Welcome to the
Key Biscayne Film Festival
January 30 – February 2, 2025
Welcome to the Key Biscayne Film Festival, where we celebrate the cinematic art form, build community and raise awareness for the safekeeping of our marine environment.
Grounded in the commitment to honor Island Cultures and our World Oceans, we screen captivating short films to awe-inspiring feature-length films, while embracing the constantly evolving formats of the audiovisual medium. We are committed to providing artists with an intimate space to showcase their work and connect with their audience.
Join Us for the Key Biscayne Film Festival
Thursday
January 30, 2025
OPENING NIGHT:
Screening In a Whale and Q&A with Director David Abel followed by a Reception
5PM – 9PM
Paradise Park & Reflecting Pools
Friday
January 31, 2025
SHORTS & FEATURE FILM SCREENING:
Afternoon Shorts Block with Q&A followed by Feature Film Screening of The Blind Sea and Reception
3PM – 9PM
Key Biscayne Community Center
Saturday
February 1, 2025
SHORTS, MATINEE, & CLOSING CEREMONY:
Morning Shorts, Producers Panel, Matinee Screening of The Green Flash, Afternoon Shorts and Q&A with Director Danny Pino, Closing Ceremony, & Closing Reception
10AM – 11PM
Key Biscayne Community Center & Paradise Park
Sunday
February 2, 2025
MATINEE & AFTERNOON SCREENINGS:
Feature Film Screening of From Russia with Lev, Afternoon Shorts Block with Q&A followed by a Reception
2PM – 6PM
Key Biscayne Community Center
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Key Biscayne Film Festival Award Categories
Meet the 2025 Key Biscayne Film Festival Panelists
David Abel
Deborah Mellen
Robert Moniot
Danny Pino
Sponsorship Opportunities
We welcome all sponsors that align with our three pillars of Building Community, Supporting the Cinematic Arts, and Raising awareness about Islands & Oceans
About the Film Festival
Nestled in an island village flanked by two government-protected parks, the Key Biscayne Film Festival is on a mission to foster a deeper appreciation for our delicate ecosystem through the arts. By curating a selection of works that delve into our global situation and share deeply moving human stories, the festival endeavors to inspire positive action.
With films that have premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Hawaii Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Key West Film Festival and of course Miami Film Festival, we curate high-quality films in an ideal viewing environment followed by fascinating Q&A, stimulating panels and fabulous parties.
Situated at a crossroads between North America, South America, and the Caribbean, the festival honors the rich tapestry of cultures in its vibrant community, while also showcasing work from all continents and cultures.
Join the Festival and support the arts via these various sponsorship opportunities.
Meet the Film Festival Team
Maite Garrido Thornton
Maite Garrido Thornton was a Key Biscayne resident for 20 years and a Miami native all her life. A Cuban American television journalism producer, Maite started her career at CNN in Washington DC.
Maite went on to produce financial news at CNBC in New York where she helped launch the Faber Report with David Faber Moving back to her hometown Miami in 2001, Maite went on to produce local news first at NBC6 where she worked as a line producer and health producer.
She then went on to CBS 4 news where she worked alongside Lisa Petrillo in special projects producing entertainment news. While at CBS 4 Maite was awarded a Suncoast Emmy award for her work with Lisa. Her love of movies and the island inspired her for many years to create a local film festival.
Isabel Custer
A Miami filmmaker, Isabel Custer grew up visiting Key Biscayne every weekend, which fostered her love of the ocean environment. She holds a Bachelor’s in Film Production from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, a Masters in Film from Université de Paris 1, Panthéon-La Sorbonne and a Video Portfolio from Miami Ad School.
After Tisch, Isabel managed the production of a feature film in NYC, then moved on to documentary production in France and advertising production in Chile.
Isabel is a board member of the Miami Film Lab and is currently in post-production for her first narrative feature and lives on Key Biscayne.
A special thank you to the Key Biscayne Film Festival’s committee members:
Toby Rohrer, Andrew Britton, Frank Caplan, Luis de la Cruz, Claire London, Pablo Sanchis, Mary Tague, and Thania Vernon.
Thank You to Our Founders Circle
The dedication & generosity of our Founders Circle supports the film festival in continuing to highlight the island’s dedication to growing its arts and cultural programs and will serve as a platform for others to see what makes Key Biscayne so special.
Wes & Winnie Pritchett
Toby & Bill Rohrer
Ed & Claire London
Tom & Maite Thornton
Will & Jamie Tompkins
Taylor & Melissa White
Joan McCaughan
Mary Tague
ToyTown
Jennifer Camel-Toueg & Steve Powel
5 Oceans. 4 Days. 1 Festival.
Join us as we journey through the captivating world of audiovisual storytelling and celebrate this art form’s boundless possibilities.
Let’s create memories and inspire a new generation of visual storytellers.
Questions? Want to become a Sponsor? Contact us today.
Join us as we strive to enrich the Key Biscayne community and support local businesses through a captivating and family-friendly cinematic festival.
Our mission is to celebrate and promote the creation of original cinematic art, showcasing the talents of local artists and those from around the globe. At the heart of our festival lies a shared passion for cinema, as we aim to cultivate a profound appreciation for the art form within Key Biscayne and beyond its borders.
Contact us today to become a sponsor: