Miami Film Festivals You Can’t Miss

Greater Miami & Miami Beach has long been an arts hub, hosting a variety of culturally significant creative events. When it comes to cinema, the city’s diversity shines through with over a dozen film festivals held throughout the year. From short-film festivals and international screenings to LGBTQ+ films and world-renowned events, there's a film festival for everyone to enjoy.

January

The Coconut Grove Film Festival

Presented by the Voices Beyond Borders Art Foundation, the Coconut Grove Film Festival features independent films with a focus on local filmmakers. The festival is held each year during January, taking place in its namesake neighborhood of Coconut Grove. It operates with a jury that awards prizes in six categories, including best feature film, best short film, best picture and sound editing and best student short film.

ScreenDance Miami

Taking place at multiple venues, ScreenDance Miami in Miami Beach focuses on dance films, showcasing innovative movement on film. The week-long annual event is held in January and promises exciting dance and movement-based concepts from emerging choreographers and directors on film.

The Key Biscayne Film Festival

Screening independent films with a special focus on environmental and social issues, the Key Biscayne Film Festival in Key Biscayne seeks to provide a platform for emerging and established filmmakers alike. Categories include documentary, drama, features, short films, comedy and animation.

The Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival

Held at various venues throughout the city, the Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival screens independent films that fall under the science fiction umbrella. The festival accepts entries using the broad definition of the genre, including fantasy, horror, supernatural and anything extraordinary. This unique festival seeks to celebrate films using inventive methods without the resources of large-budget studios.

The Miami Jewish Film Festival

With a focus on Jewish culture and heritage, the Miami Jewish Film Festival showcases films that explore the history, identity and life of the Jewish community. Established in 1996, the festival is held annually in January, and has hosted major names in cinema such as Natalie Portman, Nancy Spielberg, Logan Lerman and more. Screenings take place all throughout Miami.

February

Shorts Miami International Film Festival

As its name implies, Shorts Miami International Film Festival in Coral Gables showcases short films. Screened at the Bill Cosford Cinema in the University of Miami, the festival’s films are strictly 20 minutes or less. The films all fall into one of three categories: narrative, documentary and student films. The 2025 jury included “Devil Wears Prada” director David Frankel, actress/filmmaker Sope Aluko (actress in Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther”) and Nestor Carbonell (actor in “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises”).

April

The Miami Film Festival

Established in 1984, the Miami Film Festival (MFF) presents groundbreaking films and influential voices. As an internationally recognized event, the MFF red carpet has been walked by Anne Hathaway, Sylvester Stallone, Helen Hunt, Willem Dafoe, Sarah Jessica Parker and many more. 

The festival screenings take place at a variety of venues throughout Miami, including culturally significant and historic venues like the Olympia Theatre and Tower Theater. 

OUTshine Film Festival

OUTshine Film Festival is the product of the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (est. 1998) and the Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (est. 2008) combining. It focuses on LGBTQ+ cinema, playing films that explore relevant themes and stories. 

The festival has four editions held at different times of the year: the Spring Edition is held annually in April, The Fall Edition is held annually in October and OUTshine At Home is held in April to May and again in October to November. Beyond the official festivals, OUTshine is a year-round event that includes monthly screenings, a Cocktails & Cinema series and sneak-peek events.

Citrus Circuit Film Festival

Showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers with a focus on Florida-based creators, Citrus Circuit Film Festival takes place each April at various venues throughout Miami. The festival is wide-ranging and bestows awards for best drama, comedy, horror, animated short film, romance and many more.

Cinema Italy

With a mission to promote Italian cinema and culture outside of Italy, Cinema Italy screens contemporary Italian films each April in South Beach. While all films are in Italian, they are screened with English subtitles. The festival’s president and art director brings his 25 years of experience as an executive for major networks such as Telemundo, Columbia TriStar and Sony Pictures.  

May

The American Black Film Festival (ABFF)

Held annually in May, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026. The ABFF in Miami Beach is widely recognized as the premier cinema event for individuals of African descent, and has received corporate sponsors like NBC, CBS and Nickelodeon among others. The ABFF’s mission is to provide education, access and recognition to Black filmmakers, opening doors that mainstream Hollywood has historically kept closed.

Third Horizon Film Festival

Showcasing Caribbean diaspora films, visual art, performances and more, the Third Horizon Film Festival in Downtown Miami will return for its 9th annual festival in May of 2026. The festival features works by independent filmmakers who are unafraid to speak their truth regarding the marginalization and exploitation of minority communities in Florida.

The South Beach Film Festival

The South Beach Film Festival had its inaugural year in 2025, screening independent films with a focus on international cinema. The festival will be held annually in May with a week of film screenings, events and related activities with the iconic Miami Beach as a backdrop. It’s held in its namesake neighborhood of South Beach, with a wide variety of category awards such as best feature, best documentary, best screenplay, best production, best short film and best music video.

July 

The Miami 48-Hour Film Project

The Miami 48-Hour Film Project is held annually in July, bringing a new level of excitement and novelty to cinema. The weekend event begins with the Friday Night Kickoff, where teams are ready to choose a genre and required elements out of a hat. Once each team has its prompt, it takes on the challenge of making a short film in only 48 hours. The challenge focuses on the simple joy of filmmaking, pushing creators to test their skills.

Miami 4 Social Change

Featuring youth-created films focusing on social issues, the Miami 4 Social Change Youth Film Festival showcases works created by young filmmakers in collaboration with Miami Dade College, North Campus. The festival takes place at various venues each July.

August

Urban Film Festival

Held annually in August, the Urban Film Festival in Downtown Miami focuses on urban culture and stories, with an emphasis on underrepresented communities. Dedicated to providing a platform for growth and exposure opportunities to the new generation of filmmakers, the festival provides education opportunities, tools, insight and access to those who need it most.

November

Miami Short Film Festival

Each November, the Miami Short Film Festival in Downtown Miami showcases 1- to 20-minute short films in categories like narrative, documentary and animation. With a focus on the creative spirit of filmmaking, the festival aims to bring exposure to independent and emerging filmmakers.

Ibero American Film Festival

Taking place at venues throughout Miami each November, the Ibero American Film Festival screens films from countries or territories where Spanish and Portuguese are the primary languages, extending to U.S.-based Latino and Ibero-American filmmakers. The festival provides a variety of services to the Latino and Ibero-American communities, offering access to training, masterclasses, discussion spaces and networking opportunities.

December

FilmGate Miami Film Festival

Taking place each December in venues throughout the city, the FilmGate Miami Film Festival focuses on screening independent films. In addition to the annual festival, FilmGate Miami offers monthly screenings and a year-round initiative offering fellowship programs, bootcamps in a variety of disciplines and a summer filmmaker camp for young artists aged 13 to 18.

Annual Festivals With Varying Dates

Brazilian Film Festival Miami

The long-standing Infinito Brazilian Film Festival Miami has been a significant platform for Brazilian filmmakers. The festival, which exclusively shows Brazilian films, has received honors for its significant cultural impact. The festival, which began in Miami, has expanded to a dozen cities globally.

Miami Web Fest

Held at various venues in Miami, the Miami Web Fest showcases web series and digital content creators. The festival features production from around the globe, with a judge panel of executives from major networks like HBO and Viacom. Additionally, Miami Web Fest’s veteran-focused component, Veteran Film Awards, promotes military veterans using filmmaking as an outlet for stress.