May 20–21, 2026
Plant City PREMIERE LUX 8 and Pizza Pub Lake Walden
220 W Alexander St,
Plant City, FL 33563
(813) 719-7600
FREE Tickets Available on Eventbrite
The Tampa Bay Veterans Media Showcase (TBVMS) is not simply a film festival.
It is a gathering built around humanity, storytelling, ethics, remembrance, respect, and conversation.
Taking place May 20–21, 2026, in Plant City, Florida, the showcase brings together independent filmmakers, veterans, artists, military families, students, and community members for two days of cinema designed to create connection rather than division.
The selected films are not necessarily “military movies.”
Some are serious.
Some are experimental.
Some are humorous.
Some are deeply emotional.
Some were made with AI-assisted tools.
Some come from countries shaped by war, displacement, generational trauma, isolation, or survival.
Together, they create something with intent. . .
At the Veterans Media Showcase, films are curated not only for entertainment value, but for the emotional conversations they may create afterward.
“Art has done its job when two strangers leave a screening and begin a meaningful conversation.”
More Than a Screening
Many veterans and military families carry experiences that are difficult to explain — and sometimes difficult to even begin discussing.
Film can help open that door.
Through animation, documentary, experimental cinema, AI-assisted storytelling, and independent filmmaking, the showcase creates an environment where difficult conversations can happen naturally and non-invasively.
The goal is not political debate.
The goal is human understanding.
Some audience members may see reflections of their own lives on screen. Others may gain empathy for experiences they have never personally lived. Some may simply leave entertained, thoughtful, or emotionally moved.
That is the purpose of the showcase.
Two Days. Two Auditoriums.
This year’s Veterans Media Showcase features two auditoriums operating simultaneously.
Every screening block runs twice, allowing audiences flexibility throughout the day. Guests can begin with either the feature presentation or the short film block, then switch auditoriums during the afternoon crossover.
Films switch auditoriums at 12:30 PM so attendees never miss the opportunity to experience both programs.
Doors Open
10:00 AM
Screenings Begin
10:30 AM
The showcase takes place during both Memorial Month and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month — a meaningful overlap that reflects the event’s emphasis on honoring service while also honoring story, identity, migration, and cultural memory.
International Independent Films on the Big Screen
Independent filmmakers often spend years developing projects with limited budgets, volunteer crews, borrowed equipment, and personal sacrifice.
For many creators, simply seeing their work projected onto a movie theater screen for a live audience is a major milestone.
The 2026 Veterans Media Showcase includes films from:
United States
India
Taiwan
Ukraine
Israel
South Korea
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Russian Federation
These stories will be experienced communally in a real cinema environment — the way film was originally intended to be shared. Humans will share and enjoy each other's light.
May 20, 2026 — Brothers After War
Feature Film
Brothers After War — USA
Selected Short Films block
The Letter He Carried (AI)
India — 4:28
Infected
Taiwan — 3:00
Shell Shock
USA — 10:46
The Sound of Music of the War
Ukraine — 2:00
True Treasure
USA — 11:58
The Provision
South Korea — 14:57
The Shelter (AI)
Israel — 5:00
For My Brothers
USA — 13:38
Total Runtime
1 hr 5 min 47 sec
Possible Bonus Feature
Screened last if played.
Disorder in the Barracks
USA — 8:34
Marcus Beaufils’ U.S. Army infantry mount training video shot on VHS offers an unfiltered glimpse into military life and memory captured through analog media.
May 21, 2026 — SGT Stubby
Feature Film
SGT Stubby — USA
Selected Short Films
Life of a Kitten With a Tracheostomy
North Macedonia — 4:34
Fetch
India — 5:16
The Pain
India — 1:00
Grandma's Alice Fairytales: “Taiga's King”
Novosibirsk, Russia — 3:20
Unidentified
United Kingdom — 1:30
Coast to Coast: Director's Cut
USA — 6:57
No Credit, Big Problem
USA — 6:00
Cloud Poop
South Korea — 5:47
How a Giraffe and a Raccoon Saved the Moon
Saint Petersburg, Russia — 9:00
Call From Mexico
USA — 10:19
Total Runtime
55 min 24 sec
Meet & Greets With Actors and Creators
Actors from Hollywood productions and local independent projects will be present throughout the showcase for meet & greets and audience interaction.
This creates an opportunity for attendees to connect directly with the people behind the stories — including veterans finding new ways to tell their own.
Featured Guest:
Khetphet “KP” Phagnasay
Actor • Director • Producer • Founder of KP1 Studios
Khetphet “KP” Phagnasay’s story reflects resilience, displacement, survival, and the transformative power of storytelling.
A refugee from Laos who later became a Hollywood actor and filmmaker, KP has dedicated much of his career to helping tell stories rooted in authenticity and humanity.
His work is not autobiographical, but it is deeply informed by lived experience — including migration, adaptation, and the search for belonging.
His credits include:
Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
AMC’s Interview With The Vampire
The Brothers Sun
Through KP1 Studios, he mentors emerging creatives while helping amplify underrepresented voices in film and media.
Our Stance on AI — The Stewardship Clause
The Veterans Media Showcase embraces AI as a creative collaborator, not a replacement for human storytelling.
Projects utilizing AI are asked to include an AI Usage Statement explaining how the technology was used responsibly and ethically.
Whether AI assisted with editing, animation, visuals, or character creation, the showcase asks filmmakers to demonstrate how human vision guided the machine toward empathy, responsibility, and connection.
The goal is not automation for its own sake.
The goal is meaningful storytelling.
Veterans Organizations and Community Partnerships
The showcase is supported by organizations, businesses, and individuals who believe in building honest community-centered events in Plant City and the Tampa Bay region.
Standing With Us
Premiere Cinemas — Host Venue
Cinema Charity — 501(c)(3) Fiscal Sponsor
American Legion Vanguard Post 1337 — Strategic Veteran Partner
Spouse-ly — Military Spouse Marketplace
KP1 Studios — Production Partner
Holiday Inn Express & Suites by IHG — Hospitality Supporter
GeorgieJobs App — Blue Collar Technology Platform
FilmFreeway — Film Submission Platform
William Brower Jr. — Author & Historian
Optivor AI — AI & Technology Supporter
BE Studio Records — Veteran-Owned Recording Studio, Puerto Rico
Every partnership represents a conversation, a handshake, a recommendation, or a shared belief in the value of storytelling and veteran community outreach.
Building Community Beyond the Theater
For seven years, Judy Wise and the Elks Lodge — alongside Historic Plant City Main Street — have organized a Veterans Lunch each November to honor veterans and military families through a simple but meaningful community meal.
No gimmicks.
No politics.
Just neighbors showing appreciation.
Now, the Tampa Bay Veterans Media Showcase is proud to stand alongside that effort.
Marcus Beaufils and Judy Wise are working together to help connect both events — the May showcase and the November Veterans Lunch — into something that serves the community year-round.
Anyone can participate.
Buy a movie ticket.
Support a breakfast donation.
Attend a screening.
Shake someone’s hand.
Start a conversation.
That is what this showcase is really about.
FREE Tickets
Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/veterans-media-showcase-tickets-1989152973089
Official Website:
https://veteransmediashowcase.com/
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#AsianAmericanPacificIslanderHeritageMonth
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