12 March 2-8, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | Culture | Night+Day | News | Letters | coNteNts | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Now Showing Miami Film Festival overcomes obstacles to celebrate its 40th anniversary. BY TRAE DELELLIS M iami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival celebrates its 40th edition this year. It is a bittersweet milestone follow- ing Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo’s confusing crusade that resulted in MDC ceding operations of the Tower The- ater, Miami’s historic and longest-running art cinema, back to the city. Undeterred by losing its home base, the Miami Film Festival continues its mission to bring world-class cinema to the community. From March 3-12, the festival will screen an impressive 140 films, including features, doc- umentaries, and short films. The gargantuan lineup represents more than 30 countries and provides a welcoming platform for local film- makers. While this year’s festival will be lim- ited to downtown Miami and Coral Gables, it remains an essential cinematic gateway be- tween Miami and the world. A possibly unintended regal theme radiates from this year’s festival from beginning to end. Ray Romano’s directorial debut, Somewhere in Queens, opens the festival, and veteran film- maker Stephen Frears’ The Lost King closes the festivities at Silverspot Cinema in downtown Miami. In between, the programming team has assembled an impressive collection of films. Perhaps the jewels of the festival are its center- piece selections featuring the royal historical drama Chevalier, based on the true story of composer Joseph Bologne; a modern-day in- terpretation of the classic opera Carmen; The Final Game, an inspiring tale of the ‘92 Spanish water polo team; and a documentary about the queen of young-adult literature, Judy Blume, Judy Blume Forever. Each of these screenings promises an enlightening discussion between its makers, subjects, and audience. The festival closes on the night of the Academy Awards and is not short on award- worthy cinema. In addition to Sebastian Mi- tre’s 15 Ways to Kill Your Neighbour, the director’s follow-up to his Oscar-nominated Argentina, 1985, the festival is screening Swe- den’s Cairo Conspiracy and Pakistan’s Joy- land, both of which were shortlisted for “Best International Feature Film” this year. Past Academy Award nominees, the Dardenne brothers, have their latest film, Tori and Lok- ita, screening during the festival. On Friday, February 24, the César Awards, the French equivalent of the Oscars, will announce its winners. Battling for “Best Actress” are Laure Calamy and Virginie Efira and their respec- tive films Full Time and Revoir Paris, both of which are part of this year’s selection. In addition to an abundance of Francophone cinema, the festi- val focuses on Ibero-American films with titles such as Stories Not to Be Told, Adios Buenos Ai- res, and The Pa- dilla Affair. Expanding across the globe, the festival spotlights intriguing Iranian filmmak- ers with the existential thriller Subtraction and the familial drama Leila’s Brothers. Likewise, the festival is platforming some excellent LG- BTQ films like Blue Jean, Monica, the Sun- dance-winning documentary Kokomo City, the aforementioned Joyland, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. The diversity of the international and LG- BTQ selections is matched by the festival’s continued dedication to local filmmaking through the Knight Foundation’s Knight Made in MIA Award, consisting of feature and short films. Titles like Amigo, Febrero, Havana Stories, Platadas, Sunnyland, and a myriad of short films will compete for two prizes. The Made in MIA program and other award pro- grams like the Jordan Ressler First Feature Award and the Knight Marimbas Award dem- onstrate the Miami Film Festival’s commit- ment to supporting and rewarding the work of filmmakers locally and internationally. Beyond the films, the 40th-anniversary cel- ebration includes well-curated supplemental events, including special award ceremonies, masterclasses, and talks. Among the honorees at this year’s festival will be Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage accepting the Variety Legend and Groundbreaker Award; Mexican actor Di- ego Luna receiving the Variety Virtuoso Award; and Nicholas Britell earning the Art of Light Composer Award from Alacran Studios. Knights Heroes returns for its fifth consec- utive year for a panel on the ins and outs of de- veloping documentaries. Perhaps the most fashionable event of the festival will be a talk with Heidi Bivens, the costume designer of the HBO show Euphoria, and the most timely, a masterclass on the emerging field of inti- macy coordinators. Finally, to celebrate Inter- national Women’s Day in a unique way, the festival has a talk with Anna Bogutskaya about her latest book, Unlikeable Female Characters. Building something that lasts four decades is impressive in a city like Miami. Director of programming Lauren Cohen is stunned by the festival’s stamina, asking, “How many other new launches from four decades ago have not only survived but grown into cul- tural mainstays?” But that’s exactly what the Miami Film Festival has done since its founding in 1984 by Nat Chediak and Stephen Bowles. Over the last 40 years, the Miami Film Festival has grown and evolved, faced trials and tribula- tions, and celebrated triumphs. It has to be asked: How will Carollo’s new, million-dollar sculpture garden look four de- cades in the future? Or even how it looks today? Certainly, the Miami Film Festival stands the test of time. Miami Film Festival. Friday, March 3, through Sunday, March 12, at various locations; miamifilmfestival.com. Tickets cost $12 to $13. [email protected] ▼ Culture MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL CONTINUES ITS MISSION TO BRING WORLD- CLASS CINEMA TO THE COMMUNITY. Miami Film Festival photo Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf star in Somewhere in Queens, Romano’s directorial debut. Chevalier Miami Film Festival photo
