The Miami Film Festival opened Friday with Richard Gere's appearance at Miami Dade College's 34th edition of the film festival. The opening night gala screening starred Gere in "Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, " directed by two-time Oscar-nominated Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar.
Richard Gere in the movie "Norman."
In all, the Festival will present 131 feature narratives, feature documentaries, and short films from 40 countries, including 22 world and international premieres, in the 34th annual edition of the internationally acclaimed event, which runs until March 12, 2017. Thirty-six of the films are directed or co-directed by women filmmakers.
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The Festival will close with an Awards Night Gala screening of the International premiere of For Your Own Good from Spain, starring José Coronado, Javier Cámara and Roberto Alamo followed by the El Coto Riogja Awards Night Party at Miami's Centro Cultural Español.
Among the Festival's many highlights will be an evening with Spanish actress and fashion icon Rossy de Palma as part of the Cinedwntwn gala events at Miami's historic Olympia Theater, presented by Miami Downtown Development Authority. Artist Jessica Mitrani will lead an on-stage conversation with de Palma about her film work, including her collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar on films such as the current hit Julieta, and Mitrani's own collaboration with de Palma on the short film "Travelling Lady", which will also screen at the Gala. The evening is presented in collaboration with Faena Arts and The Screening Room.
Notable world premieres include the Emilio Estefan produced "A Change of Heart," filmed in Miami and starring Gloria Estefan, Aimee Teegarden, Virginia Madsen, Jim Belushi and William Levy, directed by High School Musical's Kenny Ortega. Cannes Film Festival alumnus, Uruguayan-Argentine director Adrián Caetano, who competed in Cannes in 2006 with "Chronicle of an Escape," will debut his new film "The Lost Brother" (El otro hermano), starring Leonardo Sbaraglia and Daniel Hendler. These films join the previously announced world premiere of Miami-born Blake Jenner's feature film screenwriting debut "Billy Boy," in which he stars with "Supergirl"'s Melissa Benoist.
The Festival's Cinedwntwn Red Carpet Galas, sponsored by Miami Downtown Development Authority, will include a screening of the North American premiere of "I'm Gilda" (Gilda, no me arrepiento de este amor) from Argentina, based on the tragic life story of that country's most famous cumbia singer, starring Natalia Oreiro and directed by Lorena Muñoz.
HOW TO GET TICKETS:
The 34th Miami Film Festival continues through March 12. Tickets are on sale at miamifilmfestival.com.
Screening and seminar venues of the 34th Miami Film Festival include Olympia Theater, MDC's Tower Theater, Regal Cinemas South Beach, O Cinema Miami Beach, The Colony Theater, Coral Gables Art Cinema, Miami Beach Cinematheque, Faena Miami Beach Hotel, MDC Live Arts Lab, and The Screening Room.
For membership opportunities, or information, membership@miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456).
