Experience the glamour and charm of Miami’s historic Coconut Grove at the Coconut Grove Film Festival (CGFF). Nestled in this picturesque neighborhood, CGFF is a 501c3 non-profit celebration of storytelling and creativity, presented by the Voices Beyond Borders Art Foundation. Building on last year’s remarkable success, we continue to showcase exceptional films from around the globe, with a special focus on Latin American voices and Florida filmmakers. Our festival unites diverse cultures through the power of cinema, offering an elegant and unforgettable experience that entertains, inspires meaningful dialogue, and drives social change.

This year, we aim to elevate CGFF to new heights, attracting more significant support and delivering an even more impactful event. Our festival will feature world and USA premieres, award-winning panelists, and special guests, creating a refined and captivating celebration of cinema.

Awards & Prizes

Jury Award for Best Feature Film

Jury Award for Best Short Film

Jury Award for Best Performances (Short Film)

Jury Award for Best Cinematography & Production Design (Short Film)

Jury Award for Best Picture Editing & Sound Editing (Short Film)

Jury Award for Best Student Short Film

Rules & Terms

Submission Deadlines and Fees:

Early Bird Deadline: August 20, 2024

Short Films: $30 per entry
Feature Films: $50 per entry
Student Short Films: $20 per entry

Regular Deadline: October 20, 2024

Short Films: $40 per entry
Feature Films: $60 per entry
Student Short Films: $30 per entry

Late Deadline: November 20, 2024

Short Films: $50 per entry
Feature Films: $70 per entry
Student Short Films: $40 per entry

Notification Date: December 20, 2024

Eligibility Requirements:

Films must have been completed within the last 12 months.

We accept only fully finished films.

Short Films: Maximum length of 25 minutes.

Feature Films: Minimum length of 70 minutes.

Student Short Films: Maximum length of 10 minutes. Filmmakers must currently be in high school or college, or have graduated from college in the last 12 months.

Accepted film formats for screening: DCP

Additional Guidelines:

All films must be in English or Spanish, or contain English subtitles.
Filmmakers are responsible for the shipment of the film to the festival. The festival will not cover shipping costs.

By submitting, filmmakers grant the Coconut Grove Film Festival the rights to use clips and stills of the film for promotional purposes.
16 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Gisela Chicolino

    We are very delighted to be selected as an agency with one Latin American films from our catalog. Please keep working on generating this exquisite programming for the audiences. @films.to.festivals

    May 2025
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  • Julie Peley

    The Coconut Grove film festival is so far the most welcoming and fun and well-organized festival in Miami! From the screenings to the parties and the ceremonies, I highly recommend applying and going!! So much fun :)

    February 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much, Julie! It means the world to us that you had such a great experience. Your film was beautiful, and we were honored to share it with our audience. Hope to see you again soon—keep creating! 🎬✨

  • Perry Feder

    I am grateful to have been selected for what I think is the best Florida film festival I've ever attended; the organizers do such a great job of creating a personal and welcoming environment. Thank you for such a wonderful experience! And a big shout out to R.T. Novak - no one answers an email faster than him.

    January 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much Perry! It was an absolute pleasure having The Brother and Sister Duo at CGFF—such a fun film, brave film and we loved sharing it with our audience. And yes RT is a legend!

  • Cristobal Abugaber

    Such an amazing festival, I highly recommend it.

    January 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Cristobal, thank you for bringing your passion, energy, and charisma to the festival—it made the experience even more special! Your participation and thoughtful contributions were invaluable, and we’re so grateful you came down from NYC. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.

  • Melissa Fisher

    We had such a pleasure screening our short film "Buscando Alma" at the Coconut Grove Film Festival. I’m so glad we were able to make it out to Miami, because Felipe and Xavier are truly doing such a phenomenal job. The theater venue was beautiful. The screenings and panels were well curated. We were given Q&A opportunities for cast and crew both in-person and also online. The entire staff was incredibly organized and communicative. We were also able to attend the filmmaker party at a beautiful hotel in the historic Coconut Grove district, where we met many wonderful filmmakers. Thanks for taking such good care of us, and for hosting such a lovely festival!

    January 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Melissa, having you and the Buscando Alma team come all the way from LA meant the world to us! It was such an honor to share your powerful and moving film with our audience. Thank you for your kind words, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for you and your incredible storytelling.