The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) announced today the full slate of programming for the 24th edition of the festival, which will take place virtually and in-person April 1 through April 10, 2022.
“We are thrilled to welcome our film-loving community back to the Sarasota Film Festival to enjoy this year’s robust selection of narrative and documentary titles together in the theater,” said Mark Famiglio, SFF Chairman and President. “After two years of limited in-person engagements, we are honored to host a number of distinguished guests and filmmakers on the beautiful Florida Gulf Coast for a 10-day event, complete with a variety of engaging Q&As, conversations, and panels featuring diverse voices from across the industry.
The festival is set to open on April 1, 2022 with a screening of M. Cahill’s PORCUPINE, a narrative feature based on the true story of an adult woman who puts herself up for adoption and forms a bond with the misanthropic patriarch of her adoptive family. The film stars Jena Malone (INTO THE WILD, THE HUNGER GAMES series), who will be honored in-person with the Sarasota Film Festival Excellence in Acting Award. Malone will participate in an “In Conversation” discussion as part of the festival’s program, and Joe Wright’s 2005 film PRIDE & PREJUDICE, which also starred Malone, will play the festival as a free, outdoor community screening in Malone’s honor.
HBO’s LISTENING TO KENNY G, which is directed by Penny Lane and examines the life and career of jazz legend Kenny G, will screen as the festival’s Documentary Centerpiece film on Thursday, April 7. Lane and Kenny G will attend the festival, the latter of whom will receive the Sarasota Maestro Award. Both Lane and Kenny G will also participate in an “In Conversation” discussion following the screening, moderated by Rolling Stone’s Tatiana Siegel. The film will serve as the Centerpiece film for this year’s Music Sidebar program as well.
Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s neo-Western drama MONTANA STORY, starring Owen Teague and Haley Lu Richardson and distributed by Bleecker Street, will screen as the festival’s Narrative Centerpiece film. The film tells the story of two estranged siblings who must confront a deep and bitter family legacy upon their return home to the sprawling Montana ranch that they once knew and loved.
The festival is set to close with a screening of Russell Brown’s LOREN & ROSE, whose three-act story follows the indelible bond between a promising filmmaker and a storied actress looking to reinvigorate her career. Star Jacqueline Bisset will also be in attendance to receive the Sarasota Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award and participate in an “In Conversation” discussion preceding the screening.
SFF will also include Spotlight screenings of Kogonada’s AFTER YANG, which follows a father’s journey of self-discover as he searches for a way to repair his daughter’s Android, and stars Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith; Maria Loohufvud and Love Martinsen’s CALENDAR GIRLS, a coming-of-golden-age documentary film about a group of senior volunteer dancers in Southwest Florida; Catherine Corsini’s THE DIVIDE, which tells the story of a couple on the verge of breaking up who find themselves in an Emergency Department on the evening of a major ‘yellow vests’ protest in Paris, and stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi and Marina Foïs; Ron Howard’s documentary WE FEED PEOPLE, which spotlights renowned chef José Andrés and the incredible mission of his nonprofit World Central Kitchen; Rosa Ruth Boesten’s MASTER OF LIGHT, which follows the story of classical painter George Anthony Morton who spent ten years in federal prison for dealing drugs; and Nadia Tass’ OLEG, chronicling the life of Oleg Vidov, one of the most famous Soviet film stars, and narrated by Brian Cox. Costa Ronin (THE AMERICANS, HOMELAND), who voices Oleg Vidov, will also be in attendance at the festival.
The Narrative Feature Competition will showcase DRINKWATER, directed by Stephen Campanelli; FIREBIRD, directed by Peeter Rebane; LISTEN, directed by Omri Bezalel; and OUT OF BREATH, directed by Christian Carroll.
The Documentary Feature Competition will include A TREE OF LIFE, directed by Trish Adlesic; FROM EARTH TO SKY, directed by Ron Chapman; THE FIRST STEP, directed by Brandon Kramer; and THE SMELL OF MONEY, directed by Shawn Bannon.
The festival will also screen DAWN, HER DAD, AND THE TRACTOR, directed by Shelley Thompson; LONG ISLAND GUS, directed by Calogero Carucci; STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT, directed by Kristin Abate and Steve Tananebaun; and TOPOLOGY OF SIRENS, directed by Jonathan Davies as part of the Independent Visions Feature Competition.
Narrative films in the 2022 slate also include: Diego Ongaro’s DOWN WITH THE KING, Thyrone Tommy’s LEARN TO SWIM, Will Mauricette’s MONOPOLY MONEY THE MOVIE, Brett A. Schwartz’s RAISED UP WEST SIDE, Balbinka Koreniowska’s PLAYING THROUGH, Iman Zawahry’s AMERICANISH, Jordan Tetewsky and Joshua Pikovsky’s HANNAH HA HA, Emma Benestan’s HARD SHELL, SOFT SHELL, Stefan Ruzowitzky’s HINTERLAND, Sébastien Pilote’s MARIA CHAPDELAINE, William J. Stribling’s THE MIRROR GAME, Eugen Jebeleanu’s POPPY FIELD, Necip Çağhan Özdemir’s PURE WHITE, Renuka Jeyapalan’s STAY THE NIGHT, Laura Lehmus’s SWEET DISASTER, Shawkat Amin Korki’s THE EXAM, and Seanne Winslow and Adam Sjoberg’s THE FALCONER.
Documentary films in the 2022 slate also include: John Alexander’s LITTLE SATCHMO, Kathleen Ermitage’s MIXTAPE TRILOGY: STORIES OF THE POWER OF MUSIC, Barry Avrich’s OSCAR PETERSON: BLACK + WHITE, Chris Haigh’s SONG FOR HOPE, Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli’s TRIUMPH: ROCK & ROLL MACHINE, Fran Padgett’s THE BRIGHTEST MOMENT: A HISTORY OF ONE EXCEPTIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Kathryn Parks’ THE FABULOUS OHS: THE MARRIAGE AND THE MUSIC, Peter Hutchison and Lucas Sabean’s DEVIL PUT THE COAL IN THE GROUND, Ida Joglar’s KILI BIG, Louie Psihoyos’s MISSION: JOY – FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES, Vivian Kleiman’s NO STRAIGHT LINES: THE RISE OF QUEER COMICS, Cathryne Czubek’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA, Lisa Hurwitz’s THE AUTOMAT, and Elizabeth Unger’s TIGRE GENTE.
In the features lineup, the festival will host the World Premieres of LISTEN, LONG ISLAND GUS, OUT OF BREATH, THE BRIGHTEST MOMENT: A HISTORY OF ONE EXCEPTIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE FABULOUS OHS: THE MARRIAGE AND THE MUSIC, and THE SMELL OF MONEY; the US Premieres of DRINKWATER and THE DIVIDE; and the Florida Premieres of AFTER YANG, CALENDAR GIRLS, HANNAH HA HA, LEARN TO SWIM, THE FIRST STEP, and DAWN, HER DAD, AND THE TRACTOR. In the shorts lineup, the festival will host the World Premieres of ALWAYS TOGETHER, DADDY BUSINESS, and WAKE; the US Premieres of ME AGAINST THE WORLD and MOLAPHONE; and the Florida Premiere of ELENA.
In addition to the Music Sidebar, SFF also announced an African American Sidebar and a Spotlight on Sarasota program for feature films. The festival also announced eighteen programs of short films this year, including Narrative Competition, International Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition, Animated Shorts, Florida Shorts, Female-Led Florida Shorts, LGBT+ Shorts, Socially Distanced Shorts, Midnight Shorts, International Midnight Shorts, Comedic Narrative, Family on Film, Remembering, A Parent’s Love, Coming of Age Shorts, African American Documentary Shorts, Father & Sons, and The Humans Behind Headlines.
As the festival returns to a hybrid engagement with additional in-person screenings and events, the theme for this year’s poster was Upstream With a Paddle. Created by Christopher Tuscan, graduate of Sarasota’s own Ringling College of Art and Design and owner of design firm Dog House Studio, the poster reflects the local community’s efforts and successes in navigating this new world, while also recognizing the obstacles we have collectively overcome in the past two years. Downloadable link to poster art is available HERE.
The festival is also proud to announce the lineup for this year’s Narrative and Documentary Juries. The Narrative Jury includes The Wrap’s Joe McGovern, ICM Entertainment Executive Christina Bazdekis, and actor and filmmaker Roger Mancusi. The Documentary Jury includes Variety’s Addie Morfoot, Submarine Entertainment Co-Founder Josh Braun, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker and AMPAS Documentary Branch Governor Roger Ross Williams. As previously mentioned, Jordan Tetewsky and Joshua Pikovsky’s HANNAH HA HA, produced by and starring Mancusi, will screen as part of the festival’s lineup. Rosa Ruth Boesten’s MASTER OF LIGHT, produced by Williams, will also play the festival as a Spotlight Film.
The 24th annual Sarasota Film Festival, which will take place from April 1st through the 10th with virtual and in-person events, greatly appreciates the support of its personal and corporate sponsors, including the Famiglio Family Foundation, Sack Family Foundation, Wallack Family Fund, CMX CinéBistro, Stella Artois, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Netwurx, Sarasota Scene Magazine, Top 10 Sarasota, and WSLR+Fogartyville. The festival is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture as well as the Sarasota County Tourism Development Tax Revenues.
This year the Sarasota Film Festival will be presented in a hybrid format featuring live and in-person screenings and events, including the popular live Q&A’s and conversations, alongside offerings for virtual audiences. Following popular demand from the 2021 edition, the festival will continue its presentation of programming in various formats for local and national audiences. Tickets for the festival will be available for purchase online beginning April 21, 2022. Visit https://www.sarasotafilmfestival.com/ for more information.
2022 Sarasota Film Festival Lineup
OPENING NIGHT FILM
PORCUPINE
dir M. Cahill (USA), 2021
Fired from her seventh job in two years and estranged from her family, Audrey (Jena Malone) dwells in a distinctly modern solitude, relying on YouTube for companionship. One night a video rabbit hole leads her to the world of adult adoption, and she is pulled in, deciding to try it herself.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
LOREN & ROSE
dir. Russell Brown (USA), 2022
A single meal frames this three-act story of the indelible bond between Loren, a promising filmmaker, and Rose, a storied actress looking to reinvigorate her career. From a lunch meeting to discuss a possible collaboration grows a years-long friendship between two people whose love of art, understanding of grief, and faith in life’s potential guide them through personal and creative hardships. Kelly Blatz and Jacqueline Bisset star with a chemistry that is at once authentic and intoxicating.
NARRATIVE CENTERPIECE FILM
MONTANA STORY (Bleecker Street)
dir. Scott McGehee and David Siegel (USA), 2021
From the acclaimed writer/directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel (WHAT MAISIE KNEW, THE DEEP END) comes a neo-Western with an emotional tremor hiding beneath it. Two estranged siblings (Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague) return home to the sprawling ranch they once knew and loved, confronting a deep and bitter family legacy against a mythic American backdrop. The fates of their ailing, unscrupulous father and a beloved old horse hang in the balance.
DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE FILM
LISTENING TO KENNY G (HBO)
dir. Penny Lane (USA), 2021
LISTENING TO KENNY G is about why some people hate Kenny G’s music, and why so many more people love it. A light-hearted exploration of this conflict raises big questions about taste, genre, and marketing. Along the way we hear from music critics, record executives, radio personalities, market researchers, fans – and of course, the G man himself.
SPOTLIGHT FEATURES
AFTER YANG
Florida Premiere
dir. Kogonada (USA), 2021
When his young daughter’s beloved companion — an android named Yang — malfunctions, Jake (Colin Farrell) searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife (Jodie Turner-Smith) and daughter across a distance he didn’t know was there.
CALENDAR GIRLS
Florida Premiere
dir. Maria Loohufvud and Love Martinsen (Sweden), 2022
CALENDAR GIRLS is a coming-of-golden-age film about the second teenage phase: the retirement phase. Following senior volunteer dancers in Southwest Florida, who are determined to prove that age is just a number, The Calendar Girls give it all they’ve got. And they have a lot to give — impressive makeup, handmade costumes, elaborate dance routines, and, most notably, their unparalleled enthusiasm and sparkling personalities.
MASTER OF LIGHT
dir. Rosa Ruth Boesten (USA), 2022
Through art, George Anthony Morton begins to heal the traumas of his childhood. By painting his family members in the style of the old Dutch Masters, he finds a way towards the light for his family and himself.
OLEG
dir. Nadia Tass (USA), 2021
Narrated by Brian Cox, OLEG is a feature length documentary which tells the life story of Oleg Vidov, one of the most famous Soviet film stars. Despite the fame, Oleg was unable to live in the suppressive Soviet state and in 1985, planned a bold escape to freedom in the west.
THE DIVIDE
US Premiere
dir. Catherine Corsini (France), 2021
Raf and Julie, a couple on the verge of breaking up, find themselves in an Emergency Department close to asphyxiation on the evening of a major ‘yellow vests’ protest in Paris. Their encounter with Yann, an injured and angry demonstrator, will shatter their certainties and prejudices. Outside, the tension escalates and soon, the hospital has to close its doors and the staff is overwhelmed. The night will be long…
WE FEED PEOPLE
dir. Ron Howard (USA), 2022
We Feed People spotlights renowned chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen’s incredible mission and evolution over 12 years from being a scrappy group of grassroots volunteers to becoming one of the most highly regarded humanitarian aid organizations in the disaster relief sector.
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
DRINKWATER
US Premiere
dir. Stephen Campanelli (Canada), 2021
Awkward teen Mike Drinkwater’s offbeat father spends more time trying to not to get caught defrauding the government than paying attention to his son. When a girl named Wallace moves in next door, she tries to help Mike be a little less awkward while pushing him to train for an annual cross-country race.
FIREBIRD
dir. Peeter Rebane (Estonia), 2021
At the height of the Cold War, a troubled soldier forms a forbidden love triangle with a daring fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base.
LISTEN
dir. Omri Bezalel (Israel and USA), 2020
Dara Nevo, a young and dedicated soldier in Israel’s elite military intelligence unit, races against the clock to find a captured Israeli soldier hidden in Gaza. When Israel is faced with a prisoner swap that includes the man who killed her dad, Dara will stop at nothing to keep her father’s killer from freedom.
OUT OF BREATH
World Premiere
dir. Christian Carroll (USA), 2022
A normal day for out-of-work actor Jean-Michel turns upside down when a confrontation with a racist police officer leaves the cop dead and Jean-Michel on the run. As Jean-Michel tries to convince photographer Audrey to flee with him, he finds himself at the center of a nationwide reckoning with racial injustice.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
A TREE OF LIFE
dir. Trish Adlesic (USA), 2021
A shofar blower, a gun shop housed in a former synagogue, and eleven hundred mitzvahs weave this intimate tapestry of a community rebuilding after eleven people are brutally murdered inside their synagogue for being Jewish.
FROM EARTH TO SKY
dir. Ron Chapman (Canada), 2021
From Earth to Sky explores the work of seven unique and accomplished Indigenous Architects as they design and complete extraordinary ‘buildings’ in cities and communities across North America and Turtle Island. Beautiful and intimate, the film sparks a vital conversation paramount to transforming perspectives on how we approach our built environment.
THE FIRST STEP
Florida Premiere
dir. Brandon Kramer (USA), 2021
In a divided America, Van Jones attempts to bring people together to pass a landmark criminal justice bill — and finds himself under fire from all sides.
THE SMELL OF MONEY
World Premiere
dir. Shawn Bannon (USA), 2022
What is the price some pay for the world’s pork? North Carolina residents take on one of the world’s most powerful companies in a fight for their rights to clean air, pure water, and a life free from the stench of shit.
INDEPENDENT VISIONS FEATURE COMPETITION
DAWN, HER DAD, AND THE TRACTOR
Florida Premiere
dir. Shelley Thompson (Canada), 2021
As a young trans woman and her estranged father begin to restore the old family tractor, they cautiously rebuild their relationship and come to understand the mechanics of the heart.
LONG ISLAND GUS
World Premiere
dir. Calogero Carucci (USA), 2022
Gus is a Long Island native who weaves through the black market in an attempt to find a kidney for his ailing friend, Vito, and raise a large sum of money by delivering drugs in pizza boxes and selling fake Long Island Railroad tickets.
STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT
dir. Kristin Abate and Steve Tanenbaun (USA), 2022
20s something, Kristen battles with a severe form of arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and is permanently bent over. Things go sideways when she is evicted from her apartment and her boss sends her to walk a new client’s dog. There she meets Steven, an older man who is also bent over.
TOPOLOGY OF SIRENS
dir. Jonathan Davies (USA), 2021
After discovering a set of cryptic microcassettes in her new home, Cas is drawn into a meditative mystery of environmental sound and experimental music.
AFRICAN AMERICAN SIDEBAR FEATURES
DOWN WITH THE KING
dir. Diego Ongaro (USA), 2021
Money Merc, a famous rapper disillusioned with the music industry and the pressures of being a celebrity, leaves the city and his career behind to find himself in a small-town farming community.
MONOPOLY MONEY THE MOVIE
dir. Will Mauricette (USA), 2021
Fed up with tirelessly working day in and day out just to provide for their families and have nothing to show for it, two friends, CJ and Speedy, begin to explore different ways to bring in more money and bring it in quickly. Even if it becomes unlawful and may put one of their lives in jeopardy.
RAISED UP WEST SIDE
dir. Brett A. Schwartz (USA), 2022
In RAISED UP WEST SIDE, we follow the harrowing, yet frequently inspiring plight of ex-offenders, social activists, and entrepreneurs, witnessing the fierce tenacity required to change the narrative — and change lives on Chicago’s West Side.
MUSIC SIDEBAR FEATURES
LEARN TO SWIM
Florida Premiere
dir. Thyrone Tommy (Canada), 2021
Haunted by a tragic loss, Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide), a jazz musician, cuts off contact with everyone he knows. Time bends, and the lines between his stormy past and reclusive present are blurred, foiling his attempts at solitude and forcing him to face the truth of his past.
LITTLE SATCHMO
dir. John Alexander (USA), 2021
Louis Armstrong is iconic- a symbol of musical genius and unparalleled success. Little Satchmo redefines this perpetuated caricature and reveals one of his dearest loves- a child hidden from the world: a daughter sworn to a life of secrecy until now.
MIXTAPE TRILOGY: STORIES OF THE POWER OF MUSIC
dir. Kathleen Ermitage (USA), 2021
MIXTAPE TRILOGY explores one of the most intense and unique relationships between people who rarely meet: music artists and their fans. Featuring Indigo Girls, Vijay Iyer, and Talib Kweli. The director unpacks the music and the audience is invited to fall into it. The art of listening unfolds and inspires us to listen to music, and, perhaps, each other, in new ways.
OSCAR PETERSON: BLACK + WHITE
dir. Barry Avrich (Canada), 2020
Oscar Peterson: Black + White is a ground-breaking “docu-concert” that explores the life and legacy of jazz icon and composer, Oscar Peterson: his sound, stardom, and staggering virtuosity.
SONG FOR HOPE
dir. Chris Haigh (USA), 2022
When diagnosed with terminal cancer, a world renowned trumpet player uses music to give hope from concert stages to mountain tops, proving art is essential to survival.
TRIUMPH: ROCK & ROLL MACHINE
dir. Sam Dunn and Marc Ricciardelli (Canada), 2021
Beneath the pyro, spandex, and heavy metal hair, awaits an intriguing and deeply personal story of underdog rock band Triumph who rose to world domination in the 80s then mysteriously disappeared at the height of their fame.
SPOTLIGHT ON SARASOTA
PLAYING THROUGH
dir. Balbinka Koreniowska (USA), 2021
Late in her career, Ann Gregory finds the courage to be the first woman of color to enter the USGA Women’s Amateur. She collides with Babs Whatling, a privileged white woman from the south who is searching for her own identity.
THE BRIGHTEST MOMENT: A HISTORY OF ONE EXCEPTIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
World Premiere
dir. Fran Padgett (USA), 2021
This is a story of courage, vision, and love. A dedicated band of educators and parents met the challenges of poverty, desegregation, inclusion of special needs children, and high-stakes accountability. Their determination to embrace these events reshaped their lives and resulted in public education at its finest. A story for the ages.
THE FABULOUS OHS: THE MARRIAGE AND THE MUSIC
World Premiere
dir. Kathryn Parks (USA), 2022
Inside the musical journey of a small-town composer and a strong-willed singer/librettist who dared to spend a lifetime chasing their dreams together. A story captured on film by their daughter in Sarasota, Florida.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
AMERICANISH
dir. Iman Zawahry (USA), 2021
Welcome to America: Where dreams come true…ish. A break from the traditional romantic comedy, “Americanish” highlights different layers of womanhood as it intersects with cultural and societal expectations. In Jackson Heights, Queens, career-driven sisters Maryam and Sam and their newly-immigrated cousin Ameera must navigate the consistent and sometimes conflicting demands of romance, culture, work, and family.
HANNAH HA HA
Florida Premiere
dir. Joshua Pikovsky and Jordan Tetewsky (USA), 2022
A kind-hearted townie living with her aging father is pulled in different directions by her type-A older brother who returns closer to home and imposes his lifestyle choices on the family.
HARD SHELL, SOFT SHELL
dir. Emma Benestan (France), 2021
Loved-up oyster farmer Az thinks he’s made it. But when an elaborate proposal goes awry and his girlfriend Jess breaks his heart, Az is forced to confront his understanding of what happiness really looks like – both hers and his own.
HINTERLAND
dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky (Austria and Luxembourg), 2021
When an ex-prisoner of the Great War returns home and finds his comrades brutally murdered, he decides to bring the serial-killer to justice.
MARIA CHAPDELAINE
dir. Sébastien Pilote (Canada), 2021
A teen in rural Quebec must decide her future by choosing one of three suitors, in Sébastien Pilote’s moving adaptation of Louis Hémon’s 1913 novel.
THE MIRROR GAME
dir. William J. Stribling (USA), 2022
The Mirror Game is the story of a friendship pushed to its limits. Childhood friends Rose and Abe both find themselves in Las Vegas on the same weekend, but when Rose asks Abe for a life-changing favor, the evening takes a turn for the unexpected, and the two spend the night trying to beat the odds.
POPPY FIELD
dir. Eugen Jebeleanu (Romania), 2020
Christi, a police officer, and his long distance boyfriend’s romantic weekend is cut short when he is called in to handle a crisis at work. Christi and his unit are sent to quell a protest at a movie theater, where a far-right group has interrupted the screening of a queer film.
PURE WHITE
dir. Necip Çağhan Özdemir (Turkey), 2021
Vural preaches the lessons of righteous life to his son. Yet, Vural has a secret, a minor transgression of his faith: An affair with Sonay, a young woman who visits his shop for passport pictures she needs in order to apply for a visa to the US.
STAY THE NIGHT
dir. Renuka Jeyapalan (Canada), 2022
A failed work opportunity prompts chronically single Grace to pursue a one night stand with a stranger. Turns out he’s an on-the-outs professional athlete in town with a problem of his own. Maybe they can help each other.
SWEET DISASTER
dir. Laura Lehmus (Germany), 2021
Frida unexpectedly falls pregnant and Felix, the father of her child, breaks up with her to reunite with his ex. Although some serious health problems caused by the late pregnancy force Frida to rest, she still tries to get Felix back, using methods which are absurd, exaggerated and sometimes hilarious.
THE EXAM
dir. Shawkat Amin Korki (Germany, Iraq and Qatar), 2021
Rojin, a heartbroken young woman who is suffering from depression after the disappearance of her fiance, is preparing for her university entrance exam. If she fails, her father will force her into marriage. If she succeeds, however, she might lead a more emancipated life.
THE FALCONER
dir. Seanne Winslow and Adam Sjoberg (USA and Oman), 2021
The friendship of two teenage boys from very different worlds is put to the test by a daring plan to steal animals from the zoo and sell them on the black market.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
DEVIL PUT THE COAL IN THE GROUND
dir. Peter Hutchison and Lucas Sabean (USA), 2021
A cautionary tale of unfettered corporate power, and an elegy to a vanishing Appalachi told through the personal stories of native West Virginians.
KILI BIG
dir. Ida Joglar (USA), 2021
A group of plus-sized women from around the world attempt to climb the tallest freestanding mountain on the planet, Mount Kilimanjaro.
MISSION: JOY – FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES
dir. Louie Psihoyos (USA), 2021
Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu share science-backed wisdom of how to live with joy in troubled times.
NO STRAIGHT LINES: THE RISE OF QUEER COMICS
dir. Vivian Kleiman (USA), 2021
The road for queer comics from the margins of the underground comics scene to mainstream acceptance was fraught with challenges. No Straight Lines chronicles the journeys of five scrappy LGBTQ artists from their early DIY work to the international stage, and offers a fascinating window into everything from the AIDS crisis to the search for love and a good haircut.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA
dir. Cathryne Czubek (USA and Uganda), 2021
This documentary follows two men from opposite sides of the world who come together over a shared love for Chuck Norris. Against all odds, the two unlikely friends have catapulted Wakaliwood to worldwide stardom with their own gonzo action movies bringing joy to millions of people across the internet.
THE AUTOMAT
dir. Lisa Hurwitz (USA), 2021
Once upon a nickel, before fast food, one American restaurant empire was unstoppable. Experience the untold story of “The Automat,” a documentary film directed by Lisa Hurwitz and starring Mel Brooks.
TIGRE GENTE
dir. Elizabeth Unger (USA), 2021
A Bolivian park ranger and a young Hong Kongese journalist risk their lives to go undercover and investigate a new, deadly jaguar trade that’s sweeping South America. Along the way, they grapple with questions of empathy, responsibility, and bridging a cultural gap to prevent the jaguar trade from spiraling out of control.
US NARRATIVE COMPETITION SHORTS
ME AGAINST THE WORLD
US Premiere
dir. Kali Bailey (USA), 2021
Whipsmart Mala meets NBA hopeful Doug and an unlikely friendship is born. Banding together at an almost Ivy League, decidedly Southern university, is romance in the air?
UNDERCURRENT
dir. Abbey Sowick and Robert Perez (USA), 2021
A self assertive girl attempts to overcome her insecurities and find connection on a clunky first date with a nervous boy amidst a global pandemic.
PASSENGER
dir. Sean Baran (USA), 2022
A young man leaving home confronts his fears as he is driven to the airport.
KIDDO
dir. Paul Taylor (USA), 2022
An expectant couple’s parenting skills are put to the test when a hungry stranger shows up on their doorstep.
ALWAYS TOGETHER
World Premiere
dir. Steven Wesley Miller (USA), 2022
A widow hires a family rental service to help navigate through her troubled past.
SOUVENIRS
dir. Andrew Theodore Balasia (USA), 2022
A friend-for-hire balances his time with this eclectic clientele as he prepares for his most involved assignment to date: becoming a father.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION SHORTS
TODAY’S THE DAY
dir. Santi García (Spain), 2021
Two young, unemployed actors prepare for a career- changing audition. Their opposite personalities clash when they find out they are both auditioning for the same part.
NOTES
dir. Jimmy Olsson (Sweden), 2021
When Philip moves into a corporate apartment for a project, his only company is his piano keyboard. Missing his girlfriend back home, he continues composing a song for her, but when he can’t get a part right, a better variation plays through the wall from his neighbor.
TASBEEH
dir. Iqbal Mohammed (UK), 2021
Two childhood friends reunite in their Northern working class town, post-Brexit.
ANNA THE HELP
dir. Eurydice Calméjane (France), 2020
Jeanne is the personal assistant of Leonor, a successful photographer who solicits her for all sorts of tasks. Little by little, becoming aware of the manipulation she undergoes to do more and more, she revolts.
ROADBLOCK
dir. Dahlia Nemlich (Lebanon), 2020
Beirut 2019. During the revolution. On her way back from a protest, Farah, a Lebanese activist, and her French-Lebanese boyfriend Anthony are stopped at a roadblock held by two armed militiamen who have a bone to pick with Farah.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION SHORTS
LOST ART
dir. Leif Ramsey (USA), 2021
When the Soviet Union collapses an art teacher imports thousands of Russian paintings to rural Tennessee; now, facing his own mortality, the fate of the collection hangs in the balance.
GRUELING GLORY – THE MARCH TO CARENTAN
dir. Christian Taylor (USA and France), 2022.
A young French-American woman immerses herself in the deeply personal and powerful reality of liberation, as she watches men and women from all across Europe come together to honor WWII 101st Airborne Veteran, Tom Rice.
THE AMERICAN FRONTIER
dir. Edward Frumkin (USA), 2021.
The American Frontier examines the influence of Westerns and how it impacts society through portrayals of Indigenous people, gun culture, and the idolization of cowboys.
ONE IN 7
dir. David Lindblom and JoAnne Tucker (USA), 2021.
One in seven men are victims of Domestic Violence. This film introduces the problem, visits a shelter for men in Dallas, TX, and shares the story of three men who were living at the shelter at the time.
GENERATION 328
dir. Nika Nikanava (Belarus and USA), 2020.
A group of mothers defy Europe’s last dictatorship, fighting to free their children from draconian sentences in brutal Belarusian prisons.
IN FLOW OF WORDS
dir. Eliane Esther Bots (Netherlands), 2021.
Placing their voices and experiences center stage, IN FLOW OF WORDS follows the narratives of three interpreters of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
ANIMATED SHORTS
DINO BONE
dir. Jordan Powers and Sam Durkin (USA), 2021.
After seeing a suggestive fossil of two dinosaurs, an anxious father tells his curious son a series of white lies to avoid having “The Talk.
BARKING ORDERS
dir. Alexander Tullo (USA), 2021.
When the entire British Royal family tragically dies, the Queen’s corgi finds himself next in line for the throne and in the seat of power.
THE AMAZING AIRWALKER
dir. Steve McClean (USA), 2020.
When a young boy is upset after being ignored by his idol, his loyal pet bird seeks revenge.
DUMPLING DASH
dir. Lisa Cui (USA), 2021.
A newborn dough ball in a dim sum must undergo a transformative initiation ritual in order to join his dumpling family.
BY THE BOOK
dir. Shreya Devarakonda and Daniela Portilla (USA), 2021.
In a world of books, a scientifically-driven father is met with the sudden challenge of raising a child he struggles to relate to.
BIRTH
dir. Roberto Valle (Spain), 2021.
Spain 1994. Carlos is a little boy who has just received some amazing news: his mother is pregnant with a baby boy.
HOMEBIRD
dir. Ewa Smyk (UK), 2020.
Struggling to make it in a big city, a young artist finds herself retreating into the rose-tinted memories of the village she left behind.
BIG BOX
dir. Nuria Torreño (Spain), 2020.
What if you could send your feelings? In a world where it is possible to send your feelings via mail service, a young postman named Hermy faces the arduous task of delivering the biggest package the company has ever seen.
FINAL DEATHINATON
dir. Marika Tamura (USA), 2021.
A suicidal man who is about to hang himself encounters Death who is a “travel agent” to find the best place to die and goes on a world tour.
LOOP
dir. Pablo Polledri (Spain), 2020.
In this society each human being repeats the same action over and over again, in this society each human being repeats the same action over and over again…
MAGGOT
dir. Mary Kate Magya, Cozette Mead, and Kristin Camera (USA), 2021.
Following the gruesome death of Pear from a chest-bursting maggot, the young, terrified Apple must find a way to survive as she and her companions are hunted down, until she realizes that the only way to live is to fight back.
THE EXTORTWIST
dir. Laura Koval and Loren Baskin Almazan (USA), 2021.
A chocolate bar priest must perform an exorcism on a young twizzler.
GASLIGHT
dir. Mild Kamolluck Niamkongkit and Kristen Yuan (USA), 2021.
Smoker wants to break up with his lighter girlfriend at the gas station, she doesn’t take it well.
FLIES ONLY LIVE ONE DAY
dir. Mauro Luis (Spain), 2021.
A tormented mother struggles during a delusional journey against her own imagination, which plays tricks on her by deforming her young son’s plans.
NEW TRICKS
dir. Matt Corsill (USA), 2021.
After accidentally hitting a dog with her car, a woman attempts to take the animal to the vet–but is impeded by the dog’s gruesome transformation into a human.
LA GRONGE
dir. Alisi Telengut (Canada), 2021.
A child tries to gain her father’s affection by any means, but the family dog proves to be a fierce rival.
ELENA
Florida Premiere
dir. Biruté Sodeikaité (Lithuania and France), 2021.
Elena is enjoying her life in clouds, until she meets a charming Red Crane and a seed starts growing inside her.
FLORIDA SHORTS
WE SHOULD MEET
dir. Tristan Anthony Ortiz (USA), 2021
After pretending to be someone else in an online relationship, a teenager faces the consequences when the girl he loves wants to meet in person.
REMEMORY
dir. Andres Irias (USA), 2021.
This is not a love story – This is the story of love.
CARINO
dir. Fernanda Lamuño (USA), 2022.
A romantic comedy about how young and dumb Fabiano’s love life quickly turns from a Drake song to a Celine Dion song.
SMALL KINDNESSES
dir. Hali Gardella and Emery Matson (USA), 2021.
Combining poetry, dance, & filmmaking, SMALL KINDNESSES explores the way small acts of kindness, which are often overlooked, can uplift and connect us all.
IN BEAUTY IT IS UNFINISHED
dir. Greko Sklavounos (USA), 2021.
In suburban Miami, a Cuban immigrant longs for a lost memory. A voice creates a meditative portrait of two tropical landscapes and two men dancing at twilight.
FEMALE-LED FLORIDA SHORTS
WAKE
World Premiere
dir. Katie Leary (USA), 2021
A woman struggles to wake up from an increasingly traumatizing loop of dreams.
THE DEN
dir. Jessica Aquila Cymerman (USA), 2022.
A psychological thriller following Myna O’Neill, an ambitious New York stage actress, as she navigates a manipulative and toxic relationship with her idol, Jamie Bock.
LIONESS
dir. Molly E. Smith (USA), 2022.
Barricaded in a motel room, a mothers determination and primal instincts kick in to protect her child’s innocence.
LA CASITA DE LA MARIPOSA
dir. Samantha Ferrand (USA), 2021.
As a child, Renee’s mother promised she’d grow up to marry a prince. Instead, Renee found herself married to a monster.
MOON DUST
dir. Naida Joanides (USA), 2022 
An aging circus performer seeks to learn the true significance of the gift her mother gave her the night of the first moon landing.
SIRENS OF THE SWAMP
dir. Hali Gardella and Emery Matson (USA), 2021.
Two sirens, banished to the swamps by their mother Venus, dream of making it big in a rock band. Only problem is: they keep killing their audience
LGBT+ SHORTS
情人QINGREN
dir. Sean Patrick Higgins (USA), 2021.
A 19th century American Railroad Financier and Chinese Emigrant-Worker ensnare one another in a dance of interdependence, love, and guilt.
MASARU
dir. Rubén Navarro (USA), 2022.
A Major League Baseball player discovers his passion for Japanese traditional dance and is confronted with the choice of embracing his true identity or continuing masking behind the pressures of family, loyalty and honor.
HEAR MY VOICE
dir. Daniele Guerra (UK), 2021.
Mike’s opera career and love life have stalled. During yet another gay hook-up, he sees the apparition of his grandmother: will she make him change?
SHOW PONY
dir. Meghan Lennox (USA), 2020.
Kate tries an adult ballet class and becomes infatuated with the teacher, Laura- until she discovers a hidden side to Laura she struggles to accept.
A SUMMER PLACE
dir. Alexandra Matheou (Cyprus and France), 2021.
In a city overtaken by oligarchs and a real estate boom, two women find themselves lost at sea. Each will end up saving the other, in all of life’s most unexpected ways.
BETTER DAYS
dir. Fran Herrero Ansoleaga (Spain), 2021
Five LGBTIQ+ refugees seeking asylum in Spain look into the lens to share their fears, doubts, and certainties, but they can all now say, “It gets better”.
SOCIALLY DISTANCED SHORTS
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
dir. Paul Grant (USA), 2021.
At the height of the pandemic, Broadway’s resilient community comes together to create the infrastructure to supply frontline medical workers with desperately needed hospital gowns.
YOUR FRIEND
dir. Anna Salinas (USA), 2021.
After a chance encounter, a woman and her dachshund find themselves unexpectedly close to a tragedy.
I THINK I’M DYING
dir. Paavo Hanninen (USA), 2021.
Two people reconnect after a failed first date to discuss a potential medical concern.
THE BIKE
dir. Antonio Oliete (Spain), 2021.
A rider picks up a delivery and heads to his bicycle only to find a problem that does not let him carry on, but he’ll do whatever it takes to complete the delivery.
NEON PHANTOM
dir. Leonardo Martinelli (Brazil), 2021.
A delivery man dreams of having a motorcycle. He was told that everything would be like a musical film.
MIDNIGHT SHORTS
NOCHE DEL INFIERNO
dir. Andrew Reid (USA), 2021.
Three freshman pledges must denounce cultural stereotypes and survive a magical test to gain entry into the most prestigious Latina sorority.
MOLAPHONE
US Premiere
dir. Daniel Padró (Spain), 2021.
Francisco is trying to cancel his contract with his phone provider. What was supposed to be a mere formality becomes a Kaaesque nightmare.
DOCKER
dir. Olivier Fuoc (France), 2021.
Camille is a 38-year-old docker. Melancholic and withdrawn into himself, he wants to free himself from this environment he has always known for other horizons … Until the day when a mysterious container resurfaces.
ORIENTATION
dir. Evan Woolery (USA), 2021.
A rich man’s volatile net worth and electrocardiogram play out until the moment of his death. Everything from his lifetime zeroes out. What awaits in the hereafter?
SINK
dir. Curtis Matzke (USA), 2021.
Shot entirely during the COVID-19 lockdown, SINK is an experimental horror film depicting a man who finds himself falling apart after a horrific attack as told entirely from above the bathroom sink.
INHERENT
dir. Nicolai G.H. Johansen (Denmark)), 2021.
Gothic horror meets small town teenage romance as we follow a girl roaming the streets, gazing at a boy.
INTERNATIONAL MIDNIGHT SHORTS
THE LIGHT
dir. Iago de Soto (Spain), 2021.
19th century. In a small coastal village, Olalla and her family prepare for the night of “The Truce”. There is only one rule: no lights should stay on tonight. Olalla, unlike her parents, does not believe in superstitions. And she doesn’t think They are coming either…
GAUEKO
dir. María Monreal (Spain), 2022.
Ainara is spending her holidays in her village. One night her grandmother tells her the story of Gaueko, the terrible god of the night. According to legend, a spinner went to the forest at night to collect water and never returned.
MONSTER
dir. Jaime Olías (Spain), 2020
Nacho appears on a TV programme to undergo hypnosis in order to demonstrate that what he saw on the beach four years ago was real.
MIRAGE
dir. Sil van der Woerd (The Netherlands and United Kingdom), 2021.
A hunter, tormented with the approaching death of his wife, is confronted with his emotions.
THE LAKE
dir. Nyima Cartier (France), 2020.
An old man, who believes he can communicate with extraterrestrial beings, suddenly disappears in the middle of a lake. His estranged daughter Christine is skeptical and thinks that he drowned.
COMEDIC NARRATIVE SHORTS
THE BUTLER
dir. Adrienne Boeing and Catriona Boeing (England), 2021.
A comedy set in 1930’s England, a butler secretly pulls strings to keep a woman away from his one true love; his young rich male boss.
WRITTEN FOR WALKEN
dir. Adam Cushman (USA), 2022
An aspiring filmmaker in Los Angeles uses his few contacts to try and get actor Christopher Walken attached to the film he has not written yet.
2 TIMERS
dir. Tim Aslin & Shane Cibella (USA), 2021.
A showdown between an ambitious actress, her shady business partner, and a Hollywood Diva turns into a 3-way double-cross.
WE ALL DIE ALONE
dir. Jonathan Hammond (USA), 2020.
The hubris of an inept conflict negotiator leads two warring gangs into an 8-way standoff. The consequences are both comical and tragic in this whip-smart short.
SWEAT OF HIS COW
dir. John Stuart Wildman and Alan Smithee (USA), 2022.
A gorgeous doctor lawyer runs out of gas next to a barn where a sweaty man is milking a cow. Gas is just the beginning, milk is always the end.
FAMILY ON FILM: NARRATIVE SHORTS
BRIGITTE BARDOT
dir. Cagil Bocut (Turkey), 2020
A “modern” Turkish family expects an exchange student from France. When this “expected visitor” comes, they don’t find him “French” enough.
BURROS
dir. Jefferson Stein (USA), 2021
A young Indigenous girl discovers a Hispanic migrant her age who has been separated from her father in the beautiful but dangerous Sonoran desert.
WOODPECKER
dir. Kevin T. Landry (Québec, Canada), 2021
More than a decade after she abandoned him, Émile accepts his mother Fanny’s invitation to come work with her on an isolated logging camp.
AS DE TREFLE
dir. Henri Kebabdjian (France), 2021
Nathan is joined by his daughter Camille by the racetracks. He hopes that by betting on the race, he will be able to afford the school of her dreams.
FOREST GIANTS
dir. Augusta Mariano (USA), 2022.
In the early days of the internet a brother and sister attempt to mend their strained relationship while filming a hoax video.
REMEMBERING: NARRATIVE SHORTS
STEPS
dir. Blake Winston Rice (USA), 2021
Separated for years, Kate returns out of the blue, to her ex’s pool – fulfilling her final promise of letting Cooper teach her how to swim.
SEX & OTHER MEMORIES
dir. Jack Dunphy (USA), 2021
After a night of rejection by his highschool sweetheart Sara, Jack gets a phone call from Sara as she was at 18. He rushes to his childhood home to see her, and in the process steps into the past.
BIG BROTHER
dir. Rémi St-Michel (Québec, Canada), 2021
Antoine and his former ”big brother” reunite after the latter, now a father, moved to Russia several years ago.
I DON’T SEE YOU ANYMORE
dir. Carles Gómez Alemany (Spain), 2021
Pau (23) has not been well for weeks. He pretends to be okay in front of his roommate but he can’t stop thinking about his ex.
RAW
dir. Drake Shannon (USA), 2020
Past and present are blurred by a horrifying transgression as a female soldier faces the aftermath of a military patrol in the Middle East.
A PARENT’S LOVE: INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORTS
LILI ALONE
dir. Zou Jing (China, Hong Kong, Singapore), 2021
Lili, a young mother, lives with her gambler husband in a remote part of Sichuan. Lonely and poor, she heads for the city in a bid to earn enough money to save her dying father.
DONA
dir. Marga Melià (Mallorca and Spain), 2020
A tragic story full of suspense that talks about three generations of women marked by destiny in an oppressive and suffocating environment.
THE LIGHT THAT NO ONE SEES
dir. Gregory Markus Hegel (Germany), 2022
After Josef realizes their insurance won’t cover his daughter’s treatment, he tries to steal the life-saving medication secretly from his workplace at a day clinic.
COMING OF AGE: INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORTS
LOU’S NEIGHBOR
dir. Victoria Lafaurie, Hector Albouker (France), 2020
Vladimir, 17-years-old, is secretly in love with his neighbour Lou.
TILDYPOPS
dir. Tiggy Bayley and Oscar Downing (UK), 2021
A teenager from South London struggles to lay claim to her selood, amid the chaos of her home life with her autistic brother.
SOUL FOOD
dir. Nikos Tseberopoulos (Greece and France), 2021
Yannis, 15, is moving in with his mother at her boyfriend’s apartment. Yannis starts hanging out with Olga, 40, a socially secluded hard rock woman who lives in the basement.
COUSINS
dir. Michal Haggiag (Israel), 2021
During the seven days of mourning for her grandfather, 14-year-old Maayan sleeps over at her cousin’s house, Ran. Tired of reflecting about death, the two start exploring intimacy with each other.
AFRICAN AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
TEMPLE BEAUTY
dir. Tiffany Frances (USA), 2022
A portrait of Amber Osbourne from Compton, who opened a neighborhood beauty supply store in the days before the pandemic.
MS. DIVA TRUCKER
dir. Dana Reilly (USA), 2021
A long-haul trucker builds community and a new life on YouTube as @MsDivaTrucker43.
MR. ASHLEY LIVED HERE
dir. Hannah Timmons (USA), 2021
Through interviews and hand drawn animation, Mr.
Ashley Lived Here looks back at the lives of six individuals that grew up in the sharecropping community on the filmmaker’s family farm and former plantation in the heart of Central Louisiana.
AN ARMY RISING UP
dir. Pablo Correa and Brian Graves (USA), 2021
Mississippi Delta high school students participate in an intensive filmmaking workshop in which they explore and document their communities’ connections to Civil Rights icons Emmett Till and Fannie Lou Hamer.
FOR LOVE AND LEGACY
dir. A.K. Sandhu (USA), 2022
Sculptor Dana King’s hands and activist Fredrika Newton’s memories come together to build a new monument that honors the Black Panther Party’s vital place in American history.
FATHER & SONS: DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
ELVIS OF LAOS
dir. Van Ditthavong (USA), 2022
Through Dance and conversations – a famous Lao singer, his son, and his granddaughter examine the artist’s life, inspirations, and legacy after leaving the war torn country in late 1974.
WE ARE SUNS
dir. Sam Spencer (USA), 2021
Traveling with his best friend to meet his biological dad, Sam Spencer’s documentary is part road-movie, part psychological drama (with a stirring & unexpected resolution).
DADDY BUSINESS
World Premiere
dir. Christopher Stoudt (USA), 2022
Single dad Christopher “Tattoo” Fontes is enmeshed in drugs and petty crime when his son Damian is born. Now, he must confront a lifetime of trauma to become the father he never had––and the father Damian deserves.
UNSPOKEN
dir. William Armstrong (Denmark), 2021
A world-renowned ballet choreographer navigates grief experienced during the pandemic to create a masterpiece for his late father.
THE HUMANS BEHIND HEADLINES: DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
ACROSS
dir. Julie Mirlicourtois and Kayla McCormick (USA and Honduras), 2021
The story of a Honduran mother and daughter seeking asylum in the U.S. and the Midwestern evangelicals who were shaken by their presence.
THE MILITIAMAN
dir. David Peter Hansen (Denmark), 2021
In the hills of rural Pennsylvania, the leader of a local militia must prepare his men for the turbulent political landscape of 2020 while at war with his own conscience.
STRANGERS AT THE GATE
dir. Joshua Seftel (USA), 2022
When rage-filled U.S. Marine Mac McKinney comes face to face with the members of the Muslim community that he seeks to kill, his plans to bomb a local mosque take an unexpected turn.
BRING THEM HOME
dir. Ray Whitehouse and Kate Woodsome (USA), 2022
An American family must navigate Iran’s authoritarian system and U.S. politics to try to free their loved one from Iranian prison, where he’s being held as a pawn in nuclear negotiations.
About Sarasota Film Festival
Held annually in Sarasota, Florida, the Sarasota Film Festival emphasizes the best in cinema alongside exciting programs and events, with more than 200 films screened each year including features, documentaries, shorts, and kid-friendly picks. Entering its 24th year, the festival brings the best new and established independent filmmakers to the Festival with local and kid-friendly programs that showcase its idyllic Gulf Coast community. The festival is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization and also offers a year-round educational program, which reaches thousands of local students through classic film showcases, film contests, summer camps and instructional workshops. For additional information please visit: https://www.sarasotafilmfestival.com/
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