Reel Seasons.
Three chapters,
one cinematic residency.
Six premium event nights across three weekends — Reel Fear, Reel Pulse, Reel Wonder. Curated short films, moderated filmmaker Q&A, lobby mixers, and a closing-night awards block in each chapter.
Founders’ Thirty · 30% off Submission Waiver
The first 30 filmmakers to submit to Reel Seasons receive a 30% off waiver on their first entry. NOW CLOSED.
Programmed across the season —
each chapter its own world.
Lumina programs curated film blocks per chapter — micro-shorts, shorts, and a featured feature — organized into themed sessions across two days. Awards are presented during each chapter; the season’s championship awards close Reel Wonder.
Reel Fear
Psychological, atmospheric, supernatural, body, and folk horror across two days of curated shorts. Opens the season the weekend before Halloween.
Reel Pulse
Character-driven drama in dialogue with short-form documentary — family, identity, resilience, social realism, lived truth — by emerging voices. The season’s quiet powerhouse.
Reel Wonder
Black cinema, fantasy, magic realism, mythology, and world-build — closing the inaugural season with awe and the championship awards block.
Carshénah Jefferson
Founder · Lumina Media Group
Building a home for independent cinema in Jacksonville.
Carshénah Jefferson is a Jacksonville-born actress, filmmaker, writer, and producer whose career has taken her through New York and Los Angeles before returning to the First Coast to establish Lumina Media Group, LLC. Her vision is to create a festival experience that pairs national-caliber programming with the hospitality and character of her hometown.
Lumina Reel Seasons Film Festival is the company’s inaugural residency, bringing together three distinct seasonal chapters—REEL FEAR, REEL PULSE, and REEL WONDER—to celebrate independent storytelling in a historic theatre setting while welcoming filmmakers from Jacksonville, across the United States, and around the world.
Every submission is approached from the perspective of someone who has lived the filmmaking journey—understanding the dedication behind every completed project and the importance of presenting each film with care, professionalism, and respect.
An A-list voice
walks the lobby.
Each chapter is anchored by a featured guest — a filmmaker, performer, or industry figure who joins us for moderated Q&A and a private filmmaker mixer. Headliner reveal coming Summer 2026.
Meet the Guest →
Submit your film. Be part of the inaugural season.
Early Bird closes June 30 · Regular Deadline July 31 · Final close September 20. Three categories, three chapters, one residency.