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ABOUT

Miami’s platform for next-generation storytelling and creative technology.

Expand Florida's
creative economy through technology-driven arts.

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FilmGate exists to help creators move from idea to audience. Through festivals, labs, mentorship, and public programming, we support filmmakers, immersive artists, and creative technologists building new forms of culture in Miami and beyond.

THREE ways we move
Florida forward.

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FESTIVALS

FilmGate Festival and the Interactive Media Festival — a platform for independent film and immersive work.

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THE CREATOR
STUDIO

The Feature Film Fellowship and New Narratives Lab develop writers, directors, and immersive storytellers.

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YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS

Fusion at Frost Science, Machine Learning Mondays, WHY the Drama, Youth Filmmaker Bootcamp.

Built in Miami, year by year.

A condensed look at FilmGate Miami's growth from a grassroots filmmaker platform into a year-round home for film, immersive media, and creative technology.

2012

Founded

Focused rooms, direct access to makers, and programs sized for conversation instead of anonymous volume.

2014–2016

Building the Creative Ecosystem

FilmGate expands year-round programming with workshops, labs, panels, and artist development initiatives across film, immersive media, animation, acting, and creative technology.

2019

National Recognition & Expansion

By its fifth edition, FilmGate Interactive has:

  • Presented 133 immersive projects

  • Hosted 59 workshops and labs

  • Featured 155+ creators

2021

Entering the Immersive Dome Era

FilmGate partners with Frost Science Museum and Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).

2024

Resilience & Reinvention

Despite temporary displacement due to construction, FilmGate continues programming across Miami-Dade County.

2026

FilmGate Interactive 12

FilmGate celebrates the 12th edition of FilmGate Interactive.

Looking Ahead

2013

FilmGate Interactive Begins

FilmGate rebrands as FilmGate Miami and receives the Knight Foundation Arts Challenge Award.

2017

Downtown Media Center Opens

Following a two-year fundraising effort, FilmGate opened the Downtown Media Center.

2020

Reinventing During the Pandemic

FilmGate pivots quickly into hybrid and virtual programming.

2022

A New Chapter

FilmGate secures a 25-year lease on a new 7,000 sq. ft. facility - The Downtown Media Center 2.0.

2025

Community Recognition

FilmGate Miami is voted “Best Festival” by Miami New Times readers and editors and also  Best of Florida by the Best of Florida poll.

2027

The Feature Film Pipeline

Launch of FilmGate’s first locally supported feature productions through the Feature Film Fellowship and Film Fund initiative.

Expansion of global partnerships across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and immersive media markets.

2029

The Creative Technology Campus

Expansion of the Downtown Media Center into a larger multidisciplinary innovation campus.

2028

Workforce & Innovation Hub

FilmGate becomes a statewide leader in creative workforce development across film, AI, XR, gaming, and digital storytelling.

2030

A Global Creative Ecosystem

FilmGate is recognized internationally as a premier hub for immersive storytelling, independent media innovation, and next-generation entertainment.

Impact. Innovation.
Community.

14

YEARS OF BUILDING CREATIVE CULTURE IN MIAMI

10,000+

CREATORS SUPPORTED

30,000+

AUDIENCE ENGAGED

150+

PROGRAMS AND LABS

Built in Miami. Connected Globally.

The people running the place.

Diliana Alexander

Diliana Alexander

Diliana Alexander is the co‑founder and Executive Director of FilmGate Miami, FilmGate Interactive, and the Downtown Media Center. A creative and executive producer of both immersive and traditional media, her work includes collaborations with HBO, Netflix, Showtime, HGTV, CBC, and TLC, and international co‑productions with Canada, Spain, and Taiwan. She has served as a speaker and juror at leading festivals such as Tribeca, MUTEK, NewImages, Miami Film Festival, and Kaohsiung Film Festival, and has been a visiting professor at Florida International University and Broward College. Diliana holds an MFA in Film Production and undergraduate degrees in Economics and International Relations from MIUAD, McGill University, and the University of Toronto.
Katerina Rivera

Katerina Rivera

Katerina Rivera is FilmGate Miami’s Operations Assistant, proudly representing her Cuban and Puerto Rican roots. Born and raised in Miami, Katerina brings vibrant energy and cultural insight to the team. She plays a key role in coordinating events and volunteers, while also managing FilmGate’s social media presence. Passionate about storytelling, community, and creativity, Katerina is dedicated to supporting artists and building inclusive spaces for emerging voices in the arts. Outside of FilmGate, Katerina is a passionate muralist who finds joy in painting large-scale works that spark imagination and wonder.
Jose Jacho

Jose Jacho

Jose Jacho is the co-founder of Filmgate Miami and the Downtown Media Center. He is an out-of-the box thinker and creator, who seeks to establish and maintain South Florida as legitimate location for advancing the arts with the aid of technology
Segundo Correas

Segundo Correas

Segundo Correas is FilmGate Miami’s Technical Director. He joined FilmGate in 2020 and has supported the production of interactive projects and festivals in various roles. He is a 3D artist from Mendoza, Argentina, with a strong background in 3D modeling and video game art, always seeking new creative challenges and ways to grow.
Michi Hung

Michi Hung

Michi Hung is the Operations Manager at FilmGate Miami, specializing in live event coordination and creative programming. A Miami native with Chinese heritage, she brings a grounded, can-do spirit to both festival production and on-set roles as a producer, assistant director, coordinator, and PA. Michelle has worked with brands like Adidas, National Geographic, and REDCON1, and has led FilmGate Festival programming since 2023. Passionate about storytelling, community, and consciousness, she aims to create meaningful experiences that connect and uplift. Fun fact: she’s a glass-half-full person who loves snorkeling and soulful conversations.

The people
keeping us 
accountable.

Diliana Alexander
Diliana Alexander
Diliana Alexander serves as the Co-Founder and Executive Director of FilmGate Miami, FilmGate Interactive, and the Downtown Media Center. FilmGate Miami's mission is to cultivate talent and promote innovation within Florida's growing media ecosystem. FilmGate Interactive stands out as one of the premier immersive festivals, taking place during Art Basel Miami. Diliana has produced projects for renowned platforms such as Netflix, HBO, Showtime, PBS, CBC, HGTV, the Learning Channel, and Showtime. Presently, she is directing and producing "Stiltsville VR" for the Oculus Meta platform and programming a monthly dome series for the Frost Science Museum.
Lindsay Grace
Lindsay Grace
Lindsay is an awarded game designer, developer, author and professor. He is the Knight Chair, Professor and Director of the Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media at the University of Miami School of Communication. He is Vice President for the Higher Education Video Game Alliance and the 2019 recipient of the Games for Change Vanguard award. Lindsay has curated a variety of international events including The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s SAAM Arcade, the 20th Games for Change Festival, and others. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 books, articles and papers and consults for government and non-profit organizations aiming to employ playful media to solve real word problems.
Jose Jacho
Jose Jacho
Jose Jacho is the co-founder of Filmgate Miami and the Downtown Media Center. He is an out-of-the box thinker and creator, who seeks to establish and maintain South Florida as legitimate location for advancing the arts with the aid of technology.
Jimmy Cheng
Jimmy Cheng
Director of International Partnership at Sandman Studios / Sandbox Immersive Festival, and Head of International Sales at Atlas V / Astrea. Jimmy is focusing on XR distribution, representing contents from over 170 XR studios, and servicing different platforms / offline locations to find suitable distribution opportunities. The distribution / licensing model of XR content was immature even until today, which is why Jimmy saw the opportunity to form a solid business model for supporting the creators / studios to distribute their projects and generate reasonable revenue. From November 2018 till today, over US$ 10M royalty fee has been signed to support the XR ecosystem / licensing model growing more mature.

FilmGate
in the
news.

Dimming Lights: The decline of movie theatre popularity (includes mini documentary)

LATEST

Dimming Lights: The decline of movie theatre popularity (includes mini documentary)

For over a century, theatres have offered the most immersive way of watching films within big screens and surrounding sounds. Featuring sharing tension, laughter and emotions, the theatres are what help the story breathe from the screen. However, especially after the pandemic, theatres have been in constant threat because of the growth of streaming platforms.

FILMGATE - DOWNTOWN MEDIA CENTER |  168 SE 1ST STREET, 4TH FLOOR, MIAMI, FL 33131
(305) 916-6973  |  INFO@FILM-GATE.ORG

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