Sunscreen Film Festival Announces Workshop Schedule

The 6^th Annual Sunscreen Film Festival is leading the trend for film festivals by offering educational workshops and dialogue on film taught by industry professionals throughout the festival’s run.

Because of the internet and popularity of sites including You Tube, it is easier to access independent films, leading some to wonder if film festivals are still relevant. Of course, larger independent festivals where distribution contracts and dreams are made, such as Sundance, will always be important to independent cinema, but some independent film festivals are heading in a new direction – one which is more inclined to nurture the filmmaking community.

As media consultant and director Phil Cooke stated at last year’s Sunscreen Film Festivals, many independent film festivals are moving to follow the model the Sunscreen is a forerunner of -- a place where filmmakers can come together to have discussions about film and learn from industry professionals. These educational workshops are what prompted Movie Maker magazine to name the Sunscreen Film Festival one of the 25 coolest film festivals.

Comprehensive educational workshops will run alongside independent film screenings, all held in St. Petersburg’s Baywalk complex. Empty storefronts will double as classrooms during the festival’s run.  Workshops will include:  

• Q&A with Dolphin Tale production manager Jim Bigham following a screening of his film For Once in My Life – Saturday, April 16^th at 4:00 p.m.
• Acting Workshop taught by Jennifer Aspen (Rodney, Glee) and Tom Nowicki (The Blind Side) – Saturday, April 16^th from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Screenwriting Workshop taught by Matthew Stover (The Acts of Caine)- Saturday, April 16^th from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
• Producer’s Workshop and Panel led by Dolphin Tale producer David Yates – Thursday, April 14^th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Cinematography Workshop taught by Academy Award winner Curtis Graham (Prime of Your Life), Dave Barrett (From Puncher to Promoter, Inside the Handy Writers’ Colony) and Erik Curtis (Terminator Salvation, Transporter 2, Miami Vice) – Thursday, April 14^th from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.
• Legal and Distribution Workshop taught by entertainment attorney Scott Goldberg and screenwriter and producer Marty Poole (Reptile 2001, Protecting the King) – Friday, April 15^th from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
• Faith in Film Workshop taught by Curtis Graham, Tim Paskert (The Glass Window), Alex Kendrick (Fireproof), Kimberly Wetherell (Megae a Trois, Why We Wax), Randy Stith (Making a Killing), and Mohamed S. Mohamed – Friday, April 14^th from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.

The Sunscreen Film Festival has been known for drawing top talent to St. Petersburg for their educational programing. Past workshops have included producing classes taught by X-Men producer Ralph Winter, and Napoleon Dynamite producers Sean Covell and Doc Wyatt; Screenwriting taught by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and That 70’s Show writer Dean Battalli; and acting workshops taught by Patrick Wilson, Ethan Supplee, and Alexa Vega.

The 6^th Annual Sunscreen Film Festival will take place at Muvico Baywalk 20 in St. Petersburg April 13^th – 17^th, and will celebrate filmmaking and unify the local filmmaking community through film screenings, educational panels, acting classes, and chic after parties.

Passes to the workshops and the film festival are available for purchase at www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com

About the Sunscreen Film Festival:

The Sunscreen Film Festival was founded by independent filmmakers Tony Armer and Derek Miner in 2005 to encourage the creation, production, and exhibition of independent film in Florida through educational programs and public screenings. Since it's inception, the annual festival has grown into "one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world", according to MovieMaker Magazine, thanks to the laid-back feel, fresh program, dialogue driven educational classes, and celebrity attendees such as John Travolta, Patrick Wilson, Billy Dee Williams, and X-Men Producer Ralph Winter. The Sunscreen Film Festival is hosted by the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Film Society, a Florida not for profit corporation.

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