See a range of exclusive movies, filmmakers and actors at this year’s GEMS Film Festival, a four-day event happening in Downtown Miami across various cinemas to present the best of the fall film season.
Head to the Koubek Center — a historical mansion with beautiful pillars and natural scenery — on Thursday, Nov. 2 for opening night, where you can see renowned actor Eugenio Derbez accept the GEMS Impact Award for his outstanding contributions to Latin American entertainment.
Attendees will also see a screening of his new movie “Radical,” which takes audiences through a teacher’s radical methods as he attempts to teach neglected students on the Mexican border. After the film, head to the Day of the Dead party at the Koubek Mansion and Garden and take advantage of the complimentary beer, wine and treats.
On Friday Nov. 3, catch Jeffery Wright’s “American Fiction” and Nicholas Cage’s new A24 film, “Dream Scenario,” at Silverspot Cinema 12 and 16, respectively. Located in cities like Miami and Atlanta, the Silverspot Cinema boasts an enchanting atmosphere where moviegoers can watch their films while enjoying items like a house sangria or a coconut jasmine rice bowl at the theater bar.
In his film, Wright plays Thelonious Monk, a Black writer who is told his books aren’t “Black enough.” Monk resorts to stereotypical methods to prove his identity. On the other hand, “Dream Scenario” follows a normal man who enters stardom after he suddenly begins appearing in everyone’s dreams.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli’s “The Boy and the Heron” premieres on Saturday Nov. 4 alongside Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn,” starring “Euphoria” star Jacob Elordi and Barry Keogan, who plays a low-class Oxford student who grows obsessed with his high-class friend. Fennell follows her roots and showcases immoral people receiving justice in “Saltburn.”
“The Boy and the Heron” attracts viewers with its smooth animation and impressive voice cast. The heartfelt film follows a child’s journey into a fantastical world as he searches for his dead mother.
That same afternoon, you won’t want to miss actress Rachel Scott from “BODIES, BODIES, BODIES” in a new dark comedy called “I Used to Be Funny,” which follows a PTSD-ridden house worker who must decide whether to join the search for a missing child she used to babysit.
End the cinematic experience on Sunday, Nov. 5 with a diverse film line-up. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal star in “All of Us Strangers,” with Scott playing a struggling screenwriter who returns to his childhood home and finds his late parents alive.
“The Monk and the Gun,” by Bhutanese filmmaker Pawo Choyning Dorji, shows the power of evolution and asks if it’s for better or worse. As the Kingdom of Bhutan organizes a mock election to introduce democracy to its citizens, a monk battles for ownership of an ancient weapon to prepare for the change.
See actor Paul Giamatti on closing night in the coming-of-age film “The Holdovers,” which explores the unlikely bond between a pessimistic instructor and a troubled student left on campus over Christmas break.
GEMS Film Festival remains a staple in Miami cinematic culture. As actors, filmmakers and enthusiasts gather for the special event, the film presence in the magic city grows stronger than ever.
Tickets are on sale here, with student tickets are $12 and centerpiece film tickets start at $20. Be sure to save or print the QR code in your confirmation email for admission to your listed cinema.