Cinephiles and movie creators from all around the world celebrated cinematic excellence at the 39th annual Miami Film Festival from March 4-13.
Attendees watched films virtually or in-person at Silverspot Cinema, 300 S.E. 3rd St., in downtown Miami and Tower Theater Miami, 1508 S.W. 8th St., in Little Havana during the 10-day festival.
More than 120 narrative films, documentaries and short projects from 35 countries were showcased.
“This festival gives an opportunity for those who want to share their truth, their creativity, their culture/background,” said John Paul Amaya, a North Campus student majoring in filmmaking. “The pandemic didn’t make it any easier for filmmakers and artists who wanted to show their talent.”
A bevy of awards were handed out. Here are a few:
Rob Requejo Ramos, a 2018 Miami Dade College graduate, won the audience-voted documentary achievement award for his feature film South Beach Shark Club: Legends and Lore of The South Florida Shark Hunters. The film dives into the history of Miami Beach in the 1970s through the eyes of local shark fishermen.
FREDA, directed by Géssica Généus, was awarded the $25,000 Knight MARIMBAS Award. The short film follows protagonist Freda, who lives with her family in Haiti, as she tries to escape the insecurity and violence of her country.
You Can Always Come Home directed by Juan Luis Matos, received $30,000 from the Knight Made in MIA Film Award. The short film explores the domestic sphere through the eyes of young children in Miami.
In Beauty It Is Unfinished directed by Greko Sklavounos, took home the $15,000 second-place prize of the Knight Made in MIA Film Award. It follows a Cuban immigrant in Miami who longs for a lost memory and a voice that produces a dreamy depiction of two tropical landscapes separated by 100 miles of ocean, and two guys dancing at twilight.
The $10,000 third-place prize of the Knight Made in MIA Film Award was given to School of Entertainment & Design Technology graduate Mariana Serrano’s short film Un Pequeño Corte. The film is about a six-year-old girl who cuts one of her pigtails off at school and her overprotective mother rushing her into a beauty salon. In the salon, she becomes the center of attention for all the wrong reasons and is criticized for looking like a boy.
For a full list of the winners, check the MFF website here.
