It’s at all times fascinating to see which movies are capable of sustain their movie pageant momentum after buzzy premieres at early-in-the-year fests like Sundance and SXSW. Two to control? Cole Webley’s Sundance premiere “Omaha” and Xander Robin’s SXSW crowdpleaser “The Python Hunt,” each of which simply notched new wins over the weekend on the 2025 Miami Movie Competition.
“The Python Hunt” picked up the Made in MIA Characteristic Movie Award, sponsored by Panavision, which is designed to honor movies “of any style that prominently characteristic South Florida of their story, setting, and filming location, and finest make the most of South Florida’s story and theme for common resonance.” Robin’s movie, a documentary about snake-hunters within the Everglades, positive sounds prefer it suits the invoice.
And Webley’s deep-feeling John Magaro-starring household drama, “Omaha,” earned the Jordan Ressler First Characteristic Award, created by the South Florida household of the late Jordan Ressler and sponsored by the Jordan Ressler Charitable Fund, which is offered to the jury-selected finest movie made by a filmmaker making a characteristic narrative movie debut.
The pageant’s high jury prize, the $15,000 MARIMBAS Award, went to Maryse Legagneur’s “The Final Meal.” The award is a global competitors for the jury-selected narrative characteristic movie that finest exemplifies richness and resonance for cinema’s future.
This 12 months’s pageant, the forty second version, came about April 3 – 13 in Miami. Different highlights included honors for Mark Duplass, Paul Feig, Melanie Lynskey, Roger Ross Williams, and Billy Zane, plus anniversary specials embody “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “Heart Stage,” and “Satisfaction & Prejudice.” New movies of be aware included Feig’s personal “One other Easy Favor” and “The Marriage ceremony Banquet.”
Further winners embody, with all language supplied by the pageant:
- The Viewers Characteristic Movie Award went to “Espina” directed by Daniel Poler, which had its World Premiere on the Competition. First runner-up was “Adiós Cuba” directed by Rolando Díaz, and second runner-up went to “Magic Hour” directed by Jacqueline Christy.
- The Documentary Achievement Award ($2,000) went to “Checkpoint Zoo,” directed by Joshua Zeman.
- The Viewers Documentary Movie Award went to “Selena y Los Dinos” directed by Isabel Castro. First runner up was “Chirino” directed by Jorge Soliño, and second runner-up was “The Librarians” directed by Kim Synder.
- Made in MIA Brief Movie Award ($5,000) went to “Little Haiti, Miami, USA,” directed by XF Serrano.
- Miami Worldwide Brief Movie Award ($4,000) went to “Gender Reveal,” directed by Mo Matton. The award is given to a jury-selected brief movie (30 min. or much less) of any style from wherever on the planet.
- Brief Documentary Movie Award ($1,000), offered by the College of Miami’s Faculty of Communication, went to “View from the Flooring,” directed by Megan Griffiths & Mindie Lind.
- Florida Cinemaslam Award ($1,000), a part of the Competition’s annual Florida faculty scholar movie competitors, went to “Grime Remedy,” directed by Sebastian Valencia.
- The Reel South Brief Movie Award ($2,000) went to “George V.,” directed by Dennis Scholl & Dia Kontaxis.
- The Viewers Brief Movie Award went to the drama “Night time Practice Final Cease” directed by Gina Margillo. First runner-up was “Take a look at of Time: The Huge Cheese” directed by Julian Alicea, and second runner-up “Confession of a Jumbotron Addict” directed by Mickey Duzyj.