Prepare to be enlightened and invigorated by a fun and fast-paced presentation about upcoming programs and as we drop the beat on a sizzling selection of tantalizing tidbits about how the festival is put together. Scheduled to appear are Tom Hall, our dedicated Director, Magida Diouri, our powerhouse Programmer, Veronica Pastore, our amazing Associate Director of Marketing, a cast of thousands, and at least 542 elephants. (Well, maybe just more wonderful staff from the festival.)

Afterward you'll have your chance to get all your burning questions answered, your opinions and ideas truly heard.

The buzzword behind the scenes at SFF 2012 is "inclusively". (See? Your friendly neighborhood Insider is always there to help you peak behind the curtain.) What does that mean? Veronica Pastore explains, "We want to include our entire community and are providing not only this forum but also new tools and media with which they can connect to us."

Speaking of which, I was privileged to attend our sensational launch event at the sumptuous Half Shell Oyster House on Main Street, just down the street from the Regal Hollywood 20...

Vince Fraser's astounding artwork for this year's campaign was unveiled, our eye-poppingly awesome new website design (courtesy of the local web design firm Destiny Group) was proudly displayed, and our 2012 theme "See Things Differently" was announced.

SFF also pledged a new and improved box office service and online film guide (which I've already glimpsed and guarantee will rock) to resolve any issues that arose last year.

Remember, everyone, independent films like the ones we are so privileged to share with you each year are the last bastion of movie-making as a real art form guided by bold auteurs with singular visions and voices. I work in "the business" the rest of the year and I can tell you from experience that when the budget climbs, what you see on screen in mass-market entertainments is the product of countless committees. Typical studio note: "What if the priest was dyslexic... and a zombie?" (No, I'm not making that up.)

We at SFF cherish the ability you give us to bring quality films with artistic merit to your eyes and ears each year. So come on out Wed., Feb. 8 and be the Voice of SFF!

(And no, this event is not a singing competition, it's so much better than that! Although, now that I think about it, we have a lot of karaoke maniacs on staff, so ya just never know!)

— The Insider

Wanted by motion picture executives for revealing industry secrets to a public with the Right to Know, “The Insider” has spent over 15 years working behind the scenes in almost every aspect of “The Biz” developing a secret network of contacts, spies, moles, and highly trained counter-intelligence operatives and movie ninjas whose only goal is to inform and entertain you—and help you make this the best year of the Sarasota Film Festival ever!

Photo Credit: Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong