Celebrating its milestone 20th anniversary, the Sunscreen Film Festival is making its annual return to St. Pete this week, April 24-27, bringing an incredible lineup of films, panels, parties, and workshops to the city.
This year’s festival will showcase more than 200 feature films, documentaries, shorts and foreign films, alongside a robust lineup of workshops from industry professionals. The festival is an opportunity for attendees to mix and mingle with filmmakers, actors, writers, producers and celebrities in an open and relaxed atmosphere. Tickets range from single movie screenings to day passes and all-weekend VIP tickets, all of which are available here.
ADVERTISEMENT
Now in its 20th year, the Sunscreen Film Festival draws more than 5,000 attendees every year, a full weekend of movie magic taking place at The Sundial AMC 12 Theatres in downtown St. Pete (151 2nd Ave N). Check out the full list of events and find more details here.
“For two decades, Sunscreen has been a beacon for independent filmmakers,” said Tony Armer, festival co-founder. “This year’s festival is an incredible lineup of films, industry events, and networking opportunities that will make it our biggest year yet.”
A springtime film fest in the Sunshine City
Made possible thanks to the City of St. Petersburg and the St. Pete Clearwater Film Commission, festivities kick off on Thursday, April 24 when the Sunscreen Film Festival hosts the opening night film and red carpet at The Sundial, and the opening night party at the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art. At 7 pm on Thursday, the festival showcases the St. Pete premiere of the documentary “Four Down,” including appearances from the filmmakers.
Four Down is a powerful documentary from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor. Produced in collaboration with Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Pictures, and Stick Figure Productions, the film recounts the harrowing true story of Nick Schuyler, who survived for 43 hours at sea after a tragic boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico. A Q&A with filmmakers will follow the screening.
Amongst the hundreds of films being shown, there are several big stars taking the screen with new films throughout the weekend, including:
- Operation Taco Gary’s – A conspiracy theorist drags his estranged brother on a road trip with a secret agenda. Starring Simon Rex (Red Rocket), Jason Biggs (American Pie), and Dustin Milligan (Schitt’s Creek, Hot Frosty)
- All There Is – A troubled teen’s life is upended when her best friend’s tragedy is blamed on her movie star father’s controversial sci-fi film. Featuring Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills, 90210), Mena Suvari (American Beauty), and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story).
- The Good Fight – A man faces his toughest battle yet to save his family and career. Starring John Schneider (Smallville, Dukes of Hazard).
- Dr. Quarantine – A renowned psychologist must battle her own neuroses and leave her apartment to save a patient during a pandemic. Starring Tara Reid (American Pie)
Sunscreen Film Festival showcases incredible array of productions
All told, there will be 224 films screened over the course of the four-day festival. For those in (or interested in) the industry, more than a dozen workshops led by pros from across the country will offer opportunities to develop skills and make connections.
There is also a ‘Chicks Making Flicks Power Brunch‘ on Saturday, April 26, a women’s brunch at The Palladium- Side Door, featuring a chance to meet Leslie Goyette, producer of the feature film, Maysville, now streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. In addition, there will be a panel of award winning female producers, directors, screenwriters and cinematographers, plus opportunities to mingle and enjoy brunch. New this year, Sunscreen Film Festival will hold a drawing for a $2500 film grant to go to one female filmmaker.
More special events include:
- Educational Workshops on screenwriting, producing, film distribution, directing and more
- Opening Night Party at The James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art
- Filmmakers’ Party at FloridaRama
- Awards Ceremony on the St. Pete Pier
- Industry Panels featuring studio executives, producers, and festival veterans
A St. Pete cinephile celebration for 20 years
The Sunscreen Film Festival got its start in 2006 when it was hosted at Studio@620 and drew a crowd of 600. In the years since, it has become one of the country’s most celebrated productions and has expanded to include a second festival each year in Los Angeles.
Organized and presented by the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Film Society, a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization, the annual Sunscreen Film Festival supports and enhances St. Petersburg’s economic profile by putting on an internationally recognized event to draw tourism and international media coverage to the city. The society is dedicated to educating the public about the art of visual storytelling, enhancing opportunities for filmmakers to develop their craft and art, and increasing the public’s awareness and support of filmmaking as a cultural asset.
Just the festival on its own – consisting of a four-day weekend of films, workshops and more – has a tourism and economic impact of close to $20 million, solely for the direct business and tourism it draws that weekend. Not only does Sunscreen enrich the cultural fabric of the region, but it also significantly bolsters the city and county’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
Nearing its 20th annual appearance, the celebrated film festival continues its upswing, growing bigger and bigger with each passing year. With such a tremendous impact, the remarkable achievement highlights the festival’s role not only as a cultural beacon for the area, but also as an economic powerhouse helping to drive the region’s red-hot appeal.
Learn more about the Sunscreen Film Festival sunscreenfilmfestival.com.
ADVERTISEMENT
