What's up in the Magic City

New Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon movie Arbitrage, Cosford's The Spanish Lens, three Haitian musicians at the Riviera, artist Linda Apriletti and Florida Waters. 

Arbitrage: New York hedge-fund magnate Robert Miller (Richard Gere) on the eve of his 60th birthday, appears to be the very portrait of success in American business and family life. But Miller is in over his head, desperately trying to complete the sale of his trading empire to a major bank before the depths of his fraud are revealed. Just as he's about to unload his troubled empire he's unexpectedly forced to juggle family, business, and crime, igniting the suspicions of NYPD Detective Michael Bryer (Tim Roth). Will Miller make it out before the bubble bursts? With Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling and Laetitia Casta.  At Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables 786-385-9689 http://www.gablescinema.com/ 9/17-9/20 

The Bill Cosford cinema at the University of Miami celebrates Hispanic Heritage month with “The Spanish Lens”, featuring films from Spain, Mexico, Argentina and Nicaragua by Hispanic female directors. The series highlights emerging and established female filmmakers working in the Spanish language. The featured films are The Fish Child (El Niño Pez) from Argentina by Lucia Puenzo, Even the Rain (Tambien la Lluvia) from Spain by Iciar Bollain, Island Inside (La Isla Interior) by Dunia Ayaso and Felix Sabroso, The Cinema Hold-Up (Asalto al Cine) from Mexico by Irina Gomez Concheiro, and La Yuma From Nicaragua by Florence Jaugey.

“It’s the perfect time to showcase these films,” said Trae DeLellis, Director of the Cosford Cinema. “Spanish-language cinema has always been at the forefront of film history, but in recent years, especially in Latin America, a booming renaissance has produced some of the most engaging and innovative film making in recent memory.”

THE FISH CHILD (Friday, September 14 – 7 p.m., Saturday, September 15 – 6 p.m.)

A steamy tale of star-crossed love set on both sides of the class divide in South America. Lala is the privileged teenage daughter of a powerful judge, and she’s fallen hard for her family’s maid, La Guayi. The two women plan to escape but become entwined in a murder mystery.

EVEN THE RAIN (Friday, September 21 – 7 p.m., Saturday, September 22 – 6 p.m.)

An intriguing dialogue about Spanish imperialism, Even the Rain follows a film director (Gael Garcia Bernal) and his film crew in Bolivia as they make a revisionist film about the conquest of Latin America. Obsessed with finishing his film, the director is oblivious to the political turmoil going on around him that creates a dangerous environment.

ISLAND INSIDE (Friday, September 28 – 7 p.m., Saturday, September 29 – 6 p.m.)

A dark family drama about three siblings who are forced to confront their disparate and dysfunctional lives after the sudden death of their schizophrenic father.

THE CINEMA HOLD-UP (Friday, October 5 – 7 p.m., Saturday, October 6 – 5:30 p.m.)

A vibrant, authentic, and wonderfully observed portrait of the tempo and texture of today’s Mexican youth culture. The film follows a group of youths who spend their days listening to hip-hop, smoking marihuana and fantasizing about the opposite sex. One day they have the bright idea of robbing a movie theater, jeopardizing the one sure thing they have in life – their friendship.

LA YUMA (Friday, October 12 – 7 p.m., Saturday, October 13 6 p.m.)

Nicaragua’s first full-length feature in 20 years,La Yuma tells the story of a young woman who dreams of transcending her bleak life in the slums of Managua by becoming a boxer. Looking beyond the meager possibilities that seem available to her (and ignoring the advice of her gang-member friends), she finds solace and hope in her training and falls in love with a middle-class journalism student.

The Bill Cosford Cinema 1111 Memorial Dr., Coral Gables. 305-284-4861 www.cosfordcinema.com   

Coral Gables' Riviera Theater will host a concert by three of the area's finest Haitian musicians: saxophonist Jowee Omicil, vocalist Stevy Mahy, and guitarist Dener Ceide, on Friday, September 14, at 8 PM. Joseph (“Jowee”) Omicil was born in Montreal, Canada, of Haitian descent. He was accepted at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has shared the stage with many like Branford Marsalis, Richard Bona, Marcus Miller, Pharoah Sanders, and Roy Hargrove. Stevy Mahy was born in Paris and sings in English, French and Creole. It has challenged many, but to her this is what she is and she uses these languages to express her emotions. Dener Ceide is a young musician who is part of the legendary Compas group Tabou Combo. The Riviera Theater, 1560 South Dixie Highway (US 1) in Coral Gables. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. 305-666-2078. For more on Jowee Omicil, contact KCC Productions at 305-332-2623 or write to kcc_productions@yahoo.com">kcc_productions@yahoo.com  

Meet Artist Linda Apriletti at the Opening Reception for her solo art exhibit, “Florida Waters”, Sunday, September 16th, 4pm to 6pm, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Nature Center, Crandon Park, Key Biscayne.   On display through October 29.   305-361-6767x114 http://www.biscaynenaturecenter.org