that's nice 4. art cinema.

 

tulip the dog is playing at the Coral Gables Art Cinema starting tomorrow for a week. 

above photo via miamiartzine.com
Robert Rosenberg is the director of the Coral Gables Art Cinema... what's that you ask? Well priced tickets, beer and wine, films you can't see anywhere else all on Aragon in the Gables.

Coral gables Art Cinema? What is it?

A non-profit stand-alone single-screen seven-day-a-week state-of-the-art movie theater that shows the best of American independent, international and classic films.

 

Can you explain the difference between a big corporate theater like AMC and the Coral Gables Art Cinema? 

We can show films that are "harder to sell," are less commercial, have a smaller audience, etc. We also provide a "curate" experience, in that I, with advice of others, personally select all the films, and we spend a lot of resources marketing and promoting each film we show.

 

How do you choose what films you screen?

We try to find the best that are available, and also that reflect the diversity of global cinema, and speak to the diversity of South Florida's mtl-cultural and multi-lingual communities. Also, of course, they are usually films that get my interest personally in some way. And, we are mostly looking for South Florida premieres.

 

Do you have a favorite Miami based movie? We have a feature on the blog called Cinema Miami and we feature different movies shot in Miami from Adaptation to From Justin to Kelly and Cocaine Cowboys. Do you have a favorite Miami movie? Any plans to pay special attention to movies that are filmed in Miami?

Miami Rhapsody and Some Like It Hot (pretend Miami, not actually shot on location). We want to showcase regional filmmakers for sure.

 

Art cinema makes me think of funky naked performance art, a whole movie taking place in a taxi cab, or the secret life of the pope or something. How weird can we expect stuff to get over there?

Check out "Enter the Void" for one of our most extreme titles. We'll have films that are adults only, and film suitable for kids, the whole range.

 

Do you use analog film or is it digitally projected? If it’s film where did the collection come from? (This question was sent in by a film geek, it doesn’t make much sense to me. Sorry if my lingo is a little off.)

We show 35mm and digital both (and 16mm prints as neeed). We usually only show DigiBeta and better, and very soon will be able to show the industry theatrical standard, DCI 2k, which is a whole lot better than a DVD. We prefer 35mm when available.

 

Why Coral Gables? As a CG native I couldn’t be happier to have some additional entertainment in my hood, but it’s not as “trendy” as glittery South Beach.

The City of Coral Gables has been a partner in making the theater happen, in developing it, and in giving us a below-market rent. Also, the Gables is actually one of the few walking neighborhoods in South Florida, with restaurants galore, and is more central for many people than the Beach (where I'll confess, I live!).

 

Let’s talk about the booze. What’s the deal? How are you guys pulling this off and how did this brilliant idea come to be? And the food?

We will soon have our beer and wine license, and soon expand to have a great gourmet cafe, plus standard movie food. It' high-end but fun.

 

Who do you expect the regular crowd to be? UM students going gaga for Franco? The older Gables crowd straight out of a fancy dinner in Downtown Coral Gables? Artsy Design District types?

All the above. We have had many UM students, and many Beach people as well. 

 

All tickets under $10? There’s nothing better than watching a movie on a big screen, in a dark theater, those comfy chairs and a box of popcorn in your lap, but at $15 a ticket I might as well buy the DVD. How are the tickets so affordable? 

We're here to serve the community, and hope the community will support us.

 

We do have a few other small theaters in Miami, the Cosford at UM, The Tower Theater on Calle Ocho. What makes this different?

They are our colleagues, with each theater having its own personality, serving our diverse audiences.

This week at the Coral Gables Art Cinema (260 Aragon): 

Zona Sur: Feb 2-9.

My Dog Tulip: Feb 4-10, with a special dog friendly kick-off event on Feb. 4 from 6-9. 

 

More information here.