Should I Move to... Miami?
Everything you need about the South Florida film scene.
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Frequently, I think about how Jim Jarmusch described working with the late great cinematographer Robby Müller on 1995’s Dead Man:
We find the most dramatic, incredibly beautiful landscape you could imagine and then we would turn our backs on it and film the other way. That was something that Robby said: 'Look how magnificent this is, we've seen it in a fucking calendar! Let's look over there, it's a small tree and a rock, very sad and emotional, you know?' So we would film that instead.
The idea of being that open and willing to neglect the obvious is always appealing — both as a filmmaker and filmgoer — but it’s especially appealing right now. The promise of new technology tends to be perfection, or at least precision. Which is fine, but ultimately pretty boring. The AI era has hardly begun and already I’m tired of smoothness. I’m currently conceiving a project about the beauty in the sorts of happy accidents that can only occur when people get together and open themselves to their collaborators, their locations, their limitations, etc. And I’m wondering: Do you have a favorite moment in a movie (i.e., something like this) that emerged that way? If so, please share them with me at nothingbogus1@gmail.com.
Here’s what’s happening this week:
Is the invisible variable in every hit “compression”? Indiewire EIC Dana Harris-Bridson makes the case. (And thanks to Christian Zilko for the shout-out to last week’s Nothing Bogus!)
Slamdance screenplay competition deadline is today, June 22.
This Friday, Rooftop Films presents its annual Mind Altering Shorts block at Industry City, Courtyard. 7:00 PM. Tix and more here.
Also on Friday: At 7:15 PM, Quad Cinema will host the New York premiere of Cielo, a Spanish-language magic-realist road movie filmed entirely in the Bolivian Andes. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Alberto Sciamma. Tickets and more info here.
Sunday, June 28 head to Rockaway for a Rockaway Film Festival screening of Stubby by Bo Widerberg, preceded by a performance by Rockaway Chamber Music. More here.
The Illuminations Grant, an annual $10,000 award that provides support to Black Trans Women Visual Artists, is open for applications through July 2. Winning artists and finalists will receive additional professional development resources and further guidance. More here.
POV, television’s longest-running showcase for independent nonfiction films, has submissions open now for films to be considered for inclusion in the 2026 broadcast season.
Had a lot of fun at a sneak peak screening of Costa Karalis’s Frogtown at Low Cinema last week, shot by friend of the newsletter Chris Violette. It’s a rich portrait of northern Florida that features a bunch of interesting characters. Wider release date TBA.
Neon recently announced that It Ends will hit theaters August 21.
I’m putting together an anonymous Distribution Report Card so that filmmakers can get a better sense of other filmmakers’ experience with different distribution companies. As an act of public service, fill out this survey please. To repeat, it will be ANONYMOUS, and you do not have to include any revealing details about your film.
Something bogus at Amazon.
If you would like to list in a future issue, email nothingbogus1@gmail.com with the subject “Listing.” (It’s FREE!) Include your email and all relevant details (price, dates, etc.)
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Should I Move to… Miami?
Everything you need about the South Florida film scene.
Right now, it’s hard to imagine ever wanting to be anywhere but New York City. We’ve got a cool mayor, a champion basketball team, and lately every day has seemed to settle at a perfect temperature. People are out and about and… smiling?!? Plus, where film is concerned, New York City and nearby New Jersey are each experiencing production booms.
You can’t ask for much more than that. But still, I find myself wondering what’s going on in other cities. Are there cool, affordable places where young filmmakers are flocking? Where are fresh things happening? A few months ago, we checked in on Baltimore, with Nothing Bogus’s first Scene Survey. Today, we’re venturing further down the coast…. to Miami and the greater South Florida region. Here’s the 411 on the 305 (and 785)!
Within the local film scene, what are the key places? (ie theaters, bars and houses where people congregate, etc.)
O Cinema, Gables Cinema, Cosford Cinema, Miami Library, Kinoplex at Churchills - Xander Robin, filmmaker
Coral Gables Art Cinema, O Cinema, Nite Owl Drive-In, Silver Spot, Cosford Cinema (UM campus) and my neighborhood Cinepolis (Coconut Grove), Oolite, Soho Houses (Beach and Pool) - Alexis Garcia, Founder, CAT5; Co-Founder, Brass Knuckle Films, been in Miami the past four years and grew up there
Miami Film Festival, Urban Film Festival. Silver Spot Cinemas and many more. - Marco (Mall) Molinet, Florida Film House; South Florida born and raised over 40 years & over 20 years in the industry
Miami Film Lab events at Coral Gables Art Cinema. Any authors whose work has been adapted to screen that come through Books & Books in Coral Gables - Isabel Custer, director of the Key Biscayne Film Festival, grew up in Miami 20+ years. Moved back in 2020
Barracudas in the Grove - Xavi Manrique, Director/ Producer
Coral Gables Cinema, various events throughout the year - Eric Gaunaurd, Executive Producer and Founder at Paradiso Pictures. Miami, I’ve lived here my whole life
Who are the key people within the scene? (this could be filmmakers, theater programmers, festival organizers, etc.)
Rebeca Leon (Lionfish), Jeffrey Greenstein (A Higher Standard), James Wooley and Lauren Cohen (Miami Intl Film Fest), Brenda Bean (Coral Gables Arts Cinema), Billy Corben & Alfred Spellman (rakontur), Mitchell Kaplan (Books & Books, Mazur Kaplan Productions), Jillian Mayer (artist, filmmaker), Diliana Alexander (Filmgate), Marco Mall (Florida Film House), White Elephant Group, Sandy Lighterman (Broward County Film Commissioner), Dave Grutman, Edson Jean, David Frankel, Xavi Manrique, Brandon Brito (Apple), Javiera Balmaceda (Amazon), Carlos V. Gutierrez, Dennis Scholl - Alexis Garcia
Alexis Garcia, Exec Producer; Marco (Mall) Molinet, Film Producer; Sandy Lighterman, Broward film commissioner; many others - Marco Molinet
Jen Castellanos (dir Miami Film Lab), James Woolley (dir Miami FF), Isabel Custer (dir Key Biscayne FF), Eddy Moon (white elephant group), Dennis Scholl (oolite), Kareem Tabsch (dir), Edson Jean (dir), Mitchell Kaplan (EP and bookseller), Mark Pulaski (producer), Elayne Keratsis (UPM/line), Herschel Faber (director), Maylen Dominguez (producer), Noah Salzman (director), Vanessa Garcia & Vicki Collado (abre camino collective), Daniel Kaplan (doc films) - Isabel Custer
Producer Alexis Garcia, Director David Frankel, Director Felipe Torres Urso, Producer Jason Dubin - Xavi Manrique
Alexis Garcia, Vanessa Garcia, Victoria Collazo, Robby Ramos - Eric Gaunaurd
Jennifer Orta Castellanos (founder Miami Film Lab), Brenda Moe (director/programmer Coral Bables Art Cinema), Eddy Moon and Kevin Organza (White Elephant Group), Dilliana Alexander and Jose Jacob (Filmgate), Sandy Lighterman (Film Lauderdale), Lauren Cohen (Miami Film Festival Director of Programming), Edson Jean, Jonathan and Michael Cuartas (Director/DP/Edito), Hansel Porras Garcia (filmmaker/Oolite film residency director), Mark Pulaski (producer) - Anonymous
What are the big events that are important in the scene each year?
Miami Film Festival, Oolite, Subtropic, Popcorn Frights - Xander Robin
Miami Intl Film Fest, American Black Film Festival, Urban Film Festival, WEG. But outside of film specific, Miami is full of huge arts and culture events that bring people including artists and filmmakers, such as Art Basel, South Beach Food & Wine, NATPE/Realscreen, Possible, F1, Miami Open, to name a few - Alexis Garcia
Miami Film Festival, Urban Film Festival, South Florida Film Forum - Marco Molinet
Miami FF, Jewish FF, Key Biscayne FF, Miami short FF, Third Horizon FF, Outshine FF, Miami Beach FF - Isabel Custer
Miami Film Festival, Coconut Grove Film Festival - Xavi Manrique
Miami Film Festival, South Florida Film Forum - Eric Gaunaurd
What are some important works that have come out of the scene?
Moonlight - Xander Robin
Moonlight, Cocaine Cowboys (and all the rakontur docs), Miami Vice and all its inspirations, Bad Boys - Alexis Garcia
Ethan Bloom, Ludi, Huracan, Reefa, As You Like It Like That, Clocked, The Old Man and the Parrot, River of Grass, News Without a Newsroom, Naked Ambition, Mucho Mucho Amor - Isabel Custer
Chronically Metropolitan, Mancora, Who Invited Charlie? - Xavi Manrique
Moonlight, Mountains - Eric Gaunaurd
Mountains, Moonlight, The Python Hunt, Mucho Mucho Amor, Save the Flea ( short film), In an Orderly Fashion (short film) - Anonymous
What’s the general vibe of the scene?
As dramatic and hot headed as South Florida could be, yet sometimes as serene and unbelievably beautiful as South Florida can be - Xander Robin
General vibe is Miami is becoming more important in many industries and thus harder for artists as gets more expensive. But it’s also what keeps Miami endlessly entertaining and ripe for stories. It’s a land built by immigrants and hustlers, and isn’t that kind of a big chunk of the history of filmmaking? - Alexis Garcia
The general vibe is creative, collaborative, and community-driven. These scenes bring together emerging filmmakers, artists, and audiences who are passionate about storytelling and eager to support new voices. The atmosphere is energetic and inspiring, with a strong focus on mentorship, cultural expression, and helping the next generation of filmmakers grow within the industry. - Marco Molinet
Quirky offbeat original Latino voices & vital docs about pressing issues - Isabel Custer
Ambitious filmmakers - Xavi Manrique
It’s definitely growing, and there’s a sense of excitement in town. There’s hope of a new film incentive that will revitalize the local industry - Eric Gaunaurd
What else is there to know about the scene?
There’s a lot of untapped potential, but high cost of living and lack of statewide incentives have curbed some of this, along with plenty of other reasons. But as long as Florida remains fascinating to people, movies will be filmed there. - Xander Robin
New Yorkers come down all the time. When the LA peeps come through, they’re out all night. Especially at E11even which has become the most famous club in the world. - Alexis Garcia
