Established in 1986 the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) reels out more than 150 American Indie and international films, during the annual film festival held this year from November 8 – 17.
During the festival, celebrity and filmmaker guests from around the world create an aura of excitement as they arrive at their red-carpet premieres, attend over-the-top parties, and greet movie-goers.
FLIFF also programs the latest American Indie and international films daily at Broward County’s only year-round arthouse theaters, Savor Cinema (Fort Lauderdale) and Cinema Paradiso (Hollywood).
The 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization is one of five Major Cultural Institutions (Broward Cultural Council) and is among the highest-rated Film Festivals in the State of Florida (Florida Arts Council).
The kickoff event on November 8th will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ballroom on with a star-studded lineup! At 5:30pm – RED CARPET celebrities include: Bob Mackie, fashion and costume designer for Cher, PINK, Carol Burnett and Tom Ford; Emily Bett Rickards; Francesca Eastwood; Ray Romano; Greg & Matt Romano (twin sons); Kevin Pollak; John Savage; Joe Cortese; Xander Berkley; Sofia Vassilieva; Cara Buono; Jim Ross (WWE Hall of Famer); Kailey Latimer and Ty Pennington. At 7pm Screening of Opening Night Film, “QUEEN OF THE RING,” the biopic of Mildred Burke, the first-ever million dollar female athlete and champion pro-wrestler who pioneered the sport in a time when all girl wrestling was banned in most of America. Directed by Ash Avildsen, (“Paradise City”, “Human Capital”), who will be joined on the red carpet by cast members. Following the film, a cocktail party with live music by The Jersey Girls and open bar. Tickets are $125 for the film and party ($100 for FLIFF Members). $10 for the red carpet festivities and the FILM only.
There are so many films, we decided to focus on the LGBTQ+ films, and they are:
Showcases the six-decade career of award-winning costume designer, Bob Mackie. And like his costumes, Bob Mackie is wholly unique and unfiltered, which makes for a compelling and candid subject.
The film examines Bob’s unique upbringing, those whom he has held dear within his inner circle, and the familial surprises in his life that have all contributed to the optimism and audacity present in his work.
Because the film is fully authorized, Quixotic Endeavors was given access to the full Bob Mackie archive, which has been meticulously kept and curated with many rare and unseen artifacts, including the outfits that didn’t make the cut. We also capture the over-the-top costumes as they get sequined and beaded from sketch to stage. Specific highlights include some of the soon-to-be lost art methods by old-world artisans that help make each outfit Mackie conjures something to behold and remember.
The documentary feature includes original interviews with Bob Mackie clients and collaborators, along with those he has inspired – designers, stylists, comedians and actors, as well as Bob’s first-person account of some of his most iconic looks from The Carol Burnett Show’s Scarlett O’Hara dress to Cher’s 1986 Academy Awards look with feathered headdress and Tina Turner’s iconic concert costumes. Bob Mackie is a truly peerless and timeless costume designer, with interviews from Cher to Pink, to Tom Ford and Miley Cyrus, to Rupaul and Carol Burnett a testament to that fact.
Echoes Of Dreams – USA / 2024 / 84 min / English / Bittersweet LGBTQ Comedy
A newly-out lesbian Filipino woman in her mid-20s, named Reyna, embarks on a journey to chase her dreams of becoming a successful DJ. Along the way, she dates different women via a lesbian dating app while facing various obstacles, from failed attempts at becoming a real estate agent to her aspirations as a web developer. Through determination, self-discovery, and the power of faith, Reyna learns to overcome adversity and finds her true calling and love.
The Compatriots – USA / 2024 / 94 min / English / LGBTQ+ Comedy Romance
Javi, an undocumented immigrant facing imminent deportation, unexpectedly reunites with his long-lost best friend, Hunter, a vivacious bachelor seeking deeper connections. Together, they embark on a heartfelt journey to prevent Javi’s expulsion from the only country he has ever called home.
A light-hearted comedy with two serious subplots. Really likeable performances by the three leads, Denis Shepherd as Hunter, Rafael Silva as Javi and Caroline Portu as Tracy, win you over. Spencer Cohen puts together a fun romp with just enough obstacles to keep you hopping non-stop from laughs to suspense.
In the following months after the USA withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, a young Kabul couple found their way to the dark and dodgy Afghan neighborhood, Zeytinburnu in İstanbul. Malika – a transgender woman who together with Mohamed, the love of her life, have fled their families honor killing plan and Taliban’s fatal punishments to be able to cultivate their forbidden love for each other, in the hope of achieving a new and better life in Turkey. One day they pass by the young and homeless ”Ilham,” who is sitting on the pavement with nowhere to go, and decide to bring an extra person into their self-made family. Together the three of them are facing poverty, fear of deportation, daily harassment, sexual violence and gender identity crisis. But their self-claimed support towards each other, keeps them fighting for their dreams, whatever it takes. As they obtain residency and move into their own place, their circumstances seem to improve from the outside. But unexpected and darker perspectives surface, revealing a surprising twist of perception, when Ilham runs away and claims they have prostituted him out to other men.
