Sarasota

The 28th Annual Sarasota Film Festival takes place April 10-19. This year's festival includes over 200 features, documentaries and short films exploring both local and global issues. The festival also features red carpet premieres, community-wide street festivals, filmmaker Q&A sessions and exclusive industry panels.

Erhan John Er of Sarasota was sentenced Thursday to 52 months in federal prison on international firearms trafficking conspiracy charges after he bought firearms from dealers in Naples and Sarasota to be smuggled into Canada.

For many, what happens after death is rarely discussed. For others, it becomes an ongoing and meaningful conversation. WGCU met with three families who embraced a different kind of farewell.

Pig racing has been a Sarasota County Fair staple for nearly 40 years. The family behind it is just getting started.

What is the measure of a life? FST Associate Artist Ben Liebert says that’s an apt description of “Birthday Candles.” It’s 107 years of life packed into 90 minutes – with a real cake baked onstage every night.

Florida’s largest Amish and Mennonite community is in Sarasota. Tourists come for the quilts. WGCU explores what’s changing behind the seams.

This weekend, festivalgoers can sample the art at the Sarasota Festival of the Arts, the 25th Annual Downtown Venice Art Classic, Art Walk at the Promenade at Bonita Bay and the Naples Artcrafters Fine Art & Craft Show.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe continues its “Soul of a People” theatre season with “How I Got Over: A Gospel Revue.” The show runs February 18 through March 29.

Sarasota’s effort to directly develop affordable housing downtown — an unprecedented, city-led plan championed by former City Manager Marlon Brown — faltered after the city spent more than $7 million on land without a finalized construction budget or financing strategy and as anticipated state and philanthropic funding did not come through. It has now reemerged with an unsolicited, scaled-back proposal from a local developer whose low cost estimates and lack of high-rise experience have prompted questions from housing and real estate experts about feasibility, due diligence and next steps.

Temple Sinai celebrated their 18th annual Jewish Food Festival over the weekend.