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FLEX, the Florida Experimental Film/Video Festival, will run from Feb. 6–10 in Tampa, with most screenings happening on The University of Tampa campus. All FLEX events are free and open to the public.

During this year’s five-day festival, nine programs of experimental short films and video and two programs of multi-projector expanded cinema will compete for prizes. With more than 750 submissions from 52 countries on six continents, FLEX organizers selected 81 for inclusion in the competition shows. FLEX is also showcasing selections of work by three jurors — including UT Professor of Film, Animation and New Media Dana Plays, Almudena Escobar López and Nazli Dinçel.

“These screenings represent the most exciting work happening in cinema of any form,” said Warren Cockerham, UT’s media production coordinator who has helped organize the event. “With such a diversity of offerings, even those who may not know anything about experimental film are likely to find something they like and are encouraged to attend.”

FLEX events happening on the UT campus include: 

• Competition 1: Wednesday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m., Falk Theatre, 428 W. Kennedy Blvd.
• Competition 2: Wednesday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m., Falk Theatre, 428 W. Kennedy Blvd.
• Competition 5: Friday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m., Reeves Theater, 200 UT Poe Parkway, Vaughn Center second floor
• Juror Screening — Almudena Escobar López: Friday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m., Reeves Theater, 200 UT Poe Parkway, Vaughn Center second floor
• Competition 6: Saturday, Feb. 9, 1 p.m., Reeves Theater, 200 UT Poe Parkway, Vaughn Center second floor
• Competition 7: Saturday, Feb. 9, 3 p.m., Reeves Theater, 200 UT Poe Parkway, Vaughn Center second floor
• Competition 8: Saturday, Feb. 9, 5 p.m., Reeves Theater, 200 UT Poe Parkway, Vaughn Center second floor
• Juror Screening — Nazli Dinçel: Saturday, Feb. 9, 8:30 p.m., Reeves Theater, 200 UT Poe Parkway, Vaughn Center second floor
• Juror Screening — Dana Plays: Sunday, Feb. 10, 1 p.m., Black Box, 611 UT University Drive, Cass Building Room 133
• Competition 9: Sunday, Feb. 10, 3 p.m. Black Box, 611 UT University Drive, Cass Building Room 133

For a full schedule of events and program details, go to www.flexfest.org.

“Perhaps FLEX’s slate of filmmakers are not household names,” said Cockerham. “But many of these filmmakers are among the brightest luminaries in the world and have shown their films at film festivals and art venues around the globe.”

Founded in 2004 in Gainesville, FL, by University of Florida professor Roger Beebe, FLEX quickly became one of the premiere showcases for experimental short film in North America for the next 11 years. FLEX went on hiatus following its 2015 competition festival. This year, Cockerham, a former FLEX member, revived the event and moved FLEX to Tampa for its 2019 competition festival.

For more information, go to www.flexfest.org or contact flexfestflorida@gmail.com.