Cinema is coming to the streets, rooftops, and landmark hotels of Miami Beach next week as the South Beach Film Festival kicks off its second annual run — a five-day showcase spanning short films, documentaries, features, LGBTQ+ programming, and music videos at venues stretching from Ocean Drive to Collins Avenue.
The festival takes place May 13–17, 2026, in Miami Beach, Florida.
It aims to celebrate independent cinema and provide a dynamic platform for filmmakers to showcase their work, with attendees able to look forward to a diverse lineup of films, engaging panel discussions with industry professionals, and ample networking opportunities.
Project Director Diego Caiola described the event's mission: "South Beach has long been a melting pot of creativity and culture, and we are thrilled to develop this festival to highlight the voices and stories of independent filmmakers. Our goal is to create a space where filmmakers can connect, share their work, and inspire audiences."
Opening Night and Industry Breakfast
The festival opens Wednesday, May 13, with a free kickoff party at the Avalon Hotel, 700 Ocean Drive, from 7–10 p.m. The event is open to the public and features free T-shirts and gifts for the first 50 attendees — though the festival website notes that it is already sold out, underscoring community interest. On Thursday, May 14, a Film Industry Breakfast at the Marseilles Hotel, 1741 Collins Ave., runs from 9–11 a.m. and is complimentary with a screening ticket; space is described as limited.
Thursday Screenings: Shorts, Docs, and a Feature Premiere
Thursday's daytime programming — also at the Marseilles Hotel from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. — packs in eight short films and two documentaries for a flat $20 ticket covering all screenings. Shorts include Twin Seas, a supernatural drama; The Cafone, a 23-minute crime comedy about a debt-riddled ne'er-do-well; and Capti, a dystopian story set in a society where everyone wears identical clothing and white masks. Documentaries include Shalom Passion, filmed during a volunteer mission to Israel following the October 7, 2023 attacks, and Rice & Sugar, an intimately shot portrait of communities often overlooked by mainstream media.
Thursday evening shifts upscale, with a screening of the feature documentary The Madness of Moonlight at Faena Miami Beach, 3500 Collins Avenue, at 4 p.m., followed by cocktails at 6 p.m. The film follows master craftspeople building a one-of-a-kind piano inspired by Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, shot in a New Jersey warehouse as well as Vienna.
Free Outdoor Events on Friday and Saturday
Screenings are held at venues including the Marseilles Hotel, Collins Park Rotunda, and Lincoln Road, with select outdoor and rooftop presentations adding to the festival's varied settings.
Friday, May 15, brings a free afternoon block at the Collins Park Rotunda, 2100 Collins Ave., from noon to 5 p.m. The lineup includes An Ordinary Couple, an LGBTQ+ documentary about a couple who staged their own funeral as a declaration of love amid the AIDS epidemic and marriage law battles; and Hollywood Babylon, a 52-minute documentary exploring the uncensored era of pre-Code Hollywood in the 1920s and early '30s.
Saturday, May 16, features the festival's highest-profile free event: an outdoor screening block on Lincoln Road Mall, between Lenox Avenue and Alton Road, running 5–11 p.m. (registration required). The Saturday Lincoln Road program includes Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood, a 90-minute documentary tracing the evolution of Latino screen representation from the 1920s to the present, and Last Shot, a feature comedy-drama starring Michael Rapaport and Jaime Pressly, about a 12-year-old basketball prodigy navigating grief and identity after his father's death.
Saturday Night: Rooftop Cinema and Music Videos
For ticketgoers willing to pay $20, Saturday night also offers a separate rooftop program at Twisted Tonic, 723 Lincoln Lane, starting at 7 p.m. That lineup leads with music videos — including The Patina Turners – Red Tide, a video inspired by the Creature from the Black Lagoon films — before the main feature, Murder Gardens 2, a crime thriller about brotherhood and survival, screens at 8 p.m.
Friday night at Twisted Tonic (10 p.m., $10) features LGBTQ+ programming, including Inside the Oasis: The Story of South Florida's Gay Mecca, a documentary tracing the LGBTQ+ community's evolution in Broward County from the 1950s through the present using archival footage and firsthand accounts.
A Growing Platform for Independent Film
Film screenings, industry events, and outdoor programming take place across Miami Beach during this multi-day festival highlighting independent and international cinema.
The South Beach Film Festival promises to be a vibrant addition to Miami's cultural scene, enhancing the city's reputation as a hub for arts and entertainment.
Tickets and reservations for all events — including free screenings requiring seat registration — are available through the festival's official website at sobefilmfest.com.
