2026 Social Justice Film Festival - April 16-19
Tickets are on sale now!
All films and events will take place at Pacific Tower, Seattle
1200 12th Ave. S. - 8th Floor
Watch most films in the 2026 SJFF program at home on our Eventive Virtual Cinema platform from April 20 – 25.
The Virtual Social Justice Film Cinema schedule and tickets will be available on April 15.
Individual Film Block Ticket - $10 each
Day/Night All Access Ticket - $30 each (full access to day and evening films and events)
Festival All Access Ticket - $100 each (full access to all films and events, all venues)
*A number of free tickets are available, see the ticketing table for more information at the time of each screening.
Day/Night All Access Tickets available FRIDAY AND SATURDAY only.
2026 Social Justice Film Festival Highlighted Events
Thursday, April 16, 6pm, Pacific Tower - Panoramic Room
Opening Night Reception and Feature Film - Firebreak
The 2026 Social Justice Film Festival begins with a kick-off reception followed by a special screening of FIREBREAK: A documentary on the intersection of climate change and social justice.
Reception begins at 6:00 pm; film begins at 7:30 pm.
This powerful documentary tells the story of Brandon Smith and Royal Ramey, who met while fighting wildfires in California’s prison system. Overcoming incredible obstacles like institutional hurdles, financial burdens, and the stigma of their past, Brandon and Royal have dedicated their lives to helping others. Through their nonprofit, The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP), they empower formerly incarcerated individuals to find purpose and redemption through firefighting careers.
Director Kenzie Bruce, along with firefighters Brandon Smith and Royal Ramey, will be in attendance.
*After the screening, there will be a panel discussion featuring the following:
Moderator: John Trafton, PhD - Professor of cinema and media studies at Occidental College and Chapman University, and author of several works on cinema history.
Panel Guests:
Kenzie Bruce – Director, Firebreak
Brandon Smith – Founder, The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP)
Royal Ramey – Founder, The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP)
Cyril Walrond – Northwest Community Bail Fund
Saturday, April 18, 5:00 pm, Pacific Tower - Panoramic Room
Featured Local Film - The Price of Plenty: Voices from the Valley
The documentary, The Price of Plenty: Voices from the Valley, uplifts voices from the Lower Yakima Valley in the State of Washington impacted by pollution and environmental injustice. Highlighting the science, history, and community action behind contamination and health risks. The film features local advocates and leaders working toward a healthier, more just future.
*Following the screening of Price of Plenty – Voices from the Valley, join us for a panel discussion with community members and environmental advocates of Yakima Valley:
Teodora Martinez - Outlook resident living adjacent to multiple dairy operations, dealing with well water contaminated above safe nitrate levels.
Ventura - Impacted Lower Yakima Valley Community Member who suffered severed chemical burns due to lack of PPE and training he was provided when managing harmful fertilizers.
Charlie Tebutt - Environmental attorney with 40 years of experience, lead counsel in landmark lawsuits against Lower Yakima Valley dairies, responsible for documenting the world's most comprehensive dataset on dairy pollution.
Roslinda Guillen - Founder of of the organization, Community to Community, and has pioneered the work to protect and dignify agricultural workers all over Washington. Ensuring they have access to livable wages, benefits, and a safe and healthy working environment.
Esteban Barrientes - Co-Founder and Chief Creative Director of Time Magic Studios. A filmmaker of Indigenous (Tlingit), Filipino, and Latino heritage, Barrientes brings both technical skill and cultural understanding to The Price of Plenty: Voices from the Valley.
Free Workshops for Filmmakers and Community Members!
Friday, April 17, 9:30 am, Pacific Tower - Tahoma Room
Storytelling from Community
Filmmakers Keenan Lacy-Rhodes and Leah Humphrey of the documentary Grasping at the Roots will facilitate a workshop on building community relationships and trust, both critical to the filmmaking process.
Participants will gain an understanding of the following:
The importance and power of building relationships with community members:
Choosing a story to tell and how to work alongside others whose story you’re telling.
How to portray your people and communities.
Angles that establish power or relatedness.
Sharing power in production and post, including:
Sharing footage.
Including others in the production process.
Follow-ups to inform subjects of the film's progress.
This workshop is for filmmakers and community members who want to elevate authentic voices to foster trust, connection, and social change.
*The workshop will include the screening of the documentary short, Grasping at the Roots.
Saturday, April 18, 9:30 am, Pacific Tower - Panoramic Room
Finding Your Story in Post: Documentary Editing
You've shot your film! You have hours and hours of footage....now what? This guided, hands-on seminar will use the feature documentary MASC to explore the tools, questions, and theories that will help you find your most compelling and concise narrative.
Facilitator Andy Motz (he/him) is an award-winning filmmaker, editor, and educator. Andy works within and blends together narrative, documentary, and experimental formats to explore pressing issues, including HIV awareness, queer identity, and masculinity. His films have been screened at festivals around the world, including Sidewalk Film Festival, Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Festival, Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Festival, Global Peace Festival, and New Haven International Film Festival.
Participants will gain an understanding of the following:
How to break down your footage to find your story in the editing process:
Chronological vs thematic doc storytelling.
How to find an ending when there isn't a definitive one in the footage.
Understanding your film beyond its narrative.
How to think poetically about your film.
After the workshop, join us for the full screening of the documentary, MASC (Free for workshop participants).
Saturday, April 18, 9:30 am, Pacific Tower - Tahoma Room
Creating Emotional Impact in Film
Join filmmakers Shereen Balles, Benjamin Davis, and Marie Hathaway Myung for an engaging, hands-on workshop on emotional impact and storytelling in film. Featuring the short film A Way Out, which depicts the real destruction and pain of domestic violence.
Participants will gain an understanding of the following:
How to use practical production techniques that heighten emotion and deepen connection to real-world social issues.
How to craft powerful, dramatic scenes that move audiences and spark change.
How storytelling in film can be a tool for advocacy and for raising awareness of the harm caused by abuse.
Participants will leave with tools they can apply immediately to create authentic, compelling stories that resonate long after the screen goes dark.
NOTE: CONTENT WARNING
The materials and other content in this workshop will include topics that some participants may find disturbing and/or traumatizing. The facilitators will create a safe atmosphere of mutual respect and sensitivity.
Shereen Balles is an Executive Producer, Writer, Director, and Actress. She has played Vera, a co-star, on CBS's Magnum PI, appeared on NCIS Hawai'i, and acted in Apple TV's Chief of War. Shereen Balles hails from O'ahu, Hawai'i.
Benjamin Davis, a documentary filmmaker based in Seattle, teaches cinema studies at both Seattle University and Cornish College of the Arts. His debut film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2020. Benjamin’s body of work is known for its focus on creating art that engages with social and political issues.
Marie Hathaway Myung returns to film and television after twenty years as a first responder, including work as a wildland firefighter and paramedic supervisor. Marie is an executive producer, actor, and crew member in local independent films.
Sunday, April 19, Pacific Tower - Panoramic Center | Reception 9:30 am - Films begin at 10:15 am
Closing Day: Social Justice with a View - Sunday Shorts
Join us for an morning and afternoon of social justice films at the beautiful Panoramic Center in Pacific Tower, which offers stunning views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, as well as Puget Sound. Filmgoers will enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast and refreshments throughout the day.
Listen and learn more about films showing at the 2026 Social Justice Film Festival!
RADICAL FILMS is the Social Justice Film Institute podcast featuring alumni and friends of the Social Justice Film Festival discussing all things related to social justice storytelling. The Social Justice Film podcast was created to explore and share stories about the intersection of social justice and film.