South Florida’s October arts calendar is already in motion, and this week brings a major new arrival: the fall edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Its opening-night screening in Dania Beach on Thursday, Oct. 15, lands amid overlapping Greek film screenings, live music and a full slate of theater.
Here’s what’s on the calendar this week, and what’s coming later in the month. Event dates and availability can change, so check organizers’ listings before heading out.
OUTshine opens Thursday in Dania Beach
The OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Fall Edition runs Oct. 15–25, with in-person screenings in Fort Lauderdale from Oct. 15–22 and in Miami from Oct. 19–25. The festival says its program includes more than 20 premieres from 20 countries. Select films will also be available through OUTshine At-Home from Oct. 26 to Nov. 1.
The opening-night film is La Bola Negra, screening at 7 p.m. Thursday at Regal Dania Pointe. The 155-minute Spanish-language historical drama, with English subtitles, follows three gay men across different generations whose lives connect through love, loss and an unfinished work by Federico García Lorca. An after-party is scheduled at 14 North Daiquiri Bar at Dania Pointe.
The WLRN event listing names the film’s directors as Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, known as Los Javis, and lists a cast that includes Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close and Julio Torres. The festival describes the screening as an early, pre-theatrical showing. Opening-night tickets are listed at $75 before service fees; check OUTshine’s event page for current availability.
The program continues across Broward and Miami-Dade. Among the scheduled Fort Lauderdale events is the Spotlight screening of Flesh & Fuel and Mouse on Saturday, Oct. 17. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, No Rest for the Wicked is set for a 7:30 p.m. screening at Savor Cinema, followed by a Halloween after-party. The festival closes Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. See the full OUTshine program for film times, venues and ticket details.
Greek cinema overlaps the festival’s first weekend
The South Florida Greek Film Festival runs through Sunday, Oct. 18, creating a four-day overlap with OUTshine. Its program spans Fort Lauderdale and Miami, with screenings at Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale and the Bill Cosford Cinema in Miami. The festival’s organizers note that screenings include English subtitles.
For moviegoers, the overlap means a choice of distinct programs rather than a single festival weekend: OUTshine’s international LGBTQ+ films and events, alongside features, documentaries and shorts by Greek, Cypriot and diasporic filmmakers. The Greek festival’s schedule and venue details are available online.
Theater: two productions with very different moods
At the Broward Center, Slow Burn Theatre Company’s production of Come From Away runs through Oct. 25 in the Amaturo Theater. The musical is based on the true story of the passengers who were stranded in Newfoundland after the Sept. 11 attacks and the residents who took them in. Performances are scheduled throughout the week, including evening shows Thursday, Oct. 15, through Saturday, Oct. 17, and matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday, Oct. 18, includes a 2 p.m. open-captioned performance. See the Broward Center listing for the full schedule.
In Coral Gables, Jekyll & Hyde is at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre through Nov. 1. The musical thriller follows Dr. Henry Jekyll’s attempt to separate good and evil, and the alter ego his experiment unleashes. The production includes a pop-rock score featuring “This Is the Moment” and “Someone Like You.” Actors’ Playhouse recommends it for audiences 13 and older and notes theatrical violence, mature themes, strobe lighting and theatrical smoke. Details and tickets are on the production page.
Live music in Aventura and Cutler Bay
On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16–17, ICONS: Latin Rhythms brings Venezuelan-American performer Migguel Anggelo to Aventura Arts & Cultural Center for 8 p.m. concerts. The show combines songs associated with Rubén Blades and Oscar D’León with Anggelo’s original music, fresh arrangements and special guests. The venue is in Aventura, not the main Broward Center building. Check the event listing for details.
South of Miami, the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center has two free outdoor and concert-hall events this weekend. “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band performs Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 p.m. Advance tickets have been claimed, but Miami-Dade County says 100 complimentary tickets are being held for day-of distribution on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Moss Center’s Backyard Bash follows Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., featuring The Legendary Wailers and special guest Third World. Organizers invite guests to bring lawn chairs or blankets; seating is not provided. Check the county’s event announcement for ticket information and updates.
Late October: flamenco, GEMS and a Halloween classic
On Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 25 at 2 p.m., Aventura Arts & Cultural Center hosts La Velada: An Alchemy of Past and Present. The flamenco production features Marta Gálvez, whose work brings traditional movement into a contemporary performance. Find details at the Aventura Center.
Miami Film Festival GEMS follows Oct. 29–Nov. 5. The eight-day event is set to present 50 feature narratives and documentaries, with filmmaker Q&As and screenings across Miami venues. WLRN reports that the festival opens with The Debut, directed by Jesse Eisenberg. Its GEMS coverage has more on the lineup; the Miami Film Festival website is the place to check for tickets and schedule updates.
For Halloween, The Rocky Horror Picture Show returns as an 18-and-older shadow-cast performance at the Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center on the Nova Southeastern University campus in Davie. Shows are scheduled for 8 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31. Costumes are welcome, but outside props are prohibited; the venue says complimentary bagged props will be distributed in the lobby. Check the Broward Center listing for venue and audience information.
The Everglades often defines South Florida’s natural identity, but October’s packed calendar offers another way to explore the region: from film screens in Dania Beach and Fort Lauderdale to stages in Coral Gables, Aventura and Cutler Bay.
