Cine-World Film Festival In Town This Week; Who Knew So Many Of These Films Had Sarasota Ties?

The Sarasota Film Society has released the line up of what they are calling haute cinema for the 20th annual Cine-World Film Festival. This isn't your old Uncle Fred's Three Stooges retrospective, this is the arty, high-brow fare that Sarasota film connoisseurs have come to expect. Surprisingly--or not--many of these films have Sarasota roots


LOOKING FOR PALLADIN
Based on the popular "Have Gun, Will Travel" television series, disgruntled Sarasota bankers hire the famed bounty hunter to bring back fugitive real estate shyster,Neil Husani, to face justice when they can't interest any law enforcement agency to do so.

EVERYBODY'S FINE
Sarasota realtors dismiss economic concerns, rampant unemployment, unchecked insurance rates, failed communities, underfunded developments, fly-by-night builders and homes that remain over-priced to tell the world: NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!!!

44 INCH CHEST
Young Sarasota deb pressures parents into plastic surgery necessary to achieve her life's goal of becoming a University of Florida cheerleader.

AN EDUCATION
Idealistic teacher returns home to Sarasota, leads fight to triple county's 1-cent sales tax for education to raise teachers' salaries, even though enrollment has dropped dramatically, with rallying cry, "It's for the kids........"

PRECIOUS
Famed wildlife trapper fakes capture of his pet python, Precious; becomes media sensation until the truth is discovered--Precious is illegal alien.

BLIND DATE
A cinematic re-telling of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's report about the Sarasota Police Dept.'s handling of payoff to mistreated prisoner; former Hogan's Hero star, John Banner, reprises his role of Sgt. Schultz, now in the HCSO, riffs on his oft-repeated catch phrase, "I know nothing....."

CLOUD 9
Baseball supporters revel in last-inning reprieve of spring training in Sarasota, but celebration turns deadly when ceremonial ground breaking releases plume of toxic pollution that was formerly dismissed as harmless.

THE SILENCE BEFORE BACH
Disgruntled Sarasota Orchestra members plot surprise in-concert work stoppage just before downbeat from Maestro Bjaland to embarrass Orchestra Board of Directors; scheme backfires when audience members wrestle instruments from hands of strikers to play concert themselves.

MAMMOTH
The long-awaited biopic of the rise of the City of North Port, from a backwoods lawless haven for marijuana-growing drug lords to a juggernaut of population that swallows Sarasota and Charlotte counties, to become largest city-state in Florida, but still retains that backwoods lawless charm for marijuana-growing drug lords.

ZERO BRIDGE
When Juan Perez realizes he's been duped by the City of Sarasota after he accepts a $400 check in exchange for not pursuing damages, Perez threatens lawsuit; city risk management ups the ante by offering to "give" Perez the Ringling Bridge in exchange for his compliance, hijinks ensue when Perez tries to set up toll gate on bridge.

THORN IN THE HEART
City attorney, Robert Fournier, tries to reign in rogue police department by taking his fight to the city newspaper, only to find that nobody reads the newspaper anymore.

TERRIBLY HAPPY
Peg Nadel's happily-ever-after comes crashing to earth when husband Art is indicted for fraud and disappears, only to reappear and wants her to help raise bail for him.

FOR MY FATHER
The rise and fall of Sarasota glam-boy, Beau Diamond, as he tries to live up to his father's "Fit For Life" expectations.

SHAMELESS
Follows Venice City Council and their attempt to run their little town like a leper colony, keeping everybody and everything out that isn't already there.

35 SHOTS OF RUM
Siesta Key Village pub sells its weekly liquor allotment, as designated by the County Commission under pressure from condo owners, tries to supplement its lost income by hiring cover band, prompting angry mob of oldsters to lay siege to bar over excess noise.

HOME
You can't afford one in Sarasota.

SPECIAL O'LAUGHICS
Local comedy club owner, Ken Sons, documents the strange goings-on during a one week period in his hometown. Alert: running time for this film is 6 hours, 35 mins., as he had so much material to include.

DEFAMATION
City fathers sue local comedy club owner and film documentarian following his release of less-than-flattering look at hometown government.

WILLIAM KUNSTLER
Some lawyer.

GUBERNATORIOUS
Local car dealer-turned-Congressman sees how easy Florida governor's job is by watching Gov. Charlie Crist phone in the job during his run for the Senate, thinks "I can do that!"

OH MY GOD
Apocalyptic tale of the destruction of Sarasota following the town's decision to replace bayfront statue of nurse and sailor with one of a golden calf.

SHOOTING BEAUTY
Longboat Key police officer goes on killing rampage following weeks of watching soccer moms turning around in her driveway while picking up their kids from school after deployment of spike strips fails to deter traffic.


The Film Society offers "Red Passes" of 20 tickets, "Black Passes" of 10 tickets and special "Midnight Passes" of no tickets, but give you the opportunity to wait outside the theater and hope for a hurricane to blow you through the door.