Press Release: SFF Celebrates 10 Years As Indie Gems Horsegirls and What’s Kept Inside Sweep Major Awards At The Seattle Film Festival
The Seattle Film Festival just concluded its 10 year anniversary with a 5-day award ceremony celebrating indie film culture and the filmmakers that remind us why Cinema will always stand the test of time. Under the direction of festival directors William Wayne (Lost Angelas) and Michael Rey, the Seattle Film Festival expanded its film screenings both online and theatrically, presenting more than 400 films across its online and in theater programs, including nearly 50 theatrical screenings at three marquee venues and more than 350 titles on eoFlix. Screenings took place at the Here After Theater at The Crocodile, the Grand Palace Theater at Aegis Living Queen Anne Rodgers Park, and the DocuSign Tower downtown. The Seattle Film Festival’s 10 Year celebration included Five days of red carpet premieres, filmmaker Q and A sessions, and special events highlighting Seattle’s creative energy and global reach. Festival Directors William Wayne and Michael Rey lead their third year at the helm, presenting an expanded in person slate alongside an extensive online showcase.
Gretchen Mol and Heston Horwin were among the honorees. Special screenings included music videos from Jeremy Renner and Julianne Hough.
Seattle, Washington | September 29, 2025
Lauren Meyering’s Horsegirls led the winners as the Seattle Film Festival culminated in an awards gala, taking Grand Jury Best Feature Film with Gretchen Mol winning Best Actress and Lillian Carrier winning Outstanding Performance.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, festival directors William Wayne and Michael Rey returned for a third year in a row overseeing a five-day festival that ran from September 24 to 28, with premieres, filmmaker Q&A sessions, and special events across the Here After Theater at The Crocodile, the Grand Palace Theater at Aegis Living Queen Anne Rodgers Park, and the DocuSign Tower.
An expanded online showcase on eoFlix presented more than three hundred fifty titles alongside nearly fifty in-theater screenings, for a program of more than four hundred films.
Festival Headline Winners
Grand Jury Best Feature Film: Horsegirls
Grand Jury Best Director Feature Film: Trevor Stevens for The Misadventures of Vince and Hick
Grand Jury Best Short Film: What’s Kept Inside
Grand Jury Best Director, Short Film: Zac La Roc for Dizzy
Performance Honors — Features
Best Actress: Gretchen Mol for Horsegirls
Best Actor: Heston Horwin for The Misadventures of Vince and Hick
Outstanding Performance: Lillian Carrier for Horsegirls
Performance Honors — Shorts
Best Actress, Short Film (tie): Ames Miyako (Checking Out) and Jennifer Field (Faithless)
Best Actor, Short Film: Victor Del Rio (Ed)
Additional Short-Form Winners
Best United States Short Film: Checking Out
Best Director, United States Short Film: Michael Lavine for The Wanderer
Seattle and Special honors
Seattle Filmmaker Feature Film Award: Bob Lindenmayer for Making Megaforce
Seattle Filmmaker Short Film Award: Michael Rognlie and E.E. Tallent for Bad Chemistry
Bruce Lee Trailblazer Award: Han So Eckelberg for The Golden 50: A Mak Fai Anniversary
Coverage highlights
Creating a Photojournalist; Ed Bereal: Disturbing the Peace;
Neon Blue;
Rome As You Are When Nirvana Toured Italy;
Music videos from Jeremy Renner (Wait, dir. Evan Hara), Julianne Hough (Only Twin – Give You Up, dirs. Josh Martin and Ryan McNeeley), Bonnie McKee, and John Leguizamo (Talking In Your Sleep, dirs. Ashley Monet and Juancho Rodriguez).
Complete winners and press assets: www.theseattlefilmfestival.com
Updates: @seattlefilmfestival on Instagram
Media contact: Michael@theseattlefilmfestival.com
About the Seattle Film Festival
Produced by WM Films LLC, the Seattle Film Festival celebrates a decade of independent cinema and the stories that move cinema/autuer culture forward.
Learn more by visiting : www.theseattlefilmfestival.com