In recent years, the documentary film has taken flight in terms of commercial interest. At the heart of this trend, the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), presented by Miami Dade College (MDC), remains one of the premiere festivals for celebrating non-fiction filmmaking from around the world, as recently announced in their 2007 program. “We are always compelled by the art of storytelling in the documentary form,” said Festival Director Nicole Guillemet. “Non-fiction filmmaking borr...

The 24th Annual Miami International Film Festival will take placeMarch 2 - 11, 2007112 Films—92 Features and 20 Shorts—Highlight 2007 FestivalIncluding 7 World Premieres, 32 International, North American& U.S. Premieres, and 45 East Coast PremieresThe Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), presented by Miami Dade College (MDC), announced today the full schedule of films for the 24th annual festival to be held March 2-11, 2007. The Opening Night film this year will be “Black Book” from...

The 23rd edition of the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) reached its climax last evening, with the awarding of the Knight Grand Jury Prizes and other honors at the Festival’s Gala Awards Ceremony, held at the historic Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami.The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation contributed $75,000 (of a total grant of $250,000) to create the Knight Grand Jury Prizes for this year’s Festival, which includes a cash award of $25,000 for winners in t...

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN DIRECTORSThe Directors Guild of America reports that less than 10% of its membership are women. In the history of the Academy Awards, only three women have ever been nominated for Best Director (Lina Wertmuller, Jane Campion and Sofia Coppola). While women head major studios and are prolific producers, there still is a “glass ceiling” regarding women directors. But at the Miami International Film Festival....it's a woman's world, and male journalists like myself just have ...

AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN MIAMIThe 23rd edition of the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) reached its climax last evening, with the awarding of the Knight Grand Jury Prizes and other honors at the Festival’s Gala Awards Ceremony, held at the historic Gusman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami.The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation contributed $75,000 (of a total grant of $250,000) to create the Knight Grand Jury Prizes for this year’s Festival, which includes a cash a...

Ten days of movie magic came to its inevitable end, as the 23rd edition of the Miami International Film Festival had its final day of screenings yesterday. But this landmark year ended on a high note, with a mix of superb films that saved the best for last.Several of Saturday night’s winners at the Miami International Film Festival Awards Ceremony had their final public screenings on Sunday, giving Miami audiences a last chance to see these Festival gems. ACCUSED, co-winner of the Knight Grand...

The Miami International Film Festival, now in its 23rd edition, announced its official program, along with other announcements, at a packed news conference on the campus of the Festival’s patron, Miami Dade College.The Festival, which has grown in reputation as a major showcase for American independent and international films, with an accent on Spanish-language cinema, will open on March 3rd with the world premiere of HEARTLIFT (Lifting de Corazon), Argentine director Eliseo Subiela’s delici...

German auteur director Wim Wenders will be feted with the Career Achievement Tribute by the Miami International Film Festival, which will be held from March 3 to 12. Wenders joins a distinguished roster of Festival honorees including actress/director Liv Ullmann, Spanish director Carlos Saura and Brazilian director Hector Babenco.“We are proud to pay tribute to this legendary director, writer, and producer whose contribution to the spirit of independent cinema continues to inspire filmmakers a...

The 23rd Annual Miami International Film Festival will take placeMarch 3 - 12, 2006 In March of 2006, the Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), presented by Miami Dade College (MDC), will launch a new program, MIFF Abroad, which will celebrate the filmmaking of one Latin American country each year, starting with Chile at this year’s festival. The announcement was made today by Festival Director Nicole Guillemet.“For the first year of MIFF Abroad, we have chosen Chile. It is a logical and...

Oscar-winning director Sydney Pollack tries his hand at the non-fiction format in SKETCHES OF FRANK GEHRY, his intimate film portrait of one of the world’s most successful and creative architects.Pollack, whose directorial career dates back to the 1960s, and includes such legendary films as THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, TOOTSIE and the multi-Academy Award winner OUT OF AFRICA, is one of a handful of directors who is also a prolific producer (THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY,...

Throughout its 22-year history, the Miami International Film Festival has earned a position as a major US film festival, launching to national prominence such filmmakers as Pedro Almodóvar, Lasse Hallstrom, Fernando Trueba, and Atom Egoyan. Under the leadership of Nicole Guillemet, former co-director of Sundance Film Festival, more than 150 filmmakers, producers, and talent from around the world attended the 2004 Film Festival to introduce their work to industry professionals and Miami audience...

With most of the United States in the grip of a devastatingly cold winter, more than a few eyes (and hearts) turn to Florida, the sunshine state, which is having an intensely active “high season”. As much as the sun and the beach are major attractions, this is also the kick-off to the Florida film festival season.Two of Florida’s most interesting film events are happening this week. The Sarasota Film Festival, now in its seventh year, opened this past weekend, with an ambitious slate of pr...

Miami International Film Festival Announces Special ProgramsMiami International Film FestivalThe mission of the Miami International Film Festival is to bring the best of world cinema to South Florida. MIFF uses the unique geographical and cultural position of Miami to make the festival a premiere venue for the exhibition of international and U.S. films, with special focus on Ibero-American cinema. Both juried and audience awards are given in dramatic and documentary categories.The Miami Internat...

The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), presented by Miami Dade College (MDC), announced today the full schedule of films for the 22nd annual Festival to be held February 4-13, 2005.118 Films—87 Features and 31 Shorts—from 47 Countries Highlight 2005 FestivalIncluding 7 World Premieres, 15 International, North American& U.S. Premieres, and 33 East Coast PremieresUnveiled today for the 2005 program were 118 films from 47 countries, including 7 World Premieres, 15 International, North Am...

FIRST ANNUAL BAHAMAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINE-UP The first annual Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) rolls out December 9-12, 2004. Over four days, BIFF will play host to a combination of industry professionals, filmmakers, celebrity guests, visitors and the local community. The Festival will present more than 75 films in a wide range of special sections: an International Competition, a selection of cinema’s “New Visions,” a World Cinema showcase, a Caribbean S...