Tower Theater photo
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The Miami Film Festival’s fall showcase, Gems, is officially returning to the Tower Theater in Little Havana after nearly three years away from its historic home. The announcement came Tuesday night at the Koubek Center, where MFF executive director James Woolley revealed the news to rapturous applause that interrupted his remarks.
The festival’s separation from the Tower Theater dates back to September 2022, when the City of Miami chose not to renew its operating contract with Miami Dade College. For two decades, MDC had managed the theater’s programming, but when the city terminated the contract effective January 2023, its Department of Real Estate and Asset Management (DREAM) became the Tower Theater’s steward and announced plans to reimagine it as a multipurpose cultural hub and tourist center.
In practice, the Tower has seen minimal programming since then, ranging from one-off events to exhibitions such as 2023’s “Celia Cruz: Por Siempre.” In response, Gems took its screenings to alternate venues across the city, including Silverspot Downtown, Coral Gables Art Cinema, the Koubek Center, and the Olympia Theater, a venue that has also been largely dormant but reopened for the Miami Film Festival in March.
Against that backdrop, Woolley’s announcement Thursday felt like a revival. Lauren Cohen, the festival’s director of programming, also took the stage to unveil highlights from this year’s lineup, which features more than forty films. The evening closed with the Florida premiere of After the Hunt, Luca Guadagnino’s Venice-debuting drama starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri. The #MeToo-inspired film, set in the academic world, offered a thought-provoking kickoff.
While the Tower Theater’s return was the biggest news of the night, films will continue to screen at other theaters across Miami during this year’s festival. With the Regal South Beach now permanently closed after 26 years, Gems’ Miami Beach anchor is gone. This year, it will partner with O Cinema South Beach to maintain a presence on the island. Silverspot Cinema Downtown, the Koubek Center, and the historic Olympia Theater will also host additional screenings.
Gems 2025. Wednesday, October 29, through Wednesday, November 5. miamifilmfestival.com/festival/gems.
