Sharks, Stars, and High-Stakes Survival: Deep Water to Open 2026 Sarasota Film Festival
The 2026 Sarasota Film Festival is set to make a dramatic splash when the action-thriller Deep Water opens the festival on April 10, bringing a mix of Hollywood spectacle, ocean survival drama, and star power to the Gulf Coast. Directed by veteran action filmmaker Renny Harlin and produced by rock legend Gene Simmons, the film will launch the 28th annual festival with both Harlin and Simmons scheduled to attend in person.
The film, which arrives in theaters nationwide on May 1, stars Aaron Eckhart and Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley, joined by Molly Belle Wright, Angus Sampson, and Kelly Gale. In Deep Water, a commercial flight traveling from Los Angeles to Shanghai crashes into the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. The passengers who survive the disaster quickly realize that the crash was only the beginning of their ordeal. Stranded in open water, they must fight for survival not only against the elements, but also against the lurking predators circling beneath them — sharks drawn to the chaos in the water.
The premise blends disaster film tension with creature-feature suspense, creating what festival organizers describe as a thrilling cinematic kickoff designed to electrify audiences.
Harlin, whose career spans decades of blockbuster filmmaking, has long been known for crafting adrenaline-fueled crowd pleasers. His résumé includes some of the most memorable action films of the late twentieth century, including Die Hard 2 (1990), Cliffhanger (1993), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), and the shark thriller Deep Blue Sea (1999). His ability to combine large-scale spectacle with human drama has made him one of Hollywood’s most reliable action storytellers.
In recent years, Harlin has continued to expand his filmography across action and thriller genres. His recent projects include The Misfits (2021), The Bricklayer (2023), and the revival of the horror franchise The Strangers, which launched a new trilogy beginning with The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024) and continuing with Chapter 2 (2025) and Chapter 3 (2026).
“I’m grateful to the Sarasota Film Festival and the community for welcoming Deep Water as their opening night film,” Harlin said in a statement. “We made this movie to be experienced with an audience — to feel the tension, the spectacle, and the humanity together in a theater. There’s something especially fitting about sharing an ocean survival story in a beautiful city by the sea.”
Producer Gene Simmons, best known worldwide as the co-founder of the legendary rock band KISS, is also returning to Sarasota for the festival. Simmons previously attended the opening night party of the Sarasota Film Festival’s eighth edition in 2006.
“Deep Water is a terrific action thriller starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Aaron Eckhart, directed by Renny Harlin,” Simmons said. “This is the kind of movie I love. Grab your popcorn, sit back, and fasten your safety belts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
Adding a real-world dimension to the film’s ocean setting, the festival will also host leading marine scientists and oceanography experts for a post-screening discussion exploring shark behavior and marine ecosystems. The conversation aims to bridge Hollywood storytelling with the realities of ocean science.
Festival President Mark Famiglio said the film embodies exactly the kind of cinematic energy the event seeks to bring to audiences each year.
“We are excited to open the 2026 Sarasota Film Festival with Deep Water,” Famiglio said. “Renny Harlin has crafted a pulse-pounding thriller that is exactly the kind of bold, cinematic experience we love to present. With an extraordinary cast and producer Gene Simmons returning to Sarasota, this promises to be an unforgettable opening night.”
The festival will conclude with another high-profile event: the closing night screening of In the Hand of Dante, directed by acclaimed artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel. Schnabel will also receive the festival’s Achievement in Directing Award.
Beyond screenings, the festival will feature a wide range of panels and special events, including a fireside chat with stunt coordinator Jayson Dumenigo examining the craft behind Hollywood’s most iconic action sequences. Ringling College of Art and Design will host a discussion on the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in animation. Meanwhile, New College will present a free community event combining sports, film, and culture with a youth soccer clinic, international food trucks, and an outdoor screening celebrating Florida’s connection to the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Additional films, honorees, and special events will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for the 2026 Sarasota Film Festival go on sale March 20 and can be purchased online or at the festival’s box office located at 332 Cocoanut Avenue in downtown Sarasota.
