The “What Do You See?” Short Film Fellowship, inspired by The Center’s short film of the same name, invites young storytellers ages 10–18 to slow down, look closely, and tell stories about what they see in themselves, in others, and in the world around them. Through filmmaking workshops and mentorship, offered at no cost, fellows bring those stories to life on screen.
What is it about being human that makes us so special?
This year, the Fellowship prompt invites young people to explore the qualities and experiences that define our humanity. What does it mean to feel, connect, imagine, question, and make meaning from our experiences? Fellows are encouraged to explore ideas such as emotional intelligence, empathy, intuition, lived experience, vulnerability, identity, relationships, and our ability to navigate uncertainty and contradiction.
There’s no single right answer. Tell us what it means to you.
Selected from applications across South Florida, young storytellers are invited to bring their stories to life through a mentored experience that mirrors the real-world filmmaking process. Workshops are held in Miami-Dade and Broward. Fellows move from scriptwriting and story development through pre-production, storyboarding, filming, editing, and post-production, receiving guidance and hands-on support throughout the process. Fellows film and edit using equipment provided by Apple.
What Fellows Take Home
- A completed original short film
- A custom film poster
- A FilmGate Miami Scholarship
- A formal fellowship certificate
- A gift card
The program culminates in a red-carpet film premiere in Miami where the fellows’ original films debut before a live audience. Each filmmaker is invited on stage to speak about their creative journey, their interpretation of the prompt, and the meaning behind their film.
A professional jury then selects one winning film, which The Center fully underwrites and submits to the film festival circuit, giving the young filmmaker an opportunity for their work and their perspective to reach audiences beyond the premiere.
Open to young people ages 10–18 who live in South Florida. No film experience needed. Just bring your curiosity and your point of view. Here’s what to submit.
- Write an essay (500 words minimum). Answer the prompt: “What is it about being human that makes us so special?” Explore what this question means to you and tell us how you imagine translating your response into a short film. Your film can take any creative direction you choose. It can be personal, fictional, experimental, funny, serious, unexpected, or something entirely your own. We’re interested in how you see the world and how you would turn that perspective into a story.
- Record a short video (3 minutes max). Tell us what you wrote about in your essay, this time on camera. No need to read it word for word. We want to hear your answer in your own voice.
- Submit both online. Upload your essay and video on the application below.
Deadline: December 18, 2026
| October 18, 2026 | Applications Open |
| December 18, 2026 | Applications Close |
| Early January 2027 | Fellow Selection |
| Mid-January to March 2027 | Mentored Fellowship Workshops Scriptwriting & story development Pre-production planning Storyboarding Filming Editing & post-production Press & interview coaching |
| May 2027 | Red-Carpet Premiere Film Submissions Free Public School Screening |
Young people ages 10–18 who live in South Florida.
No. Just bring your curiosity and your point of view. Fellows learn each step of the filmmaking process with mentors.
A 500-word minimum essay and a video of 3 minutes or less, both answering the 2027 prompt.
No, everything needed to produce your film will be provided including the use of equipment provided by Apple.
At its heart, the “What Do You See?” Short Film Fellowship is about helping young people grow by bringing their ideas to life. Through the filmmaking process, fellows gain confidence in their own voice, learn to think critically, collaborate, and find a creative outlet for what they’re thinking and feeling. It gives young storytellers the space, mentorship, tools, and platform to tell us what they see, while giving audiences an opportunity to experience the world through the eyes of the next generation.