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Sarasota is and always will be an arts town. From April 4 to 13, that storied tradition first brought about by the Ringling Circus will carry on with the 27th annual edition of the Sarasota Film Festival. Variety is the spice of life for this year’s iteration of the festival, which includes 37 feature films, with four world premieres and 10 Florida premieres and 41 short films that will air in various locations throughout Sarasota.

“Sarasota is full of cinephiles that are thirsty for new films,” says Mark Famiglio, festival chairman and president.

The festival opens with Marcella, directed by Peter Miller, which tells the story of famed Italian food writer Marcella Hazan, who is credited with introducing the techniques of traditional Italian cooking to the United States and the United Kingdom. The festival’s other centerpiece films include the world premiere of season 4 of MGM+’s hit drama series, Godfather of Harlem, starring Forest Whitaker. Stars Rome Flynn, Michael Paines and showrunner and creator Chris Broncato will be in attendance. The closing night film is Lovers, by Taylor McFadden, which follows two women who reconnect with their hometown after returning for a funeral. The screening will be followed by a special performance from country singer-songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff.

Some of the festival’s spotlight features include the Florida premiere of Wendy Lobel’s Anxiety Club, Being Maria which stars Matt Dillon as Marlon Brando and the Florida premiere of Long Shadows, a western starring Dermot Mulroney and Jacqueline Bisset.

In addition to documentary, environmental, animated and independent feature films and shorts, the festival will also host a screening of all 2024 Oscar-nominated animated short films on April 12.

“We’ve been very fortunate that a lot of filmmakers and celebrities understand that we make our own rules here,” says Famiglio. “We pride ourselves on supporting all aspects of independent film—the filmmakers, the actors, the directors, the producers and the screenwriters.”

Sarasota Film Festival,  April 4 -13, 332 Cocoanut Ave, Sarasota.

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