The wait is over as the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival unveils its full film lineup for this year’s Fall Edition running October 15 – 25 in South Florida. This edition brings more than 20 new international, North American, East Coast and Florida premieres from 20 countries to Broward and Miami-Dade counties! Buckle down for the return of the intriguing OUTshine After Dark, a thrilling Halloween-themed Centerpiece Film and afterparty, a locally produced documentary sneak preview and more special events, filmmaker panels and surprises created to unite South Florida cinephiles. Tickets are on sale now.
Internationally acclaimed as one of the largest LGBTQ+ cultural festivals in the world, this season’s OUTshine line-up reinforces the festival team’s commitment to artistic and cultural solidarity by offering vibrant, thought-provoking, entertaining and educational star-studded features, documentaries and shorts.
My buddy for more than 2 decades, Mark Gilbert, who is the executive Director of the the Outshine Film Festival said: “The joy of OUTshine has always been that we are a comfortable place to experience films together – to join old friends and make new ones. This fall, we’ve filled our OUTshine program with the brightest stars, the most talented international filmmakers and seasonal surprises designed to delight, chill and thrill. When our stories were being pushed off screens, out of libraries, and off stages. Telling them wasn’t just bold. It was necessary. For 28 years, we have kept the lights on for LGBTQ stories in South Florida and we will continue to stand strong, proud and united. We are not going anywhere.”
The festivities kick off in Broward on Thursday, October 15, at 7 p.m., with a screening of the award-winning historical drama La Bola Negra (Spain, France 2026) at Regal Dania Pointe. La Bola Negra, directed, co-written and produced by Cannes-winning directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (Los Javis) weaves a tale of three gay men living across three generations who find their lives linked by love, loss, and an unfinished work by Federico García Lorca that echoes through Spain’s queer history. Calvo and Ambrossi’s La Bola Negra stars Spanish music sensation Guitarricadelafuente, Miguel Bernardeau, Carlos González, Milo Quifes, Lola Dueñas, Julio Torres, Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. This ambitious drama is both a tribute to Lorca’s artistic legacy and a powerful celebration of resilience and self-expression. An afterparty will follow at Dania Pointe’s 14 North Daiquiri Bar.
On Saturday, October 17, beginning at 7:15 p.m., OUTshine’s Men’s & Ladies Spotlight Films debut at Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale (1820 E Sunrise Blvd). For the ladies, the tender, funny, and beautifully observed coming-of-age story about friendship, first love, grief, and the courage to embrace your authentic self are portrayed in Mouse (United States, 2026). For the men, the narrative drama Flesh & Fuel (Du Fioul dans les artères) (France, Poland, 2026) focuses on a lonely French truck driver who finds unexpected love with a Polish colleague, forcing both men to navigate the challenges of distance, work, and the possibility of a future together. An afterparty will follow at J. Marks’s restaurant.
Get ready for a chilling Centerpiece Film when the Florida premiere of the folk horror story No Rest for the Wicked (Faroe Islands, 2026) invades Savor Cinema (503 SE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale) on October 21, at 7:30 p.m. In the remote Faroe Islands, a young fisherman falls for a mysterious whaler, but their forbidden romance takes a dark turn when tragedy awakens a vampire curse that threatens to separate them forever. This haunting film will be followed by a spirited Halloween afterparty.
In my opinion, one of the highlights of the festival is Cocktails & CinemaA: Bea Arthur: The Documentary “I’ve Done Everything Except Porn” which takes place on Tuesday October 20th at 7pm at O Cinema South Beach (1130 Washington Ave #200). More than a decade after her death, legendary actress Bea Arthur tells her story in her own unmistakable voice. Through a never-before-seen interview, archival material, and conversations with colleagues and friends, the documentary explores the woman behind Maude, The Golden Girls, and her Tony-winning performance in Mame. From her early days in New York theater to her groundbreaking career on stage, screen, and television, the film reveals Arthur as sharp, compassionate, fiercely intelligent, and unapologetically herself. It also celebrates her decades-long advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and the lasting impact of an icon whose work and outspoken allyship continue to resonate across generations.
Closing out this fall’s edition will be the Florida premiere of Before I Do (United States, 2026), a heartwarming romantic comedy, on Sunday, October 25, at 6 p.m., at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex (212 NE 59th Terrace, Miami). A groom-to-be’s bachelor weekend is thrown into disarray when unresolved feelings for his best man resurface, forcing everyone to reconsider what—and who—they’re celebrating. An all-out afterparty will follow the screening.
I asked my friend Alexis Altamar (many of you know her as Alexis Bosch…but she got hitched…yay, who is the Director of Operations and Marketing for Outshine, her thoughts on the evolution of festival and she said: “One of the things that makes OUTshine so special is that we don’t think of the festival as simply a lineup of films. We’re building an experience around them. Bringing filmmakers to South Florida, creating events where audiences can connect, and introducing people to stories and perspectives they might never encounter otherwise. Our team works tirelessly throughout the year to bring the festival to life, so getting to see those moments of discovery and recognition happening in a theater full of people is what makes all the work behind the festival worth it.”
The festival continues with select films available for OUTshine At-Home viewing from October 26 – November 1.
Ticket subscription packages and individual tickets start at $17. OUTshine passholders and Producer Circle members receive priority advance ticket purchase opportunities. For a full listing of films, parties, special events and more and to purchase tickets, visit Outshinefilm.com.
