‘One Big Happy Family’ Film Premiere

Date: Friday, January 9 2026 to Thursday, January 15 2026

The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “One Big Happy Family” showing Jan. 9-15 at the Mary D. Fisher and Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatres. The filmmaker and star of the film, Lisa Brenner, will be here in person to host the film on opening day Friday, Jan. 9, and will conduct a Q&A session after the 4:00 screening. “One Big Happy Family” marks two-time Golden Globe® and Tony Winner Linda Lavin’s final film performance — a beautiful conclusion to her more than six-decade-long career in television, film and stage acting. Written, produced and starring Lisa Brenner, the film is inspired by Lisa’s true-life experience when a DNA test she did on a whim unveiled a long-hidden and upending family truth. This led her to write a heartwarming, humorous film about her adventure. Brenner stars as Rachel, a woman who goes on a journey of shock, dismay, disillusionment, and self-discovery, filled with surprisingly hilarious comedic moments, along with Lavin, who plays her Jewish mother, Lenore. It’s Rachel’s 40th birthday, and she’s busy planning her eldest daughter’s bat mitzvah—complete with all the chaos that entails! Having nearly forgotten that she and her friend submitted their DNA for results months ago, she is taken by surprise when the response arrives in the mail. To her dismay, it reveals that the man she has revered for the past 40 years is not her biological father. As other “new” relatives are informed of the results, her phone begins buzzing with a flurry of unsolicited notifications. Rachel gains new siblings every day – of every ethnicity and every career path possible. Questioning her identity, she decides to go on a pilgrimage with her mother, Lenore (Lavin), to find her “real” father, a journey that takes them from a shady private eye, to an inept gynecologist, and to an ex-con tattoo artist half-brother. The wild voyage culminates in an emotional apex that threatens the indestructible bond between Rachel and Lenore. “One Big Happy Family” beautifully captures the humor, heart, and complexities of life and family. “One Big Happy Family” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher and Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatres Jan. 9-15. Showtimes will be Friday, Jan. 9 at 4:00 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.; Monday, Jan. 12 at 3:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 13, 14 and 15 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.

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