Now 10 years old, the Sarasota Film Festival is one of the most respected in the U.S. I've had a lot of great times there, from interviewing the late director Robert Altman to pissing off Oscar winning screenwriter Robert Towne, from meeting Joe Bob Briggs to sharing smokes with Justin Long (the Mac guy, Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard) and Alan Tudyk (Dodgeball, Death at a Funeral) before anyone knew who they are. You don't want to know what I saw Joe Pantoliano doing last year.

This year's edition -- running April 4-13 -- looks like the Sarasota folks aren't through building their reputation. The lineup includes sidebar tribute to Israel@60: The Diaspora and Beyond, the late Ingmar Bergman and his favorite star, Liv Ullmann, a career achievement fete for Stanley Tucci (I have to talk to him about The Imposters, one of the sorely underrated films of the past few years). Tucci will be introduced by Steve Buscemi, who as we all know from Reservoir Dogs doesn't tip.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron will also be honored on closing night, along with producer Ted Hope (In the Bedroom, The Savages).

We'll also have a chance to see The Deal, an inside-Hollywood satire co-produced by festival director Jody Kielbasa with frequent Sarasota visitor William H. Macy, who stars. That's the opening night offering; Macy, co-stars Meg Ryan and LL Cool J are listed as maybes to attend.

We'll see the Oscar-nominated foreign film Mongol, Oscar winner Helen Hunt's directorial debut, Then She Found Me. And that's just skimming the surface of the offerings.

There are events aimed squarely at children, student filmaking and too many chances for celebrity brushes to list. Oh yeah: Sarasota throws down some great parties, too.

Check out the festival Web site for information and ticket sales. It's an hour or so drive that'll take you worlds away.