How To Fest (FAQs)

Everyone needs a ticket to attend a film screening.
Whether you're a passholder or buying a single ticket, you must have a ticket in hand to enter the screening venue.

General Admission

• General Admission: $15

• Access Ticket: $13
  (For those who self-identify as a(n) student, senior, artist, disability, and/or un(der)waged person.)

• Opening Night

  • In-Person Opening Night (includes Celebration): $55 

  • In-Person Opening Night Celebration only: $45

• Passes

  • In-Person ONLY Pass (includes Opening Night): $80

  • Virtual ONLY Pass: $25 

  • Hybrid Pass: $100 (Tickets to both in person and online)

• Online ticket sales close 2 hours before each screening. Tickets will still be available at our Box Office unless it specifically indicates ‘Sold Out’.

• Plan to arrive 15–30 minutes early; seating is not guaranteed without a ticket.

• Any unfilled seats will be released to the rush line 5 minutes before showtime.

Passholders

• Pick up your badge from the SAAFF Guest Services.

• Box Office and Guest Services opens 30 minutes before the first screening of the day.

• Passholders must redeem tickets in advance (online or at the box office).

• All festival passes only provide 1 ticket per program.

• If a screening is sold out, passholders must also wait in the rush line.

Seating
Theater doors will open for seating 20 minutes prior to the scheduled time of each screening.

Doors open at 5:30pm Friday night for the Opening Night Film and at 8:30pm for the Opening Night Reception. If you can’t make it to the Opening Night Film but want to attend the party, doors for the Opening Night Reception will open at 8:15pm. You can purchase tickets for only the Reception at the door or online.

Stick Around for Q&As
Nearly all programs include post-film conversations with attending filmmakers. Don’t miss these special moments of insight and community!

Sold out Screenings
If advance tickets are no longer available, you are encouraged to line up for rush tickets that will be released at the box office in the theater lobby 5 minutes before showtime. Lines may start forming as early as 15 minutes prior to the screening.

Concessions
There are no concession stands available at Wing Luke Museum or Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, however many restaurants are within walking distance of the venues.

Film Captions

• In-Person Screenings: Limited films will have captions. Please check our website for a detailed list of films with captions.

• Virtual Viewing: Please check individual films for online captioning availability.

Audience Awards
All film screenings are eligible for our two Audience Choice Awards: Best Documentary and Best Narrative.

We have ballots available for in-person screenings as well as online screenings. You can also vote online after each in-person screening through Eventive.

For online viewers, after you finish watching each film, there will be an option to rate the film from 1 to 5 (5 being the best) on the watch page directly under the video player.

Voting will end at 11:59pm PT on Monday, June 8, 2026. Award winners will be announced after the holiday weekend.

The following in-person films include captions. Captioning is not available for every film, so check here before you plan your visit. Virtual screenings have their own captioning, so check each film page on Eventive for online availability.

Full English captions:

• Spring After Spring

• Ran Som

• Harvest Party at Camp Two

• The Road to Sydney

• After What Happened at the Library

• Long's Long Lost & Mini Mart

• I Wish I Were Pretty

• Chowmein Holiday

• We Were The Scenery

• Denial

• Horse Fly

• Daily Worker

• Sands Street

English subtitles only:

These films include English subtitles that translate non-English dialogue. English-language audio is not captioned.

• Mouse

• Sihyeon's Summer Day

• Somewhere To Be

You will need to create an Eventive account to access the films online. Make sure you are logged in with the same email address used to purchase your festival pass. Browse our festival schedule and find the film program you'd like to attend and/or watch. Click on "Select a Showing". In-person events will have a date, time and venue listed and online options will say "stream online" at the end. Once you have chosen, if the program is available, you will see a "Buy Tickets" or “Unlock Now” button. Select the general ticket and you have now redeemed a ticket to that film program.

This year's festival will be held in-person at the Wing Luke Museum on Friday, May 29 and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31. The festival will continue online on Eventive from June 1-7, 2026.

Wing Luke Museum @ 719 S. King Street Seattle, WA 98104

Getting There: Wing Luke is located in the heart of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. The entrance to the museum faces South King Street on the corner of South King Street and 8th Avenue. There are 30-minute loading zones on King Street and 8th Street.

• Public Transit: Served by multiple bus routes and a short walk from the International District/Chinatown light rail station.

• Parking: The museum does not have on-site parking. Paid street parking and nearby lots are available. Please allow extra time, as neighborhood parking can be limited on weekends and during events.

Accessibility

• The main areas of the museum (including galleries, restrooms, and event spaces) are wheelchair accessible.

• Elevator access is available between floors.

• Social distancing and masks are encouraged.

• For specific ADA accommodations or questions ahead of your visit to the museum, please contact the museum staff directly at visit@wingluke.org or call (206) 623-5124.

This year's festival will be held in-person at the Wing Luke Museum on Friday, May 29 and Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31. The festival will continue online on Eventive from June 1-7, 2026.

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute @ 104 17th Ave S Seattle, WA 98144

Getting There: Located in Seattle's Central District at the corner of 17th Ave S and E Yesler Way.

• Public Transit: Multiple public transit options are available within a 10-minute walk or less to the venue.

  • By streetcar: Take the First Hill Seattle Streetcar to 14th & Washington + 5-minute walk.

  • By bus: Bus 27 to E Yesler Way & 16th Ave S (2-minute walk); Bus 14 to S Jackson St & 18th Ave S (6-minute walk); Bus 4 to E Jefferson St & 17th Ave (7-minute walk); Bus 48 to 23rd Ave S & E Yesler Way (10-minute walk).

  • By light rail: Transfer from Westlake Link Light Rail Station or King Street Station.

• Parking: Parking is available at the building and is open to guests. Street parking options may vary depending on time of day.

Accessibility

• The venue is ADA compliant with accessible entrances and seating throughout the building.

• For specific ADA accommodations or questions ahead of your visit, please contact the venue directly at (206) 684-4758 at least ten business days in advance.

Keep our community healthy by staying home if you are feeling unwell to reduce the risk of catching or spreading illness, even if your symptoms are mild. We strongly encourage folks to continue to wear a face covering that covers both nose and mouth while indoors. Disposable masks will be available for those who need them.

Films are not rated for content and viewer discretion is advised. Some films may depict or discuss sensitive topics. For such films, we have included the following abbreviations in their descriptions.

• DAM - Depiction/Discussion of Abortion/Miscarriage; Includes explicit imagery/discussion of miscarriage, child loss

• DD - Depiction/Discussion of Death or Dying; Includes murder, terminal illness, animal death, drowning, infanticide

• DS - Depiction/Discussion of Suicide

• IDB - Identity-Based Prejudice, Abuse, or Harassment such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc

• INJ - Depiction/Discussion of Injuries; Includes blood, gore, and body horror

• SU - Substance Use and Abuse; Includes drug use, alcohol consumption, alcoholism

• SV - Depiction/Discussion of State Violence, including arrests, military/police brutality, incarceration, immigration injustices, colonization, imperialism

• V - Depiction/Discussion/Implication of Violence; Includes use of weapons, murder, threats, animal abuse/fighting

• W - Depiction/Discussion of War