Orlando Film Festival returns Nov. 19–22 with Plaza Cinema Café reopening for the 4 day festival

The 2026 festival is bringing approximately 120 independent films to downtown Orlando's Plaza Cinema Café, which will reopen exclusively for this four-day event after closing to regular moviegoers.

Downtown Orlando’s Plaza Cinema Café will reopen exclusively for the Orlando Film

Festival, November 19–22, 2026, bringing movies back to the theater that served as the festival’s home for 18 years.

The theater, which closed to regular moviegoers, will open specifically for the four-day event. It is not resuming regular business operations.

Festival Director Daniel E. Springen worked with property representatives and management to secure the temporary reopening, allowing independent filmmakers and audiences to return to the festival’s longtime downtown venue.

Festival Director Daniel E. Springen fought hard to make it happen, explaining, “For 18 years, the Plaza Cinema Café was our home. When it closed, I wasn’t ready to walk

away from the theater or the memories we created there. I fought to bring the festival back."

The 2026 festival opens Thursday, November 19, with a VIP red carpet celebration and screening of Boris Is Dead, with members of the film’s cast expected to attend. Boris Is Dead is directed by James Cullen Bressack. The dark comedy crime thriller stars Dane Cook, alongside Jesse Metcalfe, Cam Gigandet, Hana Mae Lee, Traci Lords, Mindy Sterling, Steven Bauer, and Martin Kove.

The festival also includes independent features, documentaries, international films, short films, filmmaker Q&A sessions, and an awards ceremony.

2026 FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE

Approximately 120 narrative features, documentaries, international films and shorts, with

filmmaker Q&As, networking and the Sunday awards presentation.

THURSDAY / NOV 19 - VIP Opening Night, red carpet and Boris Is Dead

FRIDAY / NOV 20 - Independent film screenings and filmmaker Q&As

SATURDAY / NOV 21 - Screenings, filmmaker events and networking

SUNDAY / NOV 22 - Shorts Blitz and the Orlando Film Festival Awards Ceremony

TICKETS AND PASSES

PASS	PRICE	ADMISSION
Day Pass	$20	Regular screenings for one selected day
Festival Pass	$50	Regular festival screenings
VIP Pass	$100	All screenings, Opening Night, red carpet events, all parties and Sunday’s awards presentation
VIP Elite Pass	$200	All VIP benefits, plus complimentary beverages, educational programming, panels and advanced seating

Opening Night requires a VIP or VIP Elite Pass. Day and Festival Passes exclude Opening Night. Complimentary beverages are exclusive to VIP Elite.

Festival information, tickets and schedule: orlandofilmfest.com

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