22 June 27-July 3, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 4 BEST FILM SERIES The AV Club 16mm instagram.com/strangepursuits From crackdowns on password sharing and ever- increasing subscription fees, the sheen of the streaming revolution is fading fast. If you’re bored on the couch and endlessly scrolling, AV Club 16mm is the antidote to your stasis. This in- novative film series is the brainchild of librarian Katharine Labuda. It makes use of the Miami- Dade Public Library’s extensive collection of 16mm films, bringing forgotten films and film- makers — like Homer Groening, the father of The Simpsons’ creator — to new audiences. It’s re- freshing to cede control and let Labuda thought- fully curate an audio-visual feast. Each event feels special, with unique presentations at cool spots across the city, from the New Schnitzel House to the downtown branch of Miami-Dade Public Library. With the budgets and resources of local libraries shrinking, it feels hopeful to see this fascinating archive given new life. BEST MOVIE/TV SHOW SHOT ON LOCATION Fallen Fruit fallenfruitfilm.com instagram.com/fallenfruitmovie Miami locals know too well the confusing mix of love and hate they feel toward the city where they live. Chris Molina’s debut feature, Fallen Fruit, captures those contradictions beautifully. Named Miami New Times’ Best Film Director in 2022, Molina follows a 20-something going through a quarter-life crisis when an impending hurricane forces him to evaluate his life. The only thing more Miami than its synopsis is Fallen Fruit’s production. Supported by a 2023 Oolite Arts Cinematic Arts Residency, this mi- cro-budget feature is the product of local film- makers and local love. Not only does the character rediscover the unique charms of the Magic City, but the film is a fantastic showcase of our filmmaking community. After three sold- out screenings at the Miami Film Festival and OUTshine Film Festival, Fallen Fruit is poised to show everyone the real Miami. BEST MIAMI DOCUMENTARY Razing Liberty Square pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/ razing-liberty-square With her 2024 documentary Razing Liberty Square, director Katja Esson zooms in on the complex and devastating consequences of climate gentrification in Liberty City, a historically Black, under-resourced Miami neighborhood. She cap- tures the entirety of a $300 million mixed-income development project in Liberty Square, previously the oldest segregated public housing project in the U.S. Located eight miles inland from the beach and on a ridge twelve feet above sea level, it’s be- come a very attractive plot of land for wealthy de- velopers. Razing Liberty Square is a fierce investigation into the disproportionate effects of climate change on Black communities. The film highlights the struggles of community members who face demolition, displacement, and rightful distrust in their local government. BEST FILM DIRECTOR Monica Sorelle monicasorelle.com instagram.com/monicugh From her work at the Third Horizon Film Festi- val and her award-winning short film T, Monica Sorelle has been a filmmaker on the rise. The Miami-born Haitian-American hit a new peak in her career with the release of her first feature, Mountains. Sorelle is again securing much-de- served awards and acclaim, including a Some- one to Watch Award from the Independent Spirit Awards. Tapped-in Miamians already had an eye on Sorelle and her work, but now a wider audience can discover her immense talents. Af- ter an impressive festival tour, Mountains finally made its Miami debut at the Miami Film Festi- val, where it earned the Made in MIA Feature Film Award. The specificity of Sorelle’s explora- tion of displacement and alienation as it relates to the diasporic experience in Miami is a marvel. Fortunately, this gifted artist is sharing that story with the rest of the world through film. BEST COMEDIAN Paula Barros instagram.com/pauleyme Though you might think a day job narrating true crime podcasts like Sacred Scandal or Cold Case Files, highlighting the worst of humanity, might shake the sense of humor right out of you, it’s only fueled comedian Paula Barros’ hilarity. Also known as Pauley McPaulerson, Barros doubles audiences over at events all around town, whether it’s when she’s hosting at Hotel Greystone on South Beach and Arlo Wynwood, or gracing the stage at the Vil- lain Theater. While most crowd-working comedi- ans in Miami have made insult comedy a bit of a blood sport, Barros takes a more empathetic ap- proach to confronting her audience. With style and class, she splits sides without the need for the sharp weapons of her podcast subjects. Instead, she comes armed with well-timed punchlines. BEST DANCE COMPANY Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami 111 SW Fifth Avenue, #201 Miami, 33130 cubanclassicalballetofmiami.org Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami founder Pedro Pablo Peña has offered safe haven more than once to dancers fleeing Cuba. He himself arrived in Miami on the 1980 Mariel boatlift. In fact, his
