By Lucas Leyva, Borscht Corporation

” Hello! In the past Borscht only had events every two years or so, but we are happy to share that we are finalists for a grant that would help us make monthly events a reality!

All you have to do is vote for us here. It only takes a click and there’s no email signup or weird stuff like that.  The contest only runs a few more days, so vote now!

Here is our more detailed proposal For almost a decade, the Borscht Film Festival has increased the vibrancy of Miami by facilitating local artists to tell Miami stories through film, and providing a platform to share these films with the community at large. We screen and commission films that portray a wide diversity of stories about the city- empowering local citizens to define Miami’s cinematic identity for themselves. We are seeking funding to bring the films directly to the communities they are about. The lack of reliable public transportation in Miami makes it difficult to have as diverse an audience as we would like, and we feel creating a monthly series of free pop-up film screenings in underused spaces located in underserved communities like Hialeah, Overtown, Liberty City and Homestead would be well received. Each screening would be curated to maximize accessibility of neighborhoods that receive less than their share of arts programming. For instance, in the predominantly Cuban neighborhood of Hialeah, we could play films that were made in the neighborhood, as well as films that deal with specifically Cuban American themes. Local musicians or artists that complement the films would perform before them to give the screening a sense of being an event, and we would also bring in filmmakers originally from the neighborhoods for an open Q and A. By bringing local films directly to the diverse communities that inspired them, we will create a greater sense of civic pride and community engagement. We feel that our traditional audience will come see the programming in these neighborhoods, fostering connection across cultures while promoting spontaneous interaction. The loose, informal nature of the events will activate underused spaces while the care put into preparation of events will encourage both the residents of the neighborhood and visitors to reimagine its potential.

Read more here.

Thanks again for your continued support, Miami!”