{"id":388131,"date":"2026-09-02T10:03:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T10:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/388131\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T10:03:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T10:03:02","slug":"free-films-big-dreams-at-miamis-urban-film-festival-lifestyles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/388131\/","title":{"rendered":"Free films, big dreams at Miami\u2019s Urban Film Festival | Lifestyles"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story was originally published<\/a> by Artburst Miami, South Florida’s nonprofit source for arts journalism.<\/p>\n

Isabel Bacigalupo feared she was running out of time.<\/p>\n

The Miami-based filmmaker had just wrapped up shooting for \u201cMay Death Connect Us Apart,\u201d a sci-fi short film starring Michele Lepe, Xavier Corone, Katherine Wright and Bacigalupo\u2019s daughter, Oriana Fifer.<\/p>\n

\"Isabel<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Director Isabel Bacigalupo and Actress Oriana Fifer in \u201cMay Death Connect Us Apart.\u201d The sci-fi short film is about a grieving woman who reconnects with her late husband using AI.<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of Isabel Bacigalupo)<\/p>\n

The plot centered on a grieving woman who reconnects with her late husband using AI.<\/p>\n

Back in\u00a0 2014 when Bacigalupo came up with the concept, the premise seemed far-fetched, but with each technological advance she wondered whether her film would be rendered obsolete.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was racing against the clock,\u201d Bacigalupo said. \u201cI started to realize that this is not going to be sci-fi anymore; this is becoming reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Limited resources also hampered production timelines.<\/p>\n

\"May<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shooting a scene from \u201cMay Death Connect Us Apart,\u201d a sci-fi short film starring Michele Lepe, Xavier Corone, Katherine Wright and Oriana Fifer.<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of Isabel Bacigalupo)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe budget was definitely a challenge because there was none,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

But the generosity of those who surrounded her propelled the project forward. And of course, faith always helps, because that\u2019s practically all Bacigalupo had when she worked up the nerve to reach out to Lepe.<\/p>\n

Known to a generation of preschoolers as the host of PBS Kids Sprout\u2019s \u201cThe Good Night Show,\u201d Lepe was a dream casting choice for Bacigalupo and Fifer, who grew up watching the program. They were thrilled when she agreed to take the role.<\/p>\n

But hopes, dreams and pixie dust can only take you so far. This is where the hard work began.<\/p>\n

After the film was finished shooting, it then took an entire year of editing for it to be complete.<\/p>\n

Turns out it came out in the nick of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay Death Connect Us Apart\u201d is one of nearly 200 films set to be featured during the 11th annual\u00a0 2026 Urban Film Festival (UFF).<\/p>\n

One of the largest free film festivals in the country, Urban Film Festival has free screenings during Labor Day weekend from Friday, Sept. 4 to Sunday, Sept. 6 in Overtown and in downtown Miami.<\/p>\n

As part of the event, A Welcome to Miami Party will be held at Red Rooster Overtown. Filmmakers, industry professionals, educators and students will also benefit from networking and educational opportunities.<\/p>\n

Marco (\u201cMall\u201d) Molinet, founder of Florida FilmHouse International and Urban Film Festival, believes that the sessions are a great way of supporting those who may feel that there\u2019s no hope in sight.<\/p>\n

He knows because he\u2019s been there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started our festival because we couldn\u2019t get into any festivals,\u201d Molinet said.<\/p>\n

Looking back, Molinet said he is proud of how much the festival has grown since it began in 2015 and that it received an enthusiastic response right from the beginning. Part of the draw, he said, is offering a supportive environment for those who are starting out in the industry.<\/p>\n

Molinet watches every movie that is submitted and said he has personally seen the evolution of many filmmakers, particularly those who joined the festival from the outset.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started off with about 60 to 70 films, and a lot of those films were pretty horrible,\u201d Molinet admitted. \u201cThey weren\u2019t really great films. But I just saw something in the filmmaker or something in the film. And a lot of those filmmakers are still with us to this day. Now their films have gone to a whole other level.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Molinet, that early willingness to take a chance on unpolished work was part of the festival\u2019s purpose from the beginning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just needed someone to give them a shot and keep them in the game. We look at it like we\u2019re keeping young filmmakers motivated because it\u2019s very important that every genre has their own people to tell their story.\u201d<\/p>\n

This includes young filmmakers.<\/p>\n

The festival\u2019s opening day will also spotlight young filmmakers enrolled in the 1st Take Youth Film Program, a year-round initiative that introduces teens to the filmmaking process through hands-on training in areas including screenwriting, producing, cinematography and editing. Students in the program will premiere their films Friday, Sept. 4, at the Overtown Performing Arts Center.<\/p>\n

The 1st Take students aren\u2019t the only young filmmakers getting a chance in the spotlight. The festival will also showcase work created by students from the U.S. Virgin Islands.<\/p>\n

\"George<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Filmmaker George W. Cannon III, center, watches a playback of a scene with members of the Film Over Gun Violence team during production.<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of George W. Cannon III)<\/p>\n

St. Croix filmmaker George W. Cannon III directed \u201cVerified,\u201d a film created by young participants in the Film Over Gun Violence summer program. The film follows a teen struggling with the pressure to seek validation through social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do this summer program called Film Over Gun Violence where we have high schoolers come, and we basically have them write their own film,\u201d Cannon explained. \u201cWe help them shoot it. We teach them elements of storytelling and how to write scripts and we show them how to use the camera.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Cannon, having the students\u2019 work screened in Miami gives them an opportunity to see where those newly developed filmmaking skills can lead.<\/p>\n

\"Valentino<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Miami filmmaker Valentino Dors, director of the short film \u201cShades,\u201d at right, works with cast and crew during production. \u201cShades\u201d is part of the lineup in the Urban Film Festival happening in Overtown and downtown Miami from Friday, Sept. 4 to Sunday, Sept. 6.<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of Valentino Dors)<\/p>\n

Miami filmmaker Valentino Dors, whose film \u201cShade\u201d will be shown at UFF, encourages others, both young and old, to do the same. He realizes how much he has learned from launching \u201cShade.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChase your dreams. Chase your aspirations. A perfect film doesn\u2019t exist,\u201d he emphasized. \u201cGo out and film, even if all you have is an iPhone. If you don\u2019t know how to write a script, start with a line a day. Take it day by day and just go out and film.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Shade\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Directed by Valentino Dors, \u201cShade\u201d is about a South Florida videographer.<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of Valentino Dors)<\/p>\n

It is that kind of persistence that Molinet hopes the festival will continue to encourage in emerging filmmakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of these filmmakers are on the cusp of being the next big thing,\u201d Molinet said. \u201cThey all have what it takes to be great.\u201d<\/p>\n

IF YOU GO<\/p>\n

WHAT: 2026 Urban Film Festival<\/p>\n

WHERE: Various locations. On Friday, 1st Take Youth Film Program will premiere their films at Overtown Performing Arts Center, 1074 NW 3rd Ave., Miami. Welcome to Miami Party will be held at Red Rooster Overtown, 920 NW 2nd Ave., Miami. On Saturday and Sunday, the festival moves to Silverspot Cinema, 300 SE 3rd St. #100, Miami<\/p>\n

WHEN: Labor Day Weekend, Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6<\/p>\n

COST: Free<\/p>\n

INFO: For full schedule and times, urbanfilmfestival26.eventive.org<\/a><\/p>\n

ArtburstMiami.com<\/a> is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don\u2019t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This story was originally published by Artburst Miami, South Florida’s nonprofit source for arts journalism. Isabel Bacigalupo feared…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":388132,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[155414,155399,155406,21352,9888,155397,155401,155417,155409,155402,225,227,226,155405,155404,155413,155408,155412,123,155407,69196,155403,155416,155415,155398,155400,155410,155411],"class_list":["post-388131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hialeah","tag-1st-take-youth-film-program","tag-2026-urban-film-festival","tag-emerging-filmmakers","tag-film","tag-film-festival","tag-filmmakers","tag-free-film-festival-miami","tag-free-film-screenings-in-miami-this-labor-day-weekend","tag-free-films-labor-day-weekend","tag-free-movies-in-miami","tag-hialeah","tag-hialeah-headlines","tag-hialeah-news","tag-independent-filmmakers","tag-independent-films","tag-isabel-bacigalupo-filmmaker","tag-labor-day-weekend-miami-events","tag-may-death-connect-us-apart","tag-miami","tag-miami-film-events","tag-miami-film-festival","tag-miami-filmmakers","tag-miami-youth-filmmaking-program","tag-overtown-film-festival","tag-urban-film-festival","tag-urban-film-festival-2026","tag-urban-film-festival-free-screenings","tag-urban-film-festival-miami-2026"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=388131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388131\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/388132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=388131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=388131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=388131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}