Miami Film Festival GEMS 2022 lineup showcases its biggest lineup to date

MIAMI – The Miami Film Festival GEMS 2022 lineup, presented by Miami Dade College, is the biggest to date. 

The 8-day festival is the precursor to the Miami Film Festival which is held in March.  

Now in its 9th year, Gems will feature films from 14 countries.

“We call it our mini–fall festival, but it’s getting bigger and bigger every year and it’s just under 30 movies,” said Lauren Cohen, Director of Programming for Gems.

“Some of the biggest awards contenders of the year are in it, such as the real movies you will see at the Oscars come next year.”

Films like “She Said.”

“It’s based on the true story of the journalist who broke the Harvey Weinstein story and launched the ‘Me Too Movement. It stars Carrie Mulligan. I think that it is going to be one of the biggest movies of the year,” Cohen said

So is a film by Steven Spielberg called “The Fabelman.”

“It’s based on his real-life story. His real family. It’s the closing night film. I think it’s a major contender for Best Picture this year,” said Cohen.

Actor Raul Castillo will receive the  “Art of Light” award at the screening of “The Inspection”, where he stars as a sympathetic drill sergeant in a moving film inspired by writer/director Elegance Bratton’s personal story about a young gay black man, who decides to join the marines and is rejected by his mother, played by Gabrielle Union.

Castillo told CBS4’s Lisa Petrillo he’s thrilled to come to Gems.

“It’s an absolute honor. I’m so proud of this film”, said Castillo. 

“I’m excited for the world to see the film and to get the exposure. Miami is a city that’s near and dear to my heart. My fiancé is from Miami. She went to Dash High School, so we have friends and family there galore. For the film to get the recognition and to build momentum this way is really exciting,”

Tickets range in price from $12 to $15 dollars.

Gems is your chance to see films in your city before anyone else.

“There’s nothing like watching these movies for people who haven’t seen them before, all simultaneously, experiencing it together. I think that is so special and that’s what we strive to do at Gems,” said Lauren Cohen.

All films will be screened at the Tower Theater in Little Havana. 

The Gems Festival runs from November 3 – November 10. 

For more information, click here.