Rene Rodriguez

Rene Rodriguez has been the film critic for Miami Herald since 1995.  In his more than 21 years of reviewing films and covering the film scene in Miami, he has amassed a body of critical work that has established him as a national authority, and a crucial voice for Miami, in shaping American views on cinema.

In the early days of Miami Film Festival, his predecessor on the film beat at Miami Herald, Bill Cosford, would often contribute notes to the Film Festival program under the many-entendre notice “You Must Remember This”.  In 2012, as the Festival celebrated its 29^th edition, Rodriguez picked up that tradition with an all-new essay on the Festival’s history and direction as it neared the end of its third decade.

Read the full article HERE.

In honor of his ongoing contributions to the art and discourse of cinema, Miami Film Festival establishes a permanent annual award in Rodriguez’s honor in 2017.  Each year, all critics covering the annual Festival will be invited to cast their vote for the film they consider to be the best of that year’s selection, and present the winning filmmaker with the Award at the conclusion of each year’s event.

In 2017, the inaugural Rene Rodriguez Critics Award will be presented at the Festival’s VEOMIAMI Industry Network Happy Hour at The Standard Hotel on Friday, March 10^th.  The March 10^th VEOMIAMI Happy Hour is underwritten by Miami Film Society member Jeffrey Hooper.

Rene Rodriguez Critics Award Jury 2017

Alfred Soto – Humanizing The Vacuum

Carlos deVillalvilla – Cinema365

Gary Kramer – Salon.com

Hans Morgenstern – Independent Ethos

Jonathan Holland – The Hollywood Reporter

Juan Barquin –Dim the House Lights & Miami New Times

ReBecca Theodore-Vachon – Film Fatale NYC

Ruben Peralta Rigaud – Cocalecas.net

Rubens Riol – El Nuevo Herald

Violet Lucca – Film Comment[

Read Rene Rodriguez’ article on the 34th Miami Film Festival