EMPIRE documentary to premiere in film festival
official film selection for fort lauderdale international film festival 2026
EMPIRE, our documentary film, has been officially selected for the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF 40). This marks the first time the Empire story will be experienced on the big screen.
About the Film
EMPIRE tells the story of how something that started small and deeply personal turned into a place that quietly changed the cigar scene in South Florida. It didn’t happen overnight, and it wasn’t forced. It happened through real moments, honest conversations, and shared experiences.
This film isn’t really about a lounge—it’s about the people who come together inside it. The regulars and the first-timers. The bartenders, the members, and the conversations that unfolded night after night. Through personal interviews and immersive storytelling, EMPIRE examines how slowing down, showing up, and honoring tradition can foster meaningful connection in an increasingly disconnected world.
Filmed on location at Empire Social Lounge in Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas district and Empire Social Lounge in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, EMPIRE is a story about people, place, and the power of shared experience.
celebrating the community behind the story
Being selected for FLIFF allows us to share this story beyond our walls, while keeping it rooted in the community that made it possible. It’s a moment of reflection, celebration, and gratitude—for Fort Lauderdale, Brickell, and our roots back in Boca Raton—for all of South Florida, and for everyone who has been part of Empire’s journey.
We invite our members, guests, and extended Empire family to experience the film with us and celebrate this milestone together.
EMPIRE – Official FLIFF Screening
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Date: February 21
Schedule:
• 1:00 PM — VIP Reception (Savor Cinema)
• 1:30 PM — Screening (Savor Cinema)
• 3:00 PM — Red Carpet After Party (Empire Social | Las Olas)
Location:
Savor Cinema | Fort Lauderdale
Tickets are on sale now:
fliff.com/events/empire
Red Carpet After-Party at Empire Las Olas
Following the screening, the celebration continues back where the story lives—with the official EMPIRE Red Carpet After-Party at Empire Social Lounge Las Olas. Join us for an elevated evening of cocktails, premium cigars, conversation, and celebration with the cast, crew, and community behind the film.
Empire Social Lounge
Empire Exchange
