SIFF 45 box office opens online today

Above: Lynn Shelton's film "Sword of Trust" opens SIFF 45 on May 16.

For more than four decades now, Seattle film fans have enjoyed lineups of intriguing independent and foreign films in an annual festival. In fact, the Seattle International Film Festival has proven to be one of the most popular in the country, attracting in excess of 400 films from numerous countries.]

The 2019 version of SIFF, the 45th annual edition, will begin its 25-day run on May 16th. And, according the a festival press release, it will screen "410 films representing 86 countries and will include: 147 features (plus 4 secret films), 71 documentaries, 12 archival films, and 176 shorts. The lineup includes 33 World premieres (12 features, 21 shorts), 42 North American premieres (27 features, 15 shorts), and 19 US premieres (11 features, 8 shorts)."

Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton will open SIFF 45 with her film "Sword of Trust," which stars comedian Marc Maron. Both Shelton and Maron are expected to attend the screening, which will be at 7 p.m. at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

"Sword of Trust" is described this way: "(T)wo women (Jillian Bell and Michaela Watkins) attempt to unload an inherited Civil War sword onto a curmudgeonly pawnshop owner (Marc Maron) and reluctantly enter a world of conspiracy theory and Southern disillusionment."

The SIFF box office opens today online at siff.net and in person at any year round SIFF Box Office. View the full public program here: www.siff.net/festival.