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The 2025 Sarasota Film Festival has announced its winners, and one film in particular will draw attention for having screened to much acclaim in this bright red county, ultimately winning the top documentary prize: Kim A. Snyder’s “The Librarians,” a film that’s sounding the alarm strongly about right-wing attacks on free speech, won Best Documentary Feature, after screening at New College, a university itself subjected to a right-wing takeover and attacks on free speech.

The win for “The Librarians” caps another edition of the festival known for its strong curation (largely due to senior programmer Brian Gordon), that brings to Florida’s Gulf Coast titles from Sundance, Cannes, Palm Springs, Mill Valley, and more.

The documentary jury, comprised of freelance journalist Addie Morfoot, Impact Partners co-founder Geralyn Dreyfous, and “Lovers” director Taylor McFadden also awarded a Special Jury Mention to Sasha Wortzel’s “River of Grass,” an environmentally-focused documentary about the Everglades.

Exclusive: You and The Haunting Of Bly Manor star Victoria Pedretti, Jurassic World star Judy Greer, and Mad Men actor Rich Sommer have joined the cast of coming-of-age movie The Book Of Jobs, which is due to start principal photography tomorrow in Tulsa and Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Newcomer Abigail Donaghy (Bupkis) is joining in the lead role of “teen Claudia”, with Lola Flanery (The 100) also joining the previously announced Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts).

The movie follows a girl growing up in Silicon Valley in the shadow of Steve Jobs’ triumphant return to Apple, and his outsized influence on her imagination, ambitions and relationships.

Written and to-be-directed by Kayci Lacob, Pedretti joins the cast in the role of “adult Claudia”, alongside Greer as Claudia’s mother, and Sommer as the father.

Tom Nunan is producing for Bull’s Eye Entertainment. Talia Bella and Randy Wayne are executive-producing for Rebellium Films alongside Matthew Shreder...

Exclusive: Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts) is attached to co-star in dramedy The Book Of Jobs, which Concourse Media is handling for world sales.

Tom Nunan, founder of Bull’s Eye Entertainment and executive producer of Best Picture Oscar winner Crash, and The Illusionist, has started prep on the movie, which is due to start production next month in California and Oklahoma. The film was granted a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement in August.

Described as a rite of passage film, the story follows a girl growing up in Silicon Valley in the shadow of Steve Jobs’ triumphant return to Apple, and his outsized influence on her imagination, ambitions and relationships. Ambudkar co-stars as ‘Mr. Shine’, an off-beat mentor who guides the obsessive millennial. Additional casting is being firmed up.

The movie will mark the feature debut of Kayci Lacob who writes, directs and produces alongside Nunan.

The producers are working with Tava Sofsky...

The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s Professional Programs has revealed winners of its 2020 Feature Screenplay, Television Pilot and Acting for the Camera Pitch competitions.

The winners, who were among the 221 students who completed the yearlong Screenwriting, Writing for Television Professional and Acting for the Camera programs, were notified on the last day of classes, June 5.

Gwenola Balmelle is the Feature Screenplay competition winner for her comedy-drama screenplay Chouchou the Cosmonaut. Honorable mention went to Shannon Walsh for the drama Death, Ghosts & Other Stuff.

Jessica Rowlands won Writing for Television Drama Pilot with her script Ruby. She won last year’s Feature Screenplay competition and is the program’s only award-winner in Feature Screenplay and Writing for Television categories.

Rodrigo Carvalhedo was the Writing for Television Comedy Pilot winner with his animation Enchanted Isle. Honorable mentions went to Kennedy O’Brien, Marek Glinski, Amaya Cervino and Cathal Eric Power.