The 11th annual Fort Lauderdale Edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, a bi-annual film festival designed to inspire, entertain, educate and encourage a sense of community through international and culturally diverse media that offer historical and contemporary perspectives on the LGBTQ+ experience, will take place October 10 – 20, 2019. Presented by Gilead, Broward County, and Culture Builds Florida, this year’s hotly anticipated film festival will spotlight 33 stirring, contemplative, comedic and creative full-length features plus 18 inventive shorts from 13 countries, panel discussions with filmmakers and talent, and various parties and special events. Films will be screened at the Museum of Discovery & Science AutoNation® IMAX 3D Theater (401 SW 2nd Street) the Classic Gateway Theatre (1820 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale) and Savor Cinema (503 Southeast 6th Street).
“We’re especially excited for this year’s Fort Lauderdale edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival and its unprecedented amount of international award-winning and buzzworthy features,” said Victor Gimenez, executive director of OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “In addition to bridging the cultural divide and showcasing important voices and viewpoints from other countries, we’re uniting our own community in celebration of diversity and what makes us human and relatable.”
The festival kicks-off with an October 10 Opening Night showing of the comedy “Adam,” directed by Rhys Ernst, at the Museum of Discovery & Science AutoNation® IMAX 3D Theater. This lively coming of age comedy of errors follows a young high-schooler as he navigates life, love and Brooklyn’s young LGBTQ+ community. Producer Circle Members and sponsors will enjoy a 5:30 p.m. pre-event Filmmakers Soirée where they can mix and mingle with many of the festival’s filmmakers followed by the screening. Post-showing, the Opening Night Party will be at Stache (109 SW 2nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale) with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and entertainment.
Special not-to-be missed films of note, this year, include “Portrait of A Lady on Fire,” directed by Céline Sciamma, nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars next year and Cannes Film Festival Winner Queer Palm, Best GLBT Film, and Winner Best Screenplay.
International Cinephile Society Awards, “Song Lang,” directed by Leon Le, a multiple international award winner from Vietnam, “To The Stars,” directed by Martha Stephens, Cinetopia Winner Festival Directors Award and US Narrative Feature, “Everybody Changes (Todos Cambiamos),” directed by Arturo Montenegro of Panama and the East Coast premiere of “El Príncipe (The Prince),” by Sebastián Muñoz, a recent winner of the Queer Lion Award, a collateral award of the 76th Venice International Film Festival.
Offering something for everyone, the festival will host a Ladies’ Spotlight Film and Party featuring “Carmen & Lola” at 7:15 p.m. and after-party at 9:30 p.m. on October 12 and a Men’s Spotlight Film & Party featuring “From Zero to I Love You” at 7:15 p.m. and after-party on October 19.
This year, the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Fort Lauderdale is also pleased to host “And Then We Danced,” directed by Levan Akin of Sweden and up for consideration as best international feature for an Academy Award, as its closing film on October 20 at 8 p.m. at Savor Cinema. This uniquely tender and personal film follows talented dancer Merab as he struggles with a forbidden sexual attraction that recalls “Moonlight” and “God’s Own Country.” An afterparty and awards ceremony will follow at Nu River Landing (511 SE 5th Ave, Fort Lauderdale).
Presenting sponsors of The 11th annual Fort Lauderdale Edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival include Gilead, Broward County, Culture Builds Florida and GPR | Goodman Public Relations.
Tickets for the 11th annual Fort Lauderdale Edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival will go on sale September 16. Tickets and a full schedule of films will be available at outshinefilm.com/films/program. A full schedule of parties and special events can be found at outshinefilm.com/events.
