Today, we unveiled the lineup for he 13th Miami Film Festival GEMS, the Festival’s fall midseason event taking place from Oct. 29-Nov. 5, 2026. GEMS will open with A24’s The Debut from writer-director Jesse Eisenberg and close with A24’s Club Kid from writer-director and star Jordan Firstman.
The Festival opens Thursday, October 29, with A24’s The Debut, written and directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg. Julianne Moore stars as Mona Friedman, a shy, unassuming housewife who is cast in a bit part at a small community theater and becomes a zealous method actor, ready to wage war on the show’s domineering director (Paul Giamatti) to protect the artistic integrity of her role. The musical comedy also stars Halle Bailey, Eisenberg and Bernadette Peters, with music and lyrics by Eisenberg.
Closing out the Festival on Thursday, November 5, is A24’s Club Kid, written and directed by Jordan Firstman in his triumphant feature directorial debut. Firstman stars as Peter, a hard-partying New York City club promoter whose whirlwind lifestyle is upended by the arrival of the 10-year-old son he never knew he had. The film, which had its world premiere in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, also stars Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva and Kirby Howell-Baptiste.
Centerpiece titles include Being Heumann, Behemoth!, Bunker, Elsinore, Paper Tiger, and Wild Horse Nine. The festival also places a focus on international submissions to the Academy Awards, and will feature submitted titles such as Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, Lukas Dhont’s Coward, and Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur.
Variety will also honor Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated actor, writer, and director John Turturro with the Variety Creative Vanguard Award during the festival. The award will be presented as part of a moderated conversation about his illustrious career and his latest film, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, hosted by Setoodeh. SPC’s The Only Living Pickpocket in New York will also screen at the festival.
Additionally, Mouse, from directors Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, will screen as part of the lineup, with the filmmakers receiving the Festival’s Art of Light Award. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and comes from the filmmakers behind Ghostlight.
Kyle MacLachlan will receive the Precious Gem Award at a special event in partnership with Books & Books in Miami to honor the release of his debut memoir “Fictional Self”. MacLachlan is recognized for roles in Blue Velvet, Dune and Twin Peaks, as well as Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the Festival will host a special retrospective screening of the cult-favorite rock musical, followed by an Impact Award presentation and Q&A with writer, director, and star John Cameron Mitchell.
“The 13th edition of GEMS further solidifies the festival as a major awards season stop, bringing together some of the most anticipated films of the year alongside a curated collection of discoveries from around the world,” said Lauren Cohen, Director of Programming. “With 50 titles, this is the largest GEMS line-up yet. To be able to celebrate the work of incredible storytellers such as Danny Boyle, Martin McDonagh, James Gray, Pedro Almodovar, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Mike Leigh, Siân Heder, and Brad Bird all in one lineup captures the richness and resonance of world cinema today. “
“Audiences can expect GEMS 2026 to be one of our most memorable editions yet,” said James Woolley, Executive Director of the Festival. “We are beyond thrilled to honor actor Kyle MacLachlan, filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell, and Los Javis for their incredible contributions to the entertainment industry.”
