Sarasota Film Festival 2019 closes with award ceremony and roaring party

Sarasota Film Festival 2019 closed April 13 with actor Greg Kinnear’s directorial debut film, “Phil,” at Sarasota Opera House. The film is a dark comedy directed by and starring Kinnear as a man struggling to discover the true meaning of “having it all.”

Prior to the film during the 2019 festival awards ceremony, Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-winning actress Blythe Danner received the SFF Icon Award, and Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actress Anne Heche was honored with the SFF Career Tribute Award.

The following films were also award winners: "The Third Wife" won the narrative feature prize, "American Factory" won the documentary feature prize, "The World is Full of Secrets" won the Independent Visions Award, "The Plagiarists" won the Terry Porter Visionary Award, "Two Balloons" won the animated shorts competition, "How Does It Start" won the narrative short competition, “Hingakawa” won the documentary short competition 
and "Surviving Lunch," "Tel Aviv on Fire," "Two Balloons" and "The Biggest Little Farm" won audience awards.

After the screening of "Phil," guests headed over to Sage for a party spanning four stories.

Guests sipped cocktails, mingled and enjoyed live music by the Nancy Pastore Quartet.