After a hearty 10 days of sun, cinema and celebration, the 8th annual Sarasota Film Festival, March 31 – April 9, 2006, came to a close. SFF is proud to have screened nearly 200 films and hosted 8 galas including the Filmmakers’ Tribute Dinner where guest star and emcee Joe Pantoliano hosted the event. Sarasota Film Festival was honored to present awards to the exemplary talents of Felicity Huffman who received the Breakthrough Performer Award, Robert Towne, the Lifetime Excellence in Filmmaking Award, Paula Wagner, the Excellence in Producing Award, William H. Macy, the Regal Entertainment Career Achievement Award and Robert Altman, the Florida Medal of the Arts Award.

Film critic, Lisa Schwarzbaum, presented the awards in the Narrative Feature category, awarding The Death of Mr. Lazarescu with a Special Jury Prize, giving the Grand Prize to Old Joy. The Documentary Feature jury also awarded two films in competition and giving the Grand Prize to Clear Cut and the Special Jury Prize to Black Sun.

The Independent Visions Jury had an even more difficult time awarding three of the films in competition. The Grand Jury Prize went to Find Love by Erica Dunton, with special awards to Somebodies for screenwriting and to Wild TigersI Have Known for outstanding originality. The Audience Awards for Narrative Feature, World Cinema and Documentary went to Neo Ned, Lady Vengeance and Abel Raises Cain, respectively.

The 9th annual Sarasota Film Festival runs April 13 - April 22, 2007. For information visit our website at www.sarasotafilmfestival.com or call 941.364.9514.