The thriving arts scene is a priority in this city—in fact, Seattle has been recognized for having more arts-related businesses and organizations per capita than any other metropolitan area in the U.S., according to Americans for the Arts. Filmmaker Lynn Shelton is one of the contributors to this creative city. Read on for a look at the city through her artistic lens.
Editor’s Note: Lynn Shelton passed away in May 2020, leaving many heartbroken friends and fans. Her legacy lives on through her films and her memory is honored by a new “Of a Certain Age Grant” administered by the Northwest Film Forum.
I think that Seattle has influenced my work by shaping me as a human being. I developed a deep bond with this place as I was being raised here. Something tells me that this deep love—for the green, for the gray, for the people, and for the very place itself—probably shows up in my work without me even realizing it.
Seattle is blessed with so many awesome places to see film. Many of my favorite theaters from childhood are still alive and kicking and I love to visit them to this day: The Harvard Exit, The Grand Illusion, The Seven Gables, The Egyptian, The Crest, The Majestic Bay. SIFF Cinema took over The Uptown last year and they show an incredible array of independent and world cinema, as does the Northwest Film Forum. Finally, the Cinerama is my absolute favorite place in town to see really big, epic, films.
I love all the little pockets of wooded areas in Seattle to take walks in. The ravine between Cowen and Ravenna parks, the foot trails at Carkeek, Lincoln, and Discovery parks, the Arboretum. I love visiting these places throughout the year and observing the seasonal changes in the flora and fauna. It’s a great way to stay grounded in a stressful world.
Interview by Jess Van Nostrand, 2012.
Photo taken on the set of movie Touchy Feely.
Lynn Shelton discuss why she believes film is important.