Sarasota Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_3257" align="alignnone" width="550"]Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s BLACKFISH[/caption]

Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s BLACKFISH will open the 2013 Sarasota Film Festival, taking place April 5-14.  Noah Baumbach’s FRANCES HA will screen as the Closing Night film, and James Ponsoldt’s THE SPECTACULAR NOW and Barbara Kopple’s RUNNING FROM CRAZY serve as the festival’s Centerpiece Films.

The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) announced their new Spotlight series, featuring Carlos Puga’s BURMA starring Christopher Abbott and Gaby Hoffman, Justin Schwarz’s THE DISCOVERERS starring Griffin Dunne, and the World Premiere of Will Slocombe’s  PASADENA, starring Peter Bogdanovich and Cheryl Hines.

The SFF will be hosting their annual Tribute Luncheon at the Sarasota Yacht Club on Friday, April 12th, with Mariel Hemingway set to receive the festival’s third annual Impact Award, honoring women in the film industry for their off-screen impact.

Actress Lili Taylor will be receiving the festival’s Career Achievement in Acting Award, and will attend the festival with the North American Premiere of Tom Gilroy’s THE COLD LANDS, playing in the festival’s Narrative Feature Competition. Two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple will be receiving the festival’s Director’s Award, and the festival’s Achievement in Acting Award will go to Griffin Dunne for his performance in THE DISCOVERERS. The festival’s World Cinema Award will be given to the Canadian actress Suzanne Clément for her performance in Xavier Dolan’s film LAURENCE ANYWAYS, which will also be playing in festival’s the Narrative Feature Competition.

ANNOUNCED FILMS

Opening Night Film

BLACKFISH, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite 
Stunningly photographed at locations in Florida and beyond, Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s BLACKFISH is a breathtaking examination of the consequences of whale captivity. Featuring searing, never-before-seen footage and poignant, in-depth interviews with whale trainers and marine experts, the film is a powerful exploration of the lives of orca whales and the tragic limitations of the human desire to harness their majesty. 
(A Magnolia Pictures Release)

Closing Night Film 

FRANCES HA, directed by Noah Baumbach
Shot in gorgeous black and white, Noah Bombach’s masterful new comedy is a loving portrait of Frances (Greta Gerwig), a young woman full of joy and doubt, looking for that unknown something while trying to make a life for herself in contemporary New York City.  
(An IFC Films Release)

Narrative Centerpiece

THE SPECTACULAR NOW, directed by James Ponsoldt 
Sutter (Miles Teller), a high school senior with a great sense of humor and without much focus who falls for Aimee (Shailene Woodley), a high achieving classmate who opens her heart to him. James Ponsoldt’s THE SPECTACULAR NOW is a moving, deeply human portrait of the power of young love.
(An A24 Release)

Documentary Centerpiece

RUNNING FROM CRAZY, directed by Barbara Kopple
RUNNING FROM  CRAZY is Barbara Kopple’s illuminating, inspirational portrait of the actress and activist Mariel Hemingway and her family’s battles with depression and mental illness. 

Spotlight Films 

BURMA, directed by Carlos Puga
Carlos Puga’s BURMA is the story of Christian (Christopher Abbott), a young man looking for an escape through hard partying and emotional detachment. But when their estranged father arrives on the eve of a family get together, Christian and his siblings must confront their losses and try to find common ground as a family. 

THE DISCOVERERS, directed by Justin Schwarz 
The debut feature from writer/director Justin Schwarz, THE DISCOVERERS is the story of Lewis Birch (Griffin Dunne), an academic struggling to complete his masterwork on the Lewis and Clark expedition who is forced to re-connect as a father and a son on an ill-fated journey to the Pacific Northwest.

PASADENA, directed by Will Slocombe (World Premiere)
In director Will Slocombe’s dysfunctionally comic PASADENA, eminent scholar and patriarch Poppy (Peter Bogdanovich) tries to hold his eccentric family together during a train wreck of a Thanksgiving, as his adult children clash with one another and his new his wife Deborah (Cheryl Hines).

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[caption id="attachment_2639" align="alignnone"]Elena[/caption]

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 festival’s juried award for Independent Vision went to The Unspeakable Act, directed by Dan Sallitt.  Two special jury prizes were awarded, one to Richard’s Wedding director Onur Tukel for screenplay and a performance award to Shanon Harper and Welcome to Pine Hill.

This year’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was Missed Connections by Director, Martin Snyder.

The Audience Award for Best Documentary was presented to Ethel directed by Rory Kennedy.

The Best In World Cinema Audience Award went to Polisse – Director, Maiwenn and Best Short Film went to Tick Tock Time Emporium – Director, Morgan Faust.

The winners of the 2012 Sarasota Film Festival Awards:

Narrative Feature Competition Winner

Elena
Director, Andrei Zvyagintsev

Narrative Feature Competition

Special Jury Prize for Creative Achievement

Alps
Director, Giorgos Lanthimos

Documentary Feature Competition

Big Boys Gone Bananas!*
Director, Fredrik Gertten

Documentary Feature Competition

Special Jury Prize

Radio Unnameable
Director, Paul Lovelace

Audience Awards

Best Documentary Feature

Ethel
Directors, Rory Kennedy

Audience Award

Best Short Film

Tick Tock Time Emporium
Director, Morgan Faust

Audience Award

Best Narrative Feature

Missed Connections
Director, Martin Snyder

Audience Award

Best In World Cinema

Polisse
Director, Maiwenn

Independent Vision Prize Winners

Independent Vision Prize

The Unspeakable Act
Director, Dan Sallitt

Special Jury Prize for Screenplay

Richard’s Wedding
Onur Tukel

Special Jury Prize for Performance

Welcome to Pine Hill – Shanon Harper

youthFEST Junior Jury Award Best Family Short Film

Private Eyes
Director, Nicoles Lemay

YouthFEST Best Family Short Film Audience Award

Pizzangrillo
Director, Marco Gianfreda

youthFEST Young Filmmakers Digital Showcase

CHIPS
Director, Gabriela Capestany.

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[caption id="attachment_2709" align="alignnone" width="550"]WWE Superstars Kelly Kelly and Rey Mysterio [/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_2710" align="alignnone" width="549"]THE SHOW MUST GO ON[/caption]

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, have performed aerial acts for generations as The Flying Wallendas. As they continue to hone their skills and develop their artistry, the film explores their rich legacy by sharing some of their most death defying feats. One of the most famous circus families in world, the Wallendas call Sarasota home, performing and training here with the same apparatus and on the same rigs as Karl Wallenda developed over 80 years ago.

WWE Superstars Kelly Kelly and Rey Mysterio will attend the Saturday, April 21 screening of THE DAY  alongside Dominic Monaghan, Ashely Bell and Director Douglas Aarniokoski.

THE DAY | Set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world, where much of the remaining population has turned to the chaos of open warfare. A group of survivors, just normal people forced into a life of constant battle for survival, are now lost, wandering the desolate country in hopes of finding a true refuge. There is no mission objective. There is no destination. There used to be 12. Only 5 remain. One survivor falls victim to illness and when faced with an impending storm, the group decides to take shelter at an abandoned farmhouse. THE DAY is a horrifying glimpse into what 24 hours is like in this vicious world. The battle is everywhere and the bullets are dwindling. The group must use every ounce of strength, courage and guile they have to defend their stronghold from a brutally determined enemy. When faced with the end, what will you continue to battle for? Grab your weapon. The battle for humanity is here. Fight or die. A Robert Rodriguez protégé, Doug Aarniokoski, directs this edge-of-your-seat war action horror. Relentless, visceral, intense… THE DAY has come.

NY Giants Hall Of Fame legend Harry Carson will attend thescreening of AMERICAN MAN on Thursday, April 19th.

AMERICAN MAN | Kevin Turner was always good at football. After playing fullback for and graduating from the University of Alabama, he spent his career in the National Football League with The Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots, laying vicious blocks on his opponents and playing the game with physical abandon. But after his career came to an end, Kevin developed ALS, a devastating disease of the brain that may have been caused by his participation in the game he loved. IN AMERICAN MAN, Jon Frankel provides a powerful portrait of an athlete whose diagnosis has inspired him to help in the quest to find answers about this mysterious disease.

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[caption id="attachment_2681" align="alignnone"]Penelope Ann Miller [/caption]

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 Gulf Coast Chapter of UN Women.  The award will be presented in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Women Make Movies.

Additionally, the festival announced the complete 2012 ‘In Conversation With’ series.  The series returns with guests Rory Kennedy, Frank Langella, Penelope Ann Miller and Todd Solondz.  Each conversation is an in-depth and intimate look at the careers and stories behind these luminaries, their lives and their work.  The 14th Annual Sarasota film Festival runs from April 13, 2012 through April 22, 2012.

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[caption id="attachment_2615" align="alignnone" width="550"] Festival Centerpiece – DARK HORSE[/caption]

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

[caption id="attachment_2616" align="alignnone" width="550"]11 Flowers[/caption]
11 FLOWERS, Director: Wang Xiaoshuai
ALPS, Director: Giorgos Lanthimos
ARCADIA, Director: Olivia Silver – US Premiere
COMPLIANCE, Director: Craig Zobel
ELENA, Director: Andrei Zvyagintsev
FRANCINE, Director: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatsky
GOODBYE FIRST LOVE, Director: Mia Hanse-Løve
THE LONELIEST PLANET, Director: Julia Loktev

The Narrative Feature Jury
John Anderson, Chairman, New York Film Critics Circle
Steven Gaydos, Executive Editor VARIETY
Karina Longworth – Film Critic, LA Weekly

The Documentary Feature Competition
THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA, Director: Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce.
BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!, Director: Fredrik Gertten

[caption id="attachment_2337" align="alignnone"]CHASING ICE[/caption]

CHASING ICE, Director: Jeff Orlowski
DETROPIA, Director: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
FIRST POSITION, Director: Bess Kargman
JUSTICE FOR SALE, Directors: Femke van Velzen, Ilsa van Velzen
THE PATRON SAINTS, Director: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatsky
RADIO UNNAMEABLE, Director: Paul Lovelace, Jessica Wolfson


Documentary Feature Jury
Joe Neumaier- The NY Daily News
Thelma Adams, Yahoo!
Clemence Taillandier, Zeitgeist Films

The Independent Visions Competition
EMPIRE BUILDER, Director: Kris Swanberg -World Premiere
LEAVE ME LIKE YOU FOUND ME, Director Adele Romanski
GAYBY, Director Jonathan Lisecki
IN OUR NATURE, Director Brian Savelson
RICHARD’S WEDDING, Director Onur Tukel -World Premiere
SEE GIRL RUN, Director Nate Meyer
SUN DON’T SHINE, Director Amy Seimetz
THE UNSPEAKABLE ACT, Director Dan Sallitt -World Premiere

[caption id="attachment_2318" align="alignnone"]WELCOME TO PINE HILL[/caption]
WELCOME TO PINE HILL, Director Keith Miller

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[caption id="attachment_1952" align="alignnone"]ROBOT & FRANK[/caption]

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 with a perfect memory and an inexhaustible desire to make Frank’s life better. Initially reluctant to accept help, Frank soon recognizes the benefits of his robot, treating his electronic helper like a true friend. So, when Frank decides to get back into the business of theft, who else to turn to but his newfound companion?

This year’s Centerpiece film is Todd Solondz’s DARK HORSE, the story of Abe (Jordan Gelber), a confident young man who is stuck in a rut. Living at home with his parents (Mia Farrow and Christopher Walken) and working for his father’s company, Abe can’t escape from his family’s expectations. But when he meets a young woman named Miranda (Selma Blair), things temporarily start looking up and Abe can’t help but believe he must be on the road to happiness. Director Todd Solondz will attend.

Academy Award® Nominee Joe Berlinger’s UNDER AFRICAN SKIES will close the festival.  In 1985, the singer-songwriter Paul Simon set out to South Africa to record with local musicians who could help him emulate the sound of their music, with which he had fallen in love. The result of that collaboration was the 1986 album Graceland, which went on to not only become Simon’s most successful album, but also launched the “world music” genre. But not everyone was happy; Simon was accused of violating the cultural boycott of South Africa, erected in an attempt to help bring down the nation’s racist apartheid regime.

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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 education among women and girls of all ages.

“I think it is important that The Sarasota Film Festival continue to thrive. We are committed to serving our core mission of celebrating the art of film continuing the tradition of serving both Sarasota and the international filmmaking community. I look forward to continuing my work with The SFF Board, our artists, audiences, sponsors and the tremendous staff at The SFF as we prepare for the 2012 Sarasota Film Festival,” Hall said.

“As the Sarasota Film Festival continues to grow, we recognize the importance of our staff as being critical to the continued success of our organization,” said Chairman of the Board and President of the Sarasota Film Festival Mark P. Famiglio. “The Board looks forward to working with our outstanding team to move The Sarasota Film Festival forward into our 14th year.”

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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 videos, interview segments and live performances have long been sought after by underground video traders and music fans around the world. Target Video and The SFF will present three separate programs, featuring over 60 bands and four and a half hours of music, all presented on the big screen at the festival’s main screening venue, The Regal Hollywood 20.

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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.

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