SRQ DAILY Mar 22, 2018
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"This year, more than any other year, we've received a lot of very good films."
With all hands called to the set at Westin Sarasota last night, the 20th annual Sarasota Film Festival announced itself with aplomb and style, complete with red carpet, thumping beats and a confirmed slate of films, guests and auxiliary programs to make this anniversary festival one for the books. The festival’s reputation has grown and the world is watching, notes SFF President Mark Famiglio. “And they’re going to be very, very impressed,” he says.
Kicking off April 13, the festival begins at the Sarasota Opera House with the opening film, Class Rank, directed by Eric Stoltz (Pulp Fiction, Rob Roy), who will also be in attendance and participating in an In Conversation event at Florida Studio Theatre the following day. Centerpiece films include Yen Tan’s 1985, about a closeted gay man during the beginning of the AIDS crisis coming home to his conservative parents, played by Emmy-winning Michael Chiklis and Oscar-nominated Virginia Madsen, who will also participate in a later In Conversation, and the feature film debut of rising star comedian Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade, which garnered high praise at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
With 223 films coming from 47 countries across the globe, listing all here would be infeasible, but special mention to friend of the festival Rory Kennedy, who returns for the closing night film with her documentary, Above and Beyond: NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow, as well as the documentary playing earlier on closing day, Love Means Zero, telling the tale of famed tennis coach and IMG Academy founder Nick Bollettieri. Additional spotlight films include star turns from recognizable faces like Ethan Hawke, Saoirse Ronan, Juliette Binoche and Steve Buscemi. “This year, more than any other year,” says Famiglio, “we’ve received a lot of very good films.”
Curating many into various SFF Focus programs, staff assembled films analyzing topics such as Sports in Cinema; Environment, Science and Sustainability; Redefining Masculinity; Women’s Comedic Voices (in addition to the return of Through Women’s Eyes programming); and Musings on Musicians, a new focus for the festival. Each Focus recommends anywhere from four to ten films that address the subject in some manner, helping interested audiences sort through their many options.
And despite recent construction, Famiglio confirmed that Regal Hollywood Stadium 20 – Sarasota would remain the festival’s stalwart partner for this 20th year. The seats may be more comfortable now, and fewer, but ticket prices will remain the same, says Famiglio.
Famiglio also took the opportunity to announce imminent construction at SFF headquarters, located off the corner of Fruitville Road and Cocoanut Avenue, creating a 10,000-square-foot “multipurpose” space for the Sarasota Film Festival “and a few friends.” Designed by Mark Sultana, Gates Construction will handle the building.
And as if that weren’t enough, Famiglio ends with a warning: there will be more to come. He expects to announce further guests and events as the festival approaches. “As we do every year,” he says.
The Sarasota Film Festival runs April 13–April 22. Tickets go on sale to members on March 24 and the general public on March 26. For more information and a complete listing of films, follow the link below. 
Pictured: SFF President Mark Famiglio addresses a cinephile crowd at the SFF kickoff at Westin Sarasota.
Bradenton Shabby Chic Vintage Market & Artisan Days… wooh, that’s a mouth full! It’s also a market full of the neatest finds on this side of Florida! The bi-annual Tampa Bay series of novelty shopping events is back for spring—bringing people far and wide. Each location is different and attracts its own unique crowd of attendees! Luckily one is set to make its way to our neck of the beach! One-of-a-kind items from 100+ artisans and antique vendors will be bringing the goods with original artworks, painted furniture, handmade pallet signs, plant and yard art, rustic home decor, boutique clothing, display vintage items and plenty more to stuff into your tote bag (and maybe not a bad idea to enlist in someone with a pick-up to take home those larger sized bargains!)
The Shabby Chic Vintage Markets will also host paint demos, interactive arts n' crafts and DIY workshops sponsored by Dixie Belle Paint Company. Have we forgotten about fuel for shopping? No way. Food trucks and sponsored vendors will post up for finger-licking good bites and refreshing beverages while street performers mix in the crowd for some live entertainment. The free, fun and well-organized event will be held this Sunday, March 25th at the Bradenton Convention Center! The show opens at 10:00am and closes at 4:00pm. And a communal thumbs up for free parking—this means extra cash to spend on treasures!
Image provided by Simply Events FL.
Bonjour bonté au fromage! That’s, ‘Hello cheesy goodness!’ in French, of course. The classic casserole, Pommes Gratin Dauphinois, comes from the south-east region of France, Dauphiné. Owner of Bijou Café, JP Knaggs traveled to France specifically to learn how to make this signature dish and bring the foreign intell back with him to Sarasota. Clearly the trip paid for itself—it’s been on their menu for over 30 years. JP jokes that Pommes Gratin Dauphinois single handedly put his son, Jeffrey through college. The piping hot commodity gets patrons singing Ooh là là as they experience one addictive spoonful after the other. Pair it with a pinky-up-in-the-air glass of Bijou Café’s exclusive Le Jardin Cuvée prestige chardonnay, bottled from the Loire Valley to honor JP’s mother’s french heritage.
While there are many variants of the name of the dish, the composition remains consistent with peeled potatoes, thinly sliced and layered in a casserole dish with crème and cheese, which are then all cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic. Baked in a slow oven for more than an hour, add more cheese, then bake it longer. But your patience is a virtue when this string cheese incident comes sauntering out of the hot box. The cheesy bits crisped on the outside tease you with what’s awaiting inside—the golden potatoes softened to perfection, melted within the curated crème sauce. The beloved side dish is served in two sizes, small and large (always make it your cheat day and go for the large). The richness of this dish alone will bring you to your knees. Compliments au chef!
Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.
Superintendent Todd Bowden has appointed Jamie Lowicz as principal of Oak Park School, which serves students with special needs from pre-K to age 22. She has served as acting principal of Oak Park since July 31, 2017. Her appointment is pending confirmation from the school board. Prior to assuming the acting principal position at Oak Park, Lowicz was an assistant principal at Sarasota High School from 2013 to 2017. She was also a behavior specialist at Riverview High School. Lowicz has also served in Charlotte County schools from 2006 to 2012, and was previously an executive director at Pacesetter Academy in Omaha, NE. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University and a master’s degree from National Louis University in Tampa.
Adams and Reese has announced the addition of Drew F. Chesanek as an associate and a member of the litigation practice team in the firm’s Sarasota office. Chesanek’s practice focuses primarily on civil litigation, including construction law, landlord/tenant and contract disputes. He also handles depositions, evidentiary hearings, mediations, final hearings, appellate briefs and arbitrations. Prior to joining Adams and Reese, Chesanek was an associate at a civil litigation law firm in Bradenton, from September 2014 through mid-February 2018. He also served as a legal extern with Second Harvest North Florida in 2013, worked in the office of forms for IMG Academies during the summers of 2012 and 2013, and interned with the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office in 2010. Chesanek is a member of The Florida Bar, the Sarasota County Bar Association, the Manatee County Bar Association, the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce and the American Inns of Court. He serves on the Young Lawyers and Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar as well as being a member of the Manatee Bar Association’s Young Professionals.
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate has announced two new hires: Kate de Villiers and Keith Kleppinger have become an affiliated sales associate with the company’s Downtown office. Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate is a leading full-service residential real estate brokerage company with more than 85 offices and 5,000 sales associates serving the communities of Central Florida, Flagler, Brevard, Palm Beach, Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida, Tampa Bay and the Panhandle.
Realtor Ruth Laurent has joined the Venice office of RE/MAX Platinum Realty. She specializes in general residential sales, new homes and relocations. Prior to her career in real estate, Laurent had a 25-year career in supply chain management in the automotive industry. She is a skilled problem solver and effective negotiator, and is extremely focused on customer service. A native of Amesbury, MS, Laurent moved to Florida in 2005. She has a certificate in Supply Chain Management from Northeastern University in Boston, and completed the Executive Supply Chain Management Development Program at the University of Florida at Gainesville. She is active in the Sarasota Chapter of One Billion Rising, an organization, which promotes prevention of violence again women and children, serving as a committee member since 2014. The Venice office is located at 307 West Venice Ave., Venice.
Last Friday, SRQ MEDIA hosted the second annual SMARTgirl Leadership and Mentorship Summit at the Hyatt Regency engaging over 60 girls from both Sarasota and Manatee Counties with 28 mentors representing our region’s many diverse industries from graphic design, programming and virtual reality to theatre, marine biology and medicine. The luncheon consisted of a curated mentoring program aimed to engage the young women in soft skills training, mentorship and career imaginings. Between bites of decadent alfredo pasta, participants heard from 3 power house speakers including Jennifer Vigne from the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, Sarasota YMCA Alumni, India White and child prodigy Ria Persad. All emphasized that we have the power to succeed through empowerment, tenacity and spitfire determination.
We would like to thank the Hyatt Regency, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, New Balance of Sarasota and University Park and PSAV for investing in over 60 futures and creating a dynamic day for each of these young women.
For a full gallery of photos from the SMARTgirl Luncheon click here.
The American Watercolor Society celebrates 150 years of fine art with a traveling exhibit making a stop right in Bradenton. Featuring the work of near 150 artists, including Sarasota’s own Judy Saltzman, the show hangs in the Kellogg Gallery. In the Searle and Reid Hodges Galleries, the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society Exhibit brings even more watercolor to a day at ArtCenter Manatee.
ArtCenter Manatee, 209 9th St. W., Bradenton
Join the Sarasota World Affairs Council for a series of high–profile foreign affairs lectures covering current international issues ranging from foreign intelligence to peace negotiations to immigration and trade. This month, CEO and Co-founder of Manifold Technology, Chris Finan will explain how the government has been challenged to keep pace with changing technology. Each lecture is followed by a wine and cheese reception for members.
Mildred Sainer Pavilion, New College , 5313 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL 34243
Based on Louisa May Alcott's American classic, this Civil War story of love and family stands the test of time. Come and see this classic reproduced on stage for a limitied time only.
Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 3rd Ave West., Bradenton.
This year marks the 6th Anniversary of Women & Medicine educational luncheon featuring informative presentations and discussions from Sarasota Memorial Physicians. This event has raised more than $225,000 to date and this year will help support the Sarasota Memorial Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Michael’s on East, 1212 S East Ave, Sarasota, FL 34239
Join Mote Marine Laboratory to support Mote’s hospitals for sea turtles, dolphins and whales at Party on the Pass. This casual evening of good food, good fun and good will, will take place at 6:30pm in the Aquarium courtyard.
Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium , 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, FL 34236
Love at first sight strikes the Cavalier Des Grieux and the enchanting Manon Lescaut. They flee to Paris, but when Des Grieux’s money runs out, Manon leaves him for a wealthy man. Yet despite the jewels and parties, Manon’s love for Des Grieux is inextinguishable and will burn them in ways they do not foresee.
Sarasota Opera House, 61 North Pineapple Ave., Sarasota.
Lewis Black, Grammy-Award-winning, stand-up comedian, is one of the most prolific and popular performers working today. He executes a brilliant trifecta as a stand-up comedian, actor and author. He is one of a few performers to sell out multiple renowned theaters, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Main Stage at the Mirage in Las Vegas and most recently, a sold-out Broadway run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City. His live performances provide a cathartic release of anger and disillusionment for his audience. He is a passionate performer who is a more pissed-off optimist than a mean-spirited curmudgeon. Black is the rare comic who can cause an audience to laugh themselves into incontinence while making compelling points about the absurdity of our world.
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
‘WAHH’ is a popular word in India that is similar to the word ‘Wow’. WAHH World Fusion Band is a spectacular blend of ‘East meets West’ in true Fusion Music style. Trailblazers of a unique and multiform sound, WAHH is rooted in India’s rich traditional musical culture and enveloped in an artful weave of Jazz, Rock and Funk.
Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Ct., Sarasota.
The Academy of St Martin in the Fields is one of the world’s greatest chamber orchestras, renowned for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s most-loved classical music. Led by Music Director and virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell, the Academy retains the collegiate spirit and flexibility of the original small, conductor-less ensemble, which has become an Academy hallmark, while pushing the boundaries of play-directed performance to new heights.
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
Dick Hyman's background as a pianist, composer, arranger, music director and organist have helped him establish a fruitful career spanning decades. He has won numerous awards, including an Emmy and an MVP from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Pops Orchestra is proud to share the stage with this Hall of Fame musician for an evening of jazz tunes and original compositions.
Riverview Performing Arts Center, 1 Ram Way, Sarasota
Why are so many comedians Jewish? What is the background and origins of Yiddish wit and comedy? Was it a coincidence that the movie industry was founded by Jewish immigrants and that much of early “Broadway” was inhabited by performers, directors, producers, musicians, and lyricists who were Jewish? We will talk about the depth and breadth of this unique ethnic humor: from the Russian shtetl to American television; from the Wise Men of Chelm to the heyday of the Borscht Belt. You are invited to join in and laugh as you add to your repertoire and knowledge of Jewish humor.
Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center, 525 Kumquat Ct., Sarasota.
It began as one man's story, became everyone's music and is now Broadway's musical. Motown the Musical is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more. Motown shattered barriers, shaped our lives and made us all move to the same beat. Featuring classic songs such as “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” experience the story behind the music in the record-breaking smash hit Motown the Musical. Purchase quickly as tickets are nearly sold out.
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 North Tamiami Tr., Sarasota
Fanny Brice is a nobody who dreams of being famous, and through sheer guts and determination, fulfills her dream and becomes a star of the Ziegfeld Follies. Set in New York City just prior to and following World War I, it’s the songs and story that generations have grown to love including: “People,” “I’m the Greatest Star” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” The original cast recording was even inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame!
The Players Theatre , 838 N Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
Buildings played a pivotal role in Alfred Hitchcock's groundbreaking works. For Hitchcock, modern buildings both visually and metaphorically represented the future in contrast with the past. Hitchcock utilized modernism's essential elements as cultural shorthand to convey society's views on anonymity and one's place in increasingly complex urban environments. Christine Madrid French, an advocate for the study and preservation of American architecture, will discuss in this visually-rich presentation of Hitchcock's penchant for filming suspenseful scenes against the backdrop of American modernist architechture.
Ringling College of Art and Design's Alfred Goldstein Library, 2700 Bradenton Rd., Sarasota.
Grab yer guitar and boots, tilt yer cowboy hat and got ready to “Yeee Hawwww” your way through this country romp mixed with a healthy serving of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jimmy Mazz takes you back to visit great country classics like Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, then crossing over to rockers like Bobby Darin, Jerry Lee Lewis and of course, Elvis plus many more!
The Players Centre of Performing Arts, 838 North Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
In this exhibit, Elisabeth Trostili's digital paintings celebate the power of women. Each painting in Femmes Fatales could be described as a digital photographic collage that captures beauty, diversity, gender roles, spirituality and the richness of woman. New work by all of Art Uptown's 25 professional artists will be shown along with Trostili's featured pieces.
Master Classes offer a deeper look at various subjects, though are designed for any level, so no advance training required. This Master Class session will engage with key questions around art and quality. Throughout the series, you’ll discover your own criteria for quality, and begin to use your skills to assist your decision-making, whether you are acquiring works of art, or simply engaging as a viewer.
The Works, 891 South Tamiami Tr., Sarasota.
Directed by Greg Leaming, this biting commentary on the office environment and the drive to succeed marries the horror of shocking workplace violence with a satirical sendup of how individuals respond, whether taking advantage or falling apart. A Pulitzer Prize finalist and selected by The New York Times as one of the best shows of 2015.
Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota
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