Welcoming the attendees was Film Festival Board Member and Community Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology, Lisa Mansell. The Church has been the caretaker of the Fort Harrison since 1975.

Ms. Mansell stated “Since her grand opening on December 31st 1926, the Fort Harrison has been the location of many concerts and cultural events, and we are happy to continue that tradition. Those of you who have been here before know that the Fort Harrison isn’t just a building and the people who grace this stage are not just performers.

“In 1952, L. Ron Hubbard said, “The artist, day by day, by postulating the new realities of the future, accomplishes peaceful revolution.”

“The revolutionaries who have performed here include Duke Ellington, the Four Freshmen, Isaac Hayes, Chick Corea, Chaka Khan and Edgar Winter. About to join them are an amazing set of performers: Joanie Sigal, Tom Godfrey, Paul Wilson and the
Flag Band.”

The show got off to a rapid start from there – performances of note included a jazzed up version of “When You Wish Upon a Star” featuring Colleen Lindsay and the Flag Band, and a dueling duet between Godfrey and Wilson of “O Solo Mio” with “Its Now or Never.”

Joanie Sigal’s pretty soprano voice shone in songs like “Popular” (from the hit Broadway Musical “Wicked”) and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

The concert ended with the whole ensemble performing “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones, who wrote that song at the Fort Harrison back in 1965.

But it was not just great music that was heard. As the event raised funds for the Sunscreen Film Festival, Festival Founders, Tony Armer and Derek Miner took to the stage and talked about the festival and what it means to the community.

“We appreciate the support. We don’t just do the festival,” said Armer. “We do events year round, events like this, a summer camp film school for kids, actors workshops, screenwriting workshops and film production workshops.”

Armer also explained a bit about the aims of the festival, “We do a lot of educational programming. The pillars of the festival are art, education and supporting the economic development of filmmaking in this area.”

To highlight this point, Armer and Miner showed two short films, “True Beauty This Night” and “A More Perfect Yellow,” the latter of which was filmed in Pinellas County.

Resurrection House, located in St. Petersburg, assists homeless families to get back on their feet, by using an approach that teaches their clients to break the cycle of homelessness.

For more information about the Sunscreen Film Festival, please go to www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com.

For more information about Resurrection House, please go to www.floridaresurrectionhouse.com