Lights, Camera, Action! Miami Film Festival Underway Featuring Plenty Of Homegrown Talent – CBS Miami

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Lights, camera, action! It’s time for movie buffs to grab their popcorn and head to the 2022 Miami Film Festival.

Miami-Dade College’s acclaimed festival is now in full swing for its 39^th annual edition, and it’s a hybrid format with in-theater and virtual presentations.

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There are more than 120 films, documentaries, and short films of all genres, from more than 35 countries.

“La Guerra Civil” is a documentary directed by Eva Longoria. It’s about the epic rivalry between iconic boxers Oscar de la Hoya and Julio César Chávez in the 1990s.

“We’re playing at the Tower Theater, but it’s also going to be available in our virtual theater for the whole 10 days of the festival. So that’s just one example of the way the people from Miami can enjoy the festival in person or online,” said Festival Director Jaie Laplante.

The festival also includes several homegrown films from South Florida.

That includes an encore screening of the 2017 hilarious  comedy “A Change of Heart,”  directed by Kenny Ortega and produced by Emilio Estefan. It stars Jim Belushi and Gloria Estefan.

Estefan said if we can all come together and laugh as we celebrate our differences, the world will be a better place.

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“To me this is special because we really see the diversity we have in Miami. The diversity between the Latinos, the Americans, and the gay community I’m proud about this film,” said Estefan.

People are open to so many diversities and this film sends a great message.

Estefan also executive produced a short film called “Croqueta Nation,”, a film that unites Miami’s culinary community. This playful story follows the owner of Sergio’s Cuban restaurants, as he sets out to make history by making the world’s longest croqueta.

“Let me tell you the amount of people that they got talking about croquetas is amazing. I don’t know how they got it, but they got more people in one short film,” he said laughing.

The films are being screened at the Silver Spot Cinemas in Downtown Miami, The Tower Cinema on Calle Ocho and the final presentation will be at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.

“There are so many 305 productions in the festival. We have always believed that supporting local film makers and local films and to put those films besides world class films like “The Power of the Dog” or “Drive my Car”  or all the films from international filmmakers, to have them on the same plane is an extraordinary moment,” said Laplante.

The Miami Film Festival runs through March 13.

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