Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Turns 40 With a Hollywood Guest List

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival — the unpretentious, community-first, somehow-still-independent event affectionately known as FLIFF — is marking its 40th anniversary this year, and the guest list reads like a reunion at a very good Hollywood party. Confirmed appearances include Chevy Chase, Paul Reiser, Terrence Howard, Jeremy Piven, and Jamie Kennedy, with red carpet events, screenings, and Q&A sessions scheduled across the nine-day run.

What has kept FLIFF alive for four decades is that it never tried to be Sundance or Cannes. The screenings happen in historic theaters across Broward County, filmmakers linger for audience conversations, and the after-parties happen on patios where a first-time director can end up arguing about color grading with a four-decade veteran. The festival has always been more about the experience than the statuettes.

If you're planning a visit: individual screening tickets go on sale early and the red-carpet nights sell out first. The Savor Cinema venue in Flagler Village remains FLIFF's spiritual home and the best bet for catching a director Q&A up close.

Sources: Choose 954, Visit Lauderdale 2026 events