Sep 20, 2019

Announcing $18,000 Grand Jury Prize

The Miami Jewish Film Festival is proud to announce its inaugural competition sidebar in which select films will be judged and compete for an $18,000 Grand Jury Prize. The cash prize, the first such award to be offered by any Jewish film festival in the world, is sponsored by Crescent Heights, the nation’s leading urban real estate firm. Crescent Heights will also sponsor this prize for the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Festival.

The newly launched Grand Jury Prize will allow for a new number of films to compete for the prestigious award and is open to any filmmaker whose work – feature narrative or documentary – presents either a substantial portion of its content as Jewish interest or is produced in Israel. A jury of international film professionals and scholars will judge the competition sidebar, the members of which will be announced at a later time.

MJFF’s competition sidebar will showcase the best in global filmmaking and celebrate filmmakers who present unique and distinctive voices. The Festival believes in the power of visual storytelling to share perspectives, inspire empathy, and drive culture forward.

The Miami Jewish Film Festival will also offer a new Next Wave Jury Prize, selected by a jury from the Festival’s Next Wave membership, which is exclusive to 21-35-year-olds. The competition category is open to all new feature films of any genre playing at the Festival. The prize is sponsored by Diane & Alan Lieberman of SBI Realty and the South Beach Group, respectively.

MJFF will continue to present its coveted Critics Prize, in which a select group of local critics covering the Festival are eligible to vote for their choice for the best film. Also returning this year is the Short Film Competition presented by Film Movement, a prestigious US distributor, which awards a $500 prize to the best short and a distribution deal.

Considered one of the three largest Jewish film festivals in the world serving an audience of more than 30,000, MJFF nurtures and builds connections within and beyond the Jewish community, promotes an evolving definition of what constitutes Jewish film and media, and introduces new voices and emerging talent.

Awards & Prizes

GRAND JURY PRIZE - $18,000
Miami Jewish Film Festival's top award, presenting $18,000 USD prize to the jury-selected feature film (60 minutes or longer) that is open to any filmmaker whose work – feature narrative or documentary – presents either a substantial portion of its content as Jewish interest or is produced in Israel.

NEXT WAVE JURY PRIZE - $5,000
A juried prize selected by 21-35-year-olds presenting $5,000 USD to a film of any genre that best exemplifies the richness and resonance of cinema's future.

SHORT FILM COMPETITION JURY PRIZE - $500
Winner receives a non-exclusive US distribution release of their film through Film Movement, as well as a $500.00 USD prize.

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FILM
Presented to the filmmakers of the Festival audience’s choice of best narrative feature (60 min or more).

AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
Presented to the filmmakers of the Festival audience’s choice of best documentary feature (60 min or more).

CRITICS JURY PRIZE
Presented to a film of any genre voted on by all accredited film critics covering the annual Festival, for the film they consider the best of that year’s selection.