Sarasota Braces for Film Festival

Todays News

Sarasota Film Festival officials knew there would be excitement about presenting an award to Sophia Loren and bringing Olympia Dukakis in for an In Conversation event, and indeed those events have generated press and ticket sales leading into the festival. But Programming Director Michael Dunaway has been pleasantly surprised to see enthusiasm for up and coming stars like Josh Radnor, in town with The Seeker, and Jess Weixler, back at the festival with Money. “These are people who are friends of mine and whose work I admire,” he said, “and I’m excited to see the community embrace them so much. Their work is worth the attention.”

Excitement for the festival ramps up tonight with the SFF Kickoff Event, An Evening with Sophia Loren, when the actress picks up a Legend award. It will continue Friday evening with the Opening Night Party, when Other People screens to a Sarasota audience, and will continue through the Closing Night Film, The Congressman, which will bring actors George Hamilton and Treat Williams here. In the meantime, a host of independent films will screen to smaller audiences at Regal Cinemas  Hollywood 20 in Downtown Sarasota and other venues. And Dunaway notes that a significant number of high-profile films, including Spotlight film Kate Plays Christine, will get major billing this year. “To see Sarasota produce films that opened at Sundance, that’s exciting,” he said. “The community at large is celebrating the film community here.” 

A major focus of the festival this year will be mental health issues, an interesting follow-up to last year’s emphasis on homelessness. Dunaway said he also views the festival this year as somewhat of a mental reprieve from the madness of a trying election year. The festival will seek to bring lightness to the campaign season as well, rebranding its traditional Cinema Tropicale party as Cinema Politicale event for one year only. “The idea we can all get together and make fun of ourselves and make fun of each other and still be civil at the end of the day in a year such as this is an important thing.” 

A full schedule of events and films can be found at sarasotafilmfestival.com. 

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