Get Ready For The Sarasota Film Festival

The 17th annual Sarasota Film Festival opens Friday, April 10th.   The opening night film at the Sarasota Opera House is “Time Out Of Mind” and it stars Richard Gere as a homeless person. Actor Ben Vereen is also in the movie and plans to attend the festival.

The closing night film also at the Sarasota Opera House is “I’ll See You In My Dreams” starring Blythe Danner and Sam Elliott. Danner is scheduled to take part in several festival events.

This year there are more than 200 films being shown.  Program Director, Michael Dunaway said that “this year there is a vast variety of films….funny, strange, lot’s of talking and no talking”!

More information from the press release:  

Emmy Award and two-time Golden Globe Award-Winning British-American actress Jane Seymour (LIVE AND LET DIE, “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) will be in attendance to showcase Evangelos Giovanis and George Giovanis’ BEREAVE, which is one this year’s Narrative Spotlight films. Academy Award-Winning actress Cloris Leachman (“Mary Tyler Moore”) will also be in attendance to fete Ryan Jaffe’s THIS IS HAPPENING.

Seymour and Leachman will both be honored at this year’s Tribute Luncheon in support of SFF Women, which will be held on Friday, April 17th at 11:00am at the Sarasota Yacht Club, along with the Through Women’s Eyes collaboration and the Side by Side Symposium. The annual Luncheon marks the festival’s initiative to create a collaborative environment for women in the entertainment industry and to honor women who have made a significant contribution to the art of film.

 “This luncheon is an important tradition, and I look forward to having Jane and Cloris at this year’s event,” said Mark Famiglio, President of the Sarasota Film Festival. “The presence of such iconic actresses, coupled with the rich and diverse line-up, assure a dynamic festival that will both stimulate and inspire our audiences.”

For tickets and a complete schedule of films and events, visit www.sarasotafilmfestival.com

photos by Vicky Sullivan / Rock the Lens Photography