Slamdance Miami

Slamdance Miami, which was originally planned for May 28-31, 2020, is now canceled due to the growing coronavirus outbreak. All submission fees will be refunded and the Slamdance team is looking at alternative options for representing filmmakers this year. 

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Slamdance is embarking on an exciting new journey in Miami, Florida where we will continue to showcase and support emerging independent filmmakers through a brand new film festival emphasizing the multicultural and diverse communities of Florida, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and beyond.

The Miami festival will showcase works covering all forms of media including film, digital, interactive, gaming, and hybrid forms of storytelling. The inaugural edition of Slamdance Miami will take place May 28-31, 2020, following the 26th Slamdance Film Festival in Park City. The festival will feature an entirely different lineup of films programmed by Slamdance alumni from Miami, Central and South America in addition to leaders from a collection of Miami-based arts and education organizations including Black Lounge Film Series, Miami Dade College, Miami Dade County Office of Film and Entertainment, Miami Film Festival, Miami Media and Film Market, Miami VR Expo, O Cinema, OUTshine Film Festival and Third Horizon Film Festival. In the spirit of Slamdance, films will be programmed democratically, meaning that each programmer will get an equal say in which submitted projects make the final cut.

O Cinema will serve as the Official Cinema Venue for Slamdance Miami. Additional location partners include Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Miami Beach Cinematheque, The Colony Theater and The Wolfsonian-FIU.

Founding support for Slamdance Miami has come from Sandy Lighterman, Miami Media and Film Market  co-founders Patricia Arias and Jose Luis Martinez and Slamdance alumni Kareem Tabsch, co-director  of O Cinema.

An education program in collaboration with Miami Dade College and Brazil’s Academia Internacional de Cinema will further support emerging artists and their work, and will be free for the public to attend. Additionally, local grants provided by Miami-Dade County and others will support participant travel.

The Slamdance Miami Film Festival accepts films in every genre, on any topic, by filmmakers who currently reside in OR who have shot the majority of their film on location in Florida, the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Central & South America. We spotlight low-budget Narrative and Documentary Features by first-time feature directors, and short films across genres. We do not disqualify any films based on date of completion.

Our programming committees are made up of filmmakers, Slamdance alumni, and representatives of local arts and film organizations. Comprised of a variety of backgrounds, interests, and talents, but with no individual filmmaker’s vote valued more than any other, Slamdance committees have been able to stay close to its original DIY spirit and continue to champion the bleeding-edge of contemporary filmmaking.