Miami’s Cinematic Legacy:  The Miami Film Festival and the Film Community Driving the City’s Artistic Rise

By Miami Art Week Staff 

November 26, 2025

Few cities have influenced American film quite like Miami. The city’s unmistakable style and cinematic history have produced some of the most unforgettable movies in the national archive. From its palm-lined streets to its iconic Art Deco skyline, Miami has long cemented its reputation as one of America’s most visually and culturally defining film cities. With organizations like the Miami Film Festival and Oolite Arts leading the way in telling stories, the future is bright for the film industry to continue to be a part of Miami’s meteoric rise.  

Leading the helm at Miami Film Festival is Executive Director James Woolley, who took the helm after a storied run driving more than 20 large-scale film festivals, including the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane International Film Festivals. Excited to put his stamp on the event, he stepped into the role during a period when the festival needed both stability and new vision. The pandemic had left audiences comfortable at home, and the industry itself was rebuilding. Miami was entering a new cultural era that called for deeper community engagement and a stronger return to in person film experiences.

Since 1984, the Miami Film Festival has created memorable moments while supporting emerging and established filmmakers, promote independent film, and provide cultural and educational opportunities for the community. The Festival welcomes more than 45,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals every year. 

Woolley has often explained that the chance to rebuild audience culture was a major part of the appeal. In his own words, “It was a really exciting opportunity to take an already great festival and put my stamp on it. The festival needed direction and care after a couple of tough COVID years. People got used to watching things at home, so we needed to rebuild audiences. And that is what I love to do, create community and get people into the cinema.”

His proudest moment of his tenure so far was the Gems Film festival this past October/November where they had a 70% increase in ticket sales and welcomed iconic guests like Lucy Liu, Ethan Hawke, Gus Van Sant, and Mona May, who designed costumes for the cult classic Clueless.

The experience gave the team a renewed sense of momentum. As Woolley noted, “Everyday felt like there was another special guest. We managed to get 32 out of 44 screens sold out.” In a national climate where theaters continue to fight for relevance, those numbers stand out as a signal that Miami audiences are not only returning, but eager to engage.

Much of this success is rooted in the festival’s longstanding home at Miami Dade College (MDC). A beacon of education dedicated to changing lives in South Florida through high-quality education, MDC has been a steward of the festival for the last 22 years. It has helped to provide the administrative structure that the festival requires, while also bringing a love for culture that draws all kinds of students to expand their minds with access to art and opportunities.

Woolley regularly highlights how meaningful this partnership is. “MDC provides structure, staffing, and logistical support that would otherwise require tremendous resources,” he notes. “Equally important, the college brings a philosophy that culture should be accessible to every student, whether they are studying cinematography, English, or a trade. Through MDC, students gain direct exposure to world class artists, conversations, and ideas.”

The Miami Film Festival plays a crucial role in that emerging landscape. It rebuilds cinema attendance, highlights local storytellers, distributes funding, and creates a space where filmmakers, students, and audiences interact in meaningful ways. Woolley noted, “The festival is the one time where filmmakers and audiences come together under one roof. The amount of incredible work that started here is just terrific.”

Across the broader arts community, other leaders are working diligently to reinforce Miami’s creative foundation. At Oolite Arts, Cinematic Manager Hansel Porras has been vocal about the need for stronger collaboration between institutions. “Institutions need to defend the artist’s point of view and understand the realities of the local community,” Porras said. “Accessibility grows when institutions partner with each other in Miami, sharing resources so opportunities do not stay siloed. And it grows when we open Miami to the world. That combination of local understanding and global exchange is what expands opportunity.”

Oolite Arts is undergoing a period of transformation breaking ground on a campus in Little River, expanding its residency programs, strengthening artist exchanges, and pushing for greater visibility for Miami based creators. Porras believes this evolution is essential. “Time changes, but art is the one thing that stays with us. Everything around artists is shifting, so we need to shift too. Our focus is to keep giving artists the tools, space, and support they need, and to make sure they and their projects receive the visibility they deserve.”

He describes his vision for Miami’s future arts landscape as a community industry, one where filmmakers, photographers, and artists connect intentionally rather than by chance. It is an ecosystem built on shared resources, shared visibility, and shared investment.

Miami’s creative rise shows no signs of slowing, and institutions like the Miami Film Festival and Oolite Arts are ensuring that the city’s cinematic narrative keeps expanding in bold and meaningful ways.

Catch James Woolley speaking at the Miami Art Week panel “Framing Miami: Art, Photography & Film in Focus” on Thursday, December 4th at the Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. The Miami Film Festival returns April 9 to 19, 2026. For details, visit www.miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456). Oolite Arts is also presenting the exhibition “One Is Two and Two Are Many More,” curated by Gean Moreno, on view Nov. 19, 2025 through Jan. 18, 2026. Learn more atwww.oolitearts.org.