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Filmmaker Explores Legacy, Rivalries Behind Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ+ Nightlife Scene
The parties may look like nonstop celebration, but director Daniel Lui said his new documentary uncovered a far more complex story behind Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.
Lui, founder of DANL Productions and Queerbox, an LGBTQ+ film discovery platform, previously explored New York’s underground circuit culture in The Circuit: New York, a docuseries later distributed on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi. His latest project shifts the focus to Puerto Vallarta, one of the world’s best-known LGBTQ+ resort destinations.
“The Circuit: Puerto Vallarta is completed and currently in its film festival run while also being pitched to networks,” Lui told Out & About PV. “I’ll share a release date once distribution is finalized.”
The standalone documentary examines Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene, including the producers, promoters and history behind some of the city’s most recognizable events. Lui said the film explores the legacy of Jeffrey Sanker, founder of the White Party events in Palm Springs and Puerto Vallarta, and how that world evolved after his death.
The documentary also follows Chris Diamond as he navigates growing competition in the local party scene and the fallout from what Lui described as a difficult partnership with a key figure in Puerto Vallarta nightlife.
Lui said Puerto Vallarta became a natural setting for the next installment because of the city’s international reputation and energy.
“I love Puerto Vallarta and am a frequent visitor, especially during the winter months,” he said. “The city has a vibrant energy and is one of the best places in the world for LGBTQ+ nightlife, which made it a natural next chapter for The Circuit.”
Compared to The Circuit: New York, which combined documentary storytelling with reality-drama elements, Lui said the Puerto Vallarta project takes a more traditional documentary approach.
“This installment takes a more traditional documentary approach, focusing on the producers, the history behind the events, and the people who keep this nightlife culture alive,” he said.
Power, Rivalries and Legacy
Puerto Vallarta has long been recognized as one of Mexico’s leading LGBTQ+ travel destinations, particularly around the Zona Romántica, where bars, clubs, beach venues and entertainment spaces anchor the city’s nightlife district.
Lui said one of the biggest surprises during filming was discovering how interconnected the community behind the nightlife scene really is.
“The most interesting thing I discovered was how deeply interconnected and complex the Puerto Vallarta LGBTQ+ nightlife scene really is,” he said. “On the surface it looks like nonstop celebration, but behind it there are real tensions, rivalries, and a strong sense of legacy, especially around how events like the White Party shaped the community and what happens when that leadership changes.”
A Journey in the Making
The project took several years to complete while Lui balanced filmmaking with full-time work.
“The film took a few years to complete while I was also working full-time,” he said. “I wanted to take the time needed to shape the story and bring it into its festival and release run in the right way.”
The documentary arrives as Puerto Vallarta continues to expand its profile as a global LGBTQ+ tourism destination, attracting visitors year-round for nightlife, entertainment, beach events and celebrations including Vallarta Pride 2026.
For Lui, the film ultimately focuses not just on parties, but on the people and history behind them.
“At its core, this film is about the people who built and continue to shape this nightlife culture,” he said.
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