Sundance and Cannes competitors, as well as films with local ties, among selections

SARASOTA — After announcing attending celebrities and special event screenings last week, the Sarasota Film Festival unveiled its full lineup Monday during an event at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

The festival running from March 31 to April 9 announced its narrative, documentary and Independent Visions competition selection, as well as spotlight screenings and panels. These join closing night film “Paris Can Wait” and opening night documentary “Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton,” with Diane Lane and Rory Kennedy attending, as well as the centerpiece screenings and other special events.

Among the notable additions are “Beach Rats,” a Sundance-award winning film about a Brooklyn teenager prowling online for sex with older men that will play in Sarasota Film Festival’s Narrative Competition. It ranks among a number of films featuring a LGBT focus, with a panel discussion April 9 at the Starlite Room.

“Graduation,” a film by acclaimed Romanian director Cristian Mungiu that competed for the Palme D’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, will also screen in Narrative Competition. Ken Loach’s Palme D’Or winner “I, Daniel Blake” will play as a spotlight film, as will Jean-Luc and Pierre Dardenne’s Cannes competitor “The Unknown Girl.”

Other narrative spotlight screenings include actress Amber Tamblyn’s directorial debut “Paint It Black” and “The Hero,” a Sundance contender starring Sam Elliott and directed by past festival attendee Brett Haley. Documentary spotlight films include “City of Ghosts,” about an ISIS resistance movement, and “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” a film about Abacus Federal Savings Bank by “Hoop Dreams” filmmaker Steve James.

“Archer” and "Whose Line is It Anyway?" actress Aisha Tyler, who will also attend the festival, will compete in the Independent Visions selection with her feature debut “Axis.” So will recent South by Southwest entry "The Strange Ones" and Sundance film "Person to Person."

Films with Sarasota connections include Charles Clapsaddle and Durand Adams’ documentary “American Dreams” and SOURCE Productions director KT Curran’s “The First Time Club.” The experimental documentary “Sarasota Half in Dream” will screen as one of several films with an environment, science and sustainability focus, with a panel April 2 at Florida Studio Theatre.

There will also be a sports in cinema focus, including the documentary “Mr. Chibbs” about former basketball player Kenny Anderson. He and members of the World Rowing Championships will attend a panel April 8 at Florida Studio Theatre.

“Film has an integral role in helping us analyze social and political issues in our society that demand attention, thought and dialogue,” said festival president Mark Famiglio, in a statement. “Our program is designed to use the art of cinema as a catalyst for important conversations, all the while bringing great films and amazing filmmakers to the Sarasota community.”