The Sarasota Film Festival has set DEEP WATER, directed by Renny Harlin and produced by Gene Simmons to open the 2026 edition of the festival on April 10, 2026 with both set to attend the festival in person. The film, which opens in theaters on May 1 , features a cast led by Aaron Eckhart and Sir Ben Kingsley, alongside Molly Belle Wright, Angus Sampson, and Kelly Gale. In DEEP WATER, a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai goes down in the middle of the Pacific. After surviving the crash, the survivors soon discover they’re not alone and they must survive the shark infested waters.
Known for his dynamic and crowd pleasing films, Renny Harlin has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and enduring action directors. His work on films such as Die Hard 2 (1990), Cliffhanger (1993), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), and Deep Blue Sea (1999) helped define the modern action genre and solidified his reputation for delivering large-scale productions. In recent years, Harlin has continued to work across action and thriller genres with films including The Misfits (2021), The Bricklayer (2023), and the relaunch of The Strangers franchise with The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024), The Strangers: Chapter 2 (2025) and The Strangers: Chapter 3 (2026).
“I’m grateful to the Sarasota Film Festival and the community for welcoming Deep Water as their opening night film. 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.,” said Director Renny Harlin.
This will mark Gene Simmons’ second time at the festival, having previously attended the opening night party at the 8th Annual Sarasota Film Festival in 2006.
“DEEP WATER is a terrific action thriller starring Sir Kingsley and Aaron Eckhart. Directed by Renny Harlin. 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” said Producer Gene Simmons.
Additionally, the festival will welcome oceanography and marine life experts who will take part in a discussion following the film.
“We are excited to open the 2026 Sarasota Film Festival with DEEP WATER. Renny Harlin has crafted a pulse-pounding thriller that is exactly the kind of bold, cinematic experience we love to bring to our audiences,” said President of the Festival Mark Famiglio, “with an extraordinary cast and producer Gene Simmons making his return to SFF, this is going to be an unforgettable night to kick off the festival. We are also thrilled to welcome some of the world’s leading shark experts and scientists, who will bring a fascinating real-world perspective to the film and spark what promises to be an incredible conversation.”
As previously announced, the festival will close with IN THE HAND OF DANTE, directed by Julian Schnabel, Schnabel will also be honored with the Achievement in Directing Award. Additionally, the festival will feature a series of panels with highlights including a fireside chat with stunt coordinator Jayson Dumenigo exploring the craft behind Hollywood’s most iconic action sequences and offering a behind-the-scenes look at the precision and artistry of stunt work; a timely conversation at Ringling College of Art and Design examining AI’s role in animation; and a free, family-friendly Sports and Business panel at New College, featuring a youth soccer clinic led by notable athletes, internationally themed food trucks, and an outdoor film screening in celebration of Florida’s role in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A full lineup and additional honorees will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the festival will be available for purchase beginning March 20 online and at the in-person box office at 332 Coconaut Avenue, (Corner office on cocoanut and 4th) open daily from 12PM-6PM until the commencement of the festival. Visit https://www.sarasotafilmfestival.com to purchase tickets and for further information on the 28th annual Sarasota Film Festival and all year-round programming.
About Sarasota Film Festival
Held annually in Sarasota, Florida, the Sarasota Film Festival emphasizes the best in cinema alongside exciting programs and events, with hundreds of films screened each year including features, documentaries, shorts, and kid-friendly picks. SFF brings the best new and established independent filmmakers to the Festival with local programs that showcase its idyllic community. The Sarasota Film Festival is a 501©3 non-profit arts organization. It is the largest film fest in the Southeast, one of the largest in North America, and draws over 50,000 ticket holders annually. The festival regularly hosts industry attendees and media and has been covered by The New York Times, Variety, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, IndieWire, The Hollywood Reporter, USA Today, Rolling Stone, The New York Post, and The New York Daily News, among others. For more information, please visit: https://www.sarasotafilmfestival.com/.
