Movie buffs rejoice! Miami Dade College’s acclaimed Miami Film Festival is returning April 5th and one can say it’ll be its biggest and best year ever. Running through April 14th, the festival is now in its 41st year and will feature more than 180 feature films from over 30 countries worldwide. Ten of them will be world premieres and around 40 shorts and feature films will have ties to Miami.
MFF has honored cinema since 1983 and is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S. It will open this year with “Thelma”, directed by Josh Margolin and starring June Squibb, Fred Hechinger and Parker Posey. It tells the story of a 93-year-old woman who embarks on a quest to recoup her money after she loses $10,000 to a phone scammer.
The festival will close with “Ezra”, starring Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg and Rainn Wilson. From director Tony Goldwyn, Ezra follows a comedian named Max who’s struggling with co-parenting his autistic son, Ezra, with his ex wife Jenna. When forced to confront difficult decisions about their son’s future, they go on a life-changing cross-country road trip.
Goldwyn will be in attendance at the festival and receive the Art of Light Award for directing. Alison Brie will also receive the Art of Light Award and “Sing Sing” director Greg Kwedar will be honored with the Impact Award.
Another highlight of the festival are the exclusive Marquee screenings and insightful Q&As with directors that are set to take place:
- Tarsem Singh’s “Dear Jassi”, which explores the challenges of a young couple’s love, constrained by time, distance and societal expectations. The screening will be followed by a special 35mm retrospective of Singh’s visually stunning 2000 film, “The Cell”, in collaboration with Popcorn Frights.
- Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing”, highlighting the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing prison, featuring real-life stories of inmates finding redemption and self-expression through theater.
- Shira Piven’s “The Performance”, starring Jeremy Piven; about Harold May, a Jewish-American tap dancer whose European tour takes an unexpected turn, leading to a performance that challenges his beliefs and identity.
In addition to spectacular movie screenings, MFF will award cash prizes to many different films, from its $25,000 Knight MARIMBAS Award for international narrative feature films to its $10,000 Made in MIA Short Film Award for the best short film in South Florida.
Screenings will take place at Silverspot Cinema, the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall, Regal Cinema South Beach, Cosford Cinema, Coral Gables Art Cinema, the Miami Beach Bandshell and much more. For the full schedule and to snag tickets, head to the festival’s website.