Movies

The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) has announced its opening-night film — and it's got a local twist.

Lynn Shelton's "Your Sister's Sister," which made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last fall and is screening this weekend at the Sundance Film Festival, will open the 38th annual Seattle festival on May 17 at McCaw Hall. It is, says SIFF artistic director Carl Spence, the first opening-night film to be locally produced and shot by a Seattle filmmaker.

Other opening-night selections have had local connections. For instance, "Battle in Seattle," which kicked off SIFF 2008, included footage of the 1999 WTO riots. But "Your Sister's Sister" has one of the strongest local pedigrees of any recent SIFF opener.

"Your Sister's Sister" is the fourth feature film from Seattle-based Shelton, a University of Washington graduate who made her debut at SIFF with "We Go Way Back" in 2006. "My Effortless Brilliance" (2008) and "Humpday" (2009) followed. She also directed the MTV series "$5 Cover," and guest-directed a 2010 episode of the AMC TV series "Mad Men."

Just days after its TIFF debut in September, "Your Sister's Sister" was acquired for distribution by IFC Films, and will have a national release this summer after its SIFF screening. Written and directed by Shelton, the film is a romantic comedy starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass. It was filmed in Seattle and the San Juan Islands.

SIFF, one of the world's largest film festivals, will take place May 17 through June 10 at a variety of venues in Seattle, Everett, Renton and Kirkland, and typically presents more than 400 films. Tickets are already on sale for the gala "Your Sister's Sister" opening night; for more information, see www.siff.net.

Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com