Catch Fylm TV platform films at debut festival
Fylm TV will host its first film festival on November 13 and 14 at Wayne State University's Industry Innovation Center in Detroit. The two-day event is scheduled three days before the Fylm TV platform launches on November 15. This festival represents the in-person first step for the curated streaming platform focused on independent films. Viewers will have the chance to see the selected works in a theater setting prior to the digital availability. The announcement positions the festival as a key launch activity that connects directly to the platform's debut, allowing the community to engage with the content live before it becomes accessible online to everyone.
The lineup was cut from more than 300 submissions from 55 countries, which represented roughly 120 hours of film. Organizers reduced this extensive pool down to about eight hours of screenings across 17 films. The selected works hail from the United States, Australia, Europe, China, Malaysia, Lebanon, the Philippines, and Türkiye. They encompass narrative shorts, features, animation, and documentaries, providing a broad spectrum of independent filmmaking styles and stories. This international scope demonstrates the global reach of the Filmmakers Helping Filmmakers community that underpins Fylm TV and reflects the competitive selection process applied to the submissions.
Among the 17 films selected for screening are several notable highlights. These include the feature documentary Nothing to See Here: Watts, the Lebanese documentary Hyphen, and the festival-circuit documentary Spectacular by Comparison. The festival schedule has screenings running from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM on both days, with doors opening at 1:45 PM. This timing facilitates a full afternoon and evening of film viewing for attendees. The selection of these particular films underscores the emphasis on diverse documentary works alongside other genres in the program, offering audiences a concentrated showcase of independent cinema.
Each day the festival runs from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Friday concludes with a networking mixer and filmmaker Q&A session. Saturday wraps up with an awards ceremony recognizing the Best Narrative Feature, Best Narrative Short, and Best Documentary, as chosen by the festival's programmers and reviewers. Audiences will also select the People's Choice Award, sponsored by Eightfold Collective, by placing stickers on the posters of their favorite films. Food trucks will be available on site, and free exhibitor booths will be open to sponsors, local businesses, makers, and film organizations, creating additional opportunities for connection throughout the event.
The festival is supported by Vault Studio along with fiscal sponsor AMB Film Fund and venue sponsor TechTown Detroit. Additionally, Eightfold Collective sponsors the People's Choice Award. This backing from local and industry partners helps facilitate the screenings, awards, and networking opportunities at the Industry Innovation Center, ensuring the event can accommodate both filmmakers and the public with practical amenities like food options and exhibition space.
Fylm TV operates as a curated streaming platform for independent film where viewers watch for free. Filmmakers have options to earn through ads, subscriptions, donations, merchandise, and more. Conversations with studios or distributors occur only if the filmmaker desires them. The platform grew out of Filmmakers Helping Filmmakers, a community of more than 18,000 filmmakers on Facebook and Discord. The festival puts that community's work in front of a live audience before the platform opens to everyone, ensuring films do not disappear after completion. A festival slot gets a film in front of a room, and the platform keeps it working after the screening, giving creators an audience, meeting opportunities, and ways to be paid while retaining control.
"Finishing a film is only half the job. The festival puts the work in front of a room, and Fylm TV is where it keeps finding viewers after the lights come up. We built both so filmmakers get seen, get paid, and stay in control of what happens next." That is according to Malik Jackson, Founder and CEO of Fylm TV. The quote from the founder emphasizes the dual role of the festival and platform in supporting filmmakers beyond the completion of their projects. By combining in-person screenings with ongoing streaming access, Fylm TV seeks to address common challenges faced by independent creators. Filmmakers interested in participating in next year's edition can join the 2027 waitlist for a discount on their submission. Submissions will open on January 15, 2027.
