Meet our talented team of programmers—the people who work and watch movies all year long to curate the best films possible for the Seattle International Film Festival, celebrating its 51st year from May 15 to 25, 2025. Full program info: siff.net/festival.

Nichole Young (she/her)
Programmer
Shorts

What are your 10 favorite films ever?
1. The Truffle Hunters (2020)
2. Rush Hour (1998)
3. Minding the Gap (2018)
4. Knife+Heart (2018)
5. Charlie’s Angels (2000)
6. Police Story (1985)
7. Point Break (1991)
8. Mauvais Sang (1986)
9. Spirited Away (2001)
10. Faces Places (2017)

What’s one of your favorite Festival memories or anecdotes?
I sadly have yet to attend SIFF! Although, one of my favorite memories during this year’s programming process was ing a meeting to immediately share my unwarranted thoughts on the latest season of "Love is Blind." I’m disgustingly ionate about reality TV and am determined to get Stan Shields to watch it post-fest.

What is your guilty pleasure film?
I’ll shamelessly it I LOVE the Mission: Impossible franchise. Tom Cruise could make 400 of them, and I’ll be waiting first in line at the theater for every single one of them. If anyone can miraculously grant me access to this year’s Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning premiere, I’m begging you to hit me up immediately. This message will self-destruct in 3… 2… 1…

What's one thing we should know about you that is NOT film related?
I’m an avid reader! I read about 100 books annually and really force myself to be screen-free when I’m not programming. When my eyes aren’t glued to my laptop screen, they’re deep in a book with a hot coffee and pastry close by.

What do you consider your hometown?
Seal Beach, CA – there’s not much going on in the tiny beach town, but I’d do anything to return to my youth where I’d pick up discounted pastries from Crema Café on Main Street before heading to a midday indie film at the (now closed) UA Marketplace 6 Theater with a handful of retirees!