The big day is here! In just a second we’re going to talk MOVIES MOVIES MOVIES! But first, tonight we have ROBOT & FRANK, our Opening Night Film at 7:00 PM starring FRANK LANGELLA (who will be in attendance with director Jake Schreier) PLUS our stupendous OPENING NIGHT PARTY at 9:00 PM! Both are at the always incredible VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER! Woo-Hoo! Tomorrow Mr. Langella signs his flat-out fantastic memoir DROPPED NAMES: FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN AS I KNEW THEM at 11:00 AM at BOOKSTORE1 on Main Street (only books purchased from Bookstore1 will be signed) and at 1:00 PM he will be at Sarasota High School for his sure-to-be riveting IN CONVERSATION moderated by New York Magazine and IN CONVERSATION moderated by New York Magazine and NPR’s Fresh Air contributor DAVID EDELSTEIN! (Click on any of those titles to buy tickets now! And if you are a theater enthusiast, you will definitely want to see Mr. Langella live. He's a three time Tony-Award winner!)

Now I’d like to shine a light on two incredible attractions that SFF offers on many of our films. First up, you may see the phrase FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE in our flyers or Morning Buzz Newsletters (go to our home page and enter your e-mail and zip code under SFF News to subscribe). Here’s what that’s all about: We not only have big name film stars attend the festival, we also have dozens and dozens of amazing independent filmmakers come here to promote their screenings.

Think about that. When you come to one

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Amy Seimetz is a multi-talented artist who has appeared at SFF many times in recent years. As an actor you will recognize her from SFF's acclaimed THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER & TINY FURNITURE (and, of course, last year's wonderful film by Megan Griffiths' THE OFF HOURS.) She also appeared in the SFF film THE JONESTOWN DEFENSE and A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE from V/H/S wraparound director Adam Wingard!

This year Amy is here in support of her feature film directorial debut, SUN DON'T SHINE. This is a magnificent achievement, a film rich in atmosphere, nuance and tension filled with outstanding performances and shot in and around St. Petersburg and Bradenton! SUN DON'T SHINE screens THIS SATURDAY at 7:00 PM and encores Thursday, April 19 at 6:00 PM. Amy will be here for Q&As after both screenings! Click here to buy tickets now!

Before we talk to Amy, a few recommendations of great films at SFF 2012 from other returning alums! Click on the titles to buy tickets! They're going fast!

LEAVE ME LIKE YOU FOUND ME: The directorial debut of Adele Romanski who produced SFF alums MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER and THE FREEBIE! Adele will be here for Q&As after her screenings! Friday, April 20, 6:15 PM, encores Sunday, April 22, 7:00 PM.

ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA: Part of our Documentary Feature Competition, an amazing exploration of nuclear power plant communities and more from Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce (ROCK SCHOOL, LAST DAYS HERE, ART OF THE STEAL.) Don and Sheena will be

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Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director of Women Make Movies is the recipient of the SFF 2012 IMPACT AWARD, which will be presented by UN Women US National Committee Board Member Carol Poteat Buchanan at the Filmmaker Tribute, Saturday, April 21st at 6:00 PM at the Sarasota Opera House. And as part of our SFF&SCF program, Debra will appear as a panelist in our free In Conversation with Women in Film. This panel discussion will be held Friday, April 20 at 5:30 PM at the Neel Performing Arts Center on the campus of The State College of Florida.

Zimmerman tells us, "Women Make Movies is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year and we are excited to be partnering again with the Sarasota Film Festival and Through Women's Eyes on such great programming and with the Side by Side mentorship program. This program is one of 40 worldwide events spanning the globe that will celebrate the organization's work in transforming the landscape for independent women's films and filmmakers."

Would you like an A-Z for Women Make Movies and recommendations of five great films SFF 2012 is showing in honor of WMM and Debra's achievements? Well, then, you've come to the right place!

THE INSIDER: When was Women Make Movies founded?

DEBRA ZIMMERMAN: 1972.

THE INSIDER: Why was it established?

DEBRA ZIMMERMAN: WMM was founded by Ariel Dougherty and Sheila Page in 1972 with a very specific mission: to put cameras into the hands of women who wanted to learn how to make films. Back then, very few women

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Each year the always incredible Allison Koehler, our dynamic Director of Education, offers the unique opportunity to students throughout our community to submit competing reviews of a few of our outstanding youthFEST films. This year's winners of our Classroom Critics competition follow. The first two reviews have been published in The Observer. The following pair will see publication next week. Congratulations to all the winners!

A SHADOW OF BLUE  

Julia Woodson

Saint Stephen's Episcopal School

7th Grade

     A gaunt little girl sits on a park bench and allows her imagination to wander. Director Carlos Lascano brings together emotional music and characters in an adventurous story. A Shadow of Blue is a touching story full of adventure.

    A little girl fills her time on a park bench creating a majestic blue paper butterfly. The butterfly comes to life, along with the girl's shadow. She imagines enthralling adventures with her shadow in the lead. There are suspenseful twists as her shadow skips and jumps, reaching for the butterfly. A nasty crow acts as an antagonist and plots to scare the little girl away. The actions are expressive and the music adds eerie suspense. Everything is not as it seems as the plot develops.

    Since there is no dialogue, the actions are clear and expressive. The actions are dramatic and the little girl's leaps and jumps are expressed through flailing arms; crying with the heaves of the little girl's shoulders. Even in shadow, actions

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When she was a young woman, Ethel Skakel met a handsome young man on a skiing trip and they soon fell in love and married. That man, Bobby Kennedy, went on to become one of the central figures in American politics in the 1950's and 60's. But few know Ethel Kennedy's own amazing story, the story of a wife, mother and humanitarian who experienced first hand some of the most important events of our times. In Ethel, director Rory Kennedy shares her mother's story with grace, humor and a deep passion for life, creating one of the most entertaining documentary films of the year.

Ethel screens Sunday, April 15 @ 6:45 PM with Rory Kennedy in Attendance and Monday, April 16 @ 7:30 PM with Rory Kennedy in Attendance.

Rory Kennedy will also appear IN CONVERSATION on Monday, April 16 @ 5:30 PM at Sarasota High School.\

THE INSIDER: What inspired you to make a documentary about your mother's life?

RORY KENNEDY: My mother is an extraordinary woman.  I was inspired to share her personal history with a broader audience. She has lived a remarkable life, a life that is intertwined with our collective national history. She has been on the front lines of many major events in American history. So her story and that of my family, is, in many ways, an American story. I certainly learned a lot in making this film—and I hope it has something to offer.

THE INSIDER: Did you expect her to agree to serving as your subject?

RORY KENNEDY: I thought she would never do it.

Sheila Nevins at

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RED ALERT! RED ALERT! Film star JENA MALONE will be here for screenings of this movie. Don't miss your chance to see her join director Brian Savelson for our always amazing after-screening Q&As! It's RDW (Run Don't Walk) time to get thee hither to our box office inside the Regal Cinemas Hollywood 20 on Main Street or to get your fingers flying on your keyboard to CLICK HERE AND BUY TICKETS ONLINE! IN OUR NATURE also stars John Slattery from MAD MEN and Gabrielle Union! I've seen this film and I can tell you, if you're a fan of warm, wonderful and insightful films about family and love, THIS is your movie. If you grabbed a ticket for Lawrence Kasdan's DARLING COMPANION on Wednesday the 18th then you'll want to make your SFF experience complete by seeing this one either Friday the 20th at 8:00 PM (date night, dinner and a movie, go to the Half Shell Oyster House just a few doors down then come meet a movie star on a very contented tum, perfect!) or Saturday the 21st at 1:45 PM (get a nice lunch at the Half Shell and come on by — sounds like a plan to me!) 

THE INSIDER: Brian, the film feels very personal, very real. Was it based on actual events? Tell me what inspired this story.

BRIAN SAVELSON: Well that's funny that you ask that. Every time I try to explain this, I just seem to dig the hole deeper. I'm glad that it feels personal because I wanted for these characters to feel very real and familiar. What I set out to do was take the 'two couples go up to a cabin' setup

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I cannot urge you enough to take a look at all the amazing entries in our Documentary Film Competition! If you're interested in nature and the environment you will love Chasing Ice and The Atomic States of America! Interested in the economy? Detropia is the one for you. Ballet? First Position offers a visually stunning look at young ballet dancers in competition. The justice system? Justice for Sale is your flim. In you were enlightened and moved by How to Die in Oregon last year than you must see The Patron Saints this year! The David "little guy" versus the "Goliath" big corporations? Big Boys Gone Bananas is your ticket. And if you love fringe radio and want to know how giants like Bob Dylan first gained notice on the air, I present to you Radio Unnameable! CLICK ON ANY OF THE FILM TITLES I JUST LISTED TO BUY TICKETS NOW! I mean it, Speed Racer, they're going FAST!

THE INSIDER: What inspired you to make a documentary about the legendary radio presenter Bob Fass? 

PAUL LOVELACE: I co-directed a previous film called The Holy Modal Rounders... Bound to Lose (which screened at SFF in 2006) about the psychedelic folk duo from New York City. They were on Radio Unnameable many times in the 60's and 70's, especially co-founder Peter Stampfel, who still goes on Bob's show today. Peter would talk about this crazy and great radio program that was unlike anything on the air, then and now. We also heard that Bob Fass had in his possession an unprecedented audio archive, so we were

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Frank Langella! Penelope Ann Miller! Dominic Monaghan! Ashley Bell! Jena Malone! Jess Weixler! Jordan Gelber! Here's your chance to put film and TV credits to the names and to buy tickets to all their films and events here at SFF 2012!

                                                          FRANK LANGELLA                                                                 

THE TWELVE CHAIRS	DRACULA	NINTH GATE	SUPERMAN RETURNS	FROST/NIXON
Directed by Mel Brooks!	Recreating his electrifying Tony-nominated stage role!	Directed by Roman Polanski, with Johnny Depp!	Playing Perry White!	Oscar-Nominated performance. Directed by Ron Howard!

                                                             AND AT  SFF 2012...

ROBOT & FRANK	DROPPED NAMES BOOK SIGNING	IN CONVERSATION
Our  Opening Night film Friday, April 13th at the Van Wezel. Don't miss this incredible tale of friendship, family and forging your own fate.	Saturday, April 14 , 11:00 AM at Bookstore1!	Experience this one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear Mr. Langella discuss his incredible career! Saturday, April 14, 1:00 PM at Sarasota High School.
	CLICK FOR MORE INFO!

                                                         PENELOPE ANN MILLER 

THE FRESHMAN	AWAKENINGS	CHAPLIN	CARLITO'S WAY	THE ARTIST
Also Starring Marlon Brando and

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Terry Porter	Director Ti West

V/H/S is the winner of SFF 2012's Terry Porter Memorial Award. Terry was a great friend to the festival all year round. From behind the counter at Video Renaissance on Bee Ridge Road (go there, it's like SFF 12 months a year) Terry dispensed a wealth of knowledge on movies in every conceivable genre and for every possible taste. Terry had a great love of fringe cinema and the macabre, so it is with great pride that this year, in Terry's name, and in loving memory, we bring you V/H/S!

For many filmgoers, V/H/S may prove to be the final word in "found footage" horror and suspense. The film follows thieves sent to burglarize a house in the middle of nowhere to find a single prized V/H/S tape. When they find dozens they decide to watch them all until they find the right one. That framing sequence stars Calvin Lee Reeder, winner of last year's SFF Independent Visions Award last year for his gonzo horror film The Oregonian. The framing sequence and all the stories that follow were directed by a collection of horror's greatest directorial voices today, including Ti West, director of House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, who joins us today!

V/H/S screens Friday, April 20 @ 10:00 PM and Saturday, April 21 @ 9:45 PM!

INSIDER: Please tell us how you became involved with V/H/S:  

TI WEST: I got a call from the producer, Roxanne Benjamin, asking if I would be interested in being a part of a found footage anthology. Initially I

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Read all about it, beginning with our In Conversation news! The always amazing Penelope Ann Miller from The Artist and the sensational Rory Kennedy (director of Ethel) have joined our astonishing In Conversation series this year. And the legendary and brilliant journalist and author David Carr (last year's Opening Night film Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times) will moderate our conversation with Todd Solondz, the eye-opening auteur behind our fantastic Centerpiece Film Dark Horse.) And we have the shining star of screen and stage Frank Langella from our Opening Night film Robot & Frank chatting it up with New York Magazine and NPR Fresh Air's David Edelstein in our Inside the Actor's Studio-style presentation. (Click here or on any of our four participants' names to buy tickets now for their In Conversation presentations!)

But wait, there's more In Conversation news! As part of our SFF@SCF program we are offering a free In Conversation in Manatee County, In Conversation with Women in Film. This panel discussion will be held Friday, April 20 at 5:30 PM at the Neel Performing Arts Center on the campus of The  State College of Florida. Panelist include Debra Zimmerman (Executive Director, Women Make Movies), Ingrid Veninger (Director, I Am a Good Person/I am a Bad Person) and more panelist still to be announced. So watch this space for the deets! 

FRANK LANGELLA BOOK SIGNING

Head over to Bookstore1 to reserve your copy of Frank Langella's brilliant, revealing and

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Arcadia is a part of our Narrative Film Competition. It is a richly observed family drama that you will long remember. The film takes on the question of whether or not one can really run from one's problems and it does so through the eyes of young Greta and her siblings Caroline and Nat as their father spirits them away in their family station wagon for a cross-country trip to their new home in Arcadia. But Greta, balancing on the razor's edge between adolescence and adulthood, senses something odd in her father's behavior and in her mother's absence from the journey. Arcadia won the coveted Crystal Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival for Generation Kplus Best Film.

We will be showing Arcadia Friday, April 20, 6:00 PM and Sunday, April 21, 1:30 PM.

I had the great pleasure of chatting with Olivia Silver, who makes her feature film directorial debut with Arcadia and this is what she had to say!

THE INSIDER: Please tell us what inspired the story of Arcadia. Did you take such a road trip with your family when you were Greta's age?

OLIVIA SILVER: I did take a similar road trip, moving from my hometown in Connecticut to a new life in the San Gabriel Valley in California the summer before eighth grade. Although many of the plot details didn't actually happen as they do in the film, the story is based on personal experience, which I hoped would help make the story feel real.

THE INSIDER: The film delivers great emotional honesty and authenticity especially

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Time to give some love to our incredible short films! This year we have 12, count 'em, 12 astonishing shorts programs for you to choose from. ¡Ay, carumba! So what should you see? Why, everything, of course! Seriously, we have so many amazing and wonderful short films even I hardly know where to start. So I'm going to dig in with one chosen by our illustrious programmer Magida as one of her favorites.

Patch Town is part of our Shorts 3: Misleading Appearances collection. It was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival and will soon be a full-length feature. Check out the film's trailer!

I had the pleasure of chatting with Craig Goodwill, the film's director and co-writer, and this is what he had to say!

THE INSIDER: Please tell us the story of Patch Town.

CRAIG: Patch Town tells the story of an abandoned child whose adult dream is to be reunited with his long lost adoptive mother. After years in a loving home, Jon was forgotten, abandoned and ultimately betrayed by his adoptive mother. He returns to live a sad life as a Patch Town Enterprise worker; a life of factory work and oppression in a place where hundreds of cabbage babies are born every day. The thankless task of shucking, picking, and processing these newborns to go out into the world has taken its toll on Jon. With each new birth, Jon slips deeper into sadness, lamenting the days when life was good and he was loved.

But Jon has a secret, and he soon finds himself in a life or death

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Ashley Bell is a phenomenal actress who rocked the world with her shattering performance in the intense The Last Exorcism. SFF is proud to welcome her to this year's festival for her latest film The Day. That's right, she'll be walking down our red carpet. How cool is that? Well, it gets better because The Day is amazing and she, natch, is incredible in the film as Mary, a weapons-wielding survivor in a post-apocalyptic world.  Fans of The Walking Dead won't want to miss this one! (Nope, this isn't zombies... its way scarier!) The Day screens Friday, April 20 at 8:30 PM and Saturday, April 21 at 8:30 PM.

And click here to check out our mention in the New York Times just the other day for, yep, The Day!

THE INSIDER: What drew you to this project?

ASHLEY BELL: It's funny, when I first sat down with (director) Doug Aarniokoski and (producer) Guy Danella they tried to talk me out of doing the film. They told me I'd have to lose weight, add muscle, learn how to shoot a shotgun, do my own stunts and survive in below freezing weather. I said, "I'm in!"  It was both a dare, and a challenge. If you want me to do something, just tell me I can't. 

THE INSIDER: Please tell us about Mary, your character in The Day.

ASHLEY BELL: I see Mary as a woman who refuses to be a victim. I was attracted to the character because she was both emotionally and physically challenging. I loved the fact that she had to hone all her instincts and physical abilities to survive in this grisly

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If you've never been to one of our In Conversation presentations then you have been missing out in a major way. Ever watch Inside the Actors Studio? It's like that, only... wait for it... You. Are. There! You're sitting in that audience. You're seeing these extraordinary presentations unfold before you. You are a part of history in the making as the some of the film wolrd's greatest luminaries discuss their lives, their work, their place in the pantheon of enduring cinematic wonder. This is a feast for film lovers. Don't miss it! And this year we are proud to present...

IN CONVERSATION WITH FRANK LANGELLA

Hmmm. Is it going out on a limb to draw parallels between Mr. Langella's presence at SFF and what happened last year with Christopher Plummer? I don't think so! Come award season in 2013 the odds are in our favor that you will be seeing a lot of Frank Langella for his sensational and very moving work in our Opening Night Film Robot & Frank. People have asked me: "Is it sci-fi?" My answer is, "Only in the allegorical way Rod Serling handled speculative fiction in the Twilight Zone. There are no flying cars here. This is a film about communcation and generations. A son who doesn't know how to talk to and take care of his dad hires a machine to do it for him and an unlikely friendship evolves. This is an amazingly humanistic story with humor and drama, it's a gift you'll want to receive, believe me." So there you go, a little something to kick off a conversation between

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Robin Tunney & John Hamilton

SFF is delighted to welcome back director Nate Meyer. His first feature, Pretty in the Face, played SFF in 2007 and won our Independent Vision Jury Prize. Nate also shared our critics award for Independent Vision with Craig Zobel for Great World of Sound. This year he brings us See Girl Run, which you can run out and see on Thursday, April 19th at 6:15pm or Sunday, April 22nd at 1:30pm. The film stars Robin Tunney (The Craft, The Mentalist), Adam Scott (Party Down, Parks and Recreation), Jeremy Strong (The Messenger, Robot and Frank) and one of my personal favorites, the always amazing William Sadler (Die Hard 2, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, The Mist).

See Girl Run tells the story of Emmie (Tunney), a woman who leaves her comfortable married life behind to find out what might have been with her High School sweetheart (Scott). It's a romantic journey of discovery set against a lovingly shot in southern Maine. I had the great pleasure of chatting with the director recently about his experiences. 

INSIDER: How did the production come together? I see that David Gordon Green (who also produced this year’s Compliance) is one of your executive producers. Was he an early mentor on the project?

NATE MEYER: David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Eastbound & Down) and I have been good friends since our first year of film school together. One of the things I appreciate about him is that although he has made a name for himself with

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To quote the X-Files, "the truth is out there" and we couldn't be more thrilled! We have our biggest line-up of movies ever with 235 films from over 30 countries and our most fascinating and eclectic array of guests ever. So sit back and let your friendly neighborhood Insider fill you in on all the deets from last night's incredible Sponsor Launch at the always amazing Marie Selby International Botanical Gardens!

Ticketing

Tickets for films, passes, and packages go on sale 11am on Friday, March 23, at our box office conveniently located within the lobby of Regal Cinemas Hollywood 20. Or you can buy tickets directly from our new online ticketing on this very website. How convenient! But, as they say, you ain't seen nothing yet, because we're also offering an incredible new Sarasota Film Festival iPhone app that lists all our movies, showtimes, venues, parties and events with convenient filters and searches to help you find exactly what you're looking for and rate what you see!

Guests

Already announced are Frank Langella for our Opening Night film Robot and Frank (along with the film's director Jake Schreier) and Todd Solondz, director of Dark Horse, our Centerpiece film. (And here's a cool bit of casting news for you: Frank Langella has just been cast with Christopher Plummer from SFF 2011 to appear in Stephen Frears' upcoming HBO film Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight. Plummer will play Supreme Court Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan II with Langella in the role of

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SFF proudly presents a look at the work of Todd Solondz (who will be attending SFF 2012), director of Dark Horse, our Centerpiece film! If you like your movies insightful, provacative and oftentimes very funny, then you are in for a treat. We have a video interview with the director and trailers for his best known films. Prepared to be enlightened and entertained!

DARK HORSE

Dark Horse tells the story of a surprising romance between an out-of-shape, avid toy collector (whose collection collects him, as the director points out below) and a beautiful woman who is the dark horse of her family. Also starring in Dark Horse are screen legends Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter, Wedding Crashers) and Mia Farrow (Rosemary's Baby, Hannah and Her Sisters) plus Justin Bartha (The Hangover) and Zachary Booth (Damages, Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist.) Solondz is known for films centering on outsiders colliding with a world that doesn't even attempt to understand them and Dark Horse is sad, sweet and funny. Mark your calandars now!

The following video presents the director speaking about the film and ends with a brief clip from the movie. Also on stage are stars Jordan Gelber (Boardwalk Empire) and Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions, Hellboy). Enjoy!

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE

The film that catapulted Solondz into prominence is Welcome to the Dollhouse, the story of Dawn Wiener (Wienerdog to her tormentors) an unnatractive teen girl whose crush on the hot and seemingly unattainable

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Robot & Frank, starring Frank Langella and directed by Jake Schreier is our Opening Night film and both the director and star will attend! Director Todd Solondz's Dark Horse is our Centerpiece film with the director in attendance! Under African Skies, a stirring documentary by Oscar-nominee Joe Berlinger about the making of Paul Simon's Graceland in South Africa will have you up on your feet and clapping along as we close the festival! Big news all around!

OPENING NIGHT FILM

Frank Langella first came to international screen stardom when he recreated his role from the Edward Gorey stage version of Dracula in the 1979 film adaptation by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever). Since then he has been delivering one electrifying performance after another, including his recent triumph as Richard Nixon in Ron Howard's acclaimed Frost/Nixon.

In the charming Robot & Frank, Langella plays a retired thief resigned to a lonely life at home whose son surprises him with a robot caretaker intent on making Frank's life vital once more. This works out perhaps a little too well when Frank decides to return to his thieving ways with the help of his new robot pal. Also starring is the forever luminous Susan Sarandon as the local librarian for whom Frank feels a deep longing. This film is director Jake Schreier's feature film debut. Robot & Frank is a Samuel Goldwyn Films and Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions release. SFF is honored to showcase this wonderful movie as our Opening Night Film

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Did you know that an amazing feature film starring Oscar-winner Anna Paquin (True Blood, X-Men, The Piano) shot in Sarasota late last year? Well, we sure did. In fact, the filmmakers used our O&E building as their production offices! Strap in and prepare yourself for an in-depth interview with the film's writer/director Shana Sosin!

INSIDER: What inspired you to tell this very personal story?

SHANA SOSIN: Free Ride is based on my life story. I've been interested in telling the story of my mother's rise and fall through the drug trade from the perspective of my sister and I since I discovered that I had had a unique upbringing. The frame of reference and it's accompanying naiveté was a story I needed to tell if for no other reason than to put a feminine face to a trade that has long been dominated by male characters. I also wrote the piece for my mother and sister. A love letter of sorts...

INSIDER: Please tell us about the genesis of Free Ride. How did you get the film made?

SHANA SOSIN: Susan Dynner (co-producer of Brick) found the script and has been a champion of the project from the beginning. When we started casting, we sat down with Stephen Moyer, Anna's husband, to play one of the male roles. In the middle of the meeting, he asked me, "Has my Anna seen this?" Well, Anna had always been at the top of my list. We had had issues getting it through the ranks, but once Stephen passed it to her agent, an attachment happened very quickly. In that meeting, Stephen also

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Time to once again update you on all things wild, crazy and genre-related in indie cinema. How about some vampires? The end of the world by zombies, asteroid and robot domination? Ghosts? Time-travelers? And all with amazing casts? We’ve got it all!

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE

Jim Jarmusch fans, guess what? He’s making a vampire movie! (Now, now, don’t worry, he’s no stranger to genre, he did Ghost Dog after all.) The really cool thing here is that one of the stars is Tilda Swinton from last year’s acclaimed I Am Love at SFF (her film Julia also played here at SFF). Also starring is Mia Wasikowska from SFF’s That Evening Sun and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, plus the legendary John Hurt and up-and-coming superstar Tom Hiddleston (also known as Loki from Thor and The Avengers). You might also want to look for Hiddleston in the acclaimed Wallender series starring Kenneth Branagh and in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris playing F. Scott Fitzgerald. (The guy has range!)

The Jarmusch film is titled Only Lovers Left Alive. It’s early days and this one isn’t even slated to shoot until later this year in Germany. And as we in the business know, “Nothin’s nothin’ until…” Meaning, a movie isn’t a movie until you’re out there shooting it for reals. But it sounds so darn cool I couldn’t help mentioning it. And I really, really doubt that anyone’s going to be all sparkly in this one.

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

Safety Not Guaranteed features SFF alum

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