SARASOTA - The Sarasota Film Festival, which takes place April 4-13, announced its attending guests this week. Actor Richard Jenkins, activist Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe (subject of the festival doc Sewing Hope) and Atlanta-based rock band Radio Birds, who provide the soundtrack for one of the festival's films, will be among those attending screenings and participating in events.
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Richard Jenkins |
Richard Jenkins, star of John Slattery’s God's Pocket, will attend the festival screening of the film at The Sarasota Opera House and participate in a Conversation with New York Magazine critic David Edelstein on Friday, April 11 at 3:00 p.m. at The Florida Studio Theatre’s Bowne’s Lab.
Richard Jenkins has appeared in over 100 films and television series, including his memorable role as Nathaniel Fischer on HBO’s beloved series Six Feet Under, roles in films like Burn After Reading and The Rum Diary, as well as the 2008 SFF film The Visitor, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
This year’s Tribute Luncheon will be held in honor of Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, the subject of the film Sewing Hope. For the last 30 years, Sister Rosemary of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus based in Juba, South Sudan, has answered the call to serve the least among us from the epicenter of a bloody and violent civil wars that decimated northern Uganda and South Sudan.
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Sister Rosemary |
Armed with only a sewing machine, Sister Rosemary openly defied Joseph Kony and the rebel soldiers and commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army in their 20-year reign of terror. Since 2002, Sister Rosemary has enrolled more than 2,000 girls who had been previously abducted by the LRA or abandoned by their families.
Sister Rosemary will be traveling to Sarasota from Uganda to receive this award and will be in attendance at the festival’s screenings of Sewing Hope. The festival and the Gulf Coast Chapter of UN Women will co-present their annual Impact Award to Sister Rosemary at the Sarasota Yacht Club on Friday, April 11 at 11:00 AM.
In addition, Jason Momoa, star of Game of Thrones and The Red Road, will attend the World Premiere screening of Road to Paloma, which he wrote and directed and also stars in. The Atlanta-based band Radio Birds, who provide songs to the film’s soundtrack, will attend the screening and will perform live at the festival’s 1137 Party on Saturday, April 12 at Louie's Modern.
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Rory Kennedy |
Charlie McDowell, director of SFF’s Closing Night Film The One I Love, will receive the festival’s Breakthrough Award for his directorial debut. The award will be presented prior to the festival’s screening of the film.
Director Rory Kennedy and Captain Paul Johnson of the USS Kirk, which participated in the evacuation of Saigon, will attend the Opening Night screening of Last Days in Viet Nam and will participate in a post-screening Q&A.
Director Andrew Rossi returns to Sarasota to present Ivory Tower and will also participate in a post-screening Q&A after the Centerpiece screening.
Radio Birds |
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