The 2011 Sarasota Film Festival has rolled in and out of town already and unlike the previous two years, I really wasn’t into it. Sure, I checked out the Through Women’s Eyes Shorts on April 9, primarily because of the documentary, “Derby Girls: Inside the Bradentucky Bombers” – my roller derby league. If you look close, you can see me in the background of some shots – dressed in NSO black.
Of the shorts, the one called “Colors and Boots“, filmed in Brazil, really stood out. It was in Portuguese with English subtitles and the star was adorable. Basically, Joana (played by Jhenyfer Lauren) had dreams of being part of a dance troupe from her fave television show. She has enthusiasm but the audition didn’t go according to plan. Uh, oh. I won’t give it away but it was cute and has a great message.
Saturday afternoon I headed to the Film Festival to see Miss Representation, which Academy Award winner Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise), who is founder of The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, briefly appears. The film deserves its own post and that will come in time but in short, it was eye-opening the gender inequalities in media and how it influences “real” life.
Afterward, it was off to the red carpet for The Filmmaker Tribute Dinner where Christopher Plummer (Cinema Master Award), Geena Davis (Impact Award) and Sarah Green (Producer’s Award) were being honored. While waiting for the stars to arrive, I met Jhenyfer Lauren, star of “Colors and Boots.” Once Ms. Davis arrived, the young actress peers outside the window of the Sarasota Opera House to see the press attention. I’m guessing that’s the kind of attention she’ll someday receive.
Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds) was the first celeb I spotted on the red carpet. He’s been filming the television show, “Workers’ Comp” in nearby Bradenton. If it’s like “The Office” or “Parks and Rec”, it’ll be hilarious.
Christopher Plummer arrived at about 6:45 p.m. for the 7 p.m. event. I was standing with the autograph seekers who stood ready with The Sound of Music memorabilia but he didn’t make it far down the line before Sarasota Film Festival handlers guided him down the red carpet.
Geena Davis arrived about 7 p.m.with her husband, Dr. Reza Jarrahy, and Film Festival Staff, Sarasota Film Festival, April 16, 2011 and wasn’t given the opportunity to walk the short red carpet. Autograph seekers called out, I had a baseball ready for her to sign (ya know, because she was in A League of their Own) but handlers whisked her away down the red carpet. I was able to snap a few photos along with this video although it’s very difficult to hear.
The Sarasota Film Festival red carpet didn’t have as many celebrities as last year’s event but those who walked it this year definitely have star power and are well-respected in the filming industry.
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