39th Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival to bring dozens movies from across the globe to SoFlo

The bigwigs of the movie world have turned their collective gaze toward South Florida. The 39th annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival starts this weekend. Deco’s raging film fanatic, Alex Miranda, has more deets on the action.

FLIFF is back in town. From films, parties, big names and cool films, it’s a little of Tinseltown in SoFlo. So, want to go to the movies?

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival has the goods when it comes to the latest must-see movies … or, as we like to say, it’s all FLIFF, no fluff.

Steve Savor: “So, this year, we’ve got approximately a hundred films from 35 different countries.”

You can’t go wrong at FLIFF. The 10-day festival is bursting with entries from everywhere.

Steve Savor: “We’ve got eight world premieres, 17 North American premieres, a lot of really good films and a lot of great filmmakers coming.”

None of the films wind up on-screen here by accident. They’re all part of a plan to expose ticket buyers to a wide range of emotions and ideas.

Steve Savor: “We’ve got a film selection committee and, you know, they review hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of films, trying to pick something that’s not only entertaining but gives us some diversity.”

“Beyond the Rush” is a thriller that checks both of those boxes. Mena Suvari stars as a mother with deep emotional problems.

Mena Suvari (as Leah Grievess): “Scream it out loud! No, I do not know why we feel pain!”

Mena Suvari: “I love working on these types of films because you really – I’m always looking for the opportunity to learn more about myself through a project.”

Eric Roberts shows up in “Beyond the Rush.” He also co-stars in “Here’s Yianni!” with Joe Cortese.

Eric Roberts (as Jim Hopper): “A guy like you? With charisma, talent and style, you should be a big star. You should have your own show.”

Stephen Badalamenti )as George): “And now, ladies and gentlemen, here’s Yianni!”

We’re gonna let Joe break down the movie for you.

Joe Cortese: “A true story about a Greek diner owner who suffers from dementia, but in his dementia, he thinks he’s Johnny Carson, so my alter ego in the movie is Eric.”

The movie hits all the right emotional notes.

Joe Cortese (as Yianni): “How did i get like this?”

Julia Ormond (as Plousia): “No one really knows, my love.”

Eric Roberts: “Why it’s an important film is because we’re all getting older, and we all have to deal with it. We have to deal with it properly; we can’t discard one another.”

In “The Addiction of Hope,” Anne-Marie Johnson is an aging actress who has to make some hard choices about her career and her family.

Anne-Marie Johnson (as Jo): “I guess you went with isolation.”

Harley Jane Kozak (as Lynnie): “And what’d you go with? Adulation?”

The movie’s based on an unfortunate reality that people, and women in particular, face.

Anne-Marie Johnson: “Sometimes, when women, when humans, but specifically when women hit a particular age in our industry — and in other industries, but specifically our industry — the window of opportunity gets smaller and smaller and smaller.”

Anne-Marie is totally jazzed that “The Addiction of Hope” is part of FLIFF.

Anne-Marie Johnson: “Listen, it’s a festival that’s been there for 39 years. I think this is the 39th year of the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival so, to us, it’s really an honor.”

There are plenty of parties taking place along with those movies.

FOR MORE INFO:
39th Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Nov. 8-17, 2024
fliff.com