On the sixtieth episode of All the Film Things, I had the pleasure of interviewing festival organizer Monique Madrid!

Monique Madrid, who some of us regard as “the queen of Jacksonville”, is an integral figure in the city as the visionary behind the LOL Jax Film Festival. Her involvement in film began with working behind and in front of the screen on films made by the Jacksonville- based production company Argylle Forest Films. She has been an editor and producer for their previously released shorts such as “The Real Housemonsters of Florida”, their upcoming debut feature Let Me Be Corey as well as worked on other films made by Jax filmmakers such as “Extreme” and “Mandy’s Voice”. Alongside her husband and previous ATFT guest Adam Madrid, she is the co- city producer for the 48 hour film project in Jacksonville and co- founder of the LOL JAX Film Festival, which has been named the “Best Film Festival” in Folio Weekly’s Folio 500 for eight years in a row. In 2021, Monique was included in Jacksonville Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and, two years later, the journal named Monique as one of the “Women of Influence” in the city. Aside from her work in film, she works with local organizations and schools including Don’t Miss a Beat, Inc. and Jacksonville Arts and Music School, or JAMS for short. Next month, Monique will be awarded the Small Business of the Year Art Award from the Cultural Council of the Greater Jacksonville in recognition of LOL Jax.

The 10th annual LOL JAX Film Festival will be held on August 1 and 2 in downtown Jacksonville and film submissions are officially now being accepted until June 30. LOL stands which stands for both laughing out loud and loving our locals, is a celebration of artists and small local businesses. Be sure to go to LOLJax.com to learn more about how to submit your film and take a look at festival highlights from previous years. Tickets are not yet available for purchase, but follow LOL Jax on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on when ticket purchases are live and all things LOL Jax! This festival sells out fast so you don’t want to wait to get your tickets!

This is Monique’s first appearance on ATFT! After knowing her husband Adam and hearing nothing but the loveliest remarks about her for nearly two years, I finally met Monique this past August at a Women in Film and Television (WIFT) event! I was so excited to finally meet her and, just as we were all leaving, I told her that I’d love to interview her. I have always admired her, not only because of her incredible accomplishments, but to see what she has done for the city of Jacksonville is deeply admirable and inspiring. This interview was the first time she and I really conversed and my already high expectations of her were somehow exceeded. I am blown away by Monique and this interview is undoubtedly one of the very best interviews on ATFT yet. This episode was recorded on April 2, 2026.

In this episode, Monique shares her road to discovering which role she wanted to pursue in film, remaining connected to loved ones who have passed on through cinema, and why this year’s LOL Jax Film Festival was almost the last. She also reveals which 2025 film she has already seen about 15 times, one of her favorite travel activities, and shares high remarks about three previous ATFT guests. All this and much more on the latest episode of All the Film Things!

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