GIFF Announces Dynamic 2018 Feature Film Competition Lineup for 12th International Film Festival

The Suncoast Credit Union Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) is proud to announce the dynamic 2018 Feature Film Competition Lineup. The festival includes 35 U.S., international and documentary features, as well as other programming, to kick-off its 12th festival season. GIFF will begin on Tuesday, March 20th with the opening night musical/drama, Stuck, starring Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan and Ashanti.

The festival will close on Sunday, March 25th with the documentary, Brothers In Arms, (Charlie Sheen narrating) as the cast and crew share their personal experiences making Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning film, Platoon, starring Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, John C. McGinley, Keith David and many others.

GIFF is known as a cultural arts institution that inspires, educates and entertains through its annual celebration of film. With year-round events, community outreach and social awareness initiatives, GIFF supports and cultivates the film industry of Tampa Bay and Florida, making an economic impact on the region. GIFF has hosted thousands of filmmakers, talent, producers and film buffs by bringing the arts, education and quality films to the Tampa Bay area.

"We are very excited to announce this year's film selection. We believe this is the best lineup yet and will appeal to all film lovers in the Tampa Bay Area," said Monica Varner, Executive Director.

"We're happy to be the title sponsor of the festival for the fourth year in a row, bringing this enriching opportunity to the community," said Mary McDonald, Community Relations Director at Suncoast Credit Union. "We believe in supporting arts and entertainment as a way to share our brand with those who have similar interests in helping our city offer diverse and creative quality of life options."

In just 12 short years, GIFF has emerged as one of the fastest-growing film festivals in the U.S. and is consistently recognized as a top-50 festival. Following up on the tremendous success of the 2017 festival, they embarked on 2018 with a focus of building upon their solid foundation of providing quality films, engaging industry panels, lively events and a second-to-none high school film competition. This year's festival also features the Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival which will screen 17 Jewish-themed feature films. Additionally, they have expanded their overall mission to increase the educational opportunities for budding filmmakers and talent, by providing scholarships and equipment to students at the high schools in the Tampa Bay Area.

Most of the films screened at GIFF are in competition for a prize in their respective categories. Winners are chosen by a distinct panel of Grand Jury Members and include the following categories: Best Narrative Features, Best Documentary Features, Best Short Film, Best Florida Production, Best World Showcase, Best Male Performance and Best Female Performance.

The 2018 Suncoast Credit Union Gasparilla Int'l Film Festival will take place from March 20th - 25th in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Festival Passes and individual tickets are available online. To purchase, click here: http://www.gasparillafilmfestival.com/get-passes.

Link to the full 2018 GIFF film schedule: http://www.gasparillafilmfestival.com/schedule.

For more information on all the films to be screened and industry events, please go to: www.gasparillafilmfestival.com.

NATIONAL PUBLICITY CONTACT:

Hilda Somarriba - hilda@prism-mg.com - Phone: 323-633-7079

Melanie Marquez - melanie@prism-mg.com - Phone: 626-833-6790

FULL LIST OF THE 35 FILMS

AT THE 2018 SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION GASPARILLA INT'L FILM FESTIVAL

OPENING NIGHT FILM & GALA

STUCK - (USA) Director: Michael Berry

An original pop musical film about six strangers who get stuck on a New York City subway together and change each other's lives in unexpected ways. Understanding their struggles and prejudices, the characters realize that they have more in common than their previous assumptions of each other allowed them to notice.

Cast: Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan, Ashanti, Arden Cho, Omar Chaparro, Gerard Canonico, Tim Young

CLOSING NIGHT FILM & GALA

BROTHERS IN ARMS - (USA) Director: Paul Sanchez

Charlie Sheen narrates, as cast and crew share their personal experiences making the Academy Award winning film, Platoon. This non-union, low budget, independent film was cast almost exclusively with young, unknown actors making their first film. Together they share their first-hand accounts of the grueling boot camp, Oliver Stone's "unique" directing style, and the brutal filming conditions that together forged their eternal brotherhood.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, John C. McGinley, Keith David, Tom Berenger, Mark Moses, Tony Todd, Kevin Dillon, Richard Edson

PREMIERES

BEIRUT - (USA) Dir. Brad Anderson

U.S. diplomat Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) flees Lebanon in 1972 after the curious murder of his wife. Ten years later, he is called back to war-torn Beirut by a CIA operative (Rosamund Pike) to negotiate for the life of a friend he left behind. Unsure of who can be trusted, Skiles must determine who can be trusted and what the link is to the group that killed his wife.

Cast: Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike, Dean Norris, Larry Pine, Shea Whigham

CHAPPAQUIDDICK - (USA) Dir. John Curran

In 1969 U.S. Senator Ted KENNEDY is involved in a car accident involving a young, female campaign worker. KENNEDY leaves the scene of the accident and doesn't alert authorities for 10 hours, resulting in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. As his brother John's presidential promise to land a man on the moon unfolds, KENNEDY considers his own legacy, wrestles with his own moral compass and ultimately puts his future in the hands of the American people.

Cast: Jason Clarke, Kate Mara, Ed Helms, Jim Gaffigan, Bruce Dern

FIRST REFORMED - (USA) Dir. Paul Schrader

In a small town in upstate New York, a mysterious reverend, Ernst Toller, is struggling with his faith due to the death of his son. As Toller is dealing with his role in the death, he is sought out for counseling by a pregnant woman struggling with a seemingly unstable, radical activist husband. This thriller delves into religious exaltation and torment to deal with the issues of anger and pain of the past.

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles, Michael Gaston, Philip Ettinger, Victoria Hill

GEMINI - (USA) Dir. Aaron Katz

Jill is the assistant of Hollywood superstar Heather. Equal parts "yes" man, fixer, and best friend, Jill finds herself in a bad spot when Heather is found dead and Jill is the prime suspect. She now has to use her wits to deal with the celebrity culture and image awareness of Los Angeles to find the real killer.

Cast: Lola Kirke, Zoe Kravitz, John Cho

OUTSIDE IN - (USA) Dir. Lynn Shelton

Chris is released early from prison thanks to the advocacy of a former high school teacher. As he tries to readjust to life in his small town, he forms an intense relationship with his former high-school teacher, but she's much older...and married.

Cast: Jay Duplass, Edie Falco, Kaitlyn Dever

YOU CAN'T SAY NO - (USA) Dir. Paul Kramer

Just days from signing DIVORCE papers, Hank and Alexandra give their relationship one final shot by playing a game with only one rule: no matter what they ask each other to do, they can't say no. All bets are off when they finally get the honesty their marriage had been craving.

Cast: Peter Fonda, Marguerite Moreau, Julie Carmen, Hamish Linklater, Hus Miller (Producer/Writer/Actor)

U.S. FEATURE COMPETITION

CLASS RANK - Dir. Eric Stoltz

Bernard and Veronica join forces in an attempt to improve the educational system. Guided by their families, they enter the perilous word of politics and, in the process, learn a thing or two about love. In their entanglements with others, Bernard and Veronica learn more about their relationship and the importance of helping people.

Cast: Olivia Holt, Bruce Denr, Kristin Chenoweth, Skyler Gisondo (PALM BEACH NATIVE)

THE HOUSE OF TOMORROW - Dir. Peter Livolsi

A sheltered, socially-awkward teen becomes friends with a green-haired heart transplant patient who introduces him to punk rock.

Cast: Asa Butterfield, Maude Apatow, Alex Wolff, Ellen Burstyn

LOVE AFTER LOVE - Dir. Russ Harbaugh

After their family patriarch passes away, a mother and her two adult sons try to regain their emotional equilibrium. Learning how to guide their unstable lives with his support, they learn the importance of family in dealing with failure, hardships, and depression.

Cast: Andie MacDowell, Chris O'Dowd, Francesca Faridany

QUEST - Dir. Santiago Rizzo

A non-romantic true love story between a humble teacher who believes there is no such thing as a bad kid, only a bad situation, and an abused 12 years old graffiti addict who has lost faith in integrity.

Cast: Lou Diamond Phillips, Dash Mihok, Betsy Brandt, Lakeith St

ROCK STEADY ROW - Dir. Trevor Stevens

Rock Steady Row centers around a young college freshman who, after his bike is stolen, lands on a college campus and is compelled to take action against the reigning fraternities. Forced to play both sides against the antagonists, the hero maneuvers through warped games and an unbalanced dean.

Cast: Heston Harwin, Diamond White, Logan Huffman, Isaac Alisma, Larry Miller, Allie Marie Evans, Peter Gilroy.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE COMPETITION

BACK TO BURGUNDY - (France) Dir. Cedrick Klapisch

When he learns of his father's imminent death, a young man returns to the land of his childhood and reconnects with his sister and brother.

Cast: Pio Marmai, Ana Girardot, Francois Civil

BORG VS MCENROE - (Sweden, Denmark, Finland) Dir. Janus Metz

The story of the 1980s tennis rivalry between the placid Björn Borg and the volatile John McEnroe.

Cast: Shia LaBoeuf, Stellan Skarsgaard

THE DESERT BRIDE - (Chile/Argentina) Dir, Cecilia Atan, Valeria Pivato

A middle-aged woman who works as a maid for an upper middle-class family in Buenos Aires goes back to her hometown of San Juan after decades away to visit her dying sister.

Cast: Paulina Garcia, Claudio Rissi

KILLING JESUS (Matar a Jesus) - (Columbia/Argentina) Dir. Laura Mora Ortega

A few months after witnessing the murder of her father, a woman crosses paths with a young man she believes to be his killer, in Laura Mora's feature debut based on true events.

Cast: Natasha Jaramillo, Giovanny Rodriguez, Camilo Escobar, Carmenza Cossio

MADAME - (France) Dir. Amanda Sthers

A dinner party goes off the rails when the maid runs off with a wealthy guest

Cast: Harvey Keitel, Toni Collette

SWEET COUNTRY - (Australia) Dir. Warwick Thornton

Australian western set on the Northern Territory frontier in the 1920s, where justice itself is put on trial when an aged Aboriginal farmhand shoots a white man in self-defense and goes on the run as posse gathers to hunt him down.

Cast: Bryan Brown, Matt Day, Sam Neill, Thomas M. Wright

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

THE CHINA HUSTLE - (USA) Dir: Jed Rothstein

The China Hustle tells the story of the 2008 stock market crash. Chinese companies were seen as great opportunities, but American investors were not allowed to directly invest in the Chinese market. This documentary explores the massive fraud and reinforces the need for transparency and regulation surrounding the stock market, greed, and a big heist that no one heard about.

THE FABULOUS ALLAN CARR - (USA) Dir. Jeffrey Schwarz

Armed with a limitless Rolodex and a Benedict Canyon enclave with its own disco, Allan Carr threw the Hollywood parties that defined the 1970s. A producer, manager, and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes including the mega-hit musical film "Grease" and the Broadway hit "La Cage Aux Folles" until it all came CRASHING down after he produced the 1989 Academy Awards, a notorious debacle.

Cast: Maxwell Caulfield, Steve Guttenberg, Connie Stevens, Marlo Thomas, Lorna Luft, Brett Ratner, Valerie Perrine, Sherry Lansing, Bruce Vilanch, and many many more.

THE KING - (USA) Dir: Eugene Jarecki

Forty years after the death of Elvis Presley, a musical road trip across America in his 1963 Rolls Royce explores how a country boy lost his authenticity and became a king while his country lost her democracy and became an empire.

Cast: Alec Baldwin, Chuck D., Emmylou Harris, Ethan Hawke, Van Jones, Mike Myers, Ashton Kutcher, James Carville

THE PICK OF THE LITTER - (USA) Dirs. Don Hardy, Dana Nachman

Pick of the Litter follows a litter of puppies from the moment they're born and begin their quest to become Guide Dogs for the Blind, the ultimate canine career. This two-year journey follows the dogs and the incredible individuals who train them. Only the pick of the litter makes the final cut.

Cast: Phil, Poppet, Primrose, Patriot, Potmac (dogs in the doc)

RBG - (USA) Dirs. Betsy West, Julie Cohen

A look at the life and work of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who has become an icon for women and an idol for girls.

Cast: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Gloria Steinem, Nina Totenberg

GRAVEYARD SHIFT

BEST F®IENDS - (USA) Dir. Greg Sestero

When a drifter befriends a quirky mortician, an unlikely business partnership is formed. Paranoia soon develops, however, and both men are forced to come to terms with the fragility of friendship and loyalty.

Cast: Greg Sestero, Tommy Wiseau

COLD SKIN - (Spain/France) Dir. Xavier Gens

A young man who arrives to a remote island finds himself trapped in a battle for his own life.

Cast: Ray Stevenson, David Oakes, Aura Garrido

THE FEELS - (USA) Dir: Jenee LaMarque

A lesbian bachelorette weekend goes awry when one of the brides admits she's never had an org*sm. Constance Wu ("Fresh Off the Boat") stars in this funny and raunchy, yet poignant and real, reflection on trust, love, and THE JOURNEY every woman shares.

Cast: Constance Wu ("Fresh Off the Boat")

LET THE CORPSES TAN - (Belgium/France) Dirs. Bruno Forzani, Helene Cattet

On a beautiful corner of the Mediterranean, Rhino and his men take refuge after the robbery of 250 kilograms of gold. The plan is simple: Wait and split. But some unwanted visitors are about to turn this idyllic corner into a bloodbath.

Cast: Elina Löwensohn, Marilyn Jess, Marc Barbé, Stéphane Ferrara

MADE IN FLORIDA

BETWEEN WAVES - Dir: Joe Herbert

When a best-selling author has a midlife crisis, he returns to his coastal hometown and embarks on a wild adventure in a desperate attempt to reclaim his youth.

Cast: Amy Jo Johnson, William Russ, Vincent Caso, Christine Bell, Andy Ahrens

DISPATCHES FROM THE GULF 2: Research * Innovation * Discovery - Dir: Hal Weiner

Experience remarkable stories from the unprecedented scientific mission to comprehensively study the environmental impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and find new ways to ease the devastation. Includes the never-before-documented drama of bottlenose dolphins struggling to survive, and the capture of one of the world's largest predatory sharks.

JUST A KICKER! - Dir: Michael Rothwell

Many sports documentaries have peered into the world of football, but none have done so through the eyes of their most unique player, the Kicker. This film takes you into their world and examines the perceptions and stereotypes of these often-misunderstood athletes.

PRINCESS OF VERSAILLES - Dir: Cinnamon Monteville

David and Jackie Siegel seemed to be on course for a picture-perfect year with a billionaire lifestyle of wealth and luxury. Life was a fairytale until David and Jackie's oldest daughter, Victoria, was found dead in their Windermere mansion, forcing them to reevaluate their priorities. This is the story of how this high-profile couple's grief was transformed into a determined mission to save lives. The Princess of Versailles features David and Jackie at the center of a growing movement to conquer the opioid epidemic that is plaguing the United States. Victoria's death will mean that thousands, and even millions, will survive.

Cast: Jacqueline Siegel, David Siegel

For more information, visit: www.gasparillafilmfestival.com