John Huston with his teenage daughter, Anjelica in 1968, at St. Clerans, the Huston estate in the West of Ireland (photo credit: Eve Arnold/Magnum Photos); A Story Lately Told: Coming of Age in Ireland, London and New York cover MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante will be leading a conversation with Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston […]

Miami International Film Festival’s ‘CinemaSlam’ student film school competition will expand to a match-up between Miami and Shanghai film schools in Miami+Shanghai CinemaSlam 2014. Thirteen film schools in two cities will compete in this 4th annual student film competition. A component of MIFF’s Florida Focus program, Miami+Shanghai CinemaSlam aims to discover, showcase, and celebrate the […]

MIFF’s 31st edition (March 7-16, 2014) will world premiere 11 short films documenting a project by a group of nationally and internationally renowned artists commissioned by The Arts Initiative and curated by Primary Projects. The 11 documentary shorts will be programmed to individually precede the documentary feature films competing in MIFF’s Knight Documentary Competition program.  […]

Since Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, a number may be going for a silver screen #ThrowBackThursday look. We say forego the witch in tattered fabric and zombie makeup, the Braveheart farmer-look, the endless channeling of Catwoman, the iconic costume Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman, The Addams Family Uncle Fester, or the monstrous […]

Alberto Ammann If you are not yet familiar with the amazing talent of Argentina-born Spanish actor Alberto Ammann, it won’t be long before he’s a household name. He has a massive range with extraordinary sensitivity, and is one of the biggest rising Latin film stars for one very good reason; this guy knows how to […]

Sundance Institute’s programmers will soon be coming to Miami to develop new projects with local artists through a series of workshops and events for emerging screenwriters, directors, and multidisciplinary artists, with funding from Knight Foundation. The inaugural workshop is a New Frontier Flash Lab, set for February 2014, offering greater accessibility for emerging artists to […]

San Telmo Municipal Museum (housed in a former 16th century Dominican convent, with a modern architectural extension) Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) co-hosted an exclusive gathering of film industry influencers during last week’s San Sebastian Film Festival at San Telmo Municipal Museum’s elegant Bokado Café, set in the historical center of San Sebastian.  In keeping […]

l to r (clockwise): Maribel Verdú , Tito Valverde, Susi Sánchez and Aaron Piper in 15 Years and One Day Short-listed earlier this month, Gracia Querejeta’s drama 15 Years and One Day, starring Maribel Verdú (All About My Mother), produced by Gerardo Herrero and Mariela Besuievsky at Tornasol Films, was chosen to represent Spain in […]

l to r: filmmaker Wayne Wang; Cecilia Chiang, Alice Waters in Soul of a Banquet Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) is partnering with Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival to bring you the premiere of San Francisco-based filmmaker Wayne Wang’s latest film, Soul of a Banquet, on Sunday, February 23, 2014 from 6:00 […]

MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante, producer/director/writer David Frankel, City of Miami Beach Film & Event Production Manager Graham Winick The Greater Miami Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (GMCVB), City of Miami Beach and Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) hosted ‘IT’S SO MIAMI @ TIFF’ private celebration this past Monday evening in the posh Club Room at the internationally renowned […]

l to r: MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante, writer/director Denis Villeneuve, MIFF managing director & senior programmer Andres Castillo; Denis Villeneuve and Jaie Laplante at MIFF 2011 introducing Incendies (Olympia Theater)  Often pegged as one of the most talented and visually inventive filmmakers of his generation, French-Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has parlayed his intimate visual […]

Jessica Berman, Fernando Trueba on stage at MIFF 2013 (Olympia Theater); scene from The Artist and the Model  [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Reprinted from MIFF 2013’s Commemorative 30th Edition catalogue] It’s not just that, with The […]

l to r: Q&A with director Lucy Mulloy, lead actors Javier Núñez Florián and Anailín de la Rúa de la Torre, MIFF managing director & senior programmer Andres Castillo, MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante The latest Miami Film Society special event screening kept the packed house glued to their seats as a result of the […]

Miami Encuentros 2013 award-winner Neto Villalobos at The Standard Hotel & Spa (Miami Beach) MIFF’s Miami Encuentros winning project All About the Feathers (Por las plumas), by Costa Rican producer/director Neto Villalobos has been invited to world premiere in the Discovery Program early next month at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).  The Discovery section represents […]

Panel of FL legislators and event moderator Paul Sirmons (far right) In a room teeming with crew, cast and entertainment industry movers and shakers, legislators from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe and Collier Counties were able to see and hear from the people who benefit directly from the industry’s job creations at last Tuesday’s Film […]

Featured in MIFF 2013’s Knight Documentary Competition program, Blackfish, is a riveting documentary directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, which will change the way you think about marine parks.  This film is no trumped up horror story fueled by Hollywood brand names and special effects. In this eye-opening film, all the creatures are real, and all seem […]

Candyman The horror genre appears to be one that splits audiences right down the middle. Those who enjoy horror are generally obsessive over the genre and become devoted to seeking out all kinds of scary movies. To scare an audience is to create a believable illusion of terror, which is powerful enough to make viewers […]

Last month I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, to serve on the 2013 Encuentros jury for the Cinergia Foundation. This marvelous organization, which supports audiovisual production for Central American and Cuban filmmakers with a variety of programs and grants, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and their work in the region is more […]

There is a before and after effect of Ecuadorian Cinema ever since Sebastián Cordero released his award-winning film Ratas, Ratones, Rateros in 1999.  The film had its World Premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and subsequently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.  I can still remember watching it with some friends; we loved […]

Calloused Hands poster; actor Luca Oriel and director Jesse Quinones at MIFF 2013 Kino Lorber has announced its acquisition of all North American rights to Calloused Hands, which held its World Premiere at the 2013 Miami International Film Festival. The debut feature from director Jesse Quinones, is based on a true story influenced by Quinones’ […]