In a dynamic episode of the ArtiGras Podcast, host Sarah Lapierre sat down with filmmakers Noelia Rabino (now Director and Co-Founder) and David Hamzik (filmmaker and Jupiter native) to discuss their mission to transform South Florida’s creative landscape through the Subtropic Film Festival. More than just a screening event, Subtropic is an ambitious hub dedicated to cultivating a sustainable local film industry.

Building a Film Hub: "Don't Leave, Build It Here"

Both David and Noelia recognized a pervasive problem in the South Florida arts scene: talented filmmakers felt they had to leave—to Los Angeles, New York, or Atlanta—to achieve professional success. David, having grown up here, saw countless local creative groups dissolve. Noelia, leveraging her background with the Miami Film Festival, saw the opportunity to create the missing link.

Subtropic was born not just as a festival, but as a catalyst for an entire industry. Its goal is to stop the "brain drain" by becoming the essential hub where local artists, crew, and resources connect, ensuring that careers can be built and sustained right here in the subtropics.

Noelia notes that the West Palm Beach area is proving to be the perfect stage due to supportive art institutions like the Norton Museum and its uniquely appealing environment. David jokes that WPB is like their "mini Cannes Film Festival"—a centralized, beautiful spot where filmmakers can easily attend events, network, and enjoy the coastal locale without the hectic traffic of Miami.

The Subtropic Experience: Beyond the Screen

The festival is structured to maximize engagement, connection, and education, running across multiple days and venues, including the Norton Museum, TWW Fine Arts Gallery, and AFLUS Studios.

Programming and Education

Unique Curation: Short film blocks are curated around themes or feelings rather than rigid genres, offering a different experience than typical festivals.
Hands-On Workshops: They offer practical workshops, including one with Throwbacks that lets attendees shoot on actual film stock (emphasizing the pressure and precision of the analog process), and another focused on digital cinematography and lighting.
Focus on Local Talent: The festival intentionally seeks out filmmakers with a strong Florida connection, providing them a crucial venue to show their work—often the single biggest need for local artists.

Championing Local Voices

This year’s programming has an organic thematic focus on the Everglades, showcasing the unique landscape and environmental issues of South Florida, with films like the dramatic opening night selection, The Python Hunt.

The festival’s commitment extends beyond film. Opening night includes a visual arts component at the Norton, featuring local artists whose work ties into the Everglades theme. This moment is particularly exciting, as it gives artists the major career credit of saying, "I have exhibited in the Norton Museum."

Filmmaking as a Spiritual Quest

As a filmmaker who writes, directs, and acts, David Hamzik finds that wearing multiple hats helps him "get things moving faster" on small-scale projects. He describes the ultimate creative high as the blend of satisfaction and relief that comes immediately after completing a difficult work.

His filmmaking is deeply woven into his life, particularly his relationship with Florida. After living in New York, David found a renewed passion, or "muse," in his home state, dedicating himself to capturing its surreal, colorful, and wildly diverse environment before development changes it further. His film, Dear Florida, served as both a love letter and a critique, born from an organic burst of creativity right before a hurricane hit.

Advice for the Aspiring Creative

For creatives wrestling with the business and logistical side of their passion, Noelia offered powerful advice on achieving longevity and avoiding burnout:

"The advice honestly is to surround yourself with people that can bring to the table what you know you cannot bring to the table. And just accepting that."

She stresses the importance of asking for help, sharing your struggles, and accepting that the time-consuming logistics should be handled by those who excel at them, allowing the artist to focus on the creative heart of the project.

Connect with Subtropic

The Subtropic team is passionate about building bridges, connecting people, and amplifying local voices year-round through pop-up screenings and collaborations that often take films outside of Florida.

Website & Tickets: subtropic.org (Tickets are available for full-day passes or single blocks starting at $10!)
Instagram: @subtropicFF
David’s Projects: Find his comedy work at @IamIsus and personal posts at @Cruxmax on Instagram.