the legacy of colonization that has resulted in many Hawaiians being displaced from their homeland.

Empowerment In Action: The Eco Spanish School Story
Guatemala / 9
Directed by Yue Lin Liu
Maria and Benedicto are two extraordinary individuals whose determination, resilience, and dedication have turned adversity into opportunity. Their Eco Spanish School, once a humble dream, has blossomed into a thriving success story, giving back to their community of San Juan La Laguna.

hitoláayca (Going Upriver)
United States / 26
Directed by Anna Lueck
Devin Reuben is training to be the first certified nimiipuu whitewater guide of his generation. The nimiipuu (Nez Perce) have a long history of river travel–in fact, they introduced the practice to settlers–but centuries of displacement and disconnection means Tribal members are now largely absent from their ancestral rivers. Devin says, "it's one big step for us: not just me, all of us. We're slowly bringing our culture back."

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

1:45 pm: Battersea at The Magic Lantern Theater

Battersea
United States / 90
Directed by T.J. Sandella / John Anthony
Estranged siblings reconvene at their childhood home, where they spend a precarious weekend drinking and talking–uncovering the narratives and secrets that have shaped their lives.

My Last Martini
United States / 14
Directed by Rob Christopher
One evening at an elegant cocktail lounge, a frustrated writer impulsively breaks a self-imposed rule and decides to have a third martini.

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

3:45 pm: Queer Shorts at The Magic Lantern Theater

Dandelion
United States / 20
Directed by Fiona Obertinca
In 1970s Los Angeles, a rebellious queer foster teen gets thrown out of yet another group home and finds herself in the company of a mysterious social worker who's tasked with finding her a new home before the break of dawn.

Amma's Pride
India / 20
Directed by Shiva Krish
Valli watches her trans daughter Srija, fall in love, marry, and fight for state recognition of her marriage in a traditional small town in South India. When societal pressures push Srija's marriage to the edge, Valli clings to the hope of a miracle.

It Burns
Belgium / 11
Directed by Kate Maveau
As the boundaries between the living and the dead blur, Irène's denial navigates through the five stages of grief, ultimately confronting her profound anguish and sorrow.

Inside the skin
Iran, Islamic Republic of / 17
Directed by Maryam Mahdiye, Shafagh Abosaba
As a teenage football player preparing for an important match, Ali must keep a secret hidden. But when Hamed finds out about it, the path ahead of Ali becomes shrouded in doubt.

A Bird Hit My Window and Now I'm a Lesbian
United States, United States / 8
Directed by Carmela Marie Murphy, AJ Dubler
After a mysterious girl shows up at Gray's doorstep holding the corpse of a bird, an impromptu bird funeral changes the way Gray views herself.

Their Universe
Korea, Republic of / 17
Directed by Jeong-gil HAN
Jun, who passed away in an accident a year ago, comes to Earth as a ghost to say goodbye to his lover, Hyun.

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

4:00 pm: Ultimate Citizens at The Magic Lantern Theater

Ultimate Citizens
United States / 52
Directed by Francine Strickwerda
Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic, fiery, funny human with a Frisbee in hand, who is the first to show that "love wins" on the field, off the field, at home with family, or boldly forging a new community, in a new country – one kid, chicken, extreme mile and friend at a time. In Ultimate Citizens, Jamshid is an Iranian who came to study in 1970's America, and due to the Revolution, never went "home."

22
United States / 14
Directed by Nate Markquart
Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide in the United States. Mission Outdoors is an organization dedicated to reconnecting veterans back into their community to inspire hope back into their lives.

Jan Beauboeuf: The Creative Spirit
United States, United States / 24
Directed by Graham Holt
A contemplative journey of the life, challenges, and creative process of an 88 year old artist from central Louisiana as she completes her latest project. Learn how she has drawn inspiration from the life and death around her, using a mix of locally sourced materials.

Cost: $7.00 - $15.00

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Fox Presents and the Spokane International Film Festival Present VISION QUEST at Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox

United States / 1985 / 107
Directed by Harold Becker
High school wrestler Louden Swain (Matthew Modine) feels he must do something significant in his life shortly after turning 18. Despite vehement advice against it from his father (Ronny Cox) and coach (Charles Hallahan), Swain decides to try to lose over 20 pounds in a very short time in an attempt to take on the defending state champion of a lower weight class. Meanwhile, he falls for the edgy, older Carla (Linda Fiorentino), who provides further distraction for the young wrestler.

Star Matthew Modine and legendary wrestling coach Cash Stone are scheduled to attend.

Date:
Pre_Festival: February 28, 2025
Festiva: March 7-9, 2025

Location: Various Venues in Spokane, WA

Click here for more information