Northwest Film Forum

Northwest Film Forum

Address	1515 12th Avenue Seattle, Washington United States of America
Coordinates	47°36′52″N122°19′01″W / 47.6144138°N 122.317071°W / 47.6144138; -122.317071
Owner	Northwest Film Forum
Capacity	156
Screens	2
Current use	Film
Website
nwfilmforum.org

The Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) is an nonprofit independent art house cinema and film-focused organization in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. that hosts screenings, multiple film festivals, film workshops, and public events. ^{[1] [2]}

History

In late 1994, filmmakers Jamie Hook and Deborah Girdwood received a King County Arts Commission Grant, to form the non-profit WigglyWorld Studios—the organization which Northwest Film Forum originates from. ^{[3] [4]} Launching in 1995, WigglyWorld Studios was a filmmaking artist collective located on Capitol Hill in the Capitol Hill Arts Center, a former Odd Fellows meeting hall. ^[5] The organization provided film screenings, filmmaking equipment, post-production suites, and workshops to the public and independent filmmakers. ^{[6] [7]}

Initially operating as a nomadic organization, screening films at various venues, in 1997 the Northwest Film Forum bought the Grand Illusion Cinema. ^[8] "WigglyWorld" was now the name of the educational and outreach wing of the nonprofit. In 1998, NWFF bought a space on 19th and Mercer that became The Little Theatre, opening in 1999 as an 64-seat art house dual cinema and live theater. ^{[8] [9]}

NWFF began to expand its programming and outreach efforts, with the support of Seattle venture capitalist Nick Hanauer and other donors, and in 2008 moved to a 8,000-square-foot facility. ^{[10] [8] [11]}

NWFF annually hosts the Local Sightings Film Festival, which programs exclusively films by Pacific Northwest filmmakers. ^{[12] [13]}

References

1. Bernstein, Paula (June 8, 2016). "How Northwest Film Forum Is Re-defining Role of the Regional Film Center". Filmmaker Magazine . Archived from the original on November 24, 2024. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
2. Pennick, Bailey (January 28, 2022). "Get to Know Our Satellite Screens: Northwest Film Forum in Seattle, Washington". Sundance Institute Blog. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
3. Shannon, Jeff (December 10, 2001). "Survival in a Wiggly World: Seattle's Independent, Innovative Film Scene Finds Sustenance Capitol Hill". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Archived from the original on November 24, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
4. Brueckmann, Korte (April 24, 2014). "The Northwest Film Forum Makes a Move". Madison Park Times . Archived from the original on 2024-11-24. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
5. Cohen, Bryan (May 14, 2015). "20 years of independence at Capitol Hill's Northwest Film Forum comes as director plans exit". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog .
6. Macdonald, Moira (March 6, 2009). "Lyall Bush named director of NW Film Forum". The Seattle Times . Retrieved March 7, 2024.
7. Hackett, Regina (April 14, 2005). "Northwest Film Forum: Seattle's cultural focal point". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Retrieved March 7, 2024.
8. Cohen, Bryan (May 14, 2015). "20 years of independence at Capitol Hill's Northwest Film Forum". Capitol Hill Seattle Blog . Retrieved March 8, 2024.
9. Kiley, Brendan (December 27, 2019). "End of the decade: 10 notable developments in Seattle's arts and culture scene in the 2010s". The Seattle Times . Retrieved March 8, 2024.
10. Nichols, Travis (April 24, 2008). "Northwest Film Forum's shrewd and nervy chief is ready for his sequel". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Retrieved March 7, 2024.
11. Macdonald, Moira (February 29, 2008). "NW Film Forum director is leaving". The Seattle Times . Retrieved March 7, 2024.
12. Hutchinson, Chase (September 12, 2023). "A Seattle rapper takes center stage in 'Fantasy A Gets a Mattress'". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
13. McCall, Vivian (April 30, 2024). "Northwest Film Forum Laid Off Nearly Half Its Staff". The Stranger . Retrieved May 5, 2024.