MISSION STATEMENT

Submissions are open for the Premier of the Miramar Beach International Film Festival® 2026.

The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® (Miramar 2026) is dedicated to showcasing independent US and International films, offering a full program of full-length and short films curated by an established programming team, with submissions reviewed by a dedicated screening committee. If you are interested in submitting your work, please read all the information below and follow the instructions.

Join us for a Weekend Film Festival on the beautiful beaches of Fort Walton ~ Okaloosa County, Florida with easy access to Destin and Miramar Beaches and all the local amenities enriching the area.

The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® was co-founded by Ronnie McGhee and David Ehrler from Clocktower Hill Research Group.

Miramar 2026 Premier is searching for domestic and international Feature Narrative and Short Films in any genre with the following genres of special interest for the Premier: Commedy, Anime, Animation, Mystery, Horror, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Non-Dialogue/Silent, and Noir.

Our mission is to dig out buried film gems not showing in cinema complexes that every one knows. We seek independent films going unnoticed that promote well-crafted stories that bring the unique flavors of international intrigue, culture, mythos, moral juxtaposition, character nuance, and confounding realities and interpersonal relations to audiences.

The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® will take place between the 2nd (Friday) to 4th (Sunday) October 2026.

Our focus is supporting both old and new generations of creative and innovative filmmakers locally and worldwide. Miramar 2026 takes place in the Panhandle of the Gulf of America (Mexico), providing filmmakers with a truly authentic Floridian beach experience they can enjoy between the showing of films and after-hours.

All selected and winning projects will be featured in our awards reception on the last day of the festival. Laurels will be presented to all films chosen for showing with specialized laurels for award winning films. Additionally, digital certificates (printed if preferred) will be awarded for Best Directing and Best Acting (Domestic and International; Feature and Short), and trophies will be awarded for Best Picture (Domestic and International; Feature and Short).

Each film shown will be personally introduced by one of the festival directors using information supplied in your FilmFreeway Submission Portfolio.

After each film showing, Directors in attendance will be invited on stage for a brief Q&A opportunity with a festival director and audience.

All accepted film selections will be featured on our independent website using the synopsis/poster/stills provided in your Film Freeway Submission Portfolio.

Check back often as we provide updates to programming/activities as they develop.

~MIRAMAR 2026's COMMITMENT TO YOU~

1. Our judges will watch every single submitted film in full and collaborate among themselves to create the trust that is due you as a dedicated film maker.

2. Our festival provides free laurels, certificates, and trophies. You will never have an expense in order to receive the recognition you deserve.

3. Our festival directors/supervisors will work diligently to update the status of your submission in a timely manner so that you are fully aware of your submission process.

4. Miramar 2026 pledges to listen to your feedback and to do our upmost to create a memorable film festival experience and one that will make you proud to be apart. We sincerely hope you will consider contributing your film as a submission and join us personally in the premiere year of this special festival event.

CINEMA LOCATION

All accepted films to the Miramar Beach International Film Festival® are shown live at the historical Suds N Cinema Theatre in Fort Walton, Florida providing film makers with a distinctive audience experience.

Suds N Cinema (SudsNCinema.com) is a cherished local establishment, proudly serving the community as the premier destination for entertainment and dining. Housed in an historic building dating back to 1940, the theater holds a special place in the heart of downtown Fort Walton. Intimate seating for 130 viewers ensures a lively viewing event for your film. The theatre offers a wide range of food, beer, and cocktails all of which can be enjoyed during film presentations. Become part of local film lore in an area already steeped in influential cinematic history.

Awards & Prizes

Best Domestic Feature Film
Best International Feature Film
Best Domestic Short Film
Best International Short Film

Best Directing Domestic Feature
Best Directing International Feature
Best Directing Domestic Short
Best Directing International Short

Best Acting Domestic Feature
Best Acting International Feature
Best Acting Domestic Short
Best Acting International Short

The Miramar 2026 Awards Reception is held on the last day of the Festival.

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSION DEADLINES

Open date: October 1, 2025
Early deadline: March 15, 2026
Regular deadline: May 1, 2026
Final (Late) deadline: July 1, 2026
Notification date: August 1, 2026
Event date: Oct 2-4, 2026

Early entries are greatly encouraged but do not guarantee acceptance. Narrative Feature films must have run times of more than 50min (No longer than 120min) including credits.

Short films must have a run time between 5min to 50 min including credits.

COMPLETED SUBMISSIONS INCLUDE

• Submission fees
• All required fields through the FilmFreeway.com Online platform is a requirement for the selection of your film either as an Official Selection OR as a declined project.
• All films must also provide responses to the following: Synopsis (in English) and 3 high resolution production stills from the film.
• Please note that filmmakers must submit their films via the FilmFreeway.com online screener. The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® does not accept subsequent cuts or more complete versions of submitted films. Therefore, changing or updating the originally submitted link is not allowed. Our programmers will only review one version of your film.

PAYMENTS

• All payments and fees for submissions must be paid through the FilmFreeway.com Online submission process. The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® does not accept any mailed payments.
• Please note that submission fees are non-refundable.
• The FilmFreeway submission fee is a requirement for the selection of your film either as an Official Selection OR as a declined project.

ENTRY FORMAT

Preview copies of entries must be submitted on Filmfreeway.com with a password protected/or private Vimeo or YouTube link that is available until the notification date listed on FilmFreeway.

OFFICIAL SELECTION FORMAT

Upon being accepted as an Official Selection entry at the Miramar Beach International Film Festival®, each participant is required to comply with the following regulations:
• All Official Selections must respond and consent to the Miramar Beach International Film Festival® rules, regulations, and deadlines.
• All Official Selections must submit their film via a U.S. formatted NTSC Blu-ray (This is the only format Miramar Beach International Film Festival® uses). Please submit a Blu-Ray copy of the film. DO NOT submit the original/only copy of your film
• All Blu-Rays of the Official Selections must be submitted by the deadline given to you in the email you will receive from the Miramar Beach International Film Festival®
• All Blu-Ray submissions must include the Title, Tracking #, Director(s)’ name, List of Acting Cast credited in film, Contact Information including mailing address, and Run Time (English Translation Required)
• Filmmakers accepted for official showing who have submitted under the Student Fee Option (Ages 18-years to 23-years of age currently enrolled in an accredited college/university domestically or internationally undergraduate program) will be required to submit a copy of their Student ID along with Blu-Ray material. Failure to do so by the date given in an email from The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® will result in disqualification from the film festival. No fees will be refunded in order to maintain the integrity of the festival to other filmmakers.
• All Official Selections must ship the NTSC Blu-Ray material as one package by the deadline given to you and the address given in the email you will receive from the Miramar Beach International Film Festival®. Miramar 2026 is absolutely not responsible for LOST or DAMAGED packages. Senders are responsible for tracking their safely-packaged and insured shipments
• All filmmakers are highly encouraged to have an NTSC Blu-Ray backup master of their film at the screening if in attendance
• All filmmakers in attendance are required to pick-up their Blu-Ray after their screening
• If attending filmmakers cannot arrange their Blu-Ray pick-up after their screening, they are required to submit a prepaid shipping parcel/envelop with their initial Blu-Ray package
• The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® is not responsible for the receipt of improperly formatted NTSC Blu-Ray disks. It is the sole responsibility of the Entrant to ensure that the submitted Blu-Ray disk arrives at the shipping destination provided to the Entrant upon completion of the accepted film submission process.
• Foreign language films, with continuous dialogue, MUST be dubbed or subtitled in English or the film will not be accepted.

Our partner cinema [Suds N Cinema] uses pin-sharp Full HD 1080p Cinema projection from NTSC Blu-Ray Disks, ensuring screenings look incredible. Miramar aims to provide the best projection quality possible.

We do NOT pay screening fees of any kind, or provide transportation or Airfare to the festival for filmmakers.

The festival will cover the cinema costs for the presentation of the film. All other personal expenses during the festival should be covered by the participant.

SCHEDULING

Screenings are scheduled at Miramar 2026’s discretion. While every effort will be made to adhere to the published schedule, Miramar reserves the right to make changes to film scheduling as staff deem necessary. No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after selection.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The Miramar Beach International Film Festival® is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the festival for promotional purposes.

The entrant submitting the film hereby warrants that it is authorized to commit the film for screening and understands and accepts these requirements and regulations.

The entrant shall indemnify and hold Miramar Beach International Film Festival® harmless the from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, and expenses, including but not limited, to attorney's fees and costs of the court), which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening, and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

• In consideration for the selection opportunity into the Miramar Beach International Film Festival®, the submitter releases and discharges the Miramar Beach International Film Festival® from any and all claims, demands, or causes of actions related to misappropriation or infringement of copyright or violation of any other right arising from or relating to their submission.
• The submitter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Miramar Beach International Film Festival® from any claims that arise as a result of my film submission or screening of my film (upon selection) as well as from damage to or loss of any submitted documents or materials en route to the Miramar Beach International Film Festival®.
• The submitter agrees that they have the rights necessary and are duly authorized to submit this film to the Miramar Beach International Film Festival®
• The submitter understands that the Miramar Beach International Film Festival® does not provide critiques or reviews for any submitted film.
• The submitter understands that the judges’ decisions are final and no discussion will be entered. Entrants agree not to approach staff to discuss.