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38th annual Miami Film Festival goes hybrid, with in-person and virtual screenings

Festivals

Published 3/3/21

In March 2020, the pandemic forced the Miami Film Festival to close with just four days left in its run. Now, a year later, the festival is going forward with a hybrid format: in-person screenings at one cinema (instead of its typical multiple venues) and virtual screenings to enjoy from home.“Most of the films that will be live will also be virtual,” says Lauren Cohen, the festival’s associate director of programming. “We got over 1,000 submissions this year, and we have over 100 films from 40 countries.”The festival opens on March 5 with an in-theater, world-premiere screening of Miami-based filmmaker Edson Jean’s “Ludi,” based on his Haitian mother’s job as a home health aide for Miami seniors and her experience trying to make her way in America. A personal story with a screenplay by Jean and co-writer Joshua Jean-Baptiste, “Ludi” will also be available to watch virtually.The film will compete for both the $40,000 Knight Made in MIA Feature Film Award supported …

Miami Film Festival Announces Complete 2021 Line-Up

Festivals

Published 2/12/21

The Festival will open and close with two World premieres by Miami artists - Edson Jean’s Ludi and Jayme Gershen’s Birthright. Awards will be presented to maestro Pedro Almodóvar; icon Rita Moreno; actors Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Javier Cámara (El olvido que seremos), Aldis Hodge (One Night in Miami) and Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday); cinematographer Joshua James Richards (Nomadland), and celebrate more than 100 feature narratives, documentaries and short films of all genres, from 40 different countries.“In this year like no other, we all long for stability and a sense of continuity,” said Festival Executive Director Jaie Laplante. “By redefining Miami Film Festival for the new era of film, we seek to continue our mission of shining a light on the most outstanding creative talents and new works of the season.” The Festival will open on Friday, March 5th with the in-theater World Premiere screening of Ludi at host venue Silverspot Cinemas in …

THE 12TH EDITION OF THE OUTSHINE LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL FORT LAUDERDALE GOES VIRTUAL

Festivals

Published 11/20/20

Building upon the success of its Miami-based virtual film festival held online earlier this year, the Fort Lauderdale edition, presented by Gilead Sciences and Broward County, will showcase 21 world-class contemplative, comedic and creative films from 11 countries, (several making their US debuts during the streaming festival). All of the films will be made available virtually to viewers throughout the state of Florida from December 3 – 6, 2020. The festival will also host livestreamed special events with cocktail happy hours, talent and Q & A sessions as a way to virtually tie the community together."This year’s Fort Lauderdale edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival will follow in the footsteps of our successful Miami virtual edition which simultaneously opened-up the dialogue for equality in film throughout the state of Florida, for the first time,” said Victor Gimenez, executive director of OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival. “Despite the current health pandemic …

PICKS OF THE WEEK: Films, Culture and more...

Festivals

Published 11/12/20

OUTSHINE FILM FESTIVAL: MAKE THE YULETIDE GAY | COCKTAILS & CINEMA VIRTUAL HAPPY HOURNovember 12th at 7:30 pmOUTshine presents gay holiday classic 'Make The Yuletide Gay' starring Adamo Ruggiero and Keith Jordan. The film has won multiple festival awards and a self proclaimed "gay cult classic." Don't miss experiencing this holiday favorite with your festival friends! More event details here.HISTORYMIAMI MUSEUM: CULTUREFEST 305November 14th through the 15thEnjoy online performances, workshops, and demonstrations with some of the city's finest traditional artists, dancers, and musicians. The festival webpage includes craft activities, videos, and more to keep you exploring all that makes Miami the diverse, vibrant, and extraordinary city we love. More event details here.SMALL PRESS FAIR FORT LAUDERDALE '20November 14th at 12:00 pmExperience a day for local and regional artists, printers, booksellers, publishers, authors, poets, bookmakers, designers, zinesters and cultural workers …

TWO FILMS TIE FOR AUDIENCE AWARD AT 2020 MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL GEMS

Festivals

Published 10/13/20

Directed by Frank Marshall, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart is an emotional documentary through the memories of the brother band’s only surviving member, Barry Gibb, as he recalls how the best-selling music act evolved their unique sound after relocating to Miami in the mid-1970s. Sound of Metal, directed by Darius Marder, is already generating Oscar buzz for a Best Actor nomination for Ahmed’s blistering performance as a heavy-metal drummer whose life begins unravelling when he discovers he is losing his hearing. Last year’s MIAMI GEMS Audience Award winner, The Two Popes, went on to receive three Academy Award nominations while first runner-up Parasite, received the Academy Award for Best Picture. Spain’s double-Goya Award-winning Out in the Open, directed by Benito Zambrano, was chosen by audiences as first runner-up, and another HBO documentary, 537 Votes, directed by Billy Corben of the Miami-based production company Rakontur, was selected as second …

Miami Film Festival Presents World Premiere of THEY CALL ME DR MIAMI

Festivals

Published 4/20/20

The new premiere dates are April 25 and 26, as the Festival will now premiere the film on its own VimeoVOD channel for a 48-hour period, available worldwide. A Live Q & A session will take place on the Festival’s Instagram channel @miamifilm on Sunday, April 26, from 6 – 6:30 p.m. hosted by Festival programmer Lauren Cohen with Dr. Michael Salzhauer – a.k.a. Dr. Miami.“Life during Safer-At-Home orders presents us with a challenge to find creative new ways to achieve our mission of connecting art with audiences,” said Miami Film Festival director Jaie Laplante. “Our excitement to premiere Jean-Simon Chartier’s portrait of one of Miami’s most colorful and unique personalities has remained undiminished, and we are thrilled to be able to present the film and a live, interaction discussion with Dr. Miami via online platforms.”They Call Me Dr. Miami is a profile of the phenomenon that is Dr. Miami - the most famous surgeon in America. Millions of loyal followers from …

MIAMI JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL TO OPEN WITH ‘SAUL & RUBY’ WORLD PREMIERE ABOUT HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS’ BAND

Festivals

Published 1/8/20

“I follow people for years, however long it takes for the story to present itself,” Lending said.At the heart of his latest – “Saul & Ruby, To Life!” – are two Holocaust survivors, Saul Dreier, 94, of Coconut Creek and Reuwen “Ruby” Sosnowicz, 90, of Delray Beach, and their Holocaust Survivor Band.The documentary will open the Miami Jewish Film Festival on Jan. 9 at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. The festival will run through Jan. 23 at 14 venues throughout Miami-Dade County, and feature more than 100 films from 25 countries.“Even though I’m Jewish, I’ve never done a Jewish-themed story,” said Lending, 60, a native of Chicago. “I always wondered if I would ever make a film that had a connection to my own background and history.”He never could’ve imagined where their story would take him.At first, the film delved into their pasts in Poland and how Dreier found out about Sosnowicz when he wanted to form a Holocaust survivor klezmer band in …

ABFF GOES BEYOND BEING A FILM FESTIVAL

Festivals

Published 6/28/19

By Daisy Cabrera“Twenty-three years ago, there were only fifteen of us working behind the scenes and about 100 attendees. Today, we’ve become the premiere event for Black Hollywood and host more than 8,000 attendees every festival,” said ABFF Ventures’ Founder and CEO, Jeff Friday. “Initially, I had the thought that we needed a space to collaborate with each other and have time to celebrate each other and our upcoming projects. That vision has not only led to some amazing collaborations but also birthed a legacy of identifying emerging talent and solidified a strong presence within the Miami Beach, Miami, and Dade County communities with our community outreach efforts.”With celebrity ambassador La La Anthony in tow, ABFF brought together a jam-packed audience of up-and-coming, next generation producers, writers, actors, showrunners, editors, composers, creatives, photographers and directors. Anthony said, “We have proven that we support each other. We watch our films and …