"Content Creators Changing the World, One Project at a Time" is the theme of the 22nd Urban Mediamakers Festival, October 9-22, 2023. This year's festival is in-person with events in Atlanta and throughout Gwinnett County, GA -- Duluth, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville. UMF features a daily virtual space with guest speakers, sessions and content creators Q&A.

Recognizing media as a powerful tool of choice for entertaining, informing, and inspiring, this annual content creators' festival showcases international, urban independent media. We are open to all creators, and we emphasize work produced by or featuring individuals of color - African, African-American, Asian, Black, Latino and Native American.

In virtual and in-person venues, Urban Mediamakers promotes, supports and showcases filmmakers, independent content creators and multimedia producers — animation, advertising/marketing campaigns, blog, commercials, film, music, new media, podcasts. print, television, video YouTubers and web series.

Guided by past wisdom and reflecting the new and exciting generation of new technology, we are dedicated to thinking out of the traditional box as we pursue our dreams courageously.

UMF brings an exciting and creative atmosphere that encompasses cultural diversity, with activists, content creators, artists, writers and TV/movie buffs together under one roof to meet, collaborate and strategize for world change!

Actors, artists, bloggers, content creators, filmmakers, graphic designers, mobile app developers, musicians, podcasters, producers, YouTubers and writers have an opportunity to gain exposure for their projects, compete for the best-of-the-best with prizes in each category, attend industry-related educational series, along with excellent collaboration and networking.

Movie buffs, content creators, independent film and mix-media supporters have the opportunity to see a diverse group of superb films and projects from creatives that are independent with a vision.

The festival includes:

-- virtual and in-person events.
-- script reading featuring a scene from the top three screenplays in competition.
-- independent film screenings in competition on our UrbanFlixToGo.com platform during the festival with an option to continue on UrbanFlixToGo.com.
-- showcase of bloggers, podcasters, and mobile app developers.
-- 7th Urban PitchFest 2023.
-- 7th AfroFuturism Fest 2023 - Black sci-fi, fantasy, horror and gaming with
vendors, panels, comic book swapping, AfroFuturism cosplay, costume contest for cash prizes, and more.
-- Videopalooza 2023 - Middle and high school competition and screening series.
-- producers/distributors seeking independent films.
-- awards presentation and closing event.
-- closing night film.
-- audience award.
-- filmmaker and writer collaboration breakout sessions (SpeedCollabs).
-- winning films will be showcased on a Southeast USA in-person tour.

UMF attendees have an opportunity to network with their peers and executives for collaborations on future projects, as well as interact with an audience that supports independent mediamaking.

YOUR project will make our festival phenomenal! Submit to UMF 2023 today!

Peace and blessings,
Cheryle Renee Moses
Founder and Producer

Awards & Prizes

First place winners in each category will receive a gift card as thank you for the great work. Additionally, winners of each category will receive a certificate, sponsors/partners gifted products/services, consultation services and automatic distribution deal with UrbanFlixToGo.com for all festival official selections and winning films and series.

Rules & Terms

Urban Mediamakers Festival Rules
1. The Board of Directors of the Urban Mediamakers Festival and guest judges will select projects which will be presented in the competition and for screening. Each official selection will receive a Certificate of Participation.
2. Only projects that meet the following criteria may be chosen as official selections:
i) Films that have been produced during the 36 months preceding the Urban Mediamakers Festival;
ii) If participating in the “Short Film” category, films should not exceed 30 minutes in length, including credits.
iii) Official selections that are 30 minutes or shorter must be prepared to provide electronic copies of their projects for exhibition. Online preview and DVDs may be submitted for screeners.
3. Once a film has been selected it cannot be withdrawn from the Festival programme.
4. All non-English speaking films must be presented in their original version with English subtitles. All subtitling expenses are to be met by the film’s producer.
5. We encourage English language films to provide subtitles in Spanish for the final screened version.
6. The Board of Directors selects all members of the jury for competition and screening. Each jury member will vote by a secret ballot. No person having taken part in the production or promotion of a film in competition may be on the jury.
7. The jury is obliged to award the best project in each category: Shorty Short, Short, Music Video, Feature, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Animation, TV Series, Youth Film, College Student Short Film, Web Series, Commercial, Advertising/Marketing Campaign.
8. All projects submitted must reach the Festival office digitally by September 15, 2023.
9. If your film is selected, you will be notified on or before September 1, 2023
10. On being selected you must supply to us your work as an electronic file(s) via DropBox (or another service), digital/electronic copy of the film by September 15th.
11. The Festival office can provide you with further details if your project is selected.
12. Any expenses for the shipping (for both import and export), screening and translation of projects and media presented to the selection committee with a view to their possible selection, are to be met by the film’s producers or relevant body.
All expenses for the transportation and insurance of prints are also the responsibility of their owner.
13. If your project is selected for exhibit at the Festival, it is the requirement of the Festival that you put forth all effort to attend the festival, at your own travel/lodging expense to promote and support your film, and collect your award. As a participant and attendee, we will be taking video, photos, recording sessions on Zoom, and your image will be used as the Festival chooses to indefinitely in the promotion and documenting of the Festival.
14. The Festival office has the power to settle all cases not covered by the present rules and regulations.
15. Participation in the Festival implies acceptance of all the aforementioned regulations and respect of submission and screening conditions. Furthermore by completing the initial online submission form (you/ your company) agree to the Festival’s terms and rules.
73 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Kween Kash

    The Urban Mediamakers Festival was full of quality, talented submissions. The organizers were kind and encouraging. The first zoom meeting after selection was a pleasure. Wish that attendance and energy transferred to the in person events. The online voting process was cumbersome and inefficient. Even after signing up for the platform free-trial by which voting took place, we never were able to view/find our project listed. There was no response when we reached out about this. Also, the final list of the winners request went unanswered. In short, Urban Mediamakers is a long running, ambitious festival with great intentions for creatives, but can benefit from having more personnel to help organize and correspond,

    January 2023
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  • Richard Kofi

    Really loved being a part of this. Thanks for everything and we hope to return with a new project next year. Hope to receive the pictures of all the events :)

    November 2022
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  • Gabri Christa

    The Urban Mediamakers Festival really involved all makers through networking, zoom calls and lots of support, workshops and more. I was impressed and happy to have my film SHEILA screened.

    November 2022
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  • Tim Myrick

    Awesome Festival! Very good communication with events and zoom meetings.

    November 2022
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  • Charles A. Honeywood

    Beautifully put together film festival! Amazing amounts of knowledge lead by an experienced team. Highly recommended!

    October 2022
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