The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) officially announced their complete 2011 Festival line-up today. The festival kicks off on April 7 at Sarasota’s Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with a performance by music and film star, Harry Connick Jr. and his Orchestra.
On Friday, April 8, 2011, The SFF will present PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, a Magnolia Pictures release, as the 2011 Opening Night Film with director Andrew Rossi and New York Times Media Desk Reporters David Carr and Brian Stelter in attendance. PAGE ONE is Andrew Rossi’s engrossing, behind-the-scenes look at The New York Times as it navigates between its role as a leader in journalism and a central player in the changing world upon which it reports. Following Media Desk reporters David Carr and Brian Stelter as they tackle their beat, Rossi utilizes unprecedented access behind the scenes at The New York Times, from editorial meetings to pavement pounding reporting, as a platform to not only examine the legendary “paper of record” but to investigate the state of journalism in an era of real-time transformation.
Errol Morris’ TABLOID, an IFC Films release, will be presented as the 2011 Festival Centerpiece. TABLOID is the story of Joyce McKinney, a gossip page sensation whose incredible story of love, abduction and a life on the run must be seen to be believed. TABLOID is one of the director’s most engaging films yet, revealing the dark, comic side of romantic obsession.
As previously announced, The SFF’s Closing Night Film is Mike Mills’ BEGINNERS, a Focus Features release, starring Ewan McGregor as Oliver, a graphic artist searching for his place in the landscape of modern Los Angeles; uncommitted, unable to find inspiration for his work, he finds companionship in his faithful Jack Russell terrier and bemusement by watching his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) undergo a late life transformation; married for decades to Oliver’s late mother, Hal uses the occasion of her passing to make a surprising revelation. As Hal embraces his new life, Oliver meets Anna (Mélanie Laurent), a charming French actress who shares Oliver’s desire for a connection but whose own doubts about the possibility of commitment provide a fragile framework for what just might blossom into love. Christopher Plummer and director Mike Mills are expected to be in attendance
Over the 10 days SFF will present over 180 narrative, documentary and short films from the U.S. and 42 countries around the world including thirteen films in its Narrative Feature and Documentary Feature Competitions.
The Narrative Feature Competition
3
Director: Tom Tykwer
Producer: Stefan Arndt
Cast: Sophie Rois, Sebastian Schipper, Devid Striesow
Germany/ 119 Min
KINYARWANDA
Director: Alrick Brown
Producers: Ishmael Ntihabose, Darren Dean, Tommy Oliver, Alrick Brown
Cast: Edouard Bamporiki, Cassandra Freeman, Cleophas Kabasiita, Kennedy Mpazimpaka, Hassan Kabera
USA/France 96 Min
OLD CATS
Directors: Pedro Peirano, Sebastián Silva
Producers: Kim Jose, David Robinson, Sebastián Silva
Cast: Bélgica Castro, Claudia Celedón, Catalina Saavedra, Alejandro Sieveking
Chile/ USA/ 88 Min
THE PIANO IN A FACTORY
Director: Meng Zhang, Jae-young Kwak
Producers: Choi Gwang-suk, Jessica Kam
Cast: Wang Qian-Yuan, Hailu Qin
China/ 100 Min
TERRI
Director: Azazel Jacobs
Producers: Alison Dickey, Hunter Gray, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky
Cast: John C. Reilly, Jacob Wysocki, Creed Bratton, Olivia Crocicchia
USA/ 101 Min
TUESDAY, AFTER CHRISTMAS
Director: Radu Muntean
Producers: Dragos VilcuCast: Mimi Branescu, Maria Popistasu, Mirela Oprisor
Romania/ 99 Min
Narrative Feature Jury: Thelma Adams (US Weekly), Arianna Bocco (IFC Films), Joe Neumaier (The New York Daily News).
The Documentary Feature Competition
BETTER THIS WORLD
Directors: Katie Galloway
Producers: Kelly Duane de la Vega
Featuring: Brad Crowder, David McKay, Brandon Darby
USA/ 93 Min
BUCK
Director: Cindy Meehl
Producers: Julie Goldman, Cindy MeehlFeaturing Buck Brannaman
USA/ 88 Min
FAKE IT SO REAL
Director: Robert Greene
Producers: Susan Bedusa, Robert Greene, Douglas Tirola
USA/ 95 Min
(World Premiere)
HOW TO DIE IN OREGON
Director: Peter Richardson
Producers: Peter Richardson
USA/ 107 Min
LAST DAYS HERE
Directors: Don Argott, Demian Fenton
Producer: Sheena M. Joyce
Subjects: Bobby Liebling & Sean “Pellet” Pelletier
USA/ 91 Min
POSITION AMONG THE STARS
Director: Leonard Retel Helmrich
Producers: Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helrich
Netherlands/ Indonesia / 115 Min
THE PRICE OF SEX
Director: Mimi Chakarova
Producers: Stephen Talbot, Mimi Chakarova
USA/ United Arab Emirates/ Bulgaria/ Moldova/ Greece/ Turkey/ 72 Min
(World Premiere)
Documentary Jury: John Anderson (Variety), David Edelstein (New York Magazine), Regina Weinreich (The Huffington Post).
Filmmaker Tribute
The SFF’s annual Filmmaker Tribute takes place Saturday, April 16 at 7:00 PM at The Sarasota Opera House and honors three significant members of the filmmaking community – Christopher Plummer, Geena Davis and Sarah Green.
Christopher Plummer will receive The Cinema Master Award honoring his work and career, which spans six decades and countless classic films, and Geena Davis will be presented with The Sarasota Film Festival Impact Award for her on-screen portrayals of strong, powerful female characters as well as her off-screen work.
The Filmmaker Tribute will also feature a salute to Sarah Green, who will receive the festival’s Producer’s Award. Ms. Green has served as Producer on many of the most important films of our time, including Terrence Malick’s eagerly anticipated THE TREE OF LIFE, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, Mr. Malick’s epic adventure THE NEW WORLD, the Academy Award-winning FRIDA for Julie Taymor, GIRLFIGHT for Karyn Kusama, STATE AND MAIN, THE WINSLOW BOY, THE SPANISH PRISONER and OLEANNA for David Mamet and Mr. Mamet’s AMERICAN BUFFALO for Michael Corrente, as well as THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH, PASSION FISH, and CITY OF HOPE for John Sayles. She is currently producing Mr. Malick’s UNTITLED LOVE STORY starring Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Javier Bardem.
Through Women’s Eyes and The Side By Side Symposium
The Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. National Committee for U.N. Women and the Sarasota Film Festival are partnering once again to present The 12th Annual Through Women’s Eyes Film Program. This event will take place during the first weekend of The SFF, April 9 and 10th, and will feature independent films by women filmmakers that seek to expand awareness of the lives of women throughout the world.
The Films Of Through Women’s Eyes
AFRICA RISING
Director: Paula Heredia
ATOMIC MOM
Director: M.T. Silvia
BENAVIDES BORN
Director: Amy Wendel
MADE IN INDIA
Directors: Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha
MISS REPRESENTATION
Director: Jennifer Siebel Newsome
MY SO-CALLED ENEMY
Director: Lisa Gossels
NO JOB FOR A WOMAN
Director: Michele Fillion
PINK SARIS
Director: Kim Longinotto
THE PRICE OF SEX
Director: Mimi Chakarova
(World Premiere)
Inspired by Faith: Jewish Culture on Film
The Sarasota Film Festival once again partners with The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee for a series of films focusing on the diversity of Jewish experience.
The Films Of Inspired By Faith: Jewish Culture On Film
CRIME AFTER CRIME
Director: Yoav Potash
FIVE WEDDINGS AND A FELONY
Director: Josh Freed
GRACE PALEY: COLLECTED SHORTS
Director: Lilly Rivlin
MY SO-CALLED ENEMY
Director: Lisa Gossels
PRECIOUS LIFE
Director: Shlomi Eldar
SHOLEM ALEICHEM: LAUGHING IN THE DARKNESS
Director: Joseph Dorman
Censorship & Cinema: The Personal Price of Politics
Presented in conjunction with The Sarasota Opera and their production of Robert Ward’s operatic adaptation of Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE, The Sarasota Film Festival’s Censorship & Cinema program examines the impact of political censorship on the landscape of film.
The program begins with the only film ever banned in the United States for political content, Herbert J Bieberman’s SALT OF THE EARTH to the present day, Jafar Panahi’s OFFSIDE. Panahi, an Iranian filmmaker, was recently sentenced to six years in prison and given a 20-year ban from writing and filmmaking. The charge? “Assembly and colluding with the intention to commit crimes against the country’s national security and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.”
The Films Of Censorship & Cinema: The Personal Price Of Politics
THE FRONT
Tuesday, April 12, 2:15 PM
OFFSIDE
Thursday, April 14, 2:15 PM
SALT OF THE EARTH
Wednesday, April 13, 3:00 PM
TRUMBO
Saturday, April 16, 12:15 PM
Director Peter Askin In Attendance
Panel Discussion
Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 PM at the Sarasota Opera House
The Terry Porter Visionary Award
This year’s inaugural Award will be presented to Todd Rohal’s THE CATECHISM CATACLYSM.
THE CATECHISM CATACLYSM
Thursday, April 14, 9:30 PM
Saturday, April 16, 4:15 PM
youthFEST FEATURE FILMS
Boys of Bonneville: Racing on a Ribbon of Salt
Director: Curt Wallin
Narrated by: Patrick Dempsey
USA/ 81 min/ Age 12+
(World Premiere)
CIRCUS DREAMS
Director: Signe Taylor
USA/ 81 Min/ All Ages
MISS REPRESENTATION
Director: Jennifer Siebel Newsom
USA/ 89 Min/ Age 11+
NO JOB FOR A WOMAN: THE WOMEN WHO FOUGHT TO REPORT WORLD WAR II
Director: Michèle Midori Fillion
USA/ 63 Min/ Age 14+
THE SANDMAN AND THE LOST SAND OF DREAMS
Directors: Jesper Moller, Sinem Sakaoglu
Cast: David Gasman, Hayden Peyard, Allan Wenger
Germany/ 84 Min/ All Ages
(US Premiere)
TO BE HEARD
Director: Amy Sultan
Co-Directors: Roland Legiardi-Laura, Edwin Martinez, Deborah Shaffer
USA/ 84 Min/ Age 15+
WELCOME TO SHELBYVILLE
Director: Kim A. Snyder
USA/ 67 Min/ Age 14+
WHITE LION
Director: Michael Swan
South Africa/ 88 min/ All Ages
(Sensory-Friendly Screening)
youthFEST SHORT FILM PROGRAMS
youthFEST Shorts 1 – All Ages
Short Stacks Short Films
HUCK ON THE GOWANUS
Director: Christina Kelly
USA/ 2 Min
BAIT
Director: Michael Moore
USA/ 10 Min
SPOON
Director: Virginia Wilkos
USA/ 8 Min
MOBILE
Director: Verena Fels
Germany/ 7 Min
ORMIE
Director: Rob Silvestri
Canada/ 4 Min
THE HYBRID UNION
Director: Serguei Kouchnerov
USA/Ukraine/ 5 Min
THE LOST THING
Director: Andrew Ruhemann, Shaun Tan
Australia/ 15 Min
(Academy Award Winner)
youthFEST Shorts 2 – Age 10+
Decisions, Doubts, and Dreams
APOLLO
Director: Felix Gönnert
Germany/ 6 Min
THE HENHOUSE
Director: Elena Pomares
UK/ 7 Min
BOTTLE
Director: Kirsten Lepore
USA/ 5 Min
HINTERLAND
Directors: Jakob Weyde, Jost Althoff
Germany/ 9 Min
(US Premiere)
CUL DE BOUTEILLE (SPECKY FOUR EYES)
Director: Jean-Claude Rozec
France/ 9 Min
MACHO BALLERINO
Director: Arrthi Parameswaran
USA/ 3 Min
GOOGURI GOOGURI
Director: Yoshiko Misumi
Japan/ 8 Min
THE AUCTION
Director: Gloria Kim
Canada/ 8 Min
EL BOLERITO
Director: Julio O. Ramos
USA/ 10 Min
youthFEST Shorts 3 – All Ages
Tails and Tales
FLUFFY McCLOUD
Director: Conor Finnegan
Ireland/ 3 Min
LAIKA
Director: Avgousta Zourelidi
UK/ 9 Min
MY DEAR DEER!
Director: Raphael Wahl
Germany/ 4 Min
DR. KNOWGOOD: LION’S PRIDE
Director: Arnold Zwanenburg
Netherlands/ 4 Min
SPLAT THE CAT
Director: Soup2Nuts
USA/ 9 Min
MURPHY’S SHORTS
Director: Todd Hemker
USA/ 2 Min
SNOWFLAKES AND CARROTS
Director: Samantha Leriche-Gionet
Canada/ 4 Min
PIECE OF CAKE
Director: Eliza Ivanova
USA/ 3 Min
CARLOTTA UND DIE WOLKE
Director: Daniel Acht
Germany/ 6 Min
THE CURIOUS GARDEN
Director: Soup2Nuts
USA/ 10 Min
youthFEST Shorts 4 – Ages 12+
Things Aren’t Always What They Seem
DEPARTURE OF LOVE
Director: Jenna Bors
USA/ 3 Min
THE COW WHO WANTED TO BE A HAMBURGER
Director: Bill Plympton
USA/ 6 Min
THE DEEP
Director: PES
USA/ 2 Min
THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE A LION
Director: Alois di Leo
UK/ 9 Min
THE LIFT
Director: Rob Kohr
USA/ 5 Min
SOMETHING LEFT, SOMETHING TAKEN
Directors: Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata
USA/ 10 Min
THE MOONBIRD
Directors: Greg McLeod, Myles McLeod
UK/ 15 Min
THE ROAD HOME
Director: Rahul Gandotra
UK/India/ 21 Min
VIsit the festival’s website for a complete lineup of films and events