Miami Film Festival

Celebrating its 43rd edition, Miami Film Festival (MFF) returns from April 9 to 19, 2026 for 11 days of fresh cinema and mingling with filmmakers and celebs.

While screening locations are sprinkled across the destination, this year’s program represents a significant homecoming: The festival will once again host screenings at the historic Tower Theater in Little Havana, an Art Deco gem celebrating its 100th anniversary. Tower was the first Miami theater to add Spanish subtitles in 1960, becoming a cultural lifeline for Cuban refugees and Miami's Spanish-speaking community.

Whether you’re a film buff or looking to discover something new – and maybe even hob-nob with a famous director or actor – MFF makes movies approachable for everyone.

What Makes Miami Film Festival Special

Gripping true stories, short films that will last even longer in your memory – Miami Film Festival has something for fans of every genre and attention span. MFF screens features and shorts from more than 40 countries, but it also stands out for its unique showcasing of Spanish-language and Cuban cinema.

Expect to view some of the best cinema in the world, thanks to the festival’s staff and programmers who immerse themselves in film festivals and screenings around the globe, investing enormous care and time into building a stellar lineup each year.

It’s also the chance to see or possibly even chat with your favorite director or actor. In the past, Miami Film Festival has hosted the likes of Nicolas Cage, Sophia Loren, Anne Hathaway, Spike Lee and Penélope Cruz, among others.

Even more special? Miami Film Festival gives back, handing out more than $1 million in cash prizes to support filmmakers since its inception. Florida film students, including those from the University of Miami, Florida International University, Miami Dade College and Barry University, also battle it out for prizes and serious film cred in the annual CinemaSlam Student Competition.

Miami Film Festival Venues

Screenings and activities take place at more than 10 cultural and historic landmarks across Greater Miami & Miami Beach. This makes it easy for film lovers to find a location near them, or even explore a new attraction.

Beyond the Tower Theater, 2026 MFF venues include the Olympia Theater, Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Silverspot Cinema in Downtown Miami; the O Cinema South Beach and New World Symphony in South Beach; and Coral Gables Art Cinema and Bill Cosford Cinema in Coral Gables; Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Coconut Grove; and the Koubek Center in Little Havana.

Ways To Attend

While Miami Film Festival is centered around hundreds of movie screenings, it’s more than just cinema. There are also numerous ways to connect with other film lovers and people in the biz.

You can attend master classes and workshops led by industry legends, listen in on panel discussions and mingle at formal parties and casual networking happy hours.

Decide what you want to do by perusing the online festival guide, which offers simple search categories for special interest films, genres, locations, parties and more.

Festival Highlights

This year’s festival will showcase more than 100 feature narratives, documentaries and short films from 40 countries. Full details and programming for this year’s festival will be announced in March.

Ticket Info

Tickets are now on sale online, or you can buy tickets day-of at the venue (dependent on availability). A variety of ticket options are available, making quality cinema accessible to a wide audience.

Expect to pay around $16.50 for a general screening, to $25 or $30 for special screenings. You can save more when you buy a package of six; and students, seniors and military members are also eligible for discounts.

Miami Film Festival members and MDC students receive special discounts on screenings and events and access to members-only series.

Accessibility

The festival’s venues are wheelchair accessible and closed captioning and audio description services are also available. All of the foreign-language films feature English subtitles, and certain English-language films offer Spanish subtitles.

By: Angela Caraway | February 6, 2026