Sarasota Film Festival 2026 to Open with Shark Thriller “Deep Water” Featuring Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley
The 28th Annual Sarasota Film Festival has announced that the action-packed thriller “Deep Water” will kick off the 2026 festival as its official Opening Night Film on April 10, 2026. The film is directed by acclaimed action filmmaker Renny Harlin and produced by legendary KISS frontman Gene Simmons, both of whom are expected to attend the premiere in person.
“Deep Water,” which opens in theaters nationwide on May 1, stars Aaron Eckhart and Sir Ben Kingsley, alongside Molly Belle Wright, Angus Sampson, and Kelly Gale. The gripping survival thriller follows a commercial flight traveling from Los Angeles to Shanghai that crashes into the Pacific Ocean. After surviving the devastating crash, passengers soon realize they are stranded in dangerous waters — and they are not alone. With sharks circling and resources running low, the survivors must work together to stay alive.
Director Renny Harlin is widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s most dynamic action filmmakers. His blockbuster resume includes iconic films such as Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and the cult classic shark thriller Deep Blue Sea. In recent years, Harlin has continued to deliver high-energy action films including The Misfits (2021), The Bricklayer (2023), and the revival of The Strangers franchise with The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024), Chapter 2 (2025), and Chapter 3 (2026).
“I’m grateful to the Sarasota Film Festival and the community for welcoming Deep Water as their opening night film. We made this movie to be experienced with an audience — to feel the tension, the spectacle, and the humanity together in a theater. There’s something especially fitting about sharing an ocean survival story in a beautiful city by the sea.”
— Renny Harlin, Director
Producer Gene Simmons is no stranger to Sarasota’s film celebration. This will mark his second appearance at the Sarasota Film Festival, having previously attended the opening night party during the festival’s eighth annual event in 2006.
“Deep Water is a terrific action thriller starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Aaron Eckhart and directed by Renny Harlin. This is the kind of movie I love. Grab your popcorn, sit back, and fasten your safety belts — it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
— Gene Simmons, Producer
Following the screening, the festival will host a special discussion featuring oceanography and marine life experts, adding real-world insight into the film’s shark-infested survival story.
“We are excited to open the 2026 Sarasota Film Festival with Deep Water. Renny Harlin has crafted a pulse-pounding thriller that’s exactly the type of bold cinematic experience we love bringing to our audiences. With an extraordinary cast and Gene Simmons returning to the festival, it promises to be an unforgettable opening night.”
— Mark Famiglio, President of the Sarasota Film Festival
Festival organizers also confirmed that the closing night film will be “In the Hand of Dante,” directed by Julian Schnabel, who will receive the Achievement in Directing Award during the festival.
Additional festival highlights will include a fireside chat with stunt coordinator Jayson Dumenigo exploring the craft behind Hollywood’s most famous action sequences, a panel at Ringling College of Art and Design discussing artificial intelligence in animation, and a family-friendly Sports and Business panel at New College featuring a youth soccer clinic, international food trucks, and an outdoor film screening celebrating Florida’s role in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A full film lineup and additional honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for the Sarasota Film Festival will go on sale March 20 online and at the in-person box office located at 332 Cocoanut Avenue in downtown Sarasota. The box office will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. until the festival begins. For additional information, visit www.sarasotafilmfestival.com.
Top photo: AI generated | Photos 2 & 3 courtesy of Sarasota Film Festival / Jen Raoult