Miami Beach Film Festival (13)

For Winemaker, Wineries and Vineyards. For outstanding achievement in quality, consistency, and innovation within the global wine community. For Innovators, Designers & Storytellers in Wine Culture. For projects that celebrate and document the living history of wine. Celebrates the perfect balance between tradition and innovation in the art of winemaking — honoring those who create wines that resonate with both spirit and craftsmanship. Each bottle tells a story of place, passion, and patience — a harmony of sun, soil, and skill that elevates the human experience.

LGBTQ - Stories highlighting identity, equality, and love in all its forms. - Accepted across narrative, documentary, and experimental styles

Ecology - Environmental, nature, or climate-related themes. - Documentaries or narrative storytelling both accepted.

Disability - Films exploring physical, psychological, or social disability. - Stories that inspire, inform, or challenge public perception are encouraged.

Stop-motion - Includes claymation, puppetry, paper cut, or digital stop-frame animation. - Jury values craftsmanship and rhythmical storytelling.

Dance - Open to choreographed films, music-inspired movement, or experimental performance. - The dancer or director may also be nominated for Best Choreography.

BDSM - Accepts both narrative and artistic explorations of erotic psychology, control, and emotion. - Must present respect, consent, and aesthetic sensitivity. - Focused on visual storytelling and psychological realism, not explicitness.

Animation - Traditional, 3D, or mixed media animation. - AI Video is accepted - Judged on creativity, visual craft, and emotional connection. - All styles accepted (narrative, experimental, or music-based).

Adventure - Travel, discovery, or human challenge stories. - Strong visuals and dynamic pacing recommended. - Both fiction and nonfiction accepted.

Abstract Film - For experimental works emphasizing form, tone, or texture over plot. - Any runtime is accepted. - Visual and sound innovation are key evaluation factors

Best Editing - Must demonstrate narrative rhythm, pacing, and structure. - Any format/genre is eligible. - Reviewed by our editorial team with experience in broadcast, digital, and cinematic post-production.

Best Director - Awarded for overall artistic and production leadership. - Any project submitted may be eligible if the director is credited. - No separate submission needed — our team will evaluate based on full project. - Judged by award-winning directors from the vertical, short-form, and feature film space.

Best Cinematographer - Open to DPs of all genres and durations. - Judged on framing, lighting, movement, and overall visual storytelling. - Please submit the project with cinematographer’s name clearly mentioned. - Reviewed by professional DPs and DoPs with feature film and commercial experience.

Best Actress / Best Actor - Individual performance award across all genres and formats. - Must specify performer’s name and role in submission. - Performance must be original, on-screen (not voiceover only). - Evaluated by our Hollywood-caliber acting panel, with members from casting, directing, and performance coaching backgrounds.

Best Actress / Best Actor - Individual performance award across all genres and formats. - Must specify performer’s name and role in submission. - Performance must be original, on-screen (not voiceover only). - Evaluated by our Hollywood-caliber acting panel, with members from casting, directing, and performance coaching backgrounds.

Feature: Horror / Mystery / Thriller - Accepting both full-length features (52+ min) and shorts. - Psychological horror, suspense, crime, supernatural thrillers — all are welcome. - Submitted shorts will be reviewed under a possible sub-nomination.

Feature: Drama - Minimum length: 45 minutes. Short dramas are accepted and will be considered separately if needed. - Focused on emotional storytelling, character-driven arcs, and social realism

Feature: Documentary - Must be rooted in fact-based storytelling. - Short documentaries (under 52 minutes) are also accepted. - Subjects can range from social issues and human rights to travel, arts, and culture. - Non-fiction series (vertical or horizontal) should be submitted to the TV Episodes or Vertical Documentary categories instead.

Feature: Comedy - We welcome both features (52+ min) and shorts. - Comedies of all styles — slapstick, dark, romantic, absurdist — are encouraged. - If submitted short, film will be considered under a Short Comedy sub-nomination.

Feature: Action / Western - Feature-length: 52 minutes or longer. - We accept high-paced narratives, from classical westerns to modern action thrillers. - Shorts under this theme will be automatically considered for a special “Short Action / Western” subcategory if enough entries are received.

VERTICAL TV EPISODES: Long / Short Forms - Must be shot in 9:16 vertical format. - Episode length: up to 3 minutes each. - Series amount: between 24 and 120 episodes. - Both pilots and completed seasons are accepted. - All languages welcome with English subtitles. One of our most prestigious categories, evaluated by a dedicated jury of vertical-content professionals.