Pack your bags for the Key West Film Festival, Nov. 13-17, 2024! The official 2024 lineup will include films from directors including Pedro Almodovar, Barry Jenkins, Billy Corben, Michael Gracey, Gia Coppola and others. As is tradition for the festival, the Opening and Closing Night films are curated by two of the top film critics in the country.
Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter will host a discussion with Stepanie Zacharek of Time accompanying the Opening Night screening of THE FIRE INSIDE, the inspiring story of two time Olympic women’s boxing gold medalist Claressa “T-Rex” Shields and her fight for all women athletes across the world. The film is written by local hero Barry Jenkins, Miami-bred Academy Award winning writer and director of Moonlight.
On Saturday night, Zacharek will lead a pre-show conversation with Gyarkye prior to the screening of THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, which stars Academy Award winner Julianne Moore and Academy Award nominee Tilda Swinton in Pedro Almodovar’s first English language film about a best-selling writer who rekindles her relationship with her friend, a war journalist, with whom she has lost touch for a number of years.
The Key West Film Fest wouldn’t be complete without highlighting LGBTQ films. This year’s lineup was programmed with the assistance of Eugene Hernandez, executive director of the Sundance Film Festival, David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter, and Brian Brooks of Cinetic Media. Films include LIZA: A TRULY TERRIFIC ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY about the life of Liza Minnelli; multiple festival award-winning film YOUNG HEARTS; and A NICE INDIAN BOY, which was the Opening Night Selection of this year’s NewFest.
Florida, and Key West in particular, get their moments in the sun with the special Florida Focus section. Films include NAKED AMBITION: BUNNY YEAGER, from Miami based Emmy-nominated filmmaker Kareem Tabsch, who returns to the festival for the third time (Dolphin Lover, The Last Resort). Local heroes including artist Mario Sanchez and Tom Dustin, founder of the Key West Comedy Club, in loving portraits of themselves in MARIO SANCHEZ: OVER THE BEAUTIFUL FLORIDA KEYS from Roberto Otera Morfa and PORTRAIT OF A COMEDIAN, director/comedian Joe List’s touching portrait of funny man Tom Dustin.
Other spotlight films include Gia Coppola’s THE LAST SHOWGIRL, featuring a career defining performance by Pamela Anderson as a seasoned Las Vegas showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run; the inspirational true story UNSTOPPABLE, featuring Jennifer Lopez and Bobby Cannavale alongside Jharrel James (also in Moonlight), who stars as Anthony Robles, an athlete born with one leg who defies expectations to become a champion wrestler in college; and BETTER MAN, from director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
Click here for more about this year’s exciting Key West Film Festival.
