Just Keep Swimming

Renny Harlin and Gene Simmons Bring Their Action Flick 'Deep Water' to the Sarasota Film Festival

“I want viewers to feel the best feeling I can describe, which is when you walk out of the theater and feel like you’re a foot off the ground," Harlin says of the film, which will get a theatrical release May 1.

04/14/2026 By Kendall Southworth

Lost Shaker of Salt

Norbert Putnam Produced Six Jimmy Buffett Albums. Catch Him in a Sarasota Film Festival Documentary Next Week.

"We’d get a six pack of beer, crank the diesel, pull her out and get her into the wind, tie her off and crank the stereo."

04/09/2026 By Lauren Jackson

Movie Talk

Here's the Full Lineup for the 28th Annual Sarasota Film Festival

There's a movie for everyone, whether it's a big-budget action thriller, a thoughtful documentary or a locally produced student work.

03/19/2026 By Staff

Screen Time

Sarasota Film Festival Announces Opening Night Film, an Ocean Survival Story Starring Aaron Eckhart and Sir Ben Kinglsey

Plus, Julian Schnabel will receive the festival's Achievement in Directing Award and more of this year's festivities.

03/18/2026 By Megan McDonald

Memories of Marcella

An Afternoon With Marcella Hazan

Ahead of the national release of a new documentary about Hazan, writer Ruth Lando recounts an unforgettable lunch with the renowned Italian chef and longtime Longboat Key resident.

05/07/2025 By Ruth Lando

Harlem Nights

The Sarasota Film Festival Honors the Creator and Star of 'Godfather of Harlem'

Show runner Chris Brancato and new cast member Rome Flynn are coming to town; we talked with them about the MGM+ show.

04/09/2025 By Kay Kipling

Lights, Camera, Action

Marcella Hazan Documentary Will Open 2025 Sarasota Film Festival

This year's lineup also includes 37 feature films, four world premieres, 10 Florida premieres and 41 short films.

03/19/2025 By Staff

Lights, Camera, Action

SFF Announces the Lineup for the 2024 Film Festival

Actor-director Steve Buscemi will attend in person and Sarasota native Austin Abrams will receive the festival's Rising Star Award. Here's what else you need to know.

03/21/2024 By Megan McDonald

Behind the Scenes

Actress-Producer-Author Roma Downey Visits the Sarasota Film Festival

At a luncheon in her honor, Downey spoke about her childhood, her faith, and playing an angel, Jackie Kennedy and an Amazon queen.

04/02/2023 By Kay Kipling

Struggles, Success, Heartbreak

Judy Blume Forever Explores the Beloved Author's Trailblazing Career

Plus, documentaries about Mary Tyler Moore and Donna Summer show how each of these famous women struggled to adapt to expectations, from both themselves and their public.

04/01/2023 By Kay Kipling

How Well Do We Know Them?

Sarasota Film Festival Movies Tell the True-Life Stories of Some Well-Known Women in the Arts

"Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection" is just one of several documentaries this week about real-life stars of the arts world and their offstage lives.

03/28/2023 By Kay Kipling

Preview

The Sarasota Film Festival Is Celebrating Its 25th Anniversary This Year

The 10-day event will feature celebrity glitterati and a slate of films from March 25-April 2. Tickets will be available March 14.

03/10/2023 By Staff

Native Voices

The Sarasota Native American Film Festival Begins Tonight

A week of celebrating Native American culture through films, art, music and food kicks off tonight at Sainer Pavilion.

09/09/2022 By Yasi Bahmanabadi

Film History

Costa Ronin Stars in a New Documentary About Late Soviet Film Star Oleg Vidov

Oleg: The Oleg Vidov Story recounts the life of a celebrated Russian film star who was blacklisted during the Cold War and defected to America.

04/18/2022 By Megan McDonald

Star Turn

Jacqueline Bisset on Her Long Career and New Film

The film star sat down for an interview hours prior to the screening of her latest movie, Loren & Rose, at the Sarasota Film Festival.

04/10/2022 By Kay Kipling

Opening Night

Jena Malone and Porcupine Open Sarasota Film Festival

The festival kicked off Friday night with a screening at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium.

04/02/2022 By Kay Kipling

Star Power

Here Are the Celebs Coming to the 2022 Sarasota Film Festival

Kenny G! Jacqueline Bisset! Here's who you might bump into at the Sarasota Film Festival this year.

04/01/2022 By Megan McDonald

Local Talent

This Ringling College Student's First Feature Is Headed to the Sarasota Film Festival

Will Mauricette's film Monopoly Money tells a story of two friends struggling to make ends meet.

03/29/2022 By Kim Doleatto

Lights, Camera, Action!

Sarasota Film Festival Once More Brings Movies and Stars to Town

The fest will take place April 1-10, with a mix of in-person and virtual screenings and events.

03/16/2022 By Kay Kipling

Film

2021 'Visions of the Black Experience' Film Series Announced

The free series celebrates and illuminates the historical, social and cultural aspects of Black life through film.

11/09/2021 By Staff

Sarasota Magazine

Sarasota Film Festival