Tag Archives: Sarasota Film Festival

Sarasota Film Festival – The US Premier of An Encounter with Simone Weil

At the Sarasota Film Festival, we had the opportunity to speak with Julia Haslett, director of the documentary An Encounter with Simone Weil.  This film is the result of Julia’s six year journey exploring the life and philosophy of Simone Weil, a French philosopher and social activist.  Julia approached the project in an unusual way – with an actress who immersed herself in the writings and life of the subject.

Her own alarm over the economic and political conditions of millions of world citizens was an inspiration for this work.  The documentary asks critical questions about human suffering.  See the trailer here:

See more at the film website.

Sarasota Film Festival – Best Documentary – Better This World

Better This World was written, directed and produced by Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega. It is the story of David McKay and Bradley Crowder, two young political activists. While under the influence of an older charismatic revolutionary, the two were arrested for domestic terrorism during the 2008 Republican Convention. The movie looks at what happened between the three men. Accepted as an Official Selection in over 20 film festivals, Better This World won three “Best Documentary” awards in Sarasota and San Francisco. This interview with the filmmakers was conducted during the Sarasota Film Festival.

The movie examines how the “war on terror” after 9/11 has impacted civil liberties and political dissent in the US. Better This World will also be broadcast on P.O.V. on PBS on September 6th.

Beautiful Noise Gives Back to Sarasota

In this short interview, Danielle White, star of Beautiful Noise thanks her teachers and peers in the VPA program at Booker High School.  And now The Beautiful Noise Movie gives back to Sarasota with a special screening on April 29.

The Beautiful Noise movie will have a special One Night Only screening on Friday, April 29th @ 7:00 pm at the 1,000 seat Riverview H.S. Performing Arts Center!
100% of the ticket proceeds benefit Riverview H.S. programs.
Put this on your calendar:
Time – Friday, April 29 · 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Location – Riverview High School Performing Arts Center  1 Ram Way  Sarasota, FL
Tickets will be available in advance at the Open Pub and Restaurant or at the show for $10.

Sarasota Film Festival – The Observer and the Observed

Brad Bryan was at the Sarasota Film Festival to discuss his documentary The Observer and the Observed.  Brad documented a unique collaborative project between the Arts Center Sarasota and the Sarasota Partnership for Children’s Mental Health.  His film follows the dynamic inside of families with children facing mental challenges.  Local artists were charged with creation of artistic expressions of the family life and during the process were clearly inspired by the families.  Brad’s work provides an intimate portrait to the interaction.

See the official trailer:

Sarasota Film Festival Interview with Tamar Kummel

Tamar Kummel has written and starred in a film just accepted at Cannes Film Festival.  But this week she was excited to be at the Sarasota Film Festival to talk about her role in How To Ride A Train – a very short comedy written by Katie and Patricia Dillon.

Beautiful Lady Productions has posted the 6 minute film here:

Sarasota Film Festival – One Smart Indian

Take a minuscule budget and 24 hours spread over three days in NYC…and you get Craig Butta’s One Smart Indian.  This story of an aging writer trying for a last ditch comeback plays at Sarasota Film Festival as part of the Midnight Shorts program.  If you missed the earlier screening, you can see it again on Wednesday, April 13th at 10:15 PM.
Craig talks about making the film in this interview.

See the One Smart Indian trailer.

Sarasota Film Festival – Beautiful Noise Actors Interview

Sarasota Film Festival goers have embraced the movie Beautiful Noise wholeheartedly.  Actress Danielle White was cast in Beautiful Noise while she was still a student in the drama program at Booker High School here in Sarasota.  So almost immediately upon moving to California, she found herself returning to Sarasota to work on this film.
Jay White is a both an experienced actor and a very well known musical performer in Las Vegas where he lives.
See an interview with the actors.

See an interview with the director, Steve Tatone.

Sarasota Film Festival – Beautiful Noise by Steve Tatone

Film lovers in Sarasota have anxiously anticipated Beautiful Noise, a film directed by Sarasota local – Steve Tatone.  And it has sold out numerous showings in the Sarasota Film Festival.  Steve spoke with us about film making in Sarasota.

Next time you’re on Siesta Key Beach, look for Steve – he often walks the beach for inspiration.  See the Beautiful Noise trailer here: