MIAMI ART WEEK™
ARTWEEK™ // Miami Media Festival™
2026 Official Film Submission Terms & Conditions
Presented by Miami Art Week™
Organized by Miami Art Week, LLC
Last Updated: August 2026
These Official Film Submission Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern film and moving-image submissions to the 2026 ARTWEEK™ // Miami Media Festival™ ("Festival"), presented by Miami Art Week™ and organized by Miami Art Week, LLC ("Organizer").
By submitting a film or moving-image work ("Film") to the Festival through FilmFreeway or another submission method authorized by the Organizer, the submitting person or entity ("Entrant") acknowledges and agrees to these Terms.
These Terms supplement and are incorporated into the Rules & Terms published on the Festival's FilmFreeway listing.
1. Eligibility & Categories
The Festival accepts submissions from filmmakers and creators worldwide.
Micro-Short Film: 5:00 minutes or less, including credits.
Short Film: More than 5:00 minutes and no more than 20:00 minutes, including credits.
Films must have been completed on or after January 1, 2024.
Narrative, documentary/nonfiction, animation, experimental and art film, music, performance, fashion, technology, AI/generative media, hybrid and other forms of moving-image storytelling are eligible.
There is no premiere-status requirement. Previously screened or publicly available films remain eligible.
Entrants must be at least 18 years old or have authorization from a parent or legal guardian.
Entrants under the age of 18 must submit a completed parental or legal guardian authorization, in the form required by the Organizer, before their submission will be considered.
2. Language & Accessibility
Films containing dialogue primarily in a language other than English must include English subtitles.
English captions are strongly encouraged for all films. Selected filmmakers may be required to provide caption or subtitle files for exhibition.
3. Artificial Intelligence & Generative Media
AI-assisted and AI-generated films are eligible.
Entrants must disclose material use of generative artificial intelligence, identify the principal tools or technologies used and briefly describe their role in the creative process.
AI use may include writing or development, image or video generation, animation, voice, music or sound generation, visual effects, editing, post-production or other generative processes.
Failure to disclose material generative-AI use may result in disqualification or removal from award consideration.
Regardless of the technologies used, the Entrant remains responsible for all necessary rights, licenses, permissions and clearances associated with the Film.
4. Entrant Authority & Rights
By submitting, the Entrant represents and warrants that:
(a) the Entrant owns the Film or is fully authorized by the applicable rights holder(s) to submit it;
(b) the Entrant has authority to accept these Terms and grant the permissions described herein;
(c) submission, exhibition and authorized promotion of the Film will not violate any agreement or the rights of any third party; and
(d) all material information supplied with the submission is accurate.
The Entrant is solely responsible for securing all copyrights, licenses, releases, permissions and clearances required for the Film, including those relating to music, sound recordings, performances, scripts and underlying works, artwork, photographs, archival or stock footage, trademarks, names, likenesses, voices, privacy and publicity rights, AI-generated or AI-assisted materials and other third-party intellectual property.
All royalties, residuals, license fees and other obligations relating to the Film remain the responsibility of the Entrant and/or applicable rights holder.
5. Ownership
Entrants retain ownership and copyright in their Films.
Submission does not transfer ownership of the Film to Miami Art Week, LLC, Miami Art Week™, the Festival or FilmFreeway.
The Entrant grants only the exhibition and promotional permissions expressly described in these Terms.
6. FilmFreeway Submissions
Films submitted through FilmFreeway are also subject to FilmFreeway's applicable platform terms and requirements.
The Festival's FilmFreeway listing provides abbreviated information concerning eligibility, categories, deadlines, fees, awards and Festival rules. These Terms supplement that listing.
If there is an inconsistency regarding Festival eligibility or participation, these Official Film Submission Terms & Conditions will control. The submission fee and deadline displayed by FilmFreeway at the time the submission is completed will govern that transaction.
7. Fees & Refunds
The announced 2026 submission fees are:
Through September 30, 2026 — $19
October 1–31, 2026 — $29
Final Deadline — October 31, 2026
Each Film requires a separate submission and fee.
Submission fees are non-refundable and non-transferable except where otherwise required by applicable law.
Payment of a submission fee does not guarantee selection, screening, nomination, recognition or an award.
8. Selection
Eligible submissions may be reviewed by Festival programmers, screeners, jurors and/or designated representatives.
All programming, Official Selection and award decisions are final and remain within the Festival's discretion.
The Festival is not obligated to provide scores, judging notes, explanations or individual feedback.
Selected Films may receive the designation:
Official Selection — ARTWEEK™ // Miami Media Festival™ 2026
Official Selection does not guarantee any particular screening time, venue, award eligibility or presentation opportunity.
9. Screening Authorization
If selected, the Entrant grants Miami Art Week, LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to publicly exhibit the Film in connection with the 2026 ARTWEEK™ // Miami Media Festival™ and associated official Festival programming.
Public screenings are planned for:
O Cinema South Beach
1130 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida
No screening or exhibition fee will be payable for Films submitted through the Festival's open call.
The Festival determines screening blocks, dates, times, venues, programming order and presentation formats.
10. Frost Museum Programming
Select award-winning and/or featured Films may receive additional recognition during Miami Media Festival™ programming at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.
Films will not be screened in their entirety at Frost as part of this program.
The Entrant authorizes the Organizer to present reasonable excerpts, clips or highlights from selected award-winning or featured Films at Frost in connection with Festival presentations, discussions, recognition and awards.
11. Promotional Rights
If a Film is selected, the Entrant grants Miami Art Week, LLC and its authorized Festival partners a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use reasonable promotional materials relating to the Film for the purpose of promoting the Film, Festival, Miami Media Festival™, Miami Art Week™ and related programming.
Materials may include the Film's title, synopsis, poster/key art, production stills, trailer, reasonable excerpts or clips, credits, filmmaker and participant names, approved biographies and approved photographs.
These materials may be used through websites, social media, email, press and publicity materials, advertising, Festival programs, presentations, promotional videos and related Festival communications.
This license continues after the 2026 Festival for so long as reasonably necessary for the Organizer's archival, historical and promotional purposes relating to the Festival (for example, “past Official Selections” or “past winners” pages), and does not expire solely because the 2026 Festival has concluded.
This permission does not transfer ownership of the Film or authorize unrelated commercial exploitation of the complete Film.
12. Exhibition Materials
Selected filmmakers must provide an exhibition-quality digital master and requested captions, subtitles, stills, poster, trailer, credits and other reasonable exhibition or promotional materials by Festival deadlines.
Final technical specifications will be provided to selected filmmakers.
Failure to provide acceptable materials by the required deadline may result in withdrawal from the screening program.
Works in progress may be submitted provided they are fully completed and exhibition-ready by the required delivery deadline.
13. Festival Participation Agreement
Selected filmmakers may be required to execute a separate Festival Participation Agreement confirming exhibition rights, delivery requirements, promotional materials and other participation terms.
Failure to complete required documentation may result in withdrawal of Official Selection status.
14. Awards
The Festival currently anticipates presenting:
Grand Jury Award — Best Short Film
Grand Jury Award — Best Micro-Short Film
ARTWEEK™ Creative Innovation Award
AI Creative Achievement Award
Audience Choice Award
Separate award submissions are not required.
The Festival determines award eligibility and reserves the right to add, combine, rename or withhold awards. Additional partner awards, prizes and/or cash awards may be announced.
15. Programming Changes
Festival dates, screening times, venues, programming and presentation formats are subject to reasonable change.
The Organizer may modify screening blocks, substitute or add venues, relocate programming or change presentation formats when reasonably necessary.
Official Selection does not guarantee any particular venue, screening date, screening time, audience size or presentation format.
16. Cancellation & Force Majeure
The Organizer may modify, postpone, relocate, suspend or cancel Festival programming due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including severe weather, natural disaster, public-health emergency, governmental action, venue unavailability, labor disruption, utility or technology failure, civil disturbance or similar circumstances.
The Organizer will make reasonable efforts to communicate material changes affecting selected filmmakers.
17. Disqualification
The Festival may disqualify or withdraw a Film from consideration, Official Selection, screening or award eligibility if:
the submission violates these Terms;
material information is false or misleading;
material AI use was not disclosed;
required rights or authorization cannot be demonstrated;
a credible rights dispute arises; or
required exhibition materials are not delivered.
18. Indemnification
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Entrant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Miami Art Week, LLC, its affiliated entities, and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, volunteers, jurors, agents, sponsors, partners and participating venues from third-party claims, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments and reasonable costs and attorneys' fees arising from:
(a) a breach of the Entrant's representations, warranties or obligations under these Terms;
(b) infringement or alleged infringement of third-party rights by the Film or materials supplied by the Entrant;
(c) failure to obtain required rights, releases, licenses or permissions; or
(d) materially false or misleading information supplied by the Entrant.
19. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Miami Art Week, LLC and its affiliated entities, personnel, sponsors, partners and venues will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary or punitive damages arising from submission, selection, non-selection, scheduling, exhibition, postponement or Festival participation.
The Organizer is not responsible for technical failures, corrupted files, transmission errors, platform outages, unauthorized third-party conduct or circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
20. No Guarantee or Compensation
Submission, Official Selection, screening, nomination or receipt of an award does not guarantee distribution, representation, financing, employment, press coverage, commercial success or future Festival participation.
No screening or exhibition fee or other compensation is payable for Films submitted through this open call except for any prize expressly awarded by the Festival.
Submission or participation does not create an employment, partnership, joint venture, agency or fiduciary relationship between the Entrant and Miami Art Week, LLC.
21. Governing Law & Venue
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, any legal action or proceeding arising from these Terms, submission or Festival participation shall be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and the parties consent to jurisdiction and venue there.
22. Severability & Waiver
If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain effective to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Failure by Miami Art Week, LLC to enforce any provision on one occasion does not waive its right to enforce that provision subsequently.
23. Updates
Miami Art Week, LLC may reasonably update these Terms to address legal, operational or programming requirements.
Material changes affecting previously submitted Films will not be applied retroactively in a manner that materially reduces an Entrant's rights without reasonable notice, except where required by law or necessary to address legal, safety or rights-related issues.
The "Last Updated" date identifies the current version.
24. Entire Submission Agreement
These Terms, together with the applicable Festival information and submission category displayed on FilmFreeway at the time of submission and any Festival Participation Agreement subsequently executed by an accepted filmmaker, constitute the agreement between the Entrant and Miami Art Week, LLC concerning Festival submission and participation.
FilmFreeway's own terms separately govern the Entrant's use of the FilmFreeway platform.
25. Acceptance
By submitting a Film to the ARTWEEK™ // Miami Media Festival™, the Entrant acknowledges that they have read, understood and agree to these Official Film Submission Terms & Conditions.
Organizer: Miami Art Week, LLC
Festival: ARTWEEK™ // Miami Media Festival™
Presented by: Miami Art Week™
Contact: hello@miamiartweek.org