Guest Contributor Greg Bowdish discusses the obstacles facing filmmakers, but from a pragmatic point of view. His article takes stock of what we have going for us as individuals and as a budding film town, and tries to make the film culture fervor of the SFF more of a year-round thing. It is also about getting the word out to the rest of the world that Sarasota is serious about film.

Guest Contributor Greg Bowdish visited the Hollywood Nights red carpet at the Sarasota Film Festival to talk to students who were exposed to the filmmaking process by Inspired Minds, a Sarasota-based company that seeks to promote creativity, confidence and character through the cinematic arts.

Below are just a handful of the snapshots our photo team snagged of the red carpet’s most sought-after stars, followed by the lush and lavish Cinema Tropicale gala. No matter how busy we got covering the Sarasota Film Festival from top to bottom, somehow we didn’t want it to end!

UN Women leads, supports and coordinates work on gender equality and the empowerment of women at regional, national and global levels. All proceeds from the Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival, a keystone of the annual SFF, support the work of the U.S. National Committee for UN Women.

The Sarasota Film Festival put on an enjoyable show Saturday night with the Filmmakers Awards and Closing Night Film. Presenters and members of SFF saluted the filmmakers and artists whose work inspires and provokes us. The ceremony was hosted by actress, comedienne, producer and director Cheryl Hines,

NEXT YEAR JERUSALEM, COMPUTER CHESS, MY NAME IS FAITH, PERSISTENCE OF VISION, THE LIST, LA SIRGA, SOMETHING IN THE AIR. See them all!