Sarasota Fest slots 'Wisdom'

'Weekend,' 'Sunday' will also screen along with 25 pix

By K.D. SHIRKANI

Still trying to fill the gap left by the departure of Unifrance's Sarasota French Film Festival (which left the city for Acapulco three years ago), the second annual Sarasota Film Festival will unspool roughly 25 features from Jan. 12-16.

Highlights of the widely focused, audience-oriented fest will include showings of "The Weekend," starring Gena Rowlands and Brooke Shields (both of whom will attend); "The Wisdom of Crocodiles," with Jude Law and Kerry Fox; and "The Last Best Sunday," directed by Don Most (best known as Ralph Malph from TV's "Happy Days").

Also scheduled are documentary and Norwegian sidebars; a lifetime achievement award for Jon Voight; and a panel discussion with critics Molly Haskell and Andrew Sarris.