28th OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Spring Ed. Offers International, N. American & East Coast Premieres April 23 – May 3
The OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Spring Edition returns to South Florida April 23 – May 3, with At-Home viewing available beginning May 4. This year’s festival poster was designed by Miami artist Brian Butler.
OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival will honor Dustin Lance Black, director of Rock Out (USA, 2025), at the April 27 Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale Cocktails & Cinema™ screening.
OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival is proud to present its first-ever Closing Night Community Block Party at Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale featuring We’ll Find Happiness (Canada, 2025) on May 3.
Award-winning director/screenwriter Dustin Lance Black to be honored April 27 in Ft. Lauderdale; Special events, panels & parties add diversity to South Florida
MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, April 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival has unveiled its full film lineup for this year’s Spring Edition running April 23 – May 3, 2026 in South Florida. This year’s festival features more than 20 international, North American and East Coast premieres from 20 countries across Miami-Dade and Broward counties! Adding to the excitement of the festival will be a special recognition ceremony for award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, whose Rock Out (USA, 2025) film will be screening on Monday, April 27, at Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale (1820 E Sunrise Blvd). Other special events, filmmaker panels and afterparties will add diversity to South Florida’s cinema scene.
Internationally acclaimed as one of the largest LGBTQ+ cultural festivals in the world, OUTshine will debut its first Opening Night Under the Stars party featuring The Dinner (La Cena) (Spain, 2025), a delicious blend of tension, history, and irreverent humor, on Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m., at Miami Beach Botanical Gardens (2000 Convention Ctr Dr). This year’s Centerpiece film, Maspalomas (Spain, 2025), an intimate story that delves into the subject of homosexuality in elder age, screens at the Koubek Center Theater (2705 SW 3rd St, Miami) at 7:30 p.m. on April 30. Closing night on Sunday, May 3, at 6 p.m., at Savor Cinema (503 SE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale) will feature the international premiere of We’ll Find Happiness (Canada, 2025), an award-winning drama about how far one will go for love, followed by another first - a Closing Night Community Block Party featuring food vendors, filmmakers, live performers, entertainment and more.
“This spring will be one of OUTshine’s most extraordinary editions, yet — a magical Opening Night Under the Stars at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, a Closing Night at Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale followed by a community street party, and more screening days in Fort Lauderdale than ever before,” said Mark Gilbert, interim executive director, OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “Filmmakers from all over the world are telling our queer stories for you to see - showing up, standing proud together and celebrating who we are.”
Festival highlights this season include the international premieres of An Island Away From You (A Una Isla Deti) (Spain, 2025); The Children of Silverstreet Take a Stand (Børnene Fra Sølvgade Tager Kampen Op) (Denmark, 2025); and Unicorns (Italy/Spain, 2025). This edition’s North American premieres include the star-studded documentary Armani And The Birth of Italian Fashion (Italy, 2026) that traces the rise of Italian fashion through the story of the families that have been ruling it for decades – from Armani, Versace, Gucci and Valentino to Missoni, Zegna, Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada and featuring legendary insiders, rivalries, personal stories and the enduring love affair between Hollywood and Italian designers; Baracoa (Cuba/Italy, 2025); Free At Heart (Germany, 2025) *Not seeing At Heart as part of title; In A Whisper (À voix basse) (France/Tunisia, 2025); Jone, Sometimes (Jone, batzuetan) (Spain, 2025), OUTshine’s Ladies Latin Spotlight Film; La Carn (Spain, 2025); Lone Star Bull (USA, 2025) starring Luke Macfarlane, Sebastian Roché, and D.J. “Shangela” Pierce; Patty Is Such A Girly Name (Greece, 2025); and Madfabulous (UK, 2026), a riotous, uncompromising celebration of otherness inspired by the unlikely British aristocrat who bankrupted his estate, lived fast and died young starring Rupert Everett, Greta Jones, and Ruby Stokes.
Additional films of note include the U.S. premiere of Lunar Sway (Canada, 2026), a dark mother-son adventure comedy; the East Coast premiere of A Man Walks Down The Street (Israel, 2025), the dramatic story of Raanan, a middle-aged man who, for the first time faces his internalized homophobia, and tries to make amends with his past; Blue Boy Trial (Japan, 2025), OUTshine’s Trans Spotlight Film, inspired by true events and directed by an out trans filmmaker, Blue Boy Trial tells the story of a 1960s doctor facing trial for performing sex-change surgeries on male prostitutes that ignited a debate over identity, desire, and the true meaning of happiness; and Uncle Roy (USA, 2026), a documentary about Roy Blakey, a trailblazing figure skater, ice show archivist, and gay photographer.
“We are thrilled to present a well-rounded selection of creative, heartwarming, and thought-provoking features, documentaries, and shorts from some of the most prolific LGBTQ+ storytellers in the arts today,” said Joe Bilancio, director of programming, OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “Our team has curated a multicultural roster of films that reflect the shared roots of our community in South Florida with a strong focus on Latin America, international and foreign language films in Miami-Dade while Fort Lauderdale features many American independent films. We hope cinema-goers will join us, bring family and friends, and celebrate the triumphs of the human spirit - what makes us all special, unique, and worthy of belonging.”
Adding to the excitement will be a special recognition ceremony for Dustin Lance Black, director of Rock Out (USA, 2025), an excavation of the queer roots of rock, punk and metal, at the April 27 Paradigm Cinemas: Gateway Fort Lauderdale Cocktails & Cinema™ screening. An American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBTQ+ rights activist, Black won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009 for Milk, a biographical drama film based on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk. He also wrote the screenplay for the film J. Edgar and the 2022 crime miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven.
“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,” added Gilbert.
The festival continues with select films available for OUTshine At-Home viewing from May 4 - 10.
Ticket subscription packages and individual tickets starting at $17 are on sale now. 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.
Michael Goodman
GPR | Goodman Public Relations
+1 954-446-0806
michael@goodmanpr.com
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