SFF is dedicated to shining a light on the accomplishments of women in film. Over the coming months I'll be telling you about our many programs focusing on the achievements of women in the industry. Today we catch up with Patti Smith, Sarah Green, Greta Gerwig and more SFF alums!

SARAH GREEN

Oscar-nominated producer Sarah Green, winner of SFF 2011's Producer Award, is known for her many collaborations with filmmaking legend Terence Malick including the current Oscar nominee Tree of Life (nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography). Sarah has another film out that is well worth your attention. Take Shelter was just released on Valentine's Day on DVD and Blu-ray. The film features a stunning performance by Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire, The Man of Steel) whom many critics believed would net him a best actor nod. It is a challenging and suspenseful story of a man who might be going mad-or might be seeing visions of an imminent and very real disaster from which he must protect his family. Check it out!

Sarah will re-team with Michael Shannon for the upcoming Mud also starring Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey and Ray McKinnon (That Evening Sun) and for further collaborations with Malick featuring Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara.

PATTI SMITH

No one has rocked our house in recent years like Patti Smith. Often called rock's poet laureate, Patti performed an astonishing set at our After Party, took part in our staged reading of Queer and appeared in the SFF documentary William S. Burroughs: A Man Within. Patti spent 37 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list with her memoir Just Kids and she is co-writing a film adaptation of her book with John Logan, Oscar-nominated screenwriter (Gladiator, The Aviator, Hugo) and Tony-award winning playwright (RED). She is working on a second memoir, a mystery novel, a book of poetry and a new album. Rock on!

PATRICIA CLARKSON & BRIT MARLING

SFF favorite Patricia Clarkson will be teaming with Brit Marling, star and screenwriter of SFF's Another Earth for The East also starring Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood, Melancholia) and Ellen Page (Juno, Inception, Super). Brit also co-wrote this one, which centers on a woman who infiltrates an anarchist group and faces a dilemma when she finds herself falling in love with its leader. Interestingly, this is similar material to the smaller budgeted feature Sound of My Voice which Brit also co-wrote with Zal Batmanglij (who directed Sound of My Voice and now directs The East). Sound of My Voice was picked up by Fox Searchlight for distribution and you can watch the first 2 minutes of the film right here. Take a look! (You may also watch the first 12 minutes of the film by clicking here.)

GRETA GERWIG

Greta Gerwig came to SFF in 2007 and has been seen in many acclaimed films such as Hannah Takes the Stairs, Greenberg, and House of the Devil (as well as big budget fare such as Arthur and No Strings Attached). She will soon be seen in Damsels in Distress, Whit Stillman's first film since 1998's Last Days of Disco. Stillman (Metropolitan, Barcelona) is known for his dry wit and this latest foray into the lives of three female college students is no exception. Greta will also be seen later in the year in Woody Allen's next feature. Check out the trailer for Damsels in Distress!

Keep watching this space for more updates on SFF Women.

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!