Sarasota Film Festival Highlights and Awards

Photo by K.Conner Wqmag.com

After ten days of non-stop action, the Sarasota Film Festival came to a screeching halt. As life returns to normal, there is a quiet void for those of us who voraciously partook of the festival and it seems as if an important part of life in Sarasota has come to an end for an entire year. In case, you missed out on this year’s festival, here’s just a piece of the action.

Opening Night began with a screening of “Page One: A Year inside the New York Times.” Director Andrew Rossi and “The New York Times” Desk Reporters David Carr and Brian Stelter were in attendance. Focusing on the inner world of “The New York Times,” the documentary looked at the positives and negatives in the ever-changing world of media where technology threatens the security of print publications. As a reader who still loves to hold the pages in my hands, it’s good to know that “The New York Times” remains alive and well.

The week continued with 180 films. With only one or two showings of most films and parties, receptions and panels to attend, it was impossible to fulfill the entire wish list. Programmers Tom Hall and Holly Herrick made sure there was something for everyone. Documentarians with films like “The Price of Sex,” “Family Portrait in Black and White,” and “Miss Representation” brought issues that are too often ignored to the forefront while narrative features like “Kinyarwanda” carried messages of hope alongside “The Secret World of Recovery,” a documentary directed by local best-selling author Leslie Glass.” Sarasota graced the screen in more ways than one. New York filmmaker Greg Takoudes discovered Sarasota as a location for his film, “The Jonestown Defense,” while attending a previous festival. And Director Mark Reese treated two sold-out crowds to the first glimpse of “Jack Kerouac Slept Here,” a segment in the upcoming PBS series “Diamonds along the Highway,” written and hosted by Sarasota’s very own Gus Mollasis.

The festival sprung into full action during the final weekend with the arrivals of Geena Davis and Christopher Plummer, both of whom engaged in delightful conversations as part of the “In Conversation with….” series. Dashing and eloquent Plummer had the audience in stitches as he engaged in dialogue with Film Critic David Edelstein about his career in theatre and film, his days as a “bad boy,” and finally his third marriage to the woman who changed his life, Elaine Taylor. During her “In Conversation….,” Geena Davis utilized every opportunity to spread her message of improving the stereotypes and presence of women in media. An inspiring role model for women, Davis puts her Mensa-level intelligence to good use in this world through the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.

While Friday’s Night under a Thousand Stars – Beach Edition provided a dazzling fireworks display, Cinema Tropicale at the Sarasota Yacht Club was the definitive highlight of this year’s parties. On Saturday evening, Christopher Plummer, Geena Davis and Sarah Green were acknowledged with filmmaker tributes followed by the announcements of this year’s film awards. I’m proud to say I may have been the first to predict a potential win for the mind-boggling documentary “Better This World” during an interview with Director Katie Galloway earlier in the week.

Master of Cinema Award: Christopher Plummer

Impact Award: Geena Davis

Producer’s Award: Sarah Green

Narrative Feature Competition Winner: “Tuesday After Christmas”

Narrative Feature Competition Special Jury Prize: “Old Cats”

Documentary Feature Competition: “Better This World”

Documentary Feature Competition Special Jury Prize: “Position Among Stars”

Independent Vision Award: “Without”

Independent Vision Prize Special Jury Prize: “The Oregonian”

Audience Awards:

Best Documentary Feature: “To Be Heard”

Best Short Film: “Fatakra”

Best Narrative Feature: “to.get.her”

Best in World Cinema: “Trollhunter”

youthFEST Best Family Film: “The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Lion”

youthFEST Best Short Film Audience Award: “The Auction”

"Terri", "Copacabana", "Happy New Year", "Kinyarwanda", and "Project Nim" are just a few of the other films meriting rave reviews. "Queen to Play" and "Potiche" are already slated for general release at Burns Court Cinema.

The festival culminated in grand finale with “Beginners,” a film written and directed by Mike Mills and featuring outstanding performances by Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor. Though fictionalized, this heartfelt film evolved from events in Mills’ own life. Plummer and Mills were on hand for the screening, giving the audience a once in a lifetime opportunity to ask their burning questions of the actor and director in their first joint Q&A.

Afterwards, it was one last parade across the street for dinner at Mediterraneo with friends who wondered how we managed to do it all. As tired as we were, we agreed; we were already missing the festival whirlwind -- a film frenzy we wouldn’t dare to miss. But could someone please ask organizers not to plan the festival around Uncle Sam’s tax deadline and my mother’s birthday….Surely, Mom misses me.