By Jonel Juste for Artburst Miami. Also on on The Miami Herald

The 10th Annual Urban Film Festival (UFF) brings three days of film screenings, master classes, and networking events to Miami, from August 29th to 31st. The festival, founded in 2015 by Florida Film House co-founder Marco (Mall) Molinet, was created to highlight urban storytelling after he found that Black filmmakers were underrepresented at traditional film festivals.

“I launched the Urban Film Festival because we saw a gap for filmmakers telling raw, independent urban stories,” says Molinet. “Florida Film House submitted our work to several festivals that we believed aligned with our message; none accepted us. It was clear there was a void in the industry for our kind of storytelling.”

All film screenings, workshops and discussions are free admission.

This year’s schedule includes narrative and documentary features, shorts, and international projects from professional filmmakers, in addition to youth showcases and educational panels.

Some of the highlights of the lineup include Nnamdi Kanaga’s “Water Girl,” which will be screened on Saturday, Aug. 30. The film was an official selection at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) in 2025. A supernatural drama rooted in Nigerian mythology set in Montana. The film’s plot concerns the joys of motherhood overshadowed by agony when lead character Nkechi discovers that her daughter, Kamsi, is bound to the cyclical existence of the Ọgbanje—a spirit child trapped in the maze of life, death, and rebirth. 

“Smiling with a Stranger,” director Diamos D’Merit Demerritt’s film set in Miami, is getting its world premiere at UFF.  Detroit-based Grand Rising Productions is bringing its film “The Return of the Mack,” which received Best in Fest at the 2025 Virginia Black Film Festival.  Set in Detroit, a man released from struggles to rebuild his life only to discover his daughter’s involvement in a human trafficking operation. 

While giving a platform for Black filmmakers, the festival has evolved into an educational and professional resource for aspiring filmmakers. Through workshops, master classes, and programs like the 1st Take Youth Film Program, the festival aims to provide a hands-on learning environment where young creatives can develop their skills and explore opportunities in the film industry.

 “We’ve helped filmmakers launch careers, secure distribution, and build industry relationships,” says Molinet, describing UFF as a platform that supports Black and urban creatives from youth development through professional growth in the film industry.

UFF was first held in 2015 in Historic Overtown. According to organizers, it attracted more than 1,500 participants during its inaugural year and was named a Top Ten First-Year Festival by Withoutabox, an online platform that once helped filmmakers submit their work to festivals worldwide before shutting down in 2019. The festival now reports, according to Molinet, an average of 3,000 attendees each year and screens close to 200 films. 

This year, in addition to film screenings, the festival includes master classes, industry panels, and networking events. A new screening location will be Silverspot Cinemas, which offers IMAX screens, among others. The addition is intended to enhance the viewing experience for filmmakers while maintaining the festival’s base in Overtown.

“Filmmakers deserve to see their work on the best possible stage, and we’re giving them that without ever forgetting where we came from,” says Molinet.

The festival remains focused on youth and emerging filmmakers. Through the 1st Take Youth Film Program, UFF has worked with 150 to 200 students this year. Participants come from nine partner organizations, including Overtown Youth Center, Touching Miami with Love, Honey Shine, Mexican American Council, Skill Society, Carter Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Club of Broward. The students’ work, which includes documentaries, short narratives, and music videos, will be showcased during the festival.

“We believe in investing early,” says Molinet. “By focusing on youth, we’re not just creating filmmakers. We’re building leaders, entrepreneurs, and storytellers who can change the narrative for their communities.”

“The next great filmmaker is already out there,” Molinet adds. “They just need access and mentorship.”

One notable UFF alumnus, Kamal AniBello, credits the festival’s educational focus with helping him move from acting roles in films such as “Moonlight” and television series “David Makes Man” to directing his own short films.

AniBello recalls his time attending the Urban Film Festival and “being in the crowd of kids learning from all these amazing producers and filmmakers that would be invited to speak.” “From that experience, I told myself I had to be on that stage.”

He eventually got on “that stage.” Now he comes, not just as an actor but also a director. His latest short film, “Shelle,” is scheduled to screen during this year’s festival. It is inspired by his mother, a burn survivor, and explores the idea that resilience can stem from visible and invisible scars. The project follows his first film, “Pound Cake.”

“It’s a blessing honestly, I never saw this route for myself. This means a lot, just another testament to keep exploring this route that Jesus keeps opening for me,” says the young actor-director who credits UFF’s emphasis on professionalism and preparedness for helping him balance acting and directing.

AniBello has recently portrayed Commissioner Kionne McGhee in the feature film “The Reject.” The Liberty City teen says he approached the role by researching McGhee’s work and translating the story into a performance that felt personal. “I did it as myself but allowed his story to be my story and live through that in real time as we shot.”

For emerging filmmakers, AniBello advises creating their own projects. “One day I just didn’t feel like waiting for someone to see my value or talent. So, I started writing. Then creating. Then ultimately started to end up at the same tables I was overlooked at just with my own power,” he says.

Another young filmmaker connected to UFF is Kyla Holmes, whose film “The Pad Hustle” was featured at last year’s festival. The short, which addresses period poverty, or the lack of access to safe and hygienic menstrual products, was developed through Black Girls Film Camp and screened as part of UFF’s programming.

“I was extremely happy to see my team and I’s hard work being displayed on the big screen,” says Holmes. “It was a point in my life that made me realize all of the amazing things I am capable of accomplishing if I put my mind to it.”

Following her positive experience, she joined the festival’s educational initiative as an instructor. Holmes will not showcase a new film at this year’s event, but she contributed to the student projects that will be presented. Her focus has been on helping younger filmmakers understand the production process and build their technical skills.

“As a high school graduate, being able to teach kids about film has been the highlight of my days. Not only have we worked hands-on with film equipment but just seeing the creativity these kids have at such a young age was mind-blowing,” she says, adding that teaching the kids about film helped her embrace and gain confidence in herself.

“Being involved in UFF and 1st Take has significantly boosted my confidence in public speaking, particularly when it comes to teaching kids. It makes me feel more professional in my field of film directing, as I am able to share my knowledge and experiences with eager learners,” says Holmes.

The 18-year old is scheduled to begin film studies at Columbia College Chicago in the fall, where she received a full-tuition scholarship.

The festival is free to attend, supported by the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and various local organizations.

Molinet emphasizes that accessibility remains at the heart of the festival’s mission. “Offering the festival for free ensures accessibility, no one is left out,” he said. “It keeps the doors open to creatives and community members who might not otherwise experience a festival of this caliber.”

Organizers expect attendance to reflect the festival’s continued growth while staying grounded in its founding mission. Molinet said the message to audiences is simple. “Come witness the future of filmmaking. These students are bold, talented, and speaking their truth.”

Photo caption: A scene from the movie “Water Girl,” featuring actors Moriyah Faith Jackson (Kamsi) and Oliver Haeden. The movie will be screened at the Urban Film Festival on Saturday, Aug. 30. All screenings are free.  (Photo courtesy of Florida Film House)

WHAT: The Urban Film Festival (UFF)

WHEN: From 2:45 p.m., Friday, Aug. 29 to 9 p.m., Sunday, Aug 31. See  Complete Schedule

WHERE: Overtown Performance Arts Center, 1074 NW 3rd Ave., Miami (1st Take Youth Film Program Empowerment); Silverspot Cinema, 300 SE 3rd St., #100, Miami (film screenings); Red Rooster Overtown, 920 NW 2nd Ave., Miami (youth showcases, welcome party, and after party)

COST: Free. Register at urbanfilmfestivals.com  

INFORMATION: urbanfilmfestival2025.eventive.org/welcome

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