The Critics’ Choice Awards often act as an Academy Awards predictor; films nominated for the former often end up in the running for the latter. And it’s easy to see why critics would think that Ken Burns’s latest riveting documentary, The Central Park Five, up for “Best Documentary Feature” at the Critics’ Choice ceremony in January, has Oscar potential. The film makes its Florida premiere this weekend at the Miami Beach Cinematheque (1130 Washington Ave., Miami Beach).
The Central Park Five examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted of raping a young woman in Central Park. After spending several years in jail, they were acquitted when a serial rapist and murderer confessed to the crime. It’s a story about race, contemporary crime, and the fears and misgivings that drive public perception.
Thu., Dec. 20, 8:45 p.m.; Fri., Dec. 21, 8:45 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 22, 8:45 p.m., 2012