Coconut Grove Struggles to Lure Filmmakers as Florida Incentives Dry Up

Independent filmmakers still find the neighborhood cinematic, but major productions have moved on to states with better tax credits.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Once a hotspot for movies and TV shows, Miami has seen a decline in film production in recent years as state-funded incentives have dried up and other locations like Georgia, New York, and New Jersey have offered more attractive deals. While independent filmmakers like Herschel Faber still find Coconut Grove a great place to shoot, major productions have moved on, citing the lack of competitive incentives in Florida. Veteran director David Frankel and Miami film office advisor Joel Gonzalez discuss the challenges of luring filmmakers back to the area.

Why it matters

Coconut Grove's cinematic appeal has long been a draw for filmmakers, but the neighborhood and the broader Miami area are struggling to compete with other locations that offer more lucrative tax credits and production incentives. This trend has impacted the local film industry and economy, as well as the community's visibility on the big screen.

The details

In the early 2000s, Miami was a popular filming location for major movies like '2 Fast 2 Furious,' 'Marley & Me,' and 'Bad Boys II.' However, as Florida's state-level film incentives were phased out, productions have shifted to other states with more competitive packages. Filmmaker Herschel Faber was able to shoot his independent film 'Ethan Bloom' in Coconut Grove on a tight budget, taking advantage of local community support, but says the lack of Miami-Dade County incentives makes it difficult to compete with places like Georgia. City of Miami film office advisor Joel Gonzalez notes that street closures and traffic disruptions have also become more challenging in the growing metropolitan area.

  • In the early 2000s, Miami was a hotspot for major film productions.
  • From 2010 to 2016, the Florida Legislature approved $296 million in tax credits to attract movie studios and production companies.
  • In the late 2000s, Frankel's film 'Marley & Me' was shot in Coconut Grove and other parts of South Florida.
  • Faber recently shot his independent film 'Ethan Bloom' in Coconut Grove over the course of five weeks in the summer.

The players

Herschel Faber

An independent filmmaker who recently shot his movie 'Ethan Bloom' in Coconut Grove, describing it as a 'love letter' to the neighborhood.

David Frankel

A veteran filmmaker who directed movies like 'The Devil Wears Prada' and 'Marley & Me,' which was filmed in Coconut Grove and other parts of South Florida in the late 2000s.

Joel Gonzalez

The senior advisor to the City of Miami's manager, overseeing the Office of Film and Entertainment, who has been involved in the local film industry since the early 1990s.

Rene Garcia

The Miami-Dade County Commissioner who sponsored the county's film production incentive package in 2024.

Coconut Grove Business Improvement District (BID)

The organization that oversees the Coconut Grove neighborhood, which Mark Burns, the executive director, says is not aware of any current or past film production incentives.

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What they’re saying

“Miami is just so incredibly cinematic and we don't see it enough on screen.”

— Herschel Faber, Filmmaker (Coconut Grove Spotlight)

“These things are black and white — it's just about money. Until Florida is competitive with Georgia and New York and New Jersey, then it will always remain kind of a fantasy location.”

— David Frankel, Filmmaker (Coconut Grove Spotlight)

“We saw a lot of the major productions go to locations like Louisiana, Georgia and states where they have these incentives in place. It's a shame because filming has a lot of benefits for the community, in both the publicity and the amount of money that's spent.”

— Joel Gonzalez, Senior Advisor, City of Miami Office of Film and Entertainment (Coconut Grove Spotlight)

“If Florida has both competitive statewide and local incentive programs, Miami-Dade could once again be highly competitive in the industry.”

— Rene Garcia, Miami-Dade County Commissioner (Coconut Grove Spotlight)

What’s next

The Miami-Dade County Commission is considering increasing the film production incentive package to make the area more competitive with other states.

The takeaway

Coconut Grove's cinematic appeal remains strong, but the neighborhood and broader Miami area have struggled to attract major film productions in recent years due to a lack of competitive state-level tax credits and production incentives. Independent filmmakers continue to find creative ways to shoot in the area, but the community's visibility on the big screen has declined as a result.