Deadlines
About festival
Miami Short Film Festival
For 25 years, MIAMIsFF has presented exceptional short-form cinema (30 minutes or less), offering a world-class platform for American, international, and Latin American filmmakers. Each year, from hundreds of submissions, we curate 50+ outstanding films that reflect the broad spectrum of human experience and highlight emerging talent in directing, producing, and acting.
Be part of our vibrant creative community! Thousands return to Miami annually for the original short film festival in South Florida, enjoying three unforgettable days of film blocks organized thematically to capture the depth, emotion, and artistry of contemporary short filmmaking.
Beyond the festival weekend, MIAMIsFF continues to champion the art form with monthly screenings, special events, educational outreach, and a traveling showcase that brings selected films to audiences nationwide—fueling a growing movement dedicated to short cinema.
𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝘆: short films—past and present—are true works of art, deserving a dedicated platform.
𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: To nurture the next generation of filmmakers by giving their work the recognition, visibility, and celebration it merits.
Trailer
Festival Amenities
Accepted Content
Submission Categories
NARRATIVE - USA & Canada
Any live action fictional film.
NARRATIVE - FOREIGN
DOCUMENTARY
Any non-fiction short film.
EXPERIMENTAL
Any film that falls outside of the other three categories, can be considered "alternative" filmmaking, and/or think "outside of the box."
ANIMATION
Any film utilizing rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement.
MUSIC VIDEO
WEB / NEW MEDIA
STUDENT - COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY
Any short film produced by a college or university student. Must submit copy of valid student ID with submission.
SHORT/short Under 5 Min
LATAM Short (Latin America)
Producciones de cualquier género procedentes de Latino América.
Festival Team
WILLIAM VELA
Executive Director / Founder & Director of Program
Georgina Molina
Director of Operations & Marketing
Luigi Di Scipio
Programming Director
Esteban Prieto
Technical Director
Ricardo Salazar
Stage Manager/Operations
Festival Rules
Rules & Terms:
I, the undersigned, do hereby consent and agree that the Miami Short Film Festival and its employees or agents have the right to present my film and to use these in any and all media, now known or hereafter known, exclusively for the purpose of promoting the Miami Short Film Festival.
I further consent that my name and identity may be revealed therein or by descriptive text or commentary. I do hereby release to the Miami Short Film Festival, its agents, and employees all rights to exhibit this work in print and electronic form publicly or privately.
I understand that, there will be no financial or other remuneration for showcasing the film, either for the initial or subsequent transmission or playback. I represent that I am at least 18 years of age, have read and understand the foregoing statement, and am competent to execute this agreement.
The Miami short Film Festival is under no obligation to provide to the Applicant or any other representative of the Project any comments or feedback regarding the submitted Project.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Films must have been completed after January 1, 2024. All non-English films must have English subtitles. Previewing films must be submitted electronically through the FilmFreeway system.
- We will only consider works with a maximum running time of 30 minutes. There is no minimum running time.
- Works-in-progress will be considered, provided they are completed prior to the festival.
- We do not allow multiple category entries.
- Please do NOT send stills or press kits. If your film is selected, we will ask you to email us a still image(s) and a trailer.
- Exhibition format will have to be uploaded on the MIAMIsFF server if selected to be screened.
- You will be notified of acceptance by September 5, 2025.
- We accept films shot in all formats.
- All films selected for the festival, grant MIAMIsFF the rights to use them for promotional purposes.
- MIAMIsFF is permitted to retain copies of each film selected as part of our festival library and for media educational use or for MIAMIsFF events throughout the year.
- All films selected for the festival grant MIAMIsFF the rights to upload a clip/trailer online for promotional purposes.
- Though not a requirement, we prefer that films NOT have previously screened in a public theatrical setting in Dade or Broward County, Florida, prior to their screening at MIAMIsFF.
- Our selection committee will factor in previous screenings in the Dade or Broward area when determining a film’s potential invitation.
- You may submit more than one film, but each one must be submitted separately and be accompanied by its own completed submission form and entry fee.
- The Festival will not confirm receipt of a film by telephone.
- You have the option of paying with a credit card online after you fill out and submit the entry form.
- All fees are non-refundable.
- Entries will not be viewed without entry fee payment.
Selection:
- Film selection for the festival will be made by the Festival Committee.
- All filmmakers will be notified via email of their acceptance.
