SunshineCityFilmFestival.com<\/a>.<\/p>\nAlso, part of the festival, the L.I.F.E. \u2014 Ladies in Film & Entertainment \u2014 Celebration will be presented on Friday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m., at the iconic Salvador Dal\u00ed Museum, 1 Dal\u00ed Blvd., St. Petersburg. The L.I.F.E. Celebration honors women whose creativity, leadership, and dedication continue to shape film, television, media, and the arts. Over the years, L.I.F.E. has grown into a defining pillar of the festival, serving as both a moment of recognition and a broader commitment to visibility, equity, and legacy.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s L.I.F.E. honorees represent a powerful cross-section of talent and impact across entertainment and media. They include Saundra Weathers, TV\/news reporter and anchor; Diana Durango, actress\/producer; Tessla Elizabeth, actress\/model; Andresia Moseley, actress; Jenna Jane, actress\/producer; Brianna Borello, actress; Janesia Shanae, actress; and Melissa Lizette Merritt, producer\/production assistant. Together, these women exemplify excellence, perseverance, and service \u2014 each contributing uniquely to the cultural and creative landscape.<\/p>\n
In honor of the festival\u2019s 10th anniversary, the 2026 L.I.F.E. Celebration will also feature a special reunion of past L.I.F.E. honorees, many of whom will be in attendance. This gathering underscores the enduring community built through the program and highlights the long-term impact of recognizing women who lead, uplift, and create lasting change within the industry.<\/p>\n
Set against the backdrop of the Dal\u00ed Museum, the evening blends elegance with intention \u2014 bringing together honorees, alumni, filmmakers, and community leaders for meaningful connection and reflection.<\/p>\n
The L.I.F.E. Celebration is part of SCFFX, the Sunshine City Film Festival\u2019s six-day experience, running Jan. 14-19. The festival will transform St. Petersburg into a hub for independent cinema and creative exchange.<\/p>\n
In addition to the kickoff party and the L.I.F.E. Celebration, festival highlights include:<\/p>\n
Surreal Cinema Night \u2014 Thursday, Jan. 15 at the Dal\u00ed Museum<\/p>\n
An evening of visually bold and thought-provoking films, including The Ethereal: The God Particle and episodes of Simi, showcasing visionary storytelling from award-winning creators.<\/p>\n
SCFFX Movie Night \u2014 Saturday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Beach Theatre<\/p>\n
A comprehensive showcase featuring Indie Shorts, Student Films, International Films, Documentaries, Music Videos, and Made-in-the-Bay selections.<\/p>\n
Filmmakers Tour & Networking Mixer \u2014 Sunday, Jan. 18, 8 p.m. to midnight<\/p>\n
An immersive experience connecting filmmakers with regional film commissions and creative spaces. RSVP required; space is limited.<\/p>\n
Awards & Closing Celebration \u2014 Monday, Jan. 19, 7 to 11 p.m., at Greenlight Cinema Lounge Kitchen<\/p>\n
A culminating night of the final showcase of highlighted festival films made in the bay area, and flowing into the festival awards honoring outstanding films, performances, and creative achievement, closing the festival with purpose and recognition.<\/p>\n
Founded in St. Petersburg, the Sunshine City Film Festival has grown into an internationally recognized platform rooted in community, diversity, and independent storytelling. Festival sponsors include the city of St. Petersburg, Dal\u00ed Museum, St. Pete\/Clearwater Film Commission, Film Tampa Bay, Green Light Cinema, The Beach Theatre, Pinellas Diaspora Arts Project, The Tampa Bay Actors Guild, Dreammakerz Productions, DYG Art 4 for the Soul.<\/p>\n
For tickets and a full festival schedule, visit SunshineCityFilmFestival.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ST. PETERSBURG \u2014 The Sunshine City Film Festival is marking its 10th anniversary this month. The annual event…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":120077,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[9888,60234,596,202,204,203,199,201,200,60233],"class_list":["post-120076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-film-festival","tag-greenlight-cinema-lounge-kitchen","tag-pinellas-county","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news","tag-sunshine-city-film-festival"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120076\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}