The Reel Deal Film Festival

03/25/2026

And we are grateful! Still one of the best nights of all time - a community gathering for the first time after a trying and eye opening period for all humanity that most got through on a naive and trusting kind of auto pilot. Perhaps most of us failed to realize the weight of it until My Invisible Husband opened the door to feel such things, maybe even giving us permission to examine it. If you were one of the 400+ lucky people there that night, no description can capture the collective moment. If you haven’t seen the film, Shelly’s link is below and now you have plans this weekend. Get ready for a transformational experience, not to mention the cinematography and direction of Brent Eite being an extra treat, winning the Cinematography Award that year, too. The film’s beauty, and emotion will leave you quietly different. Everything great art should be.

03/13/2026

We have begun to honor a Student Volunteer of the year and if we could, this award would be dating back to Middle School. John Grimaldi is a Senior at Spruce Creek High, and has been a friend to arts organizations since 7th grade. Whether helping set up chairs and food displays for screenings at the Marriott Springhill Suites or The Hub on Canal, running the entrance ticket table at The Brannon Center, or bringing along friends from Green Horizon Volusia to help with last April’s Festival at Cinematique Theater, and expanding their help to Daytona Beach Arts Fest 2025 running supplies for the event managers, John has been all in volunteering, always stepping up when we asked for help . He has been a student screener of short films for three cycles of the festival, putting in many hours watching the short films of contestants and giving thoughtful and respectful responses on our screener forms. We will miss John when he goes to college next year and know he will be a success! The Reel Film Foundation thanks him for his amazing contributions to building this small but growing organization! He will be receiving Gift Cards from our kind sponsors The Olive Garden and Smoothie King.

03/13/2026

Best film I’ve seen in a long time!

03/13/2026

Special thanks to all the lovely people who sent ecards and notes during my medical leave and hiatis! We will be opening a call for entry soon with some fun and interesting restructuring!

Reminder : our scholarship application is still open. please email [email protected] for an application. Please consider uploading your creative portfolio. ! with recent funding, cuts in the arts you can count on us to still support student art pathways! 

02/20/2026

Acting job! Non actors/ new to acting ok!

07/31/2025

Good deal!

A young girl's drawings magically become reality, and her quiet town becomes ground zero for rampaging glitter/crayon monsters. She and her brother must track down the creatures and defeat them to save her family.

SKETCH comes to theaters on August 6th, 2025. Get tickets today!

05/18/2025

Tired of the same recycled dark murder and deceit plots on your streaming platforms? Check out the latest from Angel Studios and support the ONLY studio proving that quality content made outside of Hollywood can thrive! Come back to the movies!

04/24/2025

My favorite are the day screenings of the shorts!

04/24/2025

Congratulations to director Trey Johnson on his film Slept on the East Side, we look forward to seeing more from Trey and the years to come. Trey is a graduate of the University of Florida School of Communications and Journalism. Thanks for making the trip over from the West Coast!

04/24/2025

Congratulations to Jillian Preite on her film The Concorde. The panel discussion was enjoyed by all, with special thanks to our pilot and Cooncorde passenger Alan, our Aerospace Engineer, Trevor and Moderator Kayla Taylor! We also appreciate the support from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Department of Humanities and Communication. So glad Jillian's extended family could make it from South Florida!

04/13/2025

Fantastic Screenings today and so many directors came, it was great! Tonights Directors' Showcase, congratulations to all the featured Filmmakers Merl St James, Matt Florio, Trey Johnson, Jillian Preite, and special thanks to the Panel participants, Kayla, Trevor, and Alan for donating your time and expertise! Fun night! Cheers!