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The OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Spring Edition returns to South Florida, Apr. 23-May 3.
Internationally acclaimed as one of the largest LGBTQ+ cultural festivals in the world, this season’s OUTshine lineup hits Miami-Dade and Broward counties with vibrant thought-provoking, entertaining and educational star-studded features, documentaries and shorts including four international, nine North American and six East Coast premieres from 20 countries.
New this year is the festival’s Opening Night Under the Stars, a Community Block Party Closing Night and an extended Fort Lauderdale run adding three more days of fun, fabulous excitement to connect cinema enthusiasts.
Last year’s OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festivals drew more than 12,000 attendees from the Greater South Florida area, as well as virtual viewers statewide.
“OUTshine was created to entertain, educate, and inspire film-loving audiences of all persuasions by presenting the best of emerging international, national, and local LGBTQ+ oriented films to South Florida,” said Mark Gilbert, interim executive director, OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “We strive to enrich our audiences while encouraging a sense of community by presenting international and culturally diverse films that offer historical and contemporary perspectives on the LGBTQ+ experience. Our message is that when you come to the festival, you’re with friends.”
Starting the 2026 Spring Edition on a glamorous, outdoor note, OUTshine presents its opening night film, The Dinner (La Cena) (Spain, 2025), a delicious blend of tension, history, and irreverent humor, on Thursday, Apr. 23, 7:30 p.m., at Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach.
Set in the turbulent aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a grand dinner is planned to celebrate the nationalist triumph of Franco in the iconic and luxurious Hotel Palace in Madrid. But what the victors don’t know is who’s in the kitchen.
Directed by Manuel Gómez Pereira, the film stars Mario Casas (The Goldsmith’s Secret) and Alberto San Juan (Cristobal Balenciaga). Opening night tickets are $75 and include reserved lawn seating, entertainment, open bar cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a filmmaker Q & A.
“With so many new universal stories yet to be discovered, selecting this year’s Spring Edition features was truly a labor of love,” said Joe Bilancio, director of programming, OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “Our Miami run has a strong focus on Latin America, international and foreign language LGBTQ+ films geared toward a strong multicultural audience while Fort Lauderdale features many American independent films.
“We are proud to share these empowering stories by today’s foremost and emerging directors whose creative visions urge us to embrace our differences and foster a sense of unity and belonging,” Bilancio added.
The Men’s and Ladies Latin Spotlight Night will begin at 7 p.m. on Apr. 25 in Miami at the Silverspot Cinema, 300 SE Third St #100). This year’s films include the romantic comedy An Island Away from You (A Una Isla Deti) (Spain, 2025) and the award-winning drama Jone, Sometimes (Jone, batzuetan) (Spain, 2025).
Monday, Apr. 27, Tuesday, Apr. 28, and Wednesday, Apr. 29, OUTshine will present its Cocktails & Cinema nights in `both Miami and Fort Lauderdale. At 7 p.m., at the historic landmark Tower Theater, 1508 SW Eighth St., Miami), OUTshine brings the magic of local shorts to Calle Ocho, and at 7 p.m., at the historic Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale, 1820 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, a Trans Spotlight film will debut.
This year’s Centerpiece Film screening at the Koubek Center Theater, 2705 SW Third St., Miami, 7:30 p.m., on Apr. 30, will be Maspalomas (Spain, 2025), an intimate story that delves into the subject of homosexuality in elder age through the journey of a 76-year-old man confronting fears and dilemmas that cross generations.
Set in the iconic town and beaches of Maspalomas, on the beautiful island of Gran Canaria, the film thoughtfully explores universal themes such as family, identity and sexuality in later life, with extraordinary honesty, depth and sensitivity. The film was directed by Jose Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi. Post-screening, audience are invited for light bites, entertainment and complimentary cocktails.
Other star-studded films of note this year include Montreal, My Beautiful (Montéal, Ma Belle) (Canada, 2025) starring Joan Chen as a Chinese immigrant who begins a secret affair with a young Québécoise; I Want Your Sex (USA, 2026), an American erotic comedy thriller directed by Gregg Araki starring Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Daveed Diggs, Johnny Knoxville, Margaret Cho and Charli XCX, and Rock Out (USA, 2025), directed by Dustin Lance Black, an excavation of the queer roots of rock, punk and metal featuring Roger Daltrey, Dolly Parton, John Reid, Danny Fields and more.
On Sunday, May 3, OUTshine will present its first-ever Closing Night Community Block Party at Savor Cinema, 503 SE sixth St., Fort Lauderdale. Audiences are invited to the 6 p.m. screening of We’ll Find Happiness (Canada, 2025) followed by an outdoor soiree featuring food vendors, filmmakers, live performers, entertainment and more from community partners.
We’ll Find Happiness, directed by Léa Pool, tells the story of Saad, a young Moroccan exile in Quebec, who will do anything to save the man he loves, an Iranian refugee facing deportation and likely death. In a desperate move, Saad tries to seduce a high-ranking spokesperson from the Ministry of Immigration. This risky gambit sets off a chain of events that are as intimate as they are political, where every decision carries consequences far beyond matters of the heart.
OUTshine At-Home viewing will be available, May 4-10.
“While others might retreat, OUTshine forges forward with an even more robust schedule proving that strength, courage, and solidarity can turn even the fiercest storms into a path toward hope and pride. We will continue to showcase the bold storytelling, diverse voices, and unforgettable cinematic moments that define our community,” Gilbert said.
Ticket subscription packages and individual tickets starting at $17 are on sale. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit outshinefilm.com.
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