Sarasota Film Festival kicks off

JEANETTE BILLINGS
Staff Writer
jbillings@lbknews.com

The Twelfth Annual Sarasota Film Festival kicks off its festivities on Friday April 9, 2010. The red carpet event heralds in an exciting festival packed with enough film reels, celebrities and champagne to satiate the appetite of the most discerning cinephiles.

The Opening Night Film is “The Extra Man,” starring Kevin Kline, Paul Dano, Katie Holmes, and John C. Reilly. “The Extra Man” will be shown at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Actor Kline is scheduled as attending talent, along with Directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini.

Sarasota Film Festival organizers blended into each day a mix of movie makers, movies, receptions and galas that would make any debutante’s blackberry overload, however, each days events are noteworthy, thoughtful and inspiring.

On Saturday, April 10, the Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. National Committee for UNIFEM and the Sarasota Film Festival are partnering for the first time this to present their festivals concurrently. Through this partnership the hope is to broaden and enrich the experience for filmgoers and filmmakers.

The 11th annual Through Women’s Eyes Film Festival will take place during the first weekend of SFF, and will feature independent documentaries and short films by female directors that increase the awareness of the lives of women throughout the world, Invited directors will lead post-film discussions following the screenings.

The SFF is once again partnering with Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation for a series of films focused on the Jewish experience. From the story of a woman whose globetrotting heroism in the early 20th century allowed her to bear witness to history, to the amazing record of one Sarasota man’s journey to reunite with the brother he lost during World War II.

A retrospective of Francois Truffaut (1932-1984) features films about childhood from the leader in Nouvelle Vague. Truffaut spent much of his life outlining the stories of children and young people, embracing their feelings and experiences with empathy.

SFF continues its commitment to local artists who are working to keep the tradition of Florida filmmaking thriving. From Pensacola to Miami filmmakers are tackling everything from romance to crime, documentary to drama, fostering an environment of collaboration and creativity.

The 2010 Festival features the annual youthFest, offering three short film packages and more than 15 age-appropriate feature films. “Brownstones to Red Dirt,” a youthFest Feature Film, is the story of a group of students from Brooklyn, NY housing projects who are paired with pen pals from Sierra Leone, orphans from that country’s brutal civil war. The two groups of students begin to share everything, from favorite colors and sibling rivalries, to grief over the current circumstances of their lives.

This year the SFF brings some of the biggest names in film to town to talk about their work. Kevin Kline one of the finest actors of his generation will share his artistry and thoughts with audiences at the Florida Studio Theatre’s Gompertz Theater. Kline made his film debute opposite Meryl Streep in “Sophie’s Choice”. He also starred in the” Big Chill”, “Grand Canyon”, “Dave”, “The Ice Storm”, “De-Lovely”, and “A Fish Called Wanda”.

Another guest speaker is Walt Disney’s Feature Animator, Don Hahn. Hahn has produced over twenty films for the studio, including masterpieces like “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast”. He will share stories from Disney’s legendary animation department. He is the first producer of an animated film ever nominated for best picture for his work on “Beauty and the Beast”.

Patricia Clarkson, an Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winning actress, who’s multi-faceted approach has made her one of today’s most respected actors. Raised in New Orleans, she earned her MFA at Yale School of Drama. Clarkson made her film debute in “the Untouchables”. Other works include: “Shutter Island’, “Blind Date”, ‘Married Life”, “The Station Agent”, “Far From Heaven”, Pieces of April and the upcoming “Cairo Time”.

If you are a fan of “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” plan on attending Vincent D’Onofrio’s lecture. Known as an ‘actor’s actor’ D’Onofrio has played a wide variety of roles with a quality of work that have earned him a reputation as a versatile talent. He studied at the Actors Studio and the American Stanislavski Theatre, before getting his big break with an unforgettable role in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”. Memorable roles in “Mystic Pizza”, “Men in Black”, “Dying Young”, “Ed Wood” and “The Cell” round out the list of outstanding roles D’Onofrio stores in his capsule of work.

The true star of the SFF are the films; an ingenious grouping of documentaries, narratives, shorts, musical shorts, queer shorts, youthFest shorts and young filmmakers showcases, several of the films featured have recently received awards at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. “Tiny Furniture”, “Myth of the American Sleepover”, and “For Once in My Life” are winners in a variety of categories.

Sarasota Film Festival President Mark P. Famiglio has aided the Festival in putting Sarasota on the map of moviemakers, moviegoers and industry professionals. “Sarasota has become one of the major hubs for international film while maintaining our connection to our community,” said Famiglio.

Famiglio credits the last several Festivals for fostering instances of industry professionals meeting to discuss and encourage investment within the realm of independent film. He says, in fact, there have been many films and film projects, which have come to fruition through connections made at the SFF.

The SFF has now formalized this process with the Sarasota Film Festival Investor Lab. Bringing together institutional investors and high net worth individuals with renowned experienced producers and directors to formalize this naturally occurring event to benefit independent filmmaking. Mr. Robert Warren, Executive Board Vice President, has instigated this program. During the lab, film professionals will present and discuss their ideas on everything from the ‘ABC’s of Film Financing to New Revenue Models within the film industry’.

Borrowing from the seer-like wisdom of his grandfather Famiglio is establishing a vision and pursuing it with zeal. He is not afraid to make a few mistakes and, above all, save a dime and go to the movies from time to time.

Famiglio credits a fantastic Board of Directors and standing on the shoulders of the men and women who preceded them. The group has saved more than a few dimes (without compromising quality) and is very proud to present the 2010 Sarasota Film Festival.

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What: 12th Annual Sarasota Film Festival

When: April 9 thru 18, 2010

Festival Box Office: 1990 Main Street, Suite 112, Sarasota. Purchase film and event tickets, packages and merchandise at the Festival Box Office. Also serves as the location for Will Call, call (941) 366-6200 or (866) 575-FILM.

Where:

• Regal Cinema’s Hollywood 20: 1993 Main Street, Sarasota, FL Festival films will be screened primarily at the North end of the Regal Cinema. Patrons attending screenings are welcome to greet stars as they enter the red carpet. Red carpet entrances are scheduled 15 minutes prior to film screenings and generally occur in the evening.
• Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall: 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL (941) 955-7676.
• Sarasota Opera House: 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL (941) 366-8450.
• Florida Studio Theater: Gompertz Theater, 1247 First Street, Sarasota, FL 34236, (941) 366-9000.

Sponsor and Filmmaker Lounge: Urban Reef Sarasota, 1888 Main Street, Sarasota, (941) 365-3722. Sponsors, Cinephiles, Filmmakers, Artists, and Board Members with authenticated Festival Badges are welcome.

Film Packages:

Individual Regular Film Ticket: $10

Matinee Film Ticket: $8

Film Buff Package: $90
Any 10 regularly priced film tickets

Film Fanatic Package: $175
Any 20 regularly priced tickets

Cinephile Express Pass: $900
Unlimited, no-ticket-required access to all regular Festival screenings with preferred seating and access to the Filmmaker Lounge. Also includes:
1 ticket to the Opening Night Film and Party
1 ticket to Cinema Tropicale Celebration
1 ticket to each “In Conversation With” event
1 ticket to the Closing Night Film