The Florida Film Festival is getting ready for action, with this year's event running from Friday April 14 - Sunday April 23, 2023 in Maitland and Winter Park.
Throughout the 10 days of this year's 32nd Florida Film Festival, film lovers can experience over 160 films and first-class events, where they can mingle with filmmakers and celebrities at one of only a handful of Oscar-qualifying festivals in the country in all three shorts categories: Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film, and Documentary Short Subject.
This year’s festival saw 2,802 submissions from 105 countries. Of those, 168 films were accepted. There will be 143 premieres, 19 world premieres, 40 films with Florida connections and 32 films with festival alumni.
Screenings will take place at the Enzian in Maitland and the Regal Theater in Winter Park.
Deanna Tiedtke, director of public relations and development at Enzian said “Our selections committee and programming team worked tirelessly to whittle these entries down to the 168 films we will play throughout the 10-day festival. Of our entries, we are excited to emphasize our Florida Sidebar, which will include a narrative feature, documentary feature, and short program with Florida ties.”
You can check out the program lineup for this year's event online now.
This theme for this year's Florida Film Festival is Florida Man, with festival organisers leaning into Florida’s eclectic stereotype — the Florida Man — to build a fun, satirical, and playful voice for the festival.
"Florida is known for its bizarre ‘Only in Florida’ headlines, our chaotic relationship with alligators, and the notorious ‘Florida Man’ trope, but not so much for its vibrant arts scene. As an arthouse nonprofit theater and cultural organization, we wanted to combine these two personalities of Florida to play into one of the nation’s favorite jokes,” said Deanna Tiedtke.
Highlight events of this years Florida Film Festival includes:
POPCORN FLICK IN THE PARK
Central Park, Winter Park
Thursday, April 13
This event is FREE and open to the public!
Who doesn’t love a cozy movie night at the park? Grab your chairs and blankets and join us at Central Park for a special movie screening of Encino Man sponsored by Full Sail University. This year-round outdoor series is an initiative of the City of Winter Park and Enzian Theater. These films are presented with open captions.
OPENING NIGHT PARTY
Tiedtke Amphitheater and Belvedere at the Winter Park Events Center
Friday, April 14
Celebrate opening night of the 2023 Florida Film Festival with the premiere of an exciting new movie that is sure to set the world on fire. Following the film, head over to the Winter Park Events Center’s Tiedtke Amphitheater and Belvedere for the legendary annual Opening Night Party. Kick off the ten days of motion picture madness with cocktails and cuisine provided by your favorite local spots. Revel in the anticipation of all the exciting new films brought to the Florida Film Festival.
SUNDAY BRUNCH
Eden Bar
Sunday, April 16
Sip some coffee and spill some tea with your friends on all things Florida Film Festival! Relax and enjoy a deliciously prepared brunch with endless roasted coffee, provided by Coterie Coffee Co., all morning. No movie ticket necessary.
A PEEK BEHIND THE PIXELS–A CONVERSATION WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS IN VIRTUAL PRODUCTION
Full Sail University, Building 4D
Wednesday, April 19
All Festival Forums are free and open to the public.
Hear from leading industry experts as they discuss the burgeoning realm of virtual production, and its wide array of functionality in weaving cutting-edge gaming technology with visual storytelling to create some of today’s most notable projects. From HBO’s House of the Dragon, feature films, and commercial projects; to gaming’s valuable role in this field and more, learn how these leaders are utilizing virtual production, and where they see it headed in the future. This array of panelists, moderated by Rick Ramsey (Education Director, Visual Arts, Full Sail University), includes Caris Baker (Senior Technical Artist at Unity Technologies), Stephen Beres (Vice President, Media & Production Operations, HBO), Culley Bunker (Owner, Skulley Effects), and Brody Ramsey (Senior ICVFX Supervisor at Vū Technologies (tentative)).
QUEERING THE SCREEN: THE PROGRESSION OF REPRESENTATION
Edyth Bush Theatre at Winter Park Public Library
Thursday, April 20
All Festival Forums are free and open to the public.
Each year the Florida Film Festival features dozens of films reflecting queer subject matter or made by queer creators. This year, we sit down with a group of these filmmakers to talk about the past, present, and future of representation in media. How far have we come? Where do we go from here? Featuring Greetings from Queertown: Orlando’s Jess Keller (director), Rick Todd (producer and Watermark owner/publisher), Egghead & Twinkie’s Sarah Kambe Holland, and “Evan Ever After’s” Ariel Mahler and Radha Mehta.
FILMMAKER FORUM
Edyth Bush Theatre at Winter Park Public Library
Friday, April 21
All Festival Forums are free and open to the public.
The Florida Film Festival hosts some of the most talented new independent filmmakers every year, and always sets aside one day just to pick their brains. This lively and dynamic exchange of ideas and know-how inevitably defines a high point in the festival—peppered with tales of triumph, challenge, and creative methods. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime airing of artistic laundry by the filmmakers who get the job done. Moderated by Enzian/Florida Film Festival Programming Coordinator Tim Anderson.
AN EVENING WITH JOHN CUSACK
Enzian Theater
Friday, April 21
Cusack comes to the Enzian to take part in An Evening With John Cusack on Friday, April 21, with a ticket price of $150.
The night will consist of a screening of the 1989 film Say Anything, along with a post-film Q+A Session with Cusack.
CLICK HERE for the entire event calendar and to purchase tickets.
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