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The flashy Miami lifestyle has provided fodder for some gritty, iconic films. Think of our sweltering city, and Scarface and Miami Vice instantly come to mind. It’s a small wonder that promising filmmaker Dave Rodriguez found inspiration living in South Florida. His admittedly bitter experience as a police officer in Lake Worth helped spark the dark concepts in his first feature-length film, Push. Rodriguez was fired and arrested for grand theft and official misconduct.
“I learned from that debacle. There was something inside me that I couldn’t deny. I needed something to force me to do what I always dreamed of,” explains the writer/director. Rodriguez found Hollywood success on his own terms. His low-budget indie flick was filmed locally, with a diverse ensemble cast that included movie stars Michael Rapaport and Chazz Palminteri. “To be directing an Oscar-nominated actor out of the box was insane. I was flattered, I was humbled, I was scared … every emotion you can imagine,” gushes Rodriguez. Come out and support local talent at the Screen Actors Guild-sponsored screening of Push tonight at 7:00 at the Byron Carlyle Theater, 500 71st St., Miami Beach. Admission is free. E-mail info@severeent.com to RSVP. Visit www.severeent.com.
Fri., June 2
