Nearly two dozen feature films will be screened between Feb. 27 and March 2 — and having previewed over half of them, I’m happy to report there’s not a clunker in the batch. The festival’s emphasis remains centered on grassroots filmmaking and American indies, but there are some solid international offerings as well (thanks to GFF’s recently forged partnership with the esteemed Global Lens series), as well as a number of interesting Latin films and a few cult items that don’t easily fit into any specific category. (GFF lumps them into a sidebar dubbed “fun and fear.”). The mix of movies is eclectic but carefully chosen and — to cut to the chase — the overall quality is a significant step up from last year. The Gasparilla Film Festival runs from Feb. 27 to March 2 at Tampa Theatre, The Florida Aquarium and Channelside Cinemas, Tampa. For more information, complete film schedules and to purchase tickets, visit gasparillafilmfestival.com.
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 4, 2008.
