SpIFF 2015: Shorts and farm stories at The Bing

The 2015 Spokane International Film Festival opened last night at AMC River Park Square, and from all signs it was a success. Close to 200 people nearly filled AMC's house No. 9 to see the opening-night movie, "Vivir es facil con los ojos cerrados," and a couple of dozen hung around after to comment on what they'd seen.

The festival continues tonight at 5:45 at the Bing Crosby with a program of short films, "Best of the Northwest," followed by a pair of longer documentary shorts, "Queens of the Roleo" and "Dryland."

The shorts program comprises 10 films by a collection of Northwest filmmakers, all but one (Canadian director Lyle Pisio) from the U.S. They range in length from

The two longer films screen in a single program beginning at 8. "Queens of the Roleo" (dir. David Jones) follows four young women from Lewiston, Idaho, who over 14 years won a series of national championships. "Dryland" (dir. Sue Arbuthnot, Richard Wilhelm) tells the story of farm life in Lind, Wash., keying on a couple of young men and their annual quest to win the Lind Combine Demolition Derby.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Note: An earlier version of this post listed the wrong time for the Best of the Northwest Shorts program. According to The Bing website, the doors open at 5:45.

Dryland - Official Trailer from Hare in the Gate Productions on Vimeo.