NAME OF FESTIVAL: Sarasota Film Festival
SINCE: 1999
WHERE: Sarasota, FL
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Founded in 1998, the Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) has grown to be a ten-day festival that plays independent and international narratives, docs and shorts that are programmed into a schedule of over 200 films including features, themed shorts packages and additional programming sidebars that change each year to reflect the strengths of submitted films.
Sarasota Film Festival
Elena directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev took home this year’s Narrative Feature Jury prize, and Big Boys Gone Bananas!* by director Fredrik Gertten was the Documentary Jury Prize winner at the 2012 Sarasota Film Festival. Two special jury prizes were awarded; in the Narrative category Alps directed by Giorgos Lanthimos took home a Special Jury Prize and for documentary Feature Competition special jury prize for Radio Unnameable directed by Paul Lovelace.
The Sarasota Film Festival announced sports related programming and guests for the upcoming 2012 festival. Tino Wallenda and the Flying Wallenda family will attend the World Premiere screening of THE SHOW MUST GO ON on Friday, April 20th. THE SHOW MUST GO ON explores the unique familial bond that exists within the high flying Wallenda clan who, despite the true risks of their dangerous high wire act and the economic reality that threatens their livelihood, […]
The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) will honor Penelope Ann Miller, star of the 2012 Academy Award® Best Picture winner The Artist and 2012 Sarasota Film Festival film Think Of Me with this year’s 2012 Career Tribute. The SFF will also honor Women Make Movies, the non-profit media arts organization that facilitates the production, promotion, distribution and exhibition of independent films by and about women, with the second annual Impact Award, presented in partnership with the […]
The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) officially announced their complete 2012 Festival program today, featuring over 230 films from 30 nations. The Sarasota Film Festival kicks off on April 13th with the previously announced ROBOT & FRANK on Opening Night, with Todd Solondz’s DARK HORSE serving as the Festival Centerpiece and Joe Berlinger’s UNDER AFRICAN SKIES serving as the festival’s closer. The Narrative Feature Competition 11 FLOWERS, Director: Wang XiaoshuaiALPS, Director: Giorgos Lanthimos ARCADIA, Director: Olivia […]
Jake Schreier’s ROBOT & FRANK will open the 2012 Sarasota Film Festival on Friday, April 13th. Frank Langella and Mr. Schreier will attend the festival’s Opening Night. Set in the near future, ROBOT & FRANK is the story of Frank (Frank Langella), a retired thief living alone and resigned to longing for the local librarian (Susan Sarandon). Concerned about his father’s health, Frank’s son brings him a new caretaker; a state of the art robot […]
Tom Hall, who has served the festival as Director of Programming (2004-2009) and Artistic Director (2009-2011), has been named Director of The Sarasota Film Festival. In addition, Magida Diouri will be the new Programmer and Veronica Pastore the new Associate Director of Marketing for the 2012 Festival. Former SFF Director of Programming Holly Herrick will remain with the SFF as Director of SFF Women, a program designed to promote independent filmmaking, collaboration, awareness and film […]
The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) officially announced their complete 2011 Festival line-up today. The festival kicks off on April 7 at Sarasota’s Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with a performance by music and film star, Harry Connick Jr. and his Orchestra. On Friday, April 8, 2011, The SFF will present PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, a Magnolia Pictures release, as the 2011 Opening Night Film with director Andrew Rossi and New […]
The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF), April 7-17, 2011 in Sarasota, FL, and legendary San Francisco based punk rock video collective Target Video announced a collaboration today that will see the Sarasota Film Festival present a program of Target’s legendary performance videos. Entitled Futility Is Resistance: Treasures From The Target Video Archive (1977-84), the program features three nights of Target’s seminal, rarely seen punk rock performances. Shot by members of Target Video between 1977 and 1984, these […]
The Sarasota Film Festival, which takes place April 7-17th, 2011 announced that writer/director Mike Mills’ Beginners, a Focus Features release, has been selected as the Closing Night Film of the 13th Annual Festival, to screen on Sunday, April 17th. Beginners, which premiered at 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, stars Christopher Plummer who will be in attendance at the Festival to receive this year’s Cinema Master Award. From writer/director Mike Mills comes a comedy/drama about how […]