Sarasota Film Festival- Big Announcement!

The Sarasota Film Festival had a major announcement today!  Several  films that were a big hit at Sundance plus  a new comedy from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach and a documentary about Mariel Hemingway, who will be making an appearance, will be the main attractions at the 15th annual Sarasota Film Festival taking place in Sarasota from April 5 through 14.

The SFF folks announced today that Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s documentary “Blackfish” will be the opening film  this year with a screening at The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on  April 5.  Baumbach’s “Frances Ha” will screen as the closing night film on April 13 at The Sarasota Opera House. James Ponsoldt’s “The Spectacular Now” and Barbara Kopple’s “Running Crazy” are the festival’s centerpiece films.

The annual Tribute Luncheon at the Sarasota Yacht Club April 12 is where Hemingway is set to receive the festival’s third annual Impact Award, which honors women in the film industry for their off-screen impact. The Oscar-nominated star of Woody Allen’s  “Manhattan” and many other films will receive the award for her advocacy on the issue of suicide prevention.

The Sarasota Film Festival also announced the participants in its popular Conversation Series. In addition to Hemingway making a separate appearance April 11, Lili Taylor will appear April 12,  Griffin Dunne on April 13 with Peter Bogdanovich to close out the series on April 14.
More to come!