Miami Film Festival Announces 2026 Lineup, Awards For Adam Scott, Bob Odenkirk, Danielle Brooks, Lili Reinhart & More

The Miami Film Festival has set its lineup for the 43^rd edition of the international cinematic event, running April 9-19 in the Sunshine State.

This year’s festival will unveil 40 world premieres, two international premieres, 11 North American premieres, and five U.S. premieres in a program of over 160 narratives, documentaries, and shorts from around the world. MFF, a program of Miami Dade College, will open with Tuner, the narrative directorial debut of Oscar winner Daniel Roher (Navalny), which stars Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman. The Closing Night slot goes to Power Ballad from Irish filmmaker John Carney, a music-infused dramedy starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.

Centerpiece selections include The Christophers, directed by Steven Soderbergh, and Poetic License, the directorial debut of Maude Apatow.

On the nonfiction side, among the highlights are the world premieres of The Hollywood Rabbi, directed by Jon Kean, and Madwoman’s Game directed by Zach Zamboni and executive produced by Keanu Reeves; a special presentation of A24’s Marc By Sofia, Sofia Coppola’s portrait of famed fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and Everyone is Lying to You for Money, directed by Ben McKenzie (The O.C., Gotham) in his documentary debut.

Scroll for the full program.

“This year’s lineup showcases an extraordinary range of storytelling that reflects the richness of global cinema and the vibrant creative voices shaping the future of film,” commented James Woolley, the festival’s executive director. “We are proud to welcome audiences back for a dynamic celebration of film that connects Miami to the world.”

Special events at MFF include the U.S. Premiere of musical biographical film Milly: Queen of Merengue at the Miami Beach Bandshell, with director Leticia Tonos Paniagua and legendary Dominican singer Milly Quezada in attendance; Whiplash in Concert, featuring a screening of the film accompanied by an 18-piece jazz band performing the film’s music live with composer Justin Hurwitz conducting; and a 25th anniversary screening of The Princess Diaries at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

“This year’s lineup reflects an extraordinary moment for Miami Film Festival, featuring films from celebrated filmmakers like Steven Soderbergh, Sofia Coppola, Gregg Araki, and John Carney, alongside bold new discoveries from around the world,” said Director of Programming Lauren Cohen. “With films from 45 countries and our largest-ever Made-in-MIA program, it’s a lineup that feels both truly global and authentically rooted in Miami’s filmmaking community.”

Also of note, MFF will present Going to Extremes: A John Waters 80th Birthday Celebration with the filmmaking legend “in person at this radical, comedy-revival show at the Arsht Center.”

The festival also announced several honorees:

Adam Scott, who stars in NEON’s Hokum, will receive the Vanguard Award. Scott received rave reviews for his starring role in AppleTV’s Severance, for which Scott is also an executive producer. For this role, he has received Emmy nominations, Golden Globe Award nominations, Actor Award nominations, Critics’ Choice Award nominations and a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination.

Bob Odenkirk, who stars in Magnolia Pictures’ Normal, will receive the Precious Gem Award following a screening of the film. Odenkirk is an Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated writer, producer, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. In 2015, Odenkirk reprised the character he originated on the hit drama Breaking Bad, playing the title role in Better Call Saul, which earned him a Critics Choice TV Award, six Emmy nominations, as well as Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations.

Danielle Brooks, who stars in If I Go Will They Miss Me, will receive the Art of Light Award following a screening of the film. Danielle Brooks is an Oscar-nominated actress and Grammy Award-winning singer. Brooks rose to prominence for her role on Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black, where she received the Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” three years in a row. Brooks also starred in The Color Purple, both in film and on Broadway, playing the role of ‘Sofia.’ These performances garnered her Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, Critics Choice Award and Tony Award nominations and a Grammy Award.

Lili Reinhart, who stars in the TV series Hal & Harper, will receive the Art of Light Award following a screening of the first two episodes of the series. Lili Reinhart is an actress, producer, founder, and a New York Times bestselling author. In addition to Hal & Harper, she can currently be seen starring in IFC Films’ Forbidden Fruits.

Matt Bomer, who stars in the upcoming Apple Original Film Outcome, will receive the Vanguard Award and will participate in a live recording of the Happy Sad Confused podcast hosted by Josh Horowitz. Bomer is a Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award winning and Emmy Award nominated actor for his role in The Normal Heart.

Sonia Manzano will receive the Impact Award following a screening of Street Smart: Lessons From a TV Icon. Manzano is best known for her role of ‘Maria’ on Sesame Street, where her work has garnered her two Emmy Award nominations in addition to the National Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Lifetime Achievement Daytime Emmy in 2016. As a writer for the show, she has won 15 Emmys.

AWARD COMPETITIONS

The $10,000 MARIMBAS Award is an international competition for new narrative feature films that best exemplify richness and resonance for cinema’s future. Films chosen for this year’s MARIMBAS Award are:

Adult Children (United States, directed by Rich Newey) – Florida Premiere

Broken Voices (Czech Republic, directed by Ondřej Provazník) – Florida Premiere

Carolina Caroline (United States, directed by Adam Carter Rehmeier) – Florida Premiere

Comandante Fritz (Germany, directed by Pavel Giroud) – North American Premiere

El Regresado (Cuba, directed by Armando Capo) – World Premiere

Erupcja (United States, directed by Pete Ohs) – Florida Premiere

Flavia (United Kingdom, directed by Bharat Nalluri) – North American Premiere

Heysel 85 (Belgium, directed by Teodora Ana Mihai) – North American Premiere

Hokum (United States, directed by Damian McCarthy) – Florida Premiere

I Swear (United Kingdom, directed by Kirk Jones) – East Coast Premiere

I Want Your Sex (United States, directed by Gregg Araki) – Florida Premiere

Ky Nam Inn (Vietnam, directed by Leon Le) – East Coast Premiere

La Gioia (Italy, directed by Nicolangelo Gelormini) – Florida Premiere

Ladies’ Hunting Party (Día de caza) (Spain, directed by Pedro Aguilera) – North American Premiere

Levitating (Para Perasuk) (Indonesia, directed by Wregas Bhanuteja) – East Coast Premiere

Maspalomas (Spain, directed by Aitor Arregi & José Mari Goenaga) – Florida Premiere

Melodrama (Dominican Republic, directed by Andrés Farías) – U.S. Premiere

Milly: Queen of Merengue (Dominican Republic, directed by Leticia Tonos Paniagua) – U.S. Premiere

Mouse (United States, directed by Kenny Oiwa Riches) – Florida Premiere

My Friend Eva (Spain, directed by Cesc Gay) – North American Premiere

Normal (United States, directed by Ben Wheatley) – Florida Premiere

On the Road (En El Camino) (Mexico, directed by David Pablos)

Over Your Dead Body (United States, directed by Jorma Taccone) – East Coast Premiere

Romería (Spain, directed by Carla Simón) – Florida Premiere

Silent Friend (Germany, directed by Ildikó Enyedi) – Florida Premiere

Sore: A Wife From the Future (Indonesia, directed by Yandy Laurens) – Florida Premiere

Tape (Hong Kong, directed by Bizhan M. Tong) – East Coast Premiere

The Blue Trail (Brazil, directed by Gabriel Mascaro) – Florida Premiere

The Christophers (United Kingdom, directed by Steven Soderbergh) – Florida Premiere

The Cost of Heaven (Canada, directed by Mathieu Denis) – East Coast Premiere

The Dinner (Spain, directed by Manuel Gómez Pereira) – North American Premiere

The King of the Internet (Brazil, directed by Fabrício Bittar) – World Premiere

The Last One for the Road (Italy, directed by Francesco Sossai) – Florida Premiere

The Soundman (Belgium, directed by Frank Van Passel) – Florida Premiere

Three Goodbyes (Italy, directed by Isabel Coixet) – Florida Premiere

Under the Same Sun (Dominican Republic, directed by Ulises Porra) – US Premiere

The $10,000 Jordan Ressler First Feature Award is sponsored by the South Florida family of thelate Jordan Ressler, an aspiring screenwriter and Cornell University Film Studies graduate who, during his brief entertainment career, held production positions on the original production of Broadway hit Jersey Boys before passing away in a tragic accident at the age of 23. A total of 19 films will compete for the Award:

1001 Frames (Iran, directed by Mehrnoush Alia) – East Coast Premiere

A Mosquito in the Ear (United States, directed by Nicola Rinciari) – Florida Premiere

Blue Heron (Canada, directed by Sophy Romvari) – Florida Premiere

Dancing on the Elephant (Canada, directed by Julia Neill & Jacob Z. Smith) – East Coast Premiere

Edie Arnold is a Loser (United States, directed by Megan Rico & Kade Atwood) – East Coast Premiere

Happy Birthday (Egypt, directed by Sarah Goher) – Florida Premiere

Honeyjoon (United States, directed by Lilian T. Mehrel) – Florida Premiere

If I Go Will They Miss Me (United States, directed by Walter Thompson-Hernandez) – Florida Premiere

Leviticus (Australia, directed by Adrian Chiarella) – Florida Premiere

Maddie’s Secret (United States, directed by John Early) – Florida Premiere

No Salgas (Dominican Republic, directed by Victoria Linares Villegas) – North American Premiere

Obsession (United States, directed by Curry Barker) – Florida Premiere

Poetic License (United States, directed by Maude Apatow) – Florida Premiere

Second Victims (Denmark, directed by Zinnini Elkington) – North American Premiere

Serena (United States, directed by Rob Alicea) – East Coast Premiere

The Gymnast (United States, directed by Charlotte Glynn) – North American Premiere

The Musical (United States, directed by Giselle Bonilla) – East Coast Premiere

The Red Hangar (Hangar Rojo) (Chile, directed by Juan Pablo Sallato) – North American Premiere

This Tempting Madness (United States, directed by Jennifer Montgomery) – East Coast Premiere

For the ninth edition of the Festival’s Made in MIA Award competition, the Festival will award a cash prize of $15,000. The Made in MIA feature film award is a competition for jury-selected films of any genre that feature a qualitatively and quantitatively substantial portion of their content (story, setting and actual filming location) in South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and/or Monroe counties) and that best utilize their stories and themes for universal resonance. The feature films competing for this award are:

An Instrumental Start: A Model for the Nation (United States, directed by Brian Bayerl & Mike Huter) – World Premiere

Dual Citizen (United States, directed by Rachelle Salnave) – World Premiere

Eva y Adán en Miami (United States, directed by Lilo Vilaplana) – World Premiere

Forge (United States, directed by Jing Ai Ng) – Florida Premiere

Miami Stories (United States, directed by Eliecer Jiménez Almeida) – World Premiere

Por La Vida (United States, directed by Gonzalo Mejía) – World Premiere

Rope Tied (United States, directed by Chiara Padejka & Evan Friedmann) – East Coast Premiere

The Mecca: Legends of Traz Powell Stadium (United States, directed by Nicanson Guerrier) – World Premiere

The Old Man and the Parrot (United States, directed by Gabriel de Varona) – East Coast Premiere

Tropical Park (United States, directed by Hansel Porras Garcia) – Florida Premiere

Uncle Roly (United States, directed by Dennis Velazquez) – World Premiere

When Men Dance (United States, directed by Abbas A. Motlagh) – World Premiere

Seventeen films will compete for the $5,000 Made in MIA Short Film Award, sponsored by ArtesMiami. They are the following:

Are You Having Fun?, directed by Nicole Cone – Florida Premiere

Arepas en bici, directed by Jonah Moshammer, Brennan McGee – Florida Premiere

Beach Towel Art Show, directed by David Hamzik – World Premiere

Colada, directed by Carmen Pelaez – World Premiere

Double Dipper, directed by Norman Nathaniel Mayorga, Hector Zumbado

Harajuku, FL, directed by Andrés Jesus Gimenez – East Coast Premiere

Mamita Linda, directed by Jose Duran – World Premiere

Manatees Strike Back, directed by Alec Castillo – World Premiere

Miami Magic, directed by Victoria Collado – World Premiere

Nail Tech: Portrait of an Artist, directed by Jillian Hernandez, Elena Guzman – World Premiere

September All Over, directed by Kali Kahn – North American Premiere

SKRRRT!, directed by Gabriela Garcia Medina – World Premiere

Test of Time: Frankie’s Pizza, directed by Julian Alicea – World Premiere

The Floor Remembers, directed by Jayme Gershen – World Premiere

The Last Console, directed by Daniel Abrusci – World Premiere

The Poor Man’s Titanic, directed by Kerry Sanders – World Premiere

Two Tears, directed by Josefina Pieres – World Premiere

Under the Mango Tree, directed by Symone Titania Major – World Premiere

20 films will vie for the jury-awarded Documentary Achievement Award. These films are:

A Life Illuminated (United States, directed by Tasha Van Zandt) – Florida Premiere

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez (United States, directed by David Alvarado) – Florida Premiere

Calle Cuba (Chile, Cuba, Mexico, directed by Vanessa Batista) – World Premiere

Cookie Queens (United States, directed by Alysa Nahmias) – Florida Premiere

Everybody to Kenmure Street (United Kingdom, directed by Felipe Bustos Sierra) – Florida Premiere

Farruquito: A Flamenco Dynasty (Spain, directed by Santi Aguado & Reuben Atlas) – Florida Premiere

Give Me the Ball! (United States, directed by Liz Garbus & Elizabeth Wolff) – Florida Premiere

King Hamlet (United States, directed by Elvira Lind) – Florida Premiere

Madwoman’s Game (United States, directed by Zach Zamboni) – World Premiere

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World (United States, directed by Sasha Waters) – Florida Premiere

Modern Whore (Canada, directed by Nicole Bazuin) – East Coast Premiere

Perseverance, a documentary essay on Tomás Sánchez (Mexico, directed by Juan Carlos Martín) – International Premiere

Revolution’s Daughter (United States, directed by Thaddeus D. Matula) – World Premiere

Runa Simi (Peru, directed by Augusto Zegarra) – Florida Premiere

Street Smart: Lessons from a TV Icon (United States, directed by Ernie Bustamante) – Florida Premiere

The Hollywood Rabbi (United States, directed by Jon Kean) – World Premiere

The Long Cuban Night (Spain, directed by Sergio Fernandez Borrás) – US Premiere

The Trial of Alec Baldwin (United States, directed by Rory Kennedy) – Florida Premiere

TheyDream (United States, directed by William D. Caballero) – Florida Premiere

To the West, In Zapata (Cuba, directed by David Bim) – Florida Premiere

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

28 Special Presentation screenings will add to the depth of creative filmmaking from around the world to Miami. These include:

A Loose End (Un cabo suelto) (Uruguay, directed by Daniel Hendler)

AKRIS: Fashion with a Heritage (Germany, directed by Reiner Holzemer) – Florida Premiere

Bookends (United States, directed by Mike Doyle) – Florida Premiere

California Schemin’ (United Kingdom, directed by James McAvoy)

Colors of Time (France, directed by Cédric Klapisch)

Coolie (Dominican Republic, directed by Arvin Chen & Julian Acosta) – World Premiere

Coquito con Mortadella (Cuba, directed by Ana Victoria Pérez) – East Coast Premiere

Coroner to the Stars (United States, directed by Ben Hethcoat & Keita Ideno)

Fabricollage (United States, directed by Diana Colson)

Fantasy Fling (United States, directed by Michael DiLauro)

Florida Everglades (United States, directed by Wilf Gray)

Function (United States, directed by Lawrence Kleinman)

Hal & Harper (United States, directed by Cooper Raiff)

Homo Argentum (Argentina, directed by Mariano Cohn & Gastón Duprat)

It Would Be Night in Caracas (Mexico, directed by Mariana Rondón & Marité Ugás)

Kangaroo (Australia, directed by Kate Woods) – East Coast Premiere

Lunch (United States, directed by Lyla Claggett)

Los 100 años de la Torre de la Libertad (United States, directed by Adriana Mocciola, Gloria Ordaz & Patricio Muñoz)

Magnetic Telescope (United States, directed by Dave Fleischer)

Marc by Sofia (United States, directed by Sofia Coppola)

Maria Antonia (4K restoration) (Cuba, directed by Sergio Giral)

Neon Reef (United States, directed by Alex Mitow) – World Premiere

M.I.A. (United States, directed by Alethea Jones) – World Premiere

One in a Million (United States, directed by Jerrod M. Levine) – World Premiere

One Last Order (United States, directed by Lauren DeFilippo & Sam Soko) – Florida Premiere

Poetry City (United States, directed by Aaron Glickman) – World Premiere

Ramón y Ramón (Peru, directed by Salvador de Solar) – North American Premiere

The Last Viking (Denmark, directed by Anders Thomas Jensen)

The $4,000 Miami International Short Film Award competition features 28 films. The complete list includes:

A Hand to Hold, directed by Philip Clyde-Smith – East Coast Premiere

Are You Fucking Kidding Me?, directed by Zen Pace

Beast of the Seine, directed by Jon Portman – Florida Premiere

Bus, directed by Andre Balbuena – Florida Premiere

By Your Side, directed by Johanna Brinckman – Florida Premiere

Cagüeira, directed by Orlando Mora Cabrera – World Premiere

Catalogue of Noses, directed by Josie Andrews

Flame Out, directed by Emily Grace Goldwyn – Florida Premiere

Hundreds, directed by Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Neil Champagne – Florida Premiere

Living With a Visionary, directed by Stephen P . Neary – East Coast Premiere

My $3,500 Jacket, directed by Drew Maynard – World Premiere

Night and Fog, directed by Boris Gonzalez – East Coast Premiere

Norheimsund, directed by Ana A. Alpizar – Florida Premiere

Ovary-Acting, directed by Ida Melum – Norway, Sweden, UK – Florida Premiere

Prime, directed by Meagan Coyle – Florida Premiere

See You Soon, directed by Jennifer Skarbnik Lopez – Florida Premiere

She’ll Come Back, directed by Aaron Tyler Gil, Gerald Pain – United States

Stay for the Q + A, directed by hazart – World Premiere

The Girl Who Cried Pearls, directed by Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski – Florida Premiere

The Last Game (El Último Juego), directed by Daniel Chile – International Premiere

The Littles, directed by Andrew Duplessie – Florida Premiere

The Motive, directed by Jorge Molina – World Premiere

The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much, directed by Eric Jackowitz – Florida Premiere

The Whistle, directed by Greg Franklin

They’re Packing, directed by Noah Wolfe, Gabi Carrubba – Florida Premiere

Too Romantic, directed by Talia Light Rake – World Premiere

Under the Mountains’ Shadow, directed by Andrés I. Estrada – U.S. Premiere

Valley Fever, directed by Antonio Pinheiro – World Premiere

The $1,000 Short Documentary Film Award, with support from the University of Miami School of Communication, Department of Cinematic Arts and co-presented with UM’s Bill Cosford Cinema, will see the following films in competition:

Arepas en bici, directed by Jonah Moshammer, Brennan McGee – Florida Premiere

Hilda O. Vs The State of New York, directed by Alison Cornyn, Heather Greer – Florida Premiere

If You Really Love Me, Outlive Me, directed by Alejandro Ruax, Saskia d’Altena – Florida Premiere

Oh Whale, directed by Winslow Crane-Murdoch

Rancor, directed by Carlos Alejandro Halley – World Premiere

They Call Me the Tattoo Witch, directed by Lindsay Nyman – Florida Premiere

Taking part in the annual Florida student film $1,000 Cinemaslam Competition will be:

Florida, directed by Giulia Abreu

Ghost of The Marsh, directed by Ross Widener

JIT, directed by Samuel Correa

Krome Ave., directed by Eva A. Martinez – Florida Premiere

Mighty Spoonbills, directed by Sada Balboa – World Premiere

The Golden Touch, directed by Sam Perez Laurenza

SPECIAL EVENTS

Additional events include:

The Princess Diaries – Join us at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens for the 25th anniversary of The Princess Diaries, directed by Gary Marshall. Step into the world of Genovia as we celebrate Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway’s feel-good classic in a stunning immersive setting.

Whiplash in Concert – Relive the 2014 Academy Award®-winning film Whiplash, starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, written and directed by Damien Chazelle, in a mesmerizing live concert experience conducted by composer Justin Hurwitz.

Going to Extremes: A John Waters 80th Birthday Celebration – Celebrate John Waters’ 80th birthday with the filmmaking legend in person at this radical, comedy-revival show at the Arsht Center.

The Festival is curated by Director of Programming Lauren Cohen; Thom Powers (Senior Documentary Programmer), Ivonne Cotorruelo (Ibero-American Films Programmer), Alejandro Ríos (Spotlight on Cuba Programmer), Roberto Pazos (Filmed in Peru Programmer), Steve Hunsicker (Filmed in Peru Programmer), and Chris Molina (Guest Short Films Programmer). Talks are programmed with Miami Media and Film Market.