Cordero De Dios: one of this year's MIFF Ibero-American selections.
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Pictures in paradise
By Kevin Craft
Most 25 year olds have established their identity. They're still trying to claim their place in the world, but this involves making minor adjustments instead of radical changes.
In this respect the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), which turns 25 this Thursday, is exactly where it should be. What was once a small community festival that screened 30 films in 1984 is now the premier world festival for Ibero-American cinema. It has helped launch the careers of Pedro Almodovar and Lasse Halstrom while entertaining over 16,000 viewers. As its organizers look to the future, they're not planning any dramatic changes to a format that has garnered much success. Fine tuning the programming, however, in hopes of further increasing the festival's stature is a priority.
"My job is to enhance and improve the different sections of the festival," said Patrick De Bokay, the festival's fourth and current director. "We must continue to allow the festival to work the way it has worked while striving to further connect it to the community it represents."
The second part of De Bokay's stated intention presents a challenge because the different facets of our vibrant, multicultural city can prevent it from feeling like a community. Miami exudes glitz and glamour but aspires for more cultural relevance, and its film festival must present a varied lineup to fully represent its eclectic mix of people and cultures. MIFF has already established itself as the best forum for Ibero-American cinema, and improving the other programs to make it an even more representative and renowned event is the challenge facing De Bokay and his staff.
Founded in 1984 by University of Miami graduate Nat Chediak, the festival brought a number of prominent films and directors to Miami in its first 19 years. When Nicole Guillemet, a former co-director at the Sundance Film Festival, took over in 2003, she strove to give the festival a distinct identity. Guillemet recognized that Miami's strong ties to Latin America provided a natural audience for Ibero-American cinema and decided to focus on showcasing films from Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries.
Guillemet established the Encuentros program, which gives emerging producers from Spain and Latin America the chance to showcase their work and foster relationships with industry professionals from the United States and abroad. Her approach was successful in luring new talent from burgeoning film communities, and last year alone three South American Films from the festival landed distribution deals with North American companies.
Under Guillemet's leadership the festival continued to grow in size and prominence. In 2006, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation pledged $250,000 to help establish the Knight Grand Jury Prizes, which now are awarded in the categories of World Dramatic Features, Ibero Dramatic Features and Documentary Features. The increases in film quality and quantity have led the festival to be considered an Ibero-American Sundance.
Guillemet stepped down in 2006, leaving an event that had carved itself a niche in the international film community. When De Bokay took over, he recognized the success of Guillemet's work.
"Nicole crafted the format of a contemporary festival that fits very nicely, and there's no reason to change that," said De Bokay, a 30-year veteran of the film industry.
De Bokay has stated he aspires to make MIFF one of the world's best film festivals, and he is subtly improving the programming. This year, in conjunction with the Film Foundation, the festival will host the world premiere of the restored version of Sergio Leone's classic Spaghetti Western Once Upon a Time in the West. Two new categories have also been added to the program for 2008. The Reel Music Section will screen documentaries and music videos by renowned directors, and the Short Film competition will award the top film in this category a $2,500 Knight Grand Jury cash prize.
De Bokay also seems intent on increasing the glamour and spectacle of the festival, which is appropriate considering Miami thrives on its glamorous aura. Fourteen films, including Married Life starring Pierce Brosnan and Rachel McAdams and Flawless starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore, will receive elaborate red carpet premiers at downtown's Gusman Center for the Performing Arts. Moore, along with Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper, Danny Glover, and Helen Hunt, are scheduled to make appearances. Gusman theater director Margaret Lake hopes these events will remind residents that downtown Miami has a history of cultural vibrancy and the potential to once again be a haven of art and culture.
"The number one goal of a festival is to discover great films and talent, but it is also important to stage a fun event that attracts a broad audience," said De Bokay. With more press coverage and star power, the year's galas at the Gusman should be one of the festival's main attractions.
Theaters such as the Gusman give MIFF an advantage over a festival such as Sundance, which screens many of its films in auditoriums that were not built for film. All the MIFF screenings take place in actual theaters, giving directors proper venues to showcase their work. The Gusman and Tower Theater in Little Havana, both of which opened in 1926 as silent movie theaters, provide attendants with a bit of history as well as a good location.
In past interviews De Bokay has stressed that venue is a key part of a festival, and he passionately believes Miami has the necessary ingredients to host a premier film festival.
"It's the personality of the city: Miami is on the move, Miami is multicultural, and Miami is in the spotlight of the world. If something happens in Chicago, people outside of the U.S. may not hear about it, but if it happens in Miami, people will know about it," said De Bokay. "We may not be in the kitchen of the industry (Los Angeles), but we're in a real city that connects with other parts of the world."
Miami's connections to the international community make it a unique American city, and currently the Miami International Film Festival may be more relevant to other parts of the world than to the rest of this country. In America it has yet to reach the stature of Sundance, South by Southwest or Tribecca, but filmmakers from Latin America and Europe seem to find it a very suitable destination for their work.
And that is quite appropriate. An international city should have an international film festival that represents all of the world's artistic voices. With a program that includes the best of Ibero-American film, a slew of glamorous red carpet premiers and a diverse film catalogue representing 54 countries, the 25th annual Miami International Film Festival is as representative of Miami as possible, and it has something to offer ravenous film buffs and occasional moviegoers alike.
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Great festival this year -- so many great movies... Katyn was extraordinary -- Flawless was fun -- 90 Millas -- a labor of love ( gracias Emilio!) ... this is what makes Miami the best ...
Posted by: alex22 on Sat, 2008-03-08 20:10