SARASOTA — This week, Besties Katy and Liz chatted with Sarasota Film Festival Program Director, creative producer and all-around-cool-guy Michael Dunaway about what to see and how to navigate the Sarasota Film Festival this year. Interested in the films (from SNL writer Chris Kelly’s directorial debut to several movies in the Independent Vision series) we talk about in this episode? We included links to ticket and showing information below.
“As much a work of devotion as it is a documentary, IN PURSUIT OF SILENCE is a meditative exploration of our relationship with silence and the impact of noise on our lives.”
Director: Patrick Shen
Dunaway: It’s about the absence of something. The absence of silence in many of our lives and how it has detrimental mental health effects for all of us.
“In THE 4th, Hyland (focuses) on Jamie, an economically-challenged hipster who’s on a mission to check off all the boxes on his to-do list in preparation for the best Fourth of July party… ever. Obstacle after obstacle keeps getting thrown up into his path, and every solution he comes up with seems to make matters worse.”
Director: Andre Hyland
Dunaway: Big Lebowski meets Falling Down.
“Karem Sanga’s debut feature about a high school girl’s painful coming out is so authentic, so universal, that somehow you’ll feel it’s your story too.”
Director: Karem Sanga
Dunaway: It’s one of the most beautiful stories I’ve seen all year.
“SNL writer Chris Kelly’s directorial debut is the partially autobiographical tale of David (Jesse Plemons, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS), a gay screenwriter, who returns to his hometown in Sacramento to help care for his dying mother (Molly Shannon).”
Director: Chris Kelly
Dunaway: It’s a really good heartwarming, sometimes difficult, but always heart-filled kind of movie.
“The golden moments and dark undertow of a woman’s life spanning from childhood to adulthood flow together in this evocative and full-hearted movie about life and loss.”
Director: Josh Radnor
Dunaway: After five minutes you forget there is no dialogue, the visual storytelling is so strong.