This year the OUTshine Film Festival in Miami is celebrating 20 years of inspiration, education, escape and community in queer filmmaking. What began several names (more on that here) and two decades ago is a must on the queer film fest circuit with screening venues in and around South Beach, TK films over TK days, and events and parties for the Opening Night film, Centerpiece Film, producers and filmmakers, Ladies’ Spotlight Film, Men’s Spotlight film, young people, filmmakers and lovers of Flash Gordon.

The OUTshine Film Festival’s 20th anniversary season will include over 50 films, multiple panel discussions with filmmakers and talent, and more than 15 parties and events throughout the week-long festival. Festival program in its entirety is available here and as a download. For all the information, go to OUTshineFilm.com.

1985

Director: Yen Tan, USA
Closing Night Film, East Coast Premiere
Inspired by the award-winning short of the same name, 1985follows Adrian (Cory Michael Smith, Gotham), a closeted young man returning to his Texas hometown for Christmas during the first wave of the AIDS crisis. Burdened with an unspeakable tragedy in New York, Adrian reconnects with his younger brother and estranged childhood friend as he struggles to divulge his dire circumstances to his religious parents played by Virginia Madsen and Michael Chiklis. Shot in luscious black & white, 1985 is a beautiful, powerful film both in story
and style.