Social Justice Film Festival

The Social Justice Film Festival returns in 2023, celebrating more than a decade of justice through cinema and conversation in partnership with a host of community partners to explore all aspects of social justice through the art of filmmaking.

Based in Seattle, Washington, a city known for progressive politics, technology innovation and stunning natural surroundings, the festival brings together filmmakers from around the world to encourage interaction and engagement through film and events.

The festival will include programming and speakers that bring attention to social justice concerns in the world, and celebrate the stories of groups and people who are working for a better future. We will exhibit shorts and feature-length documentaries and narrative films from the U.S. and around the world. With public health considerations, our hope is to offer a film festival where filmmakers come together as a community of digital story tellers for social justice.

Featured speakers for past festival programs have included author of "Dead Man Walking" and anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean, activist and actor Danny Glover, investigative journalist Will Potter, founder of Define American Jose Antonio Vargas, recording artist and educator DJ Cavem, activist and former captain of the Seattle Black Panthers Aaron Dixon, Yupik elder Bobby Andrew, activist and filmmaker Sanjay Rawal, BLM organizer Darnell Moore, Rev. Harriet Walden and more.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The Social Justice Film Festival highlights film and video work being done to encourage positive change around the world. As a movement, social justice promotes a global culture of equity, justice, and inclusion. Our films have spotlighted issues pertaining to incarceration, Indigenous futures, immigrant rights, the environment and sustainability, oppression, race and racism, gender equality, the arts and rights of expression and speech, animal rights, alternative lifestyles and economies, disenfranchisement, water and food insecurity, economic disparity, homelessness, exploitation, corruption, and more. The festival will showcase works that challenge society structures all over the globe on a macro and micro level.

At the time of writing, the COVID-19 pandemic is waning but ongoing; the government intends to end the public health emergency declaration this upcoming May. We don't pretend to know what the future will hold, and so while our hope is that we are able to meet, screen films, and have discussions and workshops in person, we may also have hybrid screenings and events online.

The Social Justice Film Festival takes place in Fall 2023, so we sincerely hope things are much improved by then. Ideally, the festival will be in-person in our traditional Seattle area theaters, but it may be necessary to incorporate outdoor drive-in events, online streaming, or a combination of options. For reference, the 2022 event was both in person and streaming, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, so rest assured that even our least favored option is still a great experience for audiences and filmmakers.

We are looking forward, and excited to see the projects you have been working on.

Thank you for all you do, and stay safe.

Yours, sincerely,
Jody Cole
Curator
Social Justice Film Festival