For 41 years, the Miami Film Festival has been showcasing innovative, inclusive work from new and emerging independent creators worldwide. Unsurprisingly, many of said creators are our own beloved Film Independent Fellows. In fact, a whopping 38 Fi Fellows will be in the Magic City next week to show new work, when the 2024 edition of MFF kicks off on Friday, April 5. And of course, by “Fellows” here, we mean filmmakers who have been directly supportede by Film Independent’s Lab programs, Project Involve, Fast Track and Global Media Makers, as well as Emerging Filmmaker Award winners, grant recipients and Film Independent Spirit Award nominees. So below, meet the 37 Film Independent Fellows with projects—across both short and feature programs—currently packing for Florida. For more information about any of Film Independent’s Labs, grants and artist resources, see our website.
FEATURES
Jennifer Westfeldt, Writer/Producer, The Idea of You Fast Track, 2003 Jordana Mollick, Producer, The Idea of You Grant/Award winner, 2017 Jim Frohna, Cinematographer, The Idea of You Directing Lab, 2001 Josh Penn, Producer, 32 Sounds Grant/Award recipient, 2014 Producing Lab, 2017 Kimi Lee, Writer, Apples Never Fall Episodic Lab, 2019 José Alba, Producer, Close Your Eyes Producing Involve, 2001 Mohamed Kordofami, Director, Goodbye Julia Global Media Makers, 2021 Amjad Abu Alala, Producer, Goodbye Julia Global Media Makers, 2021 Ali El Arabi, Producer, Goodbye Julia Global Media Makers, 2020 Stéphane Lafleur, Editor, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Grant/Award recipient, 2011 Daniel Tantalean, Producer, In The Summer* Producing Lab, 2023 Felipe Holguin, Director/Writer, La Suprema Producing Involve, 2012
Robert Colom, Writer/Producer, Mountains* Producing Lab, 2022 Monica Sorelle, Writer/Director, Mountains* Someone To Watch Award, 2024 Kareem Tabsch, Co-Director/Producer, Naked Ambition: Bunny Yeager Grant/Award recipient, 2015 Monique Walton, Producer, Sing Sing Fast Track, 2022 Producers Award, 2024 Amplifier Fellowship, 2024 Shane Boris, Story Consultant, Story & Pictures By Directing Lab, 2018 Tasha Van Zandt, Cinematographer, Tell Them You Love Me Directing Lab, 2019 Sebastian Zeck, Cinematographer, Tell Them You Love Me Directing Lab, 2019 Zoe Worth, Producer, Thelma Fast Track, 2022 Daina Oniunas-Pusic, Director, Tuesday Narrative Short Award, 2017 LA Film Festival Minhal Baig, Director, We Grown Now 2024 Film Independent Spirit Award nominee
*Denotes Lab-supported project
SHORTS
J.D. Shields, Director/Writer, Blue Hour Project Involve, 2018 Jing Ai Ng, Director/Writer, Delta Screenwriting Lab, 2021 Fast Track, 2023 Andrew Carlberg, Producer, Jack and Sam Fast Track, 2014 Nicole Crespo, Producer, Machisma Project Involve, 2023 Grant/Award recipient, 2023 Hannah Bang, Writer/Director, My Nights Glow Yellow Project Involve, 2022 Grant/Award winner, 2022 Trent Nakamura, Producer, My Nights Glow Yellow Project Involve, 2022 Jera Wang, Producer, My Nights Glow Yellow Project Involve, 2022
B. Quinn Curry, Producer, Save The Bay Producing Lab, 2020 Fast Track, 2020 Selena Leoni, Producer, Sorry Grandpa Hsiao Project Involve, 2021 Mireia Vilanova, Producer, Sorry Grandpa Hsiao Project Involve, 2021 Allen Ho, Cinematographer, Sorry Grandpa Hsiao Project Involve, 2020 Grant/Award recipient, 2020 Valerie Steinberg, Producer, The Breakthrough Fast Track, 2019 Producing Lab, 2019 Olivia Marie Valdez, Director, The Test Project Involve, 2023 Grant/Award recipient, 2023 Kim Bailey, Producer, Young Kim Fast Track, 202 Isabel Marden, Producer, Young Kim Fast Track, 2023
The 2024 Miami Film Festival runs April 5-14. For official program, transportation info, venue map and more, please visit the Miami Film Festival online. For over 40 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. The nonprofit organization’s core mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling and support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision.
Film Independent Members watch nominees and vote for the winners of the Spirit Awards. To become a Member of Film Independent and make your vote count for next year’s 40th Annual Spirit Awards, just click here. To support our mission with a donation, click here.
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