The Florida Film Festival, a Central Florida tradition, is once again putting film back in the spotlight starting next month.
The 25th annual event will showcase a record 180 films, according to the lineup revealed Wednesday at the Enzian in Maitland. Of those films, 59 are directed by women, organizers said.
The festival begins April 8 with films being showcased at the Enzian theater or the Regal Cinema in Winter Park Village.
More than 100 filmmakers will be in Central Florida to attend the festival. The event will also bring its share of celebrities, including Academy Award-winner Sissy Spacek (“Carrie,” “Crimes of the Heart”) and actor/director Mark Duplass (“Your Sister’s Sister,” “Zero Dark Thirty”). Each will attend a screening of one of their films.
Spacek will attend a screening for the 1973 film “Badlands” on April 15. Widely known for her role in “Carrie,” Spacek won an Academy Award for her portrayal of country singer Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
Duplass will be at a screening for his first feature “The Puffy Chair” on April 10. Duplass has also acted in several TV shows including “The League,” “The Mindy Project,” and HBO’s “Togetherness,” which he wrote, directed and produced with his brother Jay.
“The Lobster," directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, will kick off the festival opening night. Colin Farrell stars as a man who must find a romantic partner in 45 days or he’ll be turned into a beast. The cast also includes Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly and Ben Whishaw.
In addition to features, the festival will also showcase dozens of shorts made by local talent as part of “The Best of Brouhaha” lineup. Many of the films are from students from the University of Central Florida, Full Sail University and other schools.
And if you want a sample of international fare, the festival has that too. More than 20 countries are represented including Germany, New Zealand, Demark and France.
The Florida Film Festival runs April 8 -17.
For more information and tickets, visit floridafilmfestival.com.