Sarasota Film Festival has announced two celebrity guests and its opening and closing films, with their famous directors attending as well. The film festival, which takes place April 13-22 and celebrates 20 years in 2018, made the announcement Friday before its full lineup reveal on Wednesday.

Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen will receive a career achievement award during the closing weekend and have her new film “1985,” about a man’s fears of coming out during the AIDS crisis, screen at the festival. Madsen received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in 2004′s “Sideways” and has appeared in numerous other high-profile movies, including David Lynch’s science-fiction epic “Dune,” horror cult favorite “Candyman” and Robert Altman’s final film “A Prairie Home Companion.”

The festival will open April 13 at Sarasota Opera House with “Class Rank,” a comedy about two high school students who team up to take over the local school board, directed by Eric Stoltz, who will attend. Stoltz is better known as an actor, including roles in “Pulp Fiction,” “Some Kind of Wonderful” and his Golden Globe-nominated performance in “Mask.”

The closing night film, to be shown April 21 at Sarasota Opera House, will be “Above and Beyond: NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow,” a documentary about NASA’s 60-year history by filmmaker Rory Kennedy.

ABOUT THE SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL

The 20th annual Sarasota Film Festival, which will take place from April 13th to April 22nd, greatly appreciates the support of its corporate sponsors, including the Amicus Foundation, The Famiglio Family, Regal Entertainment Group, Art Ovation Hotel, and Mutual of Omaha Bank.

Held annually in Sarasota, FL, The Sarasota Film Festival emphasizes the best in cinema alongside exciting programs and events, with more than 200 films screened each year including features, documentaries, shorts, and kid-friendly picks. Entering our 20th year, we’re proud to bring the best new and established independent filmmakers to our Festival with local and kid-friendly programs that showcase our idyllic Gulf Coast community.