Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Art Week Season

Miami Beach
Cinema Awards

International Independent Film Festival

Live Screenings Red Carpet Awards Ceremony International Selections Audience Program

Hosted at Savor Cinema, Fort Lauderdale's historic independent theater

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About the Festival

We celebrate independent filmmakers and visual storytellers.

The Miami Beach Cinema Awards is an international festival dedicated to independent cinema, vertical storytelling, and emerging cinematic voices from around the world.

Our program welcomes feature films, short films, documentaries, animation, experimental cinema, and vertical storytelling formats — screened live before real audiences at Savor Cinema.

Taking place during Miami's internationally recognized Art Week season, the festival creates a vibrant cultural atmosphere for filmmakers, artists, and audiences alike.

Cinema is a mirror by which we often see ourselves.
Int'lOpen Submissions
LiveScreenings & Red Carpet
18Award Categories
Free*Student Program
Festival Experience

The Atmosphere

🎞Live Screenings
🌹Red Carpet
🏆Awards Ceremony
🎭Audience Screenings
🎬Filmmaker Community
Savor Cinema Add Venue Photo
Official Venue
Official Venue

Savor Cinema

Historic independent cinema venue in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — one of South Florida's most beloved and culturally significant theaters, dedicated to independent and art-house cinema.

The festival's live screenings, audience programs, red carpet, and awards ceremony all take place within this iconic venue, providing an authentic cinematic setting for filmmakers and audiences.

Live Cinema Screenings
Red Carpet Presentation
Audience Screenings
Official Awards Ceremony
Filmmaker Community Gathering
Program

Live Screenings

01
Official Selection Screenings

Curated feature and short film screenings presented to a live audience inside Savor Cinema's historic theater space.

02
Red Carpet & Presentation

Filmmakers and guests are welcomed with an official red carpet arrival, photography, and ceremonial opening of each screening.

03
Awards Ceremony

An official awards presentation hosted at the venue, recognizing excellence in independent cinema across all competition categories.

Competition

Award Categories

01Best Feature Film
02Best Short Film
03Best Documentary
04Best Vertical Series
05Best Experimental Film
06Best Animation
07Best Director
08Best Cinematography
09Best Editing
10Best Screenplay
11Best Actor / Actress
12Best Horror / Thriller
13Best Comedy
14Best Music Video
15Best AI Film — Short & Long Form
16Best Abstract / Visual Art Film
17Best LGBTQ+ Film
18Student & Young FilmmakersFree*
Community & Student Support

Student & Young
Filmmakers Program

The festival supports emerging filmmakers and student creators through accessible submission opportunities and educational participation.

We believe that independent cinema belongs to everyone — regardless of budget, equipment, or affiliation.

Free submissions for selected student categories may be available with valid student identification.
Student & Young Filmmakers
Under 25 · Student ID Required
  • Open to students at all levels — high school through graduate
  • Accepted formats: short film, documentary, animation, vertical
  • Dedicated jury review with category-specific awards
  • Invitation to live screening and awards ceremony
  • Official Selection laurels for accepted films
  • Free submission tier with verified student identification
Submissions

Submit Your Film

We welcome feature films, short films, documentaries, animation, experimental works, vertical series, and student films from independent filmmakers worldwide.

Submissions are accepted through FilmFreeway, taking place during Miami's internationally recognized Art Week season.

Submit via FilmFreeway info@miamibeachcinemaawards.com @MBCinemaAwards
Submit Your Film

*Free submissions available for verified student categories. See submission guidelines for details.

Contact

Get in Touch

For press inquiries, venue information, jury submissions, or general questions about the festival:

info@miamibeachcinemaawards.com

Taking place during Miami Art Week — Fort Lauderdale, Florida

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