The Sarasota Film Festival has set its full programming slate for its 25th anniversary year, and it opens with Dawn Porter’s CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WITHOUT A NET.
Taking place in Sarasota, Florida from March 25 through April 2, the festival will include both in-person and virtual events.
After the opening day screening of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WITHOUT A NET at The Circus Arts Conservatory in Sarasota, there will be a reception for guests to attend.
“I am thrilled to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sarasota Film Festival this year with a robust slate of films from an internationally renowned group of artists,” said Mark Famiglio, SFF Chairman and Board President.
“We at SFF feel so proud to commemorate a quarter of a century of bringing dynamic lineups of films to the beautiful Florida Gulf Coast and the arts-loving community that calls it home. In the years to come we hope to continue showcasing emerging young talent from this generation and beyond, especially through our wonderfully curated annual youth programs.”
Sarasota Film Festival Lineup Details
In the documentary centerpiece, the festival lineup includes BEING MARY TYLER MOORE from director James Adolphus; Bethann Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng’s INVISIBLE BEAUTY; Barbara Kopple’s GUMBO COALITION, and Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok’s JUDY BLUME FOREVER.
Maxim Pozdorovkin’s THE CONSPIRACY — about the absurd and dangerous conspiracy that Jews are plotting to take over the world — will screen as part of the documentary centerpiece on March 31 and will be followed by a panel discussion with producer Caroline Hirsch and local leaders in the Jewish community.
Additional documentary centerpiece films include IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL directed by Alexandria Bombach.
Spotlight screenings will include Andrew Durham’s FAIRYLAND, which premiered at Sundance in January and stars Emilia Jones and Scoot McNairy; A24’s SHOWING UP, directed by Kelly Reichardt and starring Michelle Williams and Hong Chau; Daniel Goldhaber’s NEON heist film HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE; Magnolia Pictures and Paul Schrader’s MASTER GARDENER; and Sophie Barthes’ THE POD GENERATION starring Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Also Read: Jamie Lee Curtis Calls Oscar They/Them in Support of Her Trans Daughter, Ruby
The narrative feature competition will showcase KT Curran’s Bridge to the Other Side; Hlynur Pálmason’s Godland; Rebecca Zlotowski’s Other People’s Children, and Morrisa Maltz’s The Unknown Country.
The documentary feature competition will include AUM: THE CULT AT THE END OF THE WORLD, directed by Ben Braun & Chiaki Yanagimoto; HUMANITY STOKED directed by Michael Ien Cohen; INVISIBLE BEAUTY, directed by Bethann Hardison & Frédéric Tcheng; and THE CONSPIRACY, directed by Maxim Pozdorovkin.
The festival will also screen LATE BLOOMERS directed by Lisa Steen; PERFECTLY GOOD MOMENT directed by Lauren Greenhall; SHUDDERBUGS directed by Johanna Putnam; THE OTHER WIDOW directed by Ma’ayan Rypp as part of the Independent Visions Feature Competition.
In the features lineup, the festival will host the world premiere of PERFECTLY GOOD MOMENT. In the documentary lineup, the festival will screen the world premieres of HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES, LOSING GRIP, and UNFILTERED: THE TRUTH ABOUT OYSTERS.
More narrative films in the slate include François Ozon’s EVERYTHING WENT FINE, Lasse Hallström’s HILMA, Emanuele Crialese’s L’IMMENSITA, Lola Quivoron’s RODEO, Ray Romano’s SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS, and a restoration screening of Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 film PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC.
Documentary films in the 2023 slate also include Luke Lorentzen’s A STILL SMALL VOICE, Lisa Cortés’ LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING, Sean Mullin’s IT AIN’T OVER, Randy Martin’s KAREN CARPENTER: STARVING FOR PERFECTION, Lynn Marvin Dingfelder LA GACETA: 100 YEARS AND 3 GENERATIONS BEHIND AMERICA’S ONLY TRILINGUAL NEWSPAPER, Brian Lindstrom and Andy Brown’s LOST ANGEL: THE GENIUS JUDEE SILL, Jakub Piqtek’s PIANOFORTE, Jason Motlagh and Mark Oltmanns’ RIDERS ON THE STORM, Michael Rainin’s RUN, RAVEN, RUN, Hassan Amini’s STARTING FROM ZERO, Alejandro Alcala’s THE NEIGHBORHOOD STORYTELLER, Durand Adams & Charles Clapsaddle THROUGH THE TUNNEL, Deborah Kaufman & Alan Snitow’s TOWN DESTROYER, and Mystysalv Chernov’s 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL.
In addition to the previously announced music focus sidebar, SFF will also program an African American focus sidebar, an LGBTQ focus sidebar, a Jewish focus sidebar, and a sidebar on films directed by women. Additional programs announced include SFF Focus: Environment, SFF Focus: Architecture, and SFF Focus: Education. The festival also unveiled this year’s short film programs, including narrative competition shorts, international narrative competition shorts, documentary competition shorts, comedy shorts, coming together shorts, family connections shorts, nature/environment shorts, late night shorts, LGBTQ shorts, and Sarasota and Florida shorts.
This year’s narrative jury includes Mayor of Sarasota Kyle Battie, IndieWire’s executive managing editor Christian Blauvelt, and documentary filmmaker Alexandria Bombach. The documentary jury includes entertainment lawyer and partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz Victoria Cook, Hamptons International Film Festival executive director Anne Chaisson, and veteran public relations executive Katie Martin Kelley.
Tickets and passes for the 25th annual Sarasota Film Festival are now available here and at the festival’s in-person box office locations.
Here is the full 2023 lineup provided by the Sarasota Film Festival:
OPENING NIGHT FILM
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WITHOUT A NET
dir. Dawn Porter (USA), 2022
When the world shut down, its greatest Circus went into freefall. Within 48 hours Cirque du Soleil closed all its 44 shows; within a week it let 95% of its workforce go. Now, more than a year later, a group of world-class artists, athletes and crew at “O”, Cirque’s flagship production, face uncertainty as they prepare to bring their show back to life. With unprecedented access, this film documents their extraordinary journey as they attempt a return to stage after one of the world’s greatest crises.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Feature
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
ON A WING AND A PRAYER
dir. Sean McNamara (USA), 2023
In this extraordinary true story of faith and survival,On a Wing and a Prayer follows passenger
Doug White’s (Dennis Quaid) harrowing journey to safely land a plane and save his entire family
from insurmountable danger, after their pilot dies unexpectedly mid-flight.
DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE FILMS
GUMBO COALITION
dir. Barbara Kopple (USA), 2022
GUMBO COALITION takes us on an intimate – and sometimes humorous – journey into Marc Morial, NUL, and Janet Murguia, UnidosUS, lives, homes and the family histories that motivate their mission to achieve a more just and equitable country.
*Please note this film is also screening in the African American Focus Sidebar and the Directed by Women Sidebar
BEING MARY TYLER MOORE
dir. James Adolphus (USA), 2023
With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, BEING MARY TYLER MOORE chronicles
the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the
beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible
impact she had on generations of women who came after her.
INVISIBLE BEAUTY
dir. Bethann Hardison & Frédéric Tcheng (USA), 2023
Fashion revolutionary and model turned agent and activist Bethann Hardison knew that Black is beautiful well before the fashion industry acknowledged the truth. From walking runway shows alongside Iman to discovering supermodels like Tyson Beckford and mentoring icons like Naomi Campbell, Hardison has been at the epicenter of major representational shifts in fashion. Catalyzing change requires continuous championing, and as the next generation takes the reins, Hardison reflects on her personal journey and the cost of being a pioneer.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Feature Competition selection, and in the African American Focus Sidebar and the Directed by Women Sidebar
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL
East Coast Premiere
dir. Alexandria Bombach (USA), 2023
Blending 40 years of home movies, raw film archive, and intimate present-day verité, a poignant reflection from Amy Ray & Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls – the iconic folk rock duo. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar, the Directed by Women Sidebar, and the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar
JUDY BLUME FOREVER
dir. Davina Pardo & Leah Wolchok (USA), 2023
Generations of readers have found themselves in a Judy Blume book. Her name alone unleashes a flood of memories for anyone who’s gripped one of her many paperbacks. For decades, Blume’s radical honesty has comforted and captivated readers — and landed her at the center of controversy for her frankness about puberty and sex. Now the beloved American author candidly shares her own coming-of-age story.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
THE CONSPIRACY
dir. Maxim Pozdorovkin (USA), 2022
An animated film about the biggest lie ever told: Jews are plotting to take over the world. Behind the torch-bearing chants of “Jews will not replace us” is an age-old myth. As we follow this myth from the fringe to the mainstream, three Jewish families are made into scapegoats, their names forever linked to the notion that Jews are a monolithic group set on world domination.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Documentary Feature Competition and in the Jewish Focus Sidebar
SPOTLIGHT FEATURES
FAIRYLAND
East Coast Premiere
dir. Andrew Durham (USA), 2023
Following the sudden and tragic death of her mother, young Alysia is uprooted by her father Steve in the hopes to restart his life. They move to 1970s San Francisco where Steve develops his poetic and personal writing and begins to openly date men. Steve’s bohemian lifestyle clashes with the expectations of parenthood from both the outside world and Alysia herself, who occasionally wishes for less of the independence her father gives her. As Alysia grows into a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, their bonds and duty to each other are tested in painful and sudden ways.
*Please note this film is also screening in the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar
HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE
dir. Daniel Goldhabar (USA), 2022
A crew of young environmental activists execute a daring mission to sabotage an oil pipeline, in director Daniel Goldhaber’s taut and timely thriller that is part high-stakes heist, part radical exploration of the climate crisis. Based on the controversial book by Andreas Malm.
MASTER GARDENER
dir. Paul Schrader (USA), 2022
A meticulous horticulturist is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate owned by a wealthy dowager. When he’s told to take on her troubled great-niece as an apprentice, his life is thrown into chaos and dark secrets from his past emerge.
SHOWING UP
dir. Kelly Reichardt (USA), 2022
A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt’s vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
THE POD GENERATION
dir. Sophie Barthes (USA), 2023
A New York couple, Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor) live in a not-so-distant future where technology provides ever-more convenient living. A rising tech company executive, Rachel lands a coveted spot at the Womb Center, which offers couples a convenient (and shareable) maternity by way of detachable artificial wombs, or pods. But Alvy, a botanist with an affection for nature, prefers a natural pregnancy. And yet, as Rachel’s AI therapist puts it, why is that “natural”? So begins the tech-paved path to parenthood.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
BRIDGE TO THE OTHER SIDE
dir. KT Curran (USA), 2022
In a world that’s falling apart, a widow struggling with her own grief and self-destruction, fights to save young people struggling with a mental health crisis. Embedded with the fire department, she’s battling the men who don’t want her there, the clients who fight her tooth and nail, and her own wounded psyche. She wants to save the world, if the job doesn’t kill her first.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
GODLAND
dir. Hlynur Pálmason (Estonia), 2022
Lucas is a nineteenth century Danish priest who makes the perilous trek to Iceland’s southeastern coast with the intention of establishing a church. There, his resolve is tested as he confronts the harsh terrain, temptations of the flesh, and the reality of being an intruder in an unforgiving land. What unfolds is a transfixing journey into the heart of colonial darkness attuned to both the majesty and terrifying power of the natural world.
OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN
dir. Rebecca Zlotowski (France), 2022
A dedicated teacher forms a bond with her boyfriend’s young daughter, loving the family she’s found but fearing becoming an extra in her own life.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY
dir. Morrisa Maltz (USA), 2022
An unexpected invitation rushes a grieving young woman into a lonely road trip through the American Midwest towards the border between Texas and Mexico.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
AUM: THE CULT AT THE END OF THE WORLD
East Coast Premiere
dir. Ben Braun & Chiaki Yanagimoto (USA), 2023
Aum Shinrikyo is a doomsday cult that became infamous for carrying out a deadly sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system in 1995
HUMANITY STOKED
dir. Michael Ien Cohen (USA), 2022
World-famous skateboarders, scientists, artists, musicians, activists and educators, share experiences and perspectives shaped by their love of skateboarding.
INVISIBLE BEAUTY
dir. Bethann Hardison & Frédéric Tcheng (USA), 2023
This documentary profiles fashion revolutionary and activist Bethann Hardison, who championed the idea that Black is beautiful long before the fashion industry caught up.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection
THE CONSPIRACY
dir. Maxim Pozdorovkin (USA), 2022
An animated film about the biggest lie ever told: Jews are plotting to take over the world. Behind the torch-bearing chants of “Jews will not replace us” is an age-old myth. As we follow this myth from the fringe to the mainstream, three Jewish families are made into scapegoats, their names forever linked to the notion that Jews are a monolithic group set on world domination.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection
INDEPENDENT VISIONS FEATURE COMPETITION
LATE BLOOMERS
East Coast Premiere
dir. Lisa Steen (USA), 2023
An aimless 28 year-old Brooklynite lands in the hospital after drunkenly breaking her hip being stupid. An encounter with a cranky elderly Polish woman who speaks no English leads to a job caring for her. Neither likes it, but it’s time to grow up
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
PERFECTLY GOOD MOMENT
World Premiere
dir. Lauren Greenhall (USA), 2023
This erotic, psychological revenge fantasy asks the question what happens when the things that make your relationship passionate and exciting are the same things that make it toxic
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
SHUDDERBUGS
dir.Johanna Putnam (USA), 2022
Shutterbugs is a meditative and well-acted film focused on a woman’s pursuit of the mysteries that abound in her childhood home after her mother suddenly dies.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
THE OTHER WIDOW
dir. Ma’ayan Rypp (Israel), 2022
Israeli filmmaker Ma’ayan Rypp’s debut feature is a poignant and elegant film about a theater costume designer Ella who learns her lover, the playwright of the play she is part of, has died suddenly.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Jewish Focus Sidebar and in the Directed by Women Sidebar
NARRATIVE FEATURES
EVERYTHING WENT FINE
dir. François Ozon (FRANCE), 2021
Everything Went Fine finds veteran director François Ozon tackling a complex subject, assisted dying, with intelligence and sensitivity.
HILMA
East Coast Premiere
dir. Lasse Hallström (Sweden), 2022
A story about Hilma during her early life and ends today; when her art connects with people of all religions and cultures. Just as she intended.
L’IMMENSITA
dir. Emanuele Crialese (Italy), 2022
Clara (Penélope Cruz) and Felice struggle to raise their three children in 1970s Rome. Their trans son Andrew yearns for another life, escaping into his own imagination to defuse family tensions in this creative and moving film about growing up and breaking the mold.
*Please note this film is also screening in the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar
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.
PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC
dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer (France), 1928
Danish master Carl Theodore Dryer’s great silent masterpiece portrays the trial and execution of French martyr Joan of Arc, using real transcripts from her trial, shown in a stunning restored version.
RODEO
dir. Lola Quivoron (France), 2022
After a chance meeting at an illicit ‘Rodeo’ where riders show off their bikes and stunts, Julia strives to prove herself to a volatile, ultra-masculine clique, performing cons and surviving by her wits.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS
dir. Ray Romano (USA), 2022
When his son’s chance at a life-changing basketball scholarship is jeopardized, Leo risks everything, including ties with his overbearing Italian-American family, to give his son a shot at a different life.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES
World Premiere
dir. Sam Shahid (USA), 2023
George Platt Lynes began his career photographing celebrities, and it’s those portraits along with his extravagant fashion work that he’s best remembered for today. However, George’s heart, his passion, and his greatest talent lay elsewhere, in his work with the male nude. This work, sensuous and radically explicit for its time, has only recently begun being fully discovered and appreciated for the revolution that it represents — a man capturing his fantasies as a gift, a window to a future his camera saw coming before anyone else. From visionary art director Sam Shahid, HIDDEN MASTER features a stunning collection of photography from the 1930s-50s, uncovering the life of Lynes less known: his gifted eye for the male form, his longterm friendships with Gertrude Stein and Alfred Kinsey, and his lasting influence as one of the first openly gay American artists.
*Please note the film is also screening in the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar
A STILL SMALL VOICE
East Coast Premiere
dir.Luke Lorentzen (USA), 2023
Mati is a chaplain completing a year-long hospital residency. Through her experiences with her patients, her struggle with professional burnout, and her own spiritual questioning, we gain new perspectives on how meaningful connection can be and how painful its absence is.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Jewish Focus Sidebar
THE GRAB
dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite (USA) 2022
The director of award winning doc Blackfish returns with a killer story about the next frontier of
international conflict — the fight for dominance over the world’s diminishing food and water supply.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
FIORETTA
Sneak Preview
dir. Matthew Mishory (USA), 2023
An evening with Randy Schoenberg featuring a sneak preview screening of Matthew Mishory’s FIORETTA. Randy Schoenberg (grandson of the famous composer) and his 18-year-old son Joey journey through Europe and the centuries to reclaim 500 years of family history.
*Please note the film is also screening as a Jewish Focus Sidebar
IT AIN’T OVER
dir. Sean Mullin (USA), 2022
An intimate portrait of a misunderstood American icon, this emotional and uplifting documentary about Yogi Berra takes us beyond the caricatures and “Yogisms,” and into the heart of a sports legend.
KAREN CARPENTER: STARVING FOR PERFECTION
East Coast Premiere
dir. Vivian Kleiman (USA), 2021
This new documentary provides new insight into pop superstar Karen Carpenter’s tragically short life and enduring musical legacy.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar
LA GACETA: 100 YEARS AND 3 GENERATIONS BEHIND AMERICA’S ONLY TRILINGUAL NEWSPAPER
dir. Lynn Marvin Dingfelder (USA), 2022
For the past 100 years, Tampa has been a melting pot of latin cultures and La Gaceta has preserved and chronicled all of it.
LOSING GRIP
World Premiere
dir. Steven Nye (USA), 2023
Losing Grip details Shane Wiskus’ gymnastic journey to his Olympic goal, trying to overcome challenges with injuries, COVID, and Title IX-related program cuts.
LOST ANGEL: THE GENIUS OF JUDEE SILL
dir. Brian Lindstrom & Andy Brown (USA), 2022
The tragic story of the very talented spiritual musician Judee Sill who didn’t make in LA’s 70’s music scene while other talented musicians did.
PIANOFORTE
East Coast Premiere
dir. Jakub Piqtek (Poland), 2023
An intimate coming-of-age portrait of young pianists taking part in the legendary International Chopin Piano Competition.
RIDERS ON THE STORM
East Coast Premiere
dir. Jason Motlagh & Mark Oltmanns (Austria), 2023
Riders on the Storm captures a pivotal moment in Afghan history offering a rare and visceral look at a ruthless sports culture where champions become marked men.
RUN, RAVEN, RUN
dir. Michael Rainin (USA), 2023
Despite a historical legacy that dealt the dark cards of slavery, holocaust and poverty, music has always been the winning hand for Gypsy survival.
STARTING FROM ZERO
dir. Hassan Amini (USA), 2023
Following the plight of 3 refugees escaping the Taliban after the U.S. military’s sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
THE NEIGHBORHOOD STORYTELLER
dir. Alejandra Alcala (UAE), 2022
desperate vacant lives are changed by joining a group focused on reading and telling stories. Asmaa the leader of the group is a “neighborhood storyteller” who like the young girls she guides was destined to a life of desperation before she found the courage to become a unique educator.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
THROUGH THE TUNNEL
dir. Durand Adams & Charles Clapsaddle (USA), 2010
Through the Tunnel gives a glimpse of the transition from the segregated to integrated school systems of the 1960’s in Manatee County Florida.
TOWN DESTROYER
dir. Deborah Kaufman & Alan Snitow (USA), 2022
A high profile battle erupts over images of African American slaves and Native Americans in New Deal-era murals at George Washington High School in San Francisco, leading to a passionate outpouring of activism and opinions about art, history, and racial reckoning in America.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
dir. Mstsylav Chernov (Ukraine), 2023
20 Days in Mariupol is a gripping documentary that follows a team of Ukrainian journalists from The Associated Press as they document the atrocities of the Russian invasion in the besieged city of Mariupol.
AFRICAN AMERICAN FOCUS SIDEBAR
INVISIBLE BEAUTY
dir. Bethann Hardison & Frédéric Tcheng (USA), 2023
Fashion revolutionary and model turned agent and activist Bethann Hardison knew that Black is beautiful well before the fashion industry acknowledged the truth. From walking runway shows alongside Iman to discovering supermodels like Tyson Beckford and mentoring icons like Naomi Campbell, Hardison has been at the epicenter of major representational shifts in fashion. Catalyzing change requires continuous championing, and as the next generation takes the reins, Hardison reflects on her personal journey and the cost of being a pioneer.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection and in the Documentary Feature Competition.
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING
dir. Lisa Cortés (USA), 2023
This celebration of Little Richard reveals the Black queer origins of rock ’n’ roll, finally exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Through archival and performance footage, the revolutionary icon’s life unspools with all of its switchbacks and contradictions.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar, the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar, and the Directed by Women Sidebar
LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER
East Coast Premiere
dir. Roger Ross Williams & Brooklyn Sudano (USA), 2023
Shaped by Summer’s own reflections, the memories of close family, friends and colleagues, and filled with the sounds of Summer’s songs, LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER is an in-depth look at the iconic artist as she creates music that takes her from the avant-garde music scene in Germany, to the glitter and bright lights of dance clubs in New York, to worldwide acclaim, her voice and artistry becoming the defining soundtrack of an era. A deeply personal portrait of Summer on and off the stage, the film features a wealth of photographs and never-before-seen home video footage – often shot by Summer herself – and provides a rich window into the surprising range of her artistry, from songwriting to painting, while exploring the highs and lows of a life lived on the global stage.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar and the Directed by Women Sidebar
THROUGH THE TUNNEL ANNIVERSARY
dir. Durand Adams & Charles Clapsaddle (USA), 2010
Through the Tunnel gives a glimpse of the transition from the segregated to integrated school systems of the 1960’s in Manatee County Florida.
GUMBO COALITION
dir. Barbara Kopple (USA), 2022
GUMBO COALITION takes us on an intimate – and sometimes humorous – journey into Marc Morial, NUL, and Janet Murguia, UnidosUS, lives, homes and the family histories that motivate their mission to achieve a more just and equitable country.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection
FAUBOURG TREME: THE UNTOLD STORY OF NEW ORLEANS
dir. Dawn Logsdon (USA) 2008
One community’s epic struggle for racial equality – from
slave revolts and underground free black antebellum resistance, through the challenges of post-Katrina rebuilding today – all set to a fabulous soundtrack of New Orleans music through the ages.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
MUSIC FOCUS SIDEBAR
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL
East Coast Premiere
dir. Alexandria Bombach (USA), 2023
Blending 40 years of home movies, raw film archive, and intimate present-day verité, a poignant reflection from Amy Ray & Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls – the iconic folk rock duo. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING
dir. Lisa Cortés (USA), 2023
This celebration of Little Richard reveals the Black queer origins of rock ’n’ roll, finally exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Through archival and performance footage, the revolutionary icon’s life unspools with all of its switchbacks and contradictions.
*Please note this film is also screening in the African American Focus Sidebar, and the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar, and the Directed by Women Sidebar,
LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER
East Coast Premiere
dir. Roger Ross Williams & Brooklyn Sudano (USA), 2023
Shaped by Summer’s own reflections, the memories of close family, friends and colleagues, and filled with the sounds of Summer’s songs, LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER is an in-depth look at the iconic artist as she creates music that takes her from the avant-garde music scene in Germany, to the glitter and bright lights of dance clubs in New York, to worldwide acclaim, her voice and artistry becoming the defining soundtrack of an era. A deeply personal portrait of Summer on and off the stage, the film features a wealth of photographs and never-before-seen home video footage – often shot by Summer herself – and provides a rich window into the surprising range of her artistry, from songwriting to painting, while exploring the highs and lows of a life lived on the global stage.
*Please note this film is also screening in the African American Focus Sidebar and the Directed by Women Sidebar
LOST ANGEL: THE GENIUS OF JUDEE SILL
dir. Andy Brown & Brian Lindstrom (USA) 2022
The tragic story of the very talented spiritual musician Judee Sill who didn’t make in LA’s 70’s music scene while other talented musicians did.
PIANOFORTE
East Coast Premiere
dir. Jakub Piqtek (Poland), 2023
An intimate coming-of-age portrait of young pianists taking part in the legendary International Chopin Piano Competition
THE SECRET SONG
dir. Samantha Campbell (USA), 2022
Story of an inspiring music teacher Doug Goodkin’s fabled 45-year career teaching children in San Francisco.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
RUN, RAVEN, RUN
dir. Michael Rainin (USA), 2023
Despite a historical legacy that dealt the dark cards of slavery, holocaust and poverty, music has always been the winning hand for Gypsy survival.
KAREN CARPENTER: STARVING FOR PERFECTION
East Coast Premiere
dir. Vivian Kleiman (USA), 2021
This new documentary provides new insight into pop superstar Karen Carpenter’s tragically short life and enduring musical legacy.
LGBTQ FOCUS SIDEBAR
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL
East Coast Premiere
dir. Alexandria Bombach (USA), 2023
Blending 40 years of home movies, raw film archive, and intimate present-day verité, a poignant reflection from Amy Ray & Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls – the iconic folk rock duo. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection and in the Music Focus Sidebar, the Directed by Women Sidebar
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING
dir. Lisa Cortés (USA), 2023
This celebration of Little Richard reveals the Black queer origins of rock ’n’ roll, finally exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Through archival and performance footage, the revolutionary icon’s life unspools with all of its switchbacks and contradictions.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar and the African American Focus Sidebar
FAIRYLAND
East Coast Premiere
dir. Andrew Durham (USA), 2023
Following the sudden and tragic death of her mother, young Alysia is uprooted by her father Steve in the hopes to restart his life. They move to 1970s San Francisco where Steve develops his poetic and personal writing and begins to openly date men. Steve’s bohemian lifestyle clashes with the expectations of parenthood from both the outside world and Alysia herself, who occasionally wishes for less of the independence her father gives her. As Alysia grows into a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, their bonds and duty to each other are tested in painful and sudden ways.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Spotlight Feature
L’IMMENSITA
dir. Emanuele Crialese (Italy), 2022
Clara (Penélope Cruz) and Felice struggle to raise their three children in 1970s Rome. Their trans son Andrew yearns for another life, escaping into his own imagination to defuse family tensions in this creative and moving film about growing up and breaking the mold.
HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES
World Premiere
dir. Sam Shahid (USA), 2023
George Platt Lynes began his career photographing celebrities, and it’s those portraits along with his extravagant fashion work that he’s best remembered for today. However, George’s heart, his passion, and his greatest talent lay elsewhere, in his work with the male nude. This work, sensuous and radically explicit for its time, has only recently begun being fully discovered and appreciated for the revolution that it represents — a man capturing his fantasies as a gift, a window to a future his camera saw coming before anyone else. From visionary art director Sam Shahid, HIDDEN MASTER features a stunning collection of photography from the 1930s-50s, uncovering the life of Lynes less known: his gifted eye for the male form, his longterm friendships with Gertrude Stein and Alfred Kinsey, and his lasting influence as one of the first openly gay American artists.
JEWISH FOCUS SIDEBAR
A STILL SMALL VOICE
East Coast Premiere
dir.Luke Lorentzen (USA), 2023
Mati is a chaplain completing a year-long hospital residency. Through her experiences with her patients, her struggle with professional burnout, and her own spiritual questioning, we gain new perspectives on how meaningful connection can be and how painful its absence is.
THE CONSPIRACY
dir. Maxim Pozdorovkin (USA), 2022
An animated film about the biggest lie ever told: Jews are plotting to take over the world. Behind the torch-bearing chants of “Jews will not replace us” is an age-old myth. As we follow this myth from the fringe to the mainstream, three Jewish families are made into scapegoats, their names forever linked to the notion that Jews are a monolithic group set on world domination.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection and in the Documentary Feature Competition
FIORETTA
Sneak Preview
dir. Matthew Mishory (USA), 2023
An evening with Randy Schoenberg featuring a sneak preview screening of Matthew Mishory’s FIORETTA. Randy Schoenberg (grandson of the famous composer) and his 18-year-old son Joey journey through Europe and the centuries to reclaim 500 years of family history.
THE OTHER WIDOW
dir. Ma’ayan Rypp (Israel), 2022
Israeli filmmaker Ma’ayan Rypp’s debut feature is a poignant and elegant film about a theater costume designer Ella who learns her lover, the playwright of the play she is part of has died suddenly.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Independent Visions Feature Competition
DIRECTED BY WOMEN SIDEBAR FEATURES
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WITHOUT A NET
dir. Dawn Porter (USA), 2022
When the world shut down, its greatest Circus went into freefall. Within 48 hours Cirque du Soleil closed all its 44 shows; within a week it let 95% of its workforce go. Now, more than a year later, a group of world-class artists, athletes and crew at “O”, Cirque’s flagship production, face uncertainty as they prepare to bring their show back to life. With unprecedented access, this film documents their extraordinary journey as they attempt a return to stage after one of the world’s greatest crises.
*Please note this is screening as the Opening Night selection
INVISIBLE BEAUTY
dir. Bethann Hardison & Frédéric Tcheng (USA), 2023
Fashion revolutionary and model turned agent and activist Bethann Hardison knew that Black is beautiful well before the fashion industry acknowledged the truth. From walking runway shows alongside Iman to discovering supermodels like Tyson Beckford and mentoring icons like Naomi Campbell, Hardison has been at the epicenter of major representational shifts in fashion. Catalyzing change requires continuous championing, and as the next generation takes the reins, Hardison reflects on her personal journey and the cost of being a pioneer.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection and in the African American Focus Sidebar and the Documentary Feature Competition.
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL
East Coast Premiere
dir. Alexandria Bombach (USA), 2023
Blending 40 years of home movies, raw film archive, and intimate present-day verité, a poignant reflection from Amy Ray & Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls – the iconic folk rock duo. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection and in the Music Focus Sidebar
JUDY BLUME FOREVER
dir. Davina Pardo & Leah Wolchok (USA), 2023
Generations of readers have found themselves in a Judy Blume book. Her name alone unleashes a flood of memories for anyone who’s gripped one of her many paperbacks. For decades, Blume’s radical honesty has comforted and captivated readers — and landed her at the center of controversy for her frankness about puberty and sex. Now the beloved American author candidly shares her own coming-of-age story.
*Please note the film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING
dir. Lisa Cortés (USA), 2023
This celebration of Little Richard reveals the Black queer origins of rock ’n’ roll, finally exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music. Through archival and performance footage, the revolutionary icon’s life unspools with all of its switchbacks and contradictions.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar, the African American Focus Sidebar, and the LGBTQ Focus Sidebar
LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER
East Coast Premiere
dir. Roger Ross Williams & Brooklyn Sudano (USA), 2023
Shaped by Summer’s own reflections, the memories of close family, friends and colleagues, and filled with the sounds of Summer’s songs, LOVE TO LOVE YOU, DONNA SUMMER is an in-depth look at the iconic artist as she creates music that takes her from the avant-garde music scene in Germany, to the glitter and bright lights of dance clubs in New York, to worldwide acclaim, her voice and artistry becoming the defining soundtrack of an era. A deeply personal portrait of Summer on and off the stage, the film features a wealth of photographs and never-before-seen home video footage – often shot by Summer herself – and provides a rich window into the surprising range of her artistry, from songwriting to painting, while exploring the highs and lows of a life lived on the global stage.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar and the African American Focus Sidebar
OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN
dir. Rebecca Zlotowski (France), 2022
A dedicated teacher forms a bond with her boyfriend’s young daughter, loving the family she’s found but fearing becoming an extra in her own life.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Narrative Feature Competition
SHOWING UP
dir. Kelly Reichardt (USA), 2022
A sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt’s vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art and craft.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Spotlight Feature
THE POD GENERATION
dir. Sophie Barthes (USA), 2023
A New York couple, Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor) live in a not-so-distant future where technology provides ever-more convenient living. A rising tech company executive, Rachel lands a coveted spot at the Womb Center, which offers couples a convenient (and shareable) maternity by way of detachable artificial wombs, or pods. But Alvy, a botanist with an affection for nature, prefers a natural pregnancy. And yet, as Rachel’s AI therapist puts it, why is that “natural”? So begins the tech-paved path to parenthood.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Spotlight Feature
BRIDGE TO THE OTHER SIDE
dir. KT Curran (USA), 2022
In a world that’s falling apart, a widow struggling with her own grief and self-destruction, fights to save young people struggling with a mental health crisis. Embedded with the fire department, she’s battling the men who don’t want her there, the clients who fight her tooth and nail, and her own wounded psyche. She wants to save the world, if the job doesn’t kill her first.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Narrative Feature Competition
THE GRAB
dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite (USA) 2022
The director of award winning doc Blackfish returns with a killer story about the next frontier of
international conflict — the fight for dominance over the world’s diminishing food and water supply.
PERFECTLY GOOD MOMENT
World Premiere
dir. Lauren Greenhall (USA), 2023
This erotic, psychological revenge fantasy asks the question what happens when the things that make your relationship passionate and exciting are the same things that make it toxic.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Independent Visions Features Competition
RADIOACTIVE: THE WOMEN OF THREE MILE ISLAND
dir. Heidi Hutner & Martijn Hart (USA), 2022.
A riveting dramatic telling of the long term devastation as a result of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Accident of 1978, the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history, focusing on four women.
*Please note the film is also screening in the SFF Focus: Environment program
SHUDDERBUGS
dir.Johanna Putnam (USA), 2022
Shutterbugs is a meditative and well-acted film focused on a woman’s pursuit of the mysteries that abound in her childhood home after her mother suddenly dies.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Independent Visions Features Competition
THE SECRET SONG
dir. Samantha Campbell (USA), 2022
Story of an inspiring music teacher Doug Goodkin’s fabled 45-year career teaching children in San Francisco.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Music Focus Sidebar
STARTING FROM ZERO
dir. Hassan Amini (USA), 2023
Following the plight of 3 refugees escaping the Taliban after the U.S. military’s sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD STORYTELLER
dir. Alejandra Alcala (UAE), 2022
desperate vacant lives are changed by joining a group focused on reading and telling stories. Asmaa the leader of the group is a “neighborhood storyteller” who like the young girls she guides was destined to a life of desperation before she found the courage to become a unique educator.
THE OTHER WIDOW
dir. Ma’ayan Rypp (Israel), 2022
Israeli filmmaker Ma’ayan Rypp’s debut feature is a poignant and elegant film about a theater costume designer Ella who learns her lover, the playwright of the play she is part of, has died suddenly.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Jewish Focus Sidebar and in the Independent Visions Features Competition
KING COAL
dir. Elaine McMillion Shelton (USA), 2023
The cultural roots of coal continue to permeate the rituals of daily life in Appalachia even as its economic power wanes. The journey of a coal miner’s daughter exploring the region’s dreams and myths, untangling the pain and beauty.
TOWN DESTROYER
dir. Deborah Kaufman & Alan Snitow (USA), 2022
A high profile battle erupts over images of African American slaves and Native Americans in New Deal-era murals at George Washington High School in San Francisco, leading to a passionate outpouring of activism and opinions about art, history, and racial reckoning in America.
GUMBO COALITION
dir. Barbara Kopple (USA), 2022
GUMBO COALITION takes us on an intimate – and sometimes humorous – journey into Marc Morial, NUL, and Janet Murguia, UnidosUS, lives, homes and the family histories that motivate their mission to achieve a more just and equitable country.
*Please note this film is also screening as a Documentary Centerpiece selection and in the African American Focus Sidebar
RODEO
dir. Lola Quivoron (France), 2022
After a chance meeting at an illicit ‘Rodeo’ where riders show off their bikes and stunts, Julia strives to prove herself to a volatile, ultra-masculine clique, performing cons and surviving by her wits.
THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY
dir. Morrisa Maltz (USA), 2022
An unexpected invitation rushes a grieving young woman into a lonely road trip through the American Midwest towards the border between Texas and Mexico.
*Please note this film is also screening in the Narrative Feature Competition
LATE BLOOMERS
East Coast Premiere
dir. Lisa Steen (USA), 2023
An aimless 28 year-old Brooklynite lands in the hospital after drunkenly breaking her hip being stupid. An encounter with a cranky elderly Polish woman who speaks no English leads to a job caring for her. Neither likes it, but it’s time to grow up
*Please note this film is also screening in the Independent Visions Features Competition
FAUBOURG TREME: THE UNTOLD STORY OF NEW ORLEANS
dir. Dawn Logsdon (USA) 2008
One community’s epic struggle for racial equality – from
slave revolts and underground free black antebellum resistance, through the challenges of post-Katrina rebuilding today – all set to a fabulous soundtrack of New Orleans music through the ages.
*Please note this film is also screening in the African American Focus Sidebar
SFF FOCUS: ENVIRONMENT
EARTHBOUND: NZAMBI MATEE
dir. Farhoud Meybodi (Japan), 2023
Ms. Matee, is a dynamic Nairobi native who takes plastic waste and produces building blocks. Her sheer enthusiasm, faith and ability to forge forward in the face of adversity is a revelation of positive energy.
PATH OF THE PANTHER
dir. Eric Bendick (USA), 2022
An incredible story of the efforts taken to protect the panther and other wildlife environments in the Florida Everglades areas.
RADIOACTIVE: THE WOMEN OF THREE MILE ISLAND
dir. Heidi Hutner & Martijn Hart (USA), 2022.
A riveting dramatic telling of the long term devastation as a result of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Accident of 1978, the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history, focusing on four women.
*Please note the film is also screening in the Directed by Women Sidebar
UNFILTERED: THE TRUTH ABOUT OYSTERS
World Premiere
dir. Joshua Bryan McLawhorn (USA), 2023.
This Florida documentary focuses on Oyster development, demise and its latest efforts of resurgence in Apalachicola Bay. Well documented, in no ways “preachy”, the filmmakers give us an honest view of the ecological reality surrounding us in our waterways here in Florida through the oysters story. Elizabeth Moore involved in production.
SFF FOCUS: ARCHITECTURE
CONCRETE LANDSCAPE
dir. Luiz Ferraz & Laura Artigas (Brazil), 2022
Concrete Landscape presents the portuguese architect alvaro siza through his relationship with brazil, including his family roots in belém and investigating his only work in the country, the building of ibere camargo institution, located in Porto Alegre.
LA CLARIDAD
dir. Dave Simonds (USA), 2023
A recent restoration of a 1924 Spanish Revival house reveals an amazing history of Palm Beach and the wider South Florida region.
SFF FOCUS: EDUCATIONS
SENTENCED
dir. Connor Martin & Mark Allen Johnson (USA), 2023
Sentenced is an effective and riveting focus on childhood illiteracy and the devastating future life it produces.
THE SECRET SONG
dir. Samantha Campbell (USA), 2022
Story of an inspiring music teacher Doug Goodkin’s fabled 45-year career teaching children in San Francisco
US NARRATIVE COMPETITION SHORTS
BAILA CONMIGO
dir. Tristan Anthony Ortiz (USA), 2023
Teenage Puerto Rican-American, Daniel Rosa, discovers a tragic truth about his family his world and identity gets flipped upside down, posing the question of who he wants to be and who he should be.
BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES
dir. Lisa Cole (USA), 2023
The timely story of Imani, a Nigerian single-mother living in Los Angeles, who offers to help a perfect stranger reunite with her son. In doing so, Imani learns this simple act of kindness threatens to jeopardize her own path to citizenship.
INÉS UNFORTUNATELY
dir. Anna Salinas (USA), 2023
After getting her heart broken, Inés decides she must end it all… that is, until her perfectly planned suicide is interrupted by the ghost of her chatty Cuban neighbor.
SPARRING PARTNER
dir. J.J. Kandel (USA), 2023
When a long flirtation between two co-workers comes to a head durning a revealing lunch break in the park, who gets to walk away with their head held high?
THE LAST RUNG
dir. Styles Summerlin (USA), 2023
In this Stephen King story adaptation, Larry deals with his sister’s disappearance, and discovers what he is, and isn’t responsible for, as he searches for her.
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
ALL THAT YOU LOVE
dir. Warren Duncan (Australia), 2023
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.
ASTROMAN
dir. Alistair Simpson (Canada), 2022
A highly competent and skilled astronaut Lukas, is fighting for his chance to pilot the final space shuttle mission. When his deaf nephew is left at his home, Lukas must find common ground between finishing his project and reconnecting with his family, which he has neglected.
A ROADSIDE BANQUET
dir. Peiqi Peng (USA), 2023
One day in 2016 China after the abolishment of the One Child Policy, 11-year-old Mai attends her baby brother’s first birthday party and learns a crushing truth: her parents never really wanted a girl. What’s worse–she starts turning into a feather duster.
HUMAN
dir. Khachatur Vasilian (Armenia), 2022
A man wakes up naked in a field. There is nothing and no one around, just a lonely lighthouse and a tree. The man runs there for answers.
THE RED SUITCASE
dir. Cyrus Nsdhvad (Luxembourg), 2023
An Iranian girl decides to remove her Headscarf/Hijab in a life changing situation.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION SHORTS
DISPLACED
dir. Gil Cates Jr. (USA), 2023
The heartbreaking story about the Kovalchuk family, who were among the first refugees to arrive in America after fleeing Ukraine at the start of the Russian invasion.
HIDDEN GEMS
dir. Marquis Dawsey (USA and France), 2023.
Hidden Gems delves into the unique challenges of African American male business owners, highlighting their resilience and determination to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
IMALRIJIT
dir. Vincent L’Hérault & Tim Anaviapik Soucie (Canada), 2021.
The inspired journey of a young Inuit community researcher.
SAVED BY LOVE
dir. Valentyn Arden & Zack Furnari (USA, Ukraine), 2023.
To create a family, an American couple must navigate the process of adopting a child from the Ukraine while also overcoming societal pressures surrounding their sexuality.
WAVES APART
dir. Josh Greene (USA), 2023.
After moving from a Chicago Jewish community to a small California surf town, Josh faced bullying and anti-semitism as a middle schooler, prompting him to find an escape in surfing.
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.
COMEDY SHORTS
CLINICAL
dir. Lauren Ciaravalli (USA) 2023
After meeting in their therapist’s office, two women battling their own mental health issues form an unlikely friendship when one helps the other confront a pregnancy scare.
CONTAGIOUS SWAGGER
dir. Calvin Callins Jr.,(USA), 2023
Contagious Swagger is a romantic comedy film about a Black young man visiting his Asian girlfriends’ parents house for dinner for the first time. His Air Jordan footwear could be the answer to solve a dramatic forbidden love story.
ICE CREAM, SLADOLED
dir. Steve Spermo (USA), 2021
A Day in the Life of a recent immigrant, where no one understands anyone else, and a trip to buy ice cream triggers a series of absurd misadventures.
SCAM
dir. Julie Sharbutt (USA), 2023
When a phone scammer makes one last late night call, the woman on the other end gives her much more than she bargained for.
THE SPERM DONOR
dir. Alana McNair (USA), 2023
Edwin, a middle-aged high school English teacher, finds some excitement in his mundane existence when he discovers through a DNA website that his sperm donations in college have resulted in a son.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS SHORTS
A BROTHER STORY
dir. Hunter Sansone (USA), 2022
In this coming of age drama, 10 year old Max evades the harsh realities of the world around him by escaping to his hidden oasis in the woods with his older brother Jack.
COUNSELING
dir. Colin Konstanty (USA), 2022.
A boy mourns the loss of his departed sister as her spirit remains his only sense of comfort or friendship as he navigates a tumultuous home life and adolescence. He imagines her as Lucy from Charlie Brown offering the counseling he desperately needs.
DARK MOON
dir. Katie Mathews (USA), 2023.
A daughter comes home for the weekend to look after her father, ailing with dementia. The appearance of a mysterious woman shines a light on their changing parent-child power dynamic, threatening to throw their world out of orbit.
KAY’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT
dir. Brian Bolster (USA), 2023.
Kay’s doctor’s appointment was routine. The drive home wasn’t. But, what may not be remembered about the route home, was offset by the insights gained…and the comfort of knowing that guardian angels, may just be looking out for us all.
OCTOBER MOURNING
dir. Frederick Thorton (USA), 2022.
Henry, a black man grieving the unexpected loss of his father, finds himself regretting all the conversations they never had, when an opportunity arises for them to talk one final time.
THE HOPE CHEST HAS A SECRET DRAWER
dir. Laura Frenzer (USA), 2023
What happens when you forget to forget? A stressed daughter working tirelessly to reach her mother lost in an Alzheimer’s haze accidentally uncovers a dark family secret.
THOSE WE CARRY
dir. Rachel Borders (USA), 2023
A snapshot of a mother and daughter’s last 24 hours together as they travel to the wilderness of California so the mother, who’s terminally ill, can die with dignity.
SOIL
dir. Sam Lembeck (USA), 2023
A young man tries to grow an oak tree by combining soil, an acorn, and the ashes of his dead father.
LGBTQ SHORTS
HOW TO CARRY WATER
dir. Sasha Wortzel (USA), 2023.
This punk rock fairytale doubles as a portrait of Shoog McDaniel — a fat, queer, and disabled photographer working in and around northern Florida’s vast network of freshwater springs.
HUMAN
dir. Khachatur Vasilian (Armenia, Ukraine), 2022.
A man wakes up naked in a field. There is nothing and no one around, just a lonely lighthouse and a tree. The man runs there for answers.
LAVENDER
dir. Jorge Garcia (USA), 2023.
Lavender follows Willi, a young queer man living in central Florida. Willi’s world is shattered by the mysterious disappearance of his love, Hector.
INÉS UNFORTUNATELY
dir. Anna Salinas (USA), 2022.
After getting her heart broken, Inés decides she must end it all… that is, until her perfectly planned suicide is interrupted by the ghost of her chatty Cuban neighbor.
COMING TOGETHER DOCUMENTARIES
AN ISLAND DRIFTS
dir. Vivian lp (Singapore), 2021.
Set in Singapore, a young teacher presses for the truth from a maladjusted student, the act leads to devastating results and they suffer the ignominy of losing everything that matters to them. The story holds a mirror up to society, where a mistake can derail a life in an overly pressurized world.
BELOW SURFACE
dir. Lukas Hauser (USA), 2023.
Below Surface gathers numerous moving stories of a multicultural and multigenerational Aquafit class to demonstrate how kindness and caring for others, combined with exercise, can be an antidote for grief, stress, and physical illness.
GOOD THINGS WILL COME / NO HAY MAL QUE POR BIEN NO VENGA
dir. Janelle Bosek (USA), 2023.
Faced with immigrating to the US from Cuba alone as children – via a sprogram called Operation Pedro Pan – this documentary follows two former “Pedro Paners” who agreed to share their insights and contemplations on the impact this event had on their lives.
BEYOND THE ROPES
dir. Jalen Robinson (USA), 2022.
Taking a “break from adulting” to play old childhood games can be an exciting, affordable way to improve physical, mental and spiritual health, while encouraging and inspiring women in an often overlooked age group to relive positive childhood memories and create new ones.
THE CAMP POPLAR CANNON
dir. Karl Edgar Swingle (USA), 2023.
A young Sioux woman, a local history enthusiast, and an antiques weapons expert, work together to restore a Civil War era cannon and build a small museum exhibit.
NATURE/ENVIRONMENT SHORTS
FINDING PEACE: THE STORY OF CLIFF KENT
dir. Drew Rasmus (USA), 2022
This film recounts the harrowing story of Cliff Kent, Michael Caligiuri and Joesph Breck and their fateful night off the coast of Santa Cruz Island.
LET’S MAKE IT
dir. Caleb Matthew Duplain (USA), 2023.
A nashville based designer explores parenting creativity into his children with woodworking projects.
PAGOSA IS MY NAME
dir. Darryl Saffer (USA), 2021.
A documentary the eyes of the San Juan Mountains, and in particular, Pagosa Peak.
THE WHEAT HARVEST
dir. Paul Dechant (USA), 2022.
The rhythms of a typical day during the summer wheat harvest in Kansas.
LATE NIGHT SHORTS
BEROOK
dir. Andreas Johansson (Sweden), 2023
Berook, a man in his fifties, whose life as a homeless person in Stockholm’s inner city is largely characterized by a search for identity.
CHIPPER
dir. Shaun MacLean (Spain), 2022.
After receiving a mysterious letter, a wayward son returns to his childhood home to wrestle with a dark family secret.
GUTTER
dir. Theodore Drusba (Canada), 2023
While in the crosshair of a thunderstorm, a pregnant woman, a businessman and a widower find shelter in a bowling alley.
MICKEY DOGFACE
dir. Zach Fleming (USA), 2021
Halloween night, three friends high in a van, and an urban legend surrounding a cult singer’s mysterious death in a fire – what could go wrong?
MICKS OUT
dir. Keenan Q O’Reilly (USA), 2022
A Boston ICE Agent is forced to choose between the law and his community.
SOMEWHERE HIGHER
dir. Mohammad Gorjestani (USA), 2022
In this vibrant anthology, cannabis users tell us that the perspective and clarity offered by cannabis far outweigh the vague, supposed risks.
FLORIDA AND SARASOTA SHORTS
A WORLD I NEVER KNEW EXISTED
dir. Daniel Darby (Italy, Switzerland, USA) 2023
A Woman’s look into the world of skydiving, BASE jumping, and wingsuit flying.
IT’S A DOG
dir. Eli Shapiro (USA), 2023
He’s bald. Well, no, he’s *going* bald. He still has hair. On like, the sides. Does that count? It counts, right? Maybe? Either way, he’s pathetic. And he’s getting old.
THE ANNA MARIA ISLAND PLAYERS
dir. Lucas K. Piety (USA), 2023
The Island Payers is a community theater organization that operates out of the oldest theater in Manatee County. Discover The Players’ origin as well as the 150-year history of the building they occupy.
STOOD UP
dir. Maggie Perrotta (USA), 2023
Christina and Sara find themselves stood up while they wait for their online dates to arrive. What happens during the course of the evening surprises them both. It’s a story about connection, self-empowerment, and the joy of spontaneity.
WARRIORS OF SARASOTA
dir. Yoleidy Rosario-Hernandez (USA), 2023
Stories of local women of color in Sarasota who are leading the way as educators, community organizers, cultural practitioners, activists, and advocates.
WAITING
dir. Stephen Lehman (USA), 2023
A young woman wanders the city as she waits for an important phone call.
ARTIFACE
dir. Chris Hall (USA), 2023
When a young convict is caught by law enforcement, his only way out is to infiltrate and deceive his own team as they gear up for their biggest score yet.
CONNECTION
dir. Jennie Jarvis (USA), 2023
In the distant future, the climate crisis forces mankind to evacuate Earth and head to space with the hopes of colonizing a new world. Lauren, a self-made woman, uses the dating system to find a connection that might save more than her heart.
DANCE FOR ME
dir. Robin Hofmann (USA), 2023
When a 15 yr old boy does not get the support he needs from his parents he finds an unexpected friendship with a lonely, elderly neighbor.
FLORIDA MOVES
dir. Damon Maulucci (USA), 2023
A Florida Dad searches for a lifeline to his daughter during a divorce.
GLOSS
dir. Benjamin J. Murray (USA), 2023
When a new “love drug” is released, two seemingly compatible people decide if dating is worth the risk to find true love or if all their problems can be solved in one little pill.
INÉS UNFORTUNATELY
dir. Anna Salinas (USA), 2023
After getting her heart broken, Inés decides she must end it all… that is, until her perfectly planned suicide is interrupted by the ghost of her chatty Cuban neighbor.
CLOUDS
dir. Kody Austin Trent (USA), 2023
After the loss of her unborn son, Amy creates an artificial intelligence to cope and learn with.
BAILA CONMIGO
dir. Tristan Anthony Ortiz (USA), 2023
Teenage Puerto Rican-American, Daniel Rosa, discovers a tragic truth about his family his world and identity gets flipped upside down, posing the question of who he wants to be and who he should be.
HIDDEN GEMS
dir. Marquis Dawsey (USA), 2023
Hidden Gems delves into the unique challenges of African American male business owners, highlighting their resilience and determination to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
HOW TO CARRY WATER
dir. Sasha Wortzel (USA), 2023
This punk rock fairytale doubles as a portrait of Shoog McDaniel — a fat, queer, and disabled photographer working in and around northern Florida’s vast network of freshwater springs.
MAKE THE CALL
dir. Chelsea Gonzalez (USA), 2023
Two former best friends reunite in a changed world, finally confronting the demons that ripped them apart.
THE LAST RUNG
dir. Styles Summerlin (USA), 2023
In this Stephen King story adaptation, Larry deals with his sister’s disappearance, and discovers what he is, and isn’t responsible for, as he searches for her.
Main Image: A still from Dawn Porter’s CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: WITHOUT A NET courtesy of SFF
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