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Film

Shooting stars shower Sarasota Film Festival

By STEVE PERSALL
Published March 31, 2006

[Sarasota Film Festival photos]

An ensemble cast shines in A Prairie Home Companion, which will be introduced by director Robert Altman at the festival on April 9.

	William H. Macy stars in the harsh Edmond, written by David Mamet.

All that's missing from the Sarasota Film Festival's resemblance to Cannes this year are French accents and paparazzi. Each year, this close-to-home artistic resort and its cinema celebration creep a little closer in spirit to its Riviera inspiration, adding more films, stars, scholars and parties.

For example, tonight's opening events: a Van Wezel Performing Arts Center screening of Funny Money, with actors Chevy Chase, Penelope Ann Miller and Christopher McDonald attending. Next, a short trip to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art for cocktails 'til the wee hours with Kiss frontman Gene Simmons prowling around.

That's about as glamorous, slightly absurd and potentially decadent as an average night in Cannes. And it's just the first of 10 days packed with events, both ritzy and grass roots.

An already tempting lineup of guests - filmmaker Werner Herzog and actors William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman among them - became invaluable when director Robert Altman, fresh off receiving an honorary Academy Award, recently agreed to attend to support his new film, A Prairie Home Companion.

"I was naturally thrilled,'' festival director Jody Kielbasa said. "This isn't something he does very often. It's a huge honor and a huge coup."

The only complaint possible about the eighth annual festival is that movie lovers had to wait two months longer for it to arrive. Organizers shifted the time line to avoid competing with other events that may have prevented celebrities from participating in the past.

"Changing dates helped us a lot,'' Kielbasa said. "Late January had us running up against Sundance, coming off the Palm Springs and Santa Barbara film festivals, then the Golden Globes, Academy Awards, Super Bowl, you name it.

"We were advised by people in the industry to shift to another time. Clearly we have the strongest film lineup we've ever had, plus these amazing legends of cinema. I was able to attend Sundance this year for the first time. Some people in the business there told me: 'We think this is your year.' ''

Above all, there are the films, mostly screened at Regal Hollywood 20 (1991 Main St.). They total 185 this year, from 19 countries, in all forms: features, documentaries, shorts and student experiments, as far in or out of the mainstream as viewers wish to go. Too many to describe here, but the festival's Web site (www.sarasotafilm festival.com) has all the details and ticket options. Prices range from $8 per film (excluding special events) to $300 for the starry closing-night banquet.

It is highly recommended that you order in advance online or check availability toll-free at 1-866-575-3456 before making the trip. Most films have multiple screenings planned.

Among feature films, I can wholeheartedly vouch for A Prairie Home Companion (April 9, 5 p.m. only), a near lock for a spot on my 2006 top 10 list after a viewing at the ShoWest convention of theater owners. Altman's multicharacter style perfectly suits Garrison Keillor's homespun characters, played by an ensemble featuring Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones and a surprisingly fine Lindsay Lohan. It's slated for national release on June 6.

Darker and more disturbing than Altman's film is Stuart Gordon's Edmond (April 8, 3:15 p.m. only), starring Macy as a beleaguered businessman slumming his way through a night of vice and violence. The film, harshly written by David Mamet, sparked divided audience response at last year's Telluride Film Festival. It's worth a look, even through your fingers.

Among Saturday's highlights are Claude Chabrol's The Bridesmaid (1 p.m.), a return to the French master's suspenseful roots, and several films from Herzog's documentary film resume. On Wednesday, Herzog will accept an award at the World Cinema Celebration, a blend of film, music and food from around the world. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. event are $60.

Most of the festival offerings already have distribution deals lined up. That's another factor making the celebrity turnout so remarkable. Such stars are common at Cannes and Sundance, fishing for distribution deals. Sarasota isn't a marketplace festival, although a few films such as last year's Film Geek struck deals there, and other filmmakers interested financiers for future projects.

Something else attracts celebrities to Sarasota.

"It's a mixture of giving people who come in something worthwhile to do, and screening films in a very respectful manner,'' Kielbasa said. "The word-of-mouth from people who have been here is extraordinary. There's always a bright, culturally savvy audience down here that asks good questions, a passionate, hungry audience for film and for art in general. Filmmakers and actors appreciate that for their craft.''

Steve Persall can be reached at (727) 893-8365 or persall@sptimes.com.

[Last modified March 30, 2006, 13:56:10]