After attending the 2021 Sarasota Film Fest’s Shorts Program, the hands down winner is the documentary Original Splendor. From the professional camera work, beautiful sweeping footage of Sarasota to the flawless and lean narration, Allen Clements directed doc details the restoration of Sarasota’s County Courthouse. Bravo to Triforce Pictures and Shaun Greenspan for an outstanding work.
The other two docs in the shorts program were also well done, G’s Southern Kitchen (directed by Colin Reid) and Raw Honey (directed by James Berry). The former details the trajectory of G’s Southern Kitchen, from its nascence as a plea for love and it’s current limbo status as food truck. My only quibble is why not use this as a marketing chance to show the truck or promote where the public can find them. The latter, Raw Honey, needed more of a story arc. The Covid apocalypse took the wind out of the sails (and sales) and then…you let the hives deteriorate…but then use something to pivot from there higher than, ‘then I decided to try again’. But buddy Rye, I support you!! Love honey and will seek yours out. As Steve Perry would say, “Don’t stop believin'”.
Of the three Ringling College narrative entries, Miss Florida was the most professional, both in acting and writing.
Sarasota Film Fest Shorts Program & the winner is…
