2027 Cinematic Residency
Founded in 2019, the Oolite Arts Cinematic Residency was created to support Miami-based filmmakers in the development and completion of independent feature films rooted in South Florida, through financial support, mentorship, studio access, and professional production resources. Centered on microbudget filmmaking, the program encourages artists to create bold, meaningful cinema with creativity, rigor, and resourcefulness.
Since its founding, the residency has supported the production of six feature films and more than 30 short films, many of which have screened at major national and international festivals, earning awards and recognition while amplifying the voices of Miami’s diverse filmmaking community.
Beyond film production, the residency fosters a lasting creative network through mentorship, public programs, screenings, and artist conversations that strengthen connections between filmmakers and audiences. For many residents, the program is not simply a professional opportunity, but the foundation that made their first feature film possible.
The Oolite Arts Cinematic Residency supports South Florida filmmakers in the transition from short-form work to their first feature-length films by providing the resources, mentorship, and professional support necessary to develop and produce ambitious microbudget cinema.
Rooted in creativity, resourcefulness, and action, the program empowers filmmakers to create meaningful cinematic work within real-world production limitations. Through financial support, mentorship, studio access, post-production resources, and continued guidance beyond the residency period, Oolite Arts fosters artistic growth, project completion, and community engagement while elevating local voices within national and international film culture.
Cinematic Residency Program Benefits
- $50,000 in direct funding toward film production.
- Access to rental camera packages and equipment support through partner organizations.
- Ongoing mentorship throughout the residency period from industry professionals and advisors.
- 24/7 Free access to a dedicated studio workspace throughout the residency.
- Housing Stipend.
- Access to Oolite Arts Facilities, including flex lounge spaces, printshop access, and large-format inkjet printing services.
- Complimentary subscriptions to platforms and tools including Adobe Creative Cloud, MUBI, Criterion Channel, and MasterClass.
- Opportunities to connect with local, national, and international filmmakers, producers, and artists, while participating in studio visits, exhibitions, screenings, public programs, and community engagement initiatives.
- Continued eligibility for alumni opportunities and professional support beyond the residency period and throughout the filmmaker’s career.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be full-time residents of South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, or Monroe County).
- Must be at least 21 years old.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
- Applicants must be first-time feature filmmakers, though they must have completed at least one short film in a key creative role (director, producer, writer, or editor).
- The project must be a narrative feature film of 70 minutes or longer.
- At least 80% of the project must be filmed in South Florida.
- The project must have a first draft or at least the first 30 pages of a draft ready at the time of application, to demonstrate that the project is in progress.
- Advisory Board Members, consultants/individuals contracted by Oolite Arts, and former staff are eligible to apply. However, Oolite Arts Board members, employees & their family members are not eligible to apply.
Oolite Arts believes that artists from a wide variety of backgrounds and identities should have access to artistic support. Oolite Arts as an organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability.
FAQ’s
Q: Is this program right for me?
A: The program is intended for filmmakers who have previously completed at least one short film in a key creative role such as directing, producing, writing, and/or editing, and who already have an active feature project in development. Applicants must submit at least the first 30 pages of the screenplay or a first draft at the time of application.
This residency is designed for emerging South Florida filmmakers developing their first narrative feature film. Applicants must be at least 21 years old, full-time residents of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, or Monroe County, and either U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
Projects must be narrative feature films of 70 minutes or longer, with at least 80% of production taking place in South Florida. The residency is ideal for filmmakers ready to work creatively and resourcefully within the realities of independent and microbudget filmmaking.
Q: Can my film’s budget exceed $50,000 or be combined with another grant?
A: Yes. Contrary to past years, starting this year and continuing forward, Cinematic Residents of Oolite Arts may combine residency support with additional grants, private funding, crowdfunding, or other financing sources. Projects may exceed the residency amount, provided filmmakers comply with the residency agreement, crediting requirements, production timeline, and other program requirements and components.
Q: I’m co-directing a film. Can we submit a joint application?
A: Yes. Co-directed projects are welcome, as long as at least one of the directors is a first-time feature filmmaker and serves as the primary applicant. Applications must be submitted under one applicant only.
Q: I’m a producer working on a project with a director. Can I apply?
A: While producers may assist with the application process, the application itself must be submitted under the name of the first-time feature director attached to the project. The producer shall not be the main applicant. All submitted materials should accurately reflect the project and creative team.
Q: How are grantees selected?
A: Applications are reviewed by a panel of national and international jurors with experience in filmmaking and the arts. Projects are evaluated based on artistic merit, feasibility, originality, and alignment with the mission of the residency.
Q: When will the residency recipients be announced?
A: The selected filmmaker will be publicly announced in October 2026.
Q: Can I apply if my project is a documentary or experimental film?
A: The Cinematic Residency is focused on narrative feature filmmaking. Documentary or experimental projects are generally not eligible unless the project can clearly demonstrate a strong narrative feature structure.
Q: My project already has production companies attached. Am I eligible to apply?
A: Yes. Projects with production companies, producers, or additional partners attached are still eligible, as long as the applicant meets all residency requirements and agrees to the residency terms, timeline, and crediting guidelines.
Q: Who should I contact with questions?
A: An information session and office hours will be held on dates to be announced.
For any additional questions, email Hansel Porras Garcia at [email protected]
The Cinematic Arts Residency
2026 Cinematic Residents
Special Jury Mentions
Filmmakers Kevin Ondarza and Hunter Osking were selected as Special Jury Mentions and will receive $1,000 each towards their film projects.
2024 Cinematic Arts Resident
Special Jury Mentions
Two filmmakers received Special Jury Mentions and will receive $1,000 towards their film projects. They are Malu Anavitarte and Juan Barquin
2023 Cinematic Arts Resident
Chris Molina
After flunking out of college, Alex begrudgingly returns to his childhood home in Miami. With a new adult perspective and a massive hurricane threatening to sweep it all away, he’s forced to reevaluate his hatred for Miami.
Emma Cuba
Through eight tales of newfound love, destruction, mysticism, and the ebb and flow in between, the Florida Everglades is revealed to us, teaching us valuable life lessons in a landscape that is just as brutal as it is delicate.
2022 Cinematic Arts Resident
Greko Sklavounos
Sklavounos will use the residency to make a debut micro-budget narrative film about a man who must confront nature after his grandfather comes to him as a spirit. Learn more.
Special Jury Mentions
Four filmmakers received Special Jury Mentions, and will receive $1,000 towards their film projects. They are Michael Ruiz-Unger, Giancarlo Loffredo, Mimi Davila and Ronald Baez.
2021 Cinematic Arts Project
Hansel Porras Garcia
On her 64th birthday, Zoe, a Cuban widow exiled in Miami, receives the unexpected visit of Helena, her childhood best friend, after more than 40 years without seeing each other. When one of them confesses to be gay, they both have to reconsider their friendship.
Awards
- 2023 Knight Made in MIA Award – Miami Film Festival
Official Selections
- 2023 Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
- 2023 Los Angeles Queer Film Festival
2021 Cinematic Arts Resident
Special Jury Mentions
Four filmmakers received Special Jury Mentions, and will receive $1,000 toward their film projects. They are Jayme Gershen, Franco Gonzalez, Javier Labrador and Brenna Haragan.
2020 Cinematic Arts Projects
Faren Humes
Humes will use the residency to expand her much-celebrated short film “LIBERTY,” focused on Miami’s Liberty Square housing complex, into a feature narrative film. Learn more.
Edson Jean
Desperate to send money to her family back in Haiti, hardworking and exhausted nurse Ludi Alcidor spends a chaotic day battling coworkers, clients, and an impatient bus driver as she chases the American dream in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood.
Awards
- Best Film 2022 Newark Black Film Festival
- Best Actress 2021 RiverRun International Film Festival
- Best Actress 2021 Loudoun Arts Film Festival
- Rising Director and Lead Actor 2021 Atlanta Film Festival
Official Selections
- 2021 SXSW
- 2021 Bentonville Film Festival
- 2021 Miami Film Festival
2020 Cinematic Arts Residents
Special Jury Mentions
Four filmmakers received Special Jury Mentions, and will receive $1,000 toward their film projects. They are Carla Forte, Hansel Porras Garcia, Mark Pulaski and Danny Rosenberg.
2019 Cinematic Arts Projects
Xavier Medina
A five year old girl living in a Miami trailer park has a mission… to somehow get to the beach and see the ocean for the first time.
Awards
Official Selections
Monica Sorelle
A Haitian demolition worker is faced with the realities of redevelopment as he is tasked with dismantling his rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.
Awards
Official Selections
2019 Cinematic Arts Residents
FAQ
What is the Cinematic Arts Residency program?
Oolite’s Cinematic Arts Residency aims to elevate Miami’s acclaimed community of short film creators into the realm of feature films. This initiative will give one Miami filmmaker $50,000 to create a narrative micro-budget feature film, along with a producer to oversee the project and shared studio space for production. The program provides residents with the support they need to bring a project from conception to local theater screens, offering a significant opportunity to the city’s filmmaking community.
When will applications for the Cinematic Arts Residency program be accepted?
Applications, which can be found online here, will be accepted from Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 through 6 p.m. Friday, October 6th, 2023.
Who is eligible to apply for the Cinematic Arts Residency?
The initiative is open to any filmmaker who is a full-time Miami-Dade County resident. The narrative project must also be set and filmed in Miami. Applicants must have completed a short film in a key creative role − director, producer, writer or editor – must be at least 18 years of age, and must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
What are you looking for in Cinematic Arts Residency program applicants?
We are looking for filmmakers with a demonstrated ability to bring their visions to the screen, as shown through their work on previous projects. It is also important that each film be suited to the scope of the program, as each budget cannot exceed $50,000. Essentially, we’re looking for filmmakers who can write and direct to budget without sacrificing the creativity or quality of their film. We want to help filmmakers with captivating ideas that are born of their experience in our city.
What will the Cinematic Arts Residents receive, in addition to the $50,000?
As this program aims to help one filmmaker bring a project from conception to theater screens, the residency offers a variety of benefits in addition to the monetary award. They include:
- A producer assigned to the production of the film
- Shared studio space for Cinematic Arts Residents at Oolite on Miami Beach, with 24-hour access and Wi-Fi
- Free parking at Oolite Arts (based on availability)
- Use of Oolite’s facilities, including a flex lounge, workshop and the PRINTshop
- The opportunity to engage with Oolite’s network of curators, film programmers, artists, filmmakers, visiting faculty members and Oolite Fellows, as well as to participate in studio visits, exhibitions, public programs and community outreach initiatives
- Access to Oolite’s international network of institutional film partners, as well as select film festivals and local art cinemas, as a way to help distribute the film
- Support for the film’s Miami premiere
- A one-week theatrical run at O Cinema
Can the budget of my film exceed $50,000, or be matched by another grant?
No. The Cinematic Arts Residency program is looking for micro-budget films that can be completed within the awarded grant amount of $50,000.
Am I the right fit for this program?
The Cinematic Arts Residency is crafted with self-starters in mind. We’re looking for filmmakers who are action-oriented in bringing their projects to life with the resources they have at hand, and in a timely manner. Cinematic Arts Residents should carve out time for development of the project, but the majority of your residency period should center around production, post-production and festival strategy. You won’t be in this alone; Oolite’s staff, advisors and Cinematic Arts alumni will be part of your support system. You’ll just be in the driver’s seat.
How can I learn more about micro-budget feature filmmaking?
Oolite Arts is offering several ancillary programs and info sessions in conjunction with the Cinematic Arts Residency application. Learn more about micro-budget filmmaking and get to know our residents in the process!
September 7. Cinematic Arts Residency Info Session: Learn more about the Cinematic Arts Residency with 2023 Resident Chris Molina and Oolite Arts’ Cinematic Manager Hansel Porras Garcia.
Register here.
Can’t make it to the info session? Book 15 min. with Oolite Cinematic Arts Manager Hansel Porras Garcia on Wednesday, September 20 or Thursday, October 5, from 12-4pm and get all your questions answered.
Book Appointment
September 16. Join us for a free, in-person screening of Sunnyland followed by a post-film discussion with director and Oolite Arts’ 2019 Cinematic Resident Xavi Medina. You can ask Xavi all the questions you might have regarding the process of applying for our Cinematic Arts Residency.
Synopsis: A five year old girl living in a Miami trailer park has a mission… to somehow get to the beach and see the ocean for the first time.
Register here
How will the Cinematic Arts Resident be chosen?
The Cinematic Arts Resident will be determined by a jury of local and national film professionals. The jury will meet in late November 2023.
I have an idea for a feature documentary. Can I submit that?
No. The Cinematic Arts Residency is for filmmakers shooting a micro-budget feature narrative.
When will the Cinematic Arts Resident be announced?
January 2024
How many applications can I submit?
As many as you like, though we’d suggest no more than three. Give us your strongest and most focused material.
I am working on a film in collaboration with a colleague. Can we submit a joint application?
While we know that all films are collaborative, there must be one individual applicant for the opportunity.
Will Oolite Arts supply me with equipment during my residency?
While we offer some equipment and resources, most equipment costs and rental should be included in the budget of your film.
Who should I contact with any questions I may have?
Please contact [email protected] or attend an information session.
Contact
Please contact [email protected] or attend an information session.
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