Fresh off its recognition as one of Moviemaker Magazine’s “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World,” the Key West Film Festival has rolled out its short film lineup for the festival’s 14th edition — and it’s easily one of the strongest in the event’s history.
This year’s program showcases 50 shorts pulled from a record-breaking pool of submissions, with a lineup anchored by major prizewinners from SXSW, Berlinale, Tribeca, and more. The festival continues its commitment to celebrating homegrown talent with robust Florida Filmmaker and Florida Student Filmmaker programs, including several world premieres from Key West creators.
Among the standouts:
• SXSW’s Best Animated Short winner Retirement Plan, directed by Irish filmmaker John Kelly and voiced by Domhnall Gleeson (The Paper, Ex Machina).
• 75th Berlinale Crystal Bear winner Little Rebels Cinema Club from director Khozy Rizal.
• Chicago International Film Festival Silver Hugo winner Passarinho by Natalia Garcia Agraz.
Adding extra wattage to the program: appearances from John C. Reilly, Haley Joel Osment, Alan Cumming, and Gleeson.
Florida storytellers are once again front and center, with filmmakers representing Miami, Orlando, and the Keys taking over screens throughout the festival. The Florida Student Filmmaker lineup brings in rising talent from Florida State University, Lynn University, and Ringling College, along with standout high school filmmakers from West Palm Beach’s G Star School of the Arts and Lakeland’s Harrison School for the Arts.
Short Film Programming is led by Mike McNamara, with Michael Tuckman overseeing features. Screenings will take place at Williams Hall and The Regal Key West. For the full lineup — spanning Comedy, World Narrative, Documentary, Florida Filmmaker, and Student categories — visit the festival’s official program page here.
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