MAITLAND, Fla. — What the Florida Film Festival?

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The Florida Film Festival on Wednesday announced the lineup for this year’s event, taking place April 14-23. And this year’s branding is a unique one, leaning into “Florida’s eclectic stereotype— the Florida Man—to build a fun, satirical, and playful voice for the festival.”

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“The team had a lot of fun with this years’ festival branding,” said Deanna Tiedtke, director of public relations and development at Enzian. “Florida is known for its bizarre ‘Only in Florida’ headlines, our chaotic relationship with alligators, and the notorious ‘Florida Man’ trope, but not so much for its vibrant arts scene. From the renowned Art Basel Miami Beach to the internationally acclaimed Sarasota Opera to our very own Florida Film Festival, our state is a cultural hub that attracts visitors from all over the world. Our film festivals, literary events, and performances offer an incredible array of artistic experiences for audiences of all ages and interests. As an arthouse nonprofit theater and cultural organization, we value all aspects of our state: from its sublime artistic achievements to its occasional proclivity to play into one of the nation’s favorite jokes.”

This year’s festival saw 2,802 submissions from 105 countries. Of those, 168 films were accepted. There will be 143 premieres, 19 world premieres, 40 films with Florida connections and 32 films with festival alumni.

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Screenings will take place at the Enzian in Maitland and the Regal theater in Winter Park.

“Our selections committee and programming team worked tirelessly to whittle these entries down to the 168 films we will play throughout the 10-day festival. Of our entries, we are excited to emphasize our Florida Sidebar, which will include a narrative feature, documentary feature, and short program with Florida ties,” Tiedtke said in a news release.

Click here for details and tickets.

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