JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A little over a decade ago, Monique Madrid had a thought: “I think we should do a comedy festival.”
Her high school sweetheart, Adam Madrid, had plenty of logistics questions, but ultimately bought into her vision.
Now, as the LOL JAX Film Festival approaches its 10-year milestone, it has claimed the title as the largest local comedy festival in the city, spotlighting homegrown talent.
“When you say year 10, it just feels like purpose,” Monique expressed. “It was meaningful to us when we did it; now, we’re seeing what it means to the people.”
EPISODE 2 | Meet Felicia - Her creative lens turned a studio into a space elevating Jacksonville’s identity
On this episode of “Voices of the 904,” Adam and Monique join the conversation to share how the dynamic duo built a successful ecosystem where filmmakers, comedians, musicians and artists can collaborate, network and gain the visibility Jacksonville’s creative community deserves.
“We understand that there’s sometimes frustration with filmmakers that go off to other cities because they feel like they aren’t getting appreciated in their own city, and we want to change that narrative,” Adam said.
They also talk about their continued advocacy for the city’s film industry — from helping create opportunities through grants and city partnerships to encouraging creators to proudly promote their work and reclaim Jacksonville’s legacy as a hub for filmmaking.
Ultimately, they believe one thing: it’s time for Jacksonville to get a lot louder about its talent.
Submissions are open through June 30! So there’s plenty of time to drop your name in the hat.
Check out more episodes below: