The Miami International Film Festival scheduled for March 4 – 13 has announced its line-up, including a screening of Gavin Hood’s “Eye in the Sky” starring the late Alan Rickman, and Dame Helen Mirren. Hood, who won an Academy Award for “Tsotsi” will take part in an “In Conversation” on March 5 to discuss the thriller focusing on drone warfare. Uniquely, the four main actors of the movie, including Aaron Paul and Barkhad Abdi, never met during filming, which was all shot in South Africa. It will be the 33rd edition of the festival, and remains the only major film festival in the world produced by a university – Miami Dade College. This year a new Marquee Series has been announced with Monica Bellucci, Iciar Bollaín, Gavin Hood and Deepa Mehta all due to receive tributes. The festival also boasts a US premiere for the latest film starring James Brolin and Oscar-winner Christine Lahti, Canadian comedy “The Steps” by Andrew Currie.“This year's lineup is like a prism that invites Miami to see the world with an illumination that only the cinema, and the artists that create the work, can provide,” says Jaie Laplante the Festival’s Executive Director and Director of Programming. “The programmers have populated the program with films and events that are essential to the complex, dynamic, ever-changing Miami of the now.“Some 100 feature films and 29 shorts from 40 countries are due to be screened over the 10 days, with a focus on women – 46 of the films are directed or co-directed by female filmmakers.Opening with Alex de la Iglesia’s comedy “My Big Night” starring Spanish recording legend Raphael, the festival takes place across Miami, with the main events at the downtown Olympia Theater. Raphael has been announced to appear in person at the screening, officially inaugurating the festival.It’s the Marquee Series that catches the eyes though, allowing guests the chance to hear from the stars of many of works on show. Sunday, March 6 will see the double Goya Award-winning Spanish actress-director Iciar Bollaín in Conversation, discussing her latest film “The Olive Tree.”On Tuesday, March 8 Monica Bellucci will take to the stage with Guy Edoin to talk about Edoin's drama “Ville-Marie.” Then on March 9 Deepa Mehta, Academy Award-nominated for his Indo-Canadian film “Water,” will discuss her “desi ‘Scarface,’” titled “Beeba Boys.”The festival is curated by Jaie Laplante, alongside Andres Castillo, Orlando Rojas, Thom Powers, Eloisa Lopez-Gomez, and culinary cinema specialist Lee Brian Schrager. It will also feature a timely Google Seminar Series on Gender & Racial Gaps in Film & Technology, given the controversy surrounding this year’s Academy Awards nominations. A forum and screening on gender and racial gaps in the film industry will include a keynote address at The Idea Center of Miami Dade College, with details due to be announced soon.Tickets for the Miami International Film Festival will go on sale on Friday, February 12.
↧