Film Florida is giving student crews ten days to write, shoot, and edit a short film for a spot on its new digital network, Film Florida TV.
The statewide trade association opened registration for the Film Florida TV Student Film Competition, targeting high school and college directors across the state. Participating teams must submit a notice of entry by Feb. 20, 2026. The ten-day production sprint begins March 6 and ends March 16.
Each team will receive a Florida-specific theme, a line of script dialogue, and a mandatory prop when the competition opens. Finished short films must run five minutes or less and shoot entirely inside state lines.
For South Florida film students at programs like the University of Miami, Florida International University, and New World School of the Arts, the challenge provides a direct line to broader distribution. Classroom projects frequently struggle to find audiences beyond campus screenings.
"We launched Film Florida TV to showcase the work of our members," said Sandy Lighterman, Film Florida president and former film commissioner for Miami-Dade and Broward counties. "We are excited to give more avenues to student content creators."
Judges will hand out 11 awards across separate high school and college categories, recognizing directors, editors, screenwriters, and cinematographers. Viewers on the Film Florida TV platform will vote on an Audience Choice Award.
Filmmakers can register and review entry requirements directly on FilmFreeway ahead of the February cutoff.
