2026 is the inaugural year of the "Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival". The "Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival" is a 501 (c) (3) Florida-not-for-profit organization, organized exclusively for educational and charitable purposes.  With the goal of fostering the exchange of cultures and traditions, the "Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival" strives to foster the creativity of Indigenous cinema and expression while welcoming audiences to learn, listen, and celebrate indigenous cultures together.

All Screenings will occur in the beautiful Bill Cosford Cinema on the University of Miami Campus. Film blocks will be curated,

Scheduled to coincide with Indigenous People Day, the festival will run from October 9th, 2026 through October 12th, 2026, the "Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival" aims to collaborate with creatives from Tribal nations, cultural organizations, and grassroots collectives to ensure ethical curation, equitable access, and lasting cultural impact.

Awards & Prizes

All projects selected will receive a laurel from the Festival Committee.

"In Competition" Prize Categories tentatively include:

* Best Narrative Feature Film
* Best Documentary Feature Film
* Best Narrative Short Film
* Best Documentary Short Film
* Best Actor
* Best Director
* Best Cinematography
* Best Editing

Rules & Terms

A) Submissions must be written, directed, produced, or feature lead actors of Indigenous background, or the work itself must be about/represent native/indigenous cultures.

B) Eligibility Requirements

1. Films completed on or after Jan 1, 2020 are eligible for consideration
2. Feature-length films that are available for public online viewing are not eligible.
3. Films shown at private screenings not open to the public (for crew, investors, etc.) are eligible.
4. All entries must be either in English or subtitled in English. Dialogue lists are not accepted
5. Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry to the Festival and to use all music, images, and content in the entry.

C) Submission Guidelines
1. Feature-length films must be submitted via online screener hosted by Vimeo, on DVD or on Blu-ray disc.
2. Only complete entries (including fee payment and screener) will be considered.
3. Entrants are permitted to submit works-in-progress (i.e., without final color correction or sound mixing), but please note that the programming committee will only consider the version submitted. Subsequent cuts or replacement copies will only be accepted at the request of the programming committee.
4. All films selected for the "Miccosukee Indigenous Festival" will screen on DCP unless otherwise arranged by the submitting filmmaker and programming team.

D) Shipping
The cost of shipping an entry to the Festival must be paid by the entrant. Collect or COD shipments will not be accepted. All international entries must be sent “free domicile” to the Festival office with all transportation charges, duties, and taxes prepaid by the shipper.

E) Judging & Selection

Films are selected for Festival presentation by the "Miccosukee Indigenous Film Festival" programming committee. If a film is selected, the Festival office will contact the entrant by phone or email. The Festival does not provide feedback or screening notes to entries that are not selected.

All competitive film categories are judged during the Festival.

F) Entry Fees
Each entry must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee. Entry fees are not refundable. Fees cover registration, registration notification, consideration by the programming department, and notification of the results. These fees may be paid by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express).