MAITLAND, Fla. — In just a few days, film lovers will gather at Enzian Theater for the return of the Florida Film Festival.

​The festival kicks off April 8 with a robust lineup of 167 films from 37 countries.

"We have a fantastic lineup with something that will appeal to everybody," said programming director Matthew Curtis.

The lineup ranges from feature-length fare about the origins of The Beatles, to short films that spotlight Florida.

This year's lineup will also include an environmental showcase, a festival first, with films about preservation, endangered species and the natural wonders of the world.

And for those looking for films that are off-the-wall and boundary-pushing, there's the Midnight Shorts program. And although organizers say this year's lineup might be tamer than previous years, they say attendees should still be prepared to laugh and cringe.

"We design it in a way that you should approach it as if you were watching one 90-minute ride, as opposed to looking at the individual pieces of it," said programming coordinator Tim Anderson. "The flow, for us with Midnight Shorts, is extraordinarily important."

In addition to films from different genres and different countries, the festival features a lineup from a diverse group of filmmakers, including 84 women and 8 non-binary filmmakers.

But it wasn't by design — organizers say it happened organically.

"The programming department does a phenomenal job at this, but we really attempt to be a window into the world," said Deanna Tiedtke, director of public relations. "Film is incredible because it offers you all these diverse perspectives and the ability to travel the world and see how other people live. We're here to offer that window."

There's also an extra layer of excitement surrounding this year's festival. For the first time in two years, the festival returns to being fully in-person.

It's also back to three screens, with films being shown not just at Enzian but also in two auditoriums at the nearby Regal theater at Winter Park Village.

"Majority of the films in the festival are playing twice, so people have more flexibility with their schedule," Curtis said. "And we were able to bring a lot of the programs back their original idea and vision."

And with the festival back in full swing, it's once again able to offer programming beyond film screenings — including the opening night party and the festival block party.

"We're having all of our events again, which is really exciting because it's such a big part of the film festival," Tiedtke said.

It also means the return of filmmakers — more than 100 are expected to attend in support of their films.

"And that makes it more like a real festival," Curtis said. "It's that old magical feeling of being with a community of film lovers and passionate filmmakers and creative people, and bouncing ideas back and forth. There's nothing like that."

Individual tickets cost $13 and passes start at $125.

The full festival lineup is available at the Florida Film Festival website.