The Seattle Film Critics Society polled all accredited media for their favorite new release feature film that played the 51st Seattle International Film Festival. Eighty different films appeared on member ballots as favorites, but there was widespread consensus at the top of the list.
We are thrilled to present the 2025 SIFF Seattle Critics Award to …
WINNER
· Sorry, Baby (2025 | USA | 104 minutes | Eva Victor)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
· Twinless (2025 | USA | 100 minutes | James Sweeney)
· Color Book (2024 | USA | 98 minutes | David Fortune)
· Souleymane’s Story (2024 | France | 92 minutes | Boris Lojkine)
· Remaining Native (2025 | USA | 87 minutes | Paige Bethmann Haudenosaunee)
SFCS President Kathy Fennessy remarked “Seattle Film Critics Society is honored to present the Seattle Critics Award at the 51st Seattle International Film Festival. Our favorite films all have a strong sense of place, represent diverse voices across a variety of formats, both narrative and documentary, and most are from directors early in their careers. These films made the greatest impact on Seattle-area critics, especially Eva Victor’s incisive debut feature Sorry, Baby. We can’t wait to see what these filmmakers do next. ”
Voters for this year’s award included (some elected to remain anonymous):
- Blake Peterson, 425
- Bob Foster, Cinema Crazed
- Brandon Mattesich, Off-Brand World
- Calvin Kemph, The Twin Geeks
- Chase Hutchinson, TheWrap
- Chris Burlingame, The SunBreak
- Elizabeth Mulloy, The Celluloid Correspondent
- Eric Zhu, The Insert
- Gray Harrison, The Evergreen Echo
- Isaac P. Ale, Film & Froth
- Jeremy Cropf, Cascade PBS
- Joe Hammerschmidt, Warm 106.9
- Joseph Curtis, YouTube
- Josh Bis, The SunBreak
- Karen Pecota, Currents Magazine, kinocritics.comrachel@evergreenecho.org
- Karenna Blomberg, 0613FOCUS
- Kathy Fennessy, Seattle Film Blog
- Kevin Ward, F🤩k, I Love Movies
- Marc Morin, TheTwoOhSix
- Marina Coates, The Pop Break
- Michael Bracy, Three Imaginary Girls
- Michael Nank, mixyplix.com
- Mike Ward, Should I See It
- Nick Hamden, Gorgon Reviews
- Nick Tiffany, NT Movie Reviews
- Tarush Mohanti, SpoilerFreeReviews
- Thomas Stoneham-Judge, ForReel
- Tim Basaraba, nadamucho.com
- Wen Yin, Chinese Radio Seattle
- vee hua, REDEFINE magazine
What Seattle critics wrote about our favorite SIFF films
Sorry, Baby
- “Sorry, Baby is a film of snapshots where each is specific, a little strange, but always sincere, bringing to life the many ups and downs that come as you find a way to endure.” — Chase Hutchinson, The Wrap
- “Eva Victor’s script is one of the strongest of the year, with incredible tact, natural humor, perfectly realized characters, and just an overall revelation of a writer, director, and performer” — Bob Foster, Cinema Crazed
- “a scene with John Carroll Lynch has some of the best filmed moments I’ve seen all year” — Michael Bracy, Three Imaginary Girls
- “an incisive (and often funny) exploration about the ways that trauma ripples through a life and the slow ways it heals (and doesn’t)” — Josh Bis, The SunBreak
Twinless
- “The film could be mistaken as cringe comedy, but it’s much more than that, and Sweeney never lets the film’s delightful twists overtake the emotion at the root of the movie. — Chase Hutchinson”, The Wrap
- “With each reinvention … becomes even more electrifying and deeply emotional, introducing a sense of uncomfortable complicity among the audience” — Josh Bis, The SunBreak
- “With its blend of sharp humor and emotional depth, Twinless is a compelling, unforgettable exploration of the messiness of life and loss.” — Elizabeth Mulloy, The Celluloid Correspondent
- “Never too dark or too silly, a fair balance is struck that often negates taboos but always maintains a sharp congeniality to make both of them ferocious with their oddball sensibility.” — Joe Hammerschmidt, Warm 106.9
Color Book
- “The performances are terrific, the black-and-white cinematography often stunning, and debut feature director David Fortune is one to watch.” — Michael Bracy, Three Imaginary Girls
- “works on every level, and it’s as uplifting as it is heartbreaking” — Kathy Fennessy, Seattle Film Blog
- An interview with Color Bookdirector David Fortune — Gorgon Reviews
Souleymane’s Story
- “Souleymane’s Sisyphean struggle to get through the day is written with impressive granularity and filled with rich character detail.” — Eric Zhu, The Insert
- “a tense and intimate drama with a ton of human spirit” — Michael Nank,Mixyplix
- “lean, deliberate, and edited with remarkable precision” — Kevin Ward, FkILoveMovies
Remaining Native
- “Bethmann delivers not just another sports story, but a powerful reckoning with history, identity, and perseverance.” — Isaac P. Ale, Film and Froth
- “I’m also grateful for films like this—for how they bear witness, tell the truth, and allow resilience to take center stage.” — Kevin Ward, FkILoveMovies
- “a powerful testament to heritage, legacy, and finding new meanings of endurance and perseverance” — Mike Ward, Should I See It
- “truly a triple-threat – it’ll teach you something new, inspire you to take action, and is, ultimately, a joy to watch” — Tarush Mohanti, Spoiler Free Reviews
About SFCS:
With a membership of area critics, the Seattle Film Critics Society is dedicated to supporting local productions and festivals, enhancing public education, awareness, and appreciation of cinema, and strengthening the bonds of critical dialogue as it pertains to the cinematic arts. SFCS seeks to highlight the best films produced each year–both by the major studios and independent filmmakers–and share our love of cinema with Seattle-area residents.