Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival Jan 17-19

[Rachel Galvin]

Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival

Jan. 17-19 brings the Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival. This fest is the brainchild of a successful group of filmmakers: Troy Bernier, Eric Swain and Edward Figueroa, who are responsible for a long list of films including Planet X and were in the documentary of the making of the film "Journey to Planet X." After seeing what was available in the sci fi fest world, they decided to create one of their own. With 50 films, beginning with "Europa," (look at website below to see trailers for many of the films) there are plenty to choose from. From documentaries and shorts to feature films, the motion pictures shown at the fest are high quality and come from around the world. They also include top notch talent, including well-known actors, like "Jake's Road," which includes Eric Roberts and "Dust of War," with Gary Graham and Tony Todd. To give you a flavor of some of the possibilities, look below for a brief overview of a few films that will be shown:

• In "Traveler," a criminal is interrogated for his crime, but what they find seems beyond comprehension as they try to interpret where this traveler came from and why he did what he did. Combining history with science fiction, this film will make you want to search the Internet for evidence that this type of technology could be true.

• "The Crystal Crypt," a Philip K. Dick story, starts with a group attempting to leave Mars who is stopped by growling martians (with great makeup, by the way) looking for a few bad guys they want to interrogate. Besides live action, there is also animation involved which adds a much-needed break in the storyline. Although this piece can seem a bit long, it is worth the wait for the surprising twist at the end and may lead to some interesting conversation afterward.

• "We Will Live Again" (by the creators of "Journey to Planet X") is a fascinating short documentary about cryogenics talking to the people responsible for the phenomenon and showcasing how it is done. It may seem a bit of a creepy concept, but the film is certainly enlightening for those with an open mind to the possibilities.

• Zombie lovers will enjoy "NI 28 Strate - I," which is in French with English subtitles. With beautiful cinematography, this film created in New Caledonia (look up where that is!) allows the story to flow slowly with keen attention to details, pausing to let the main character breathe. But when the action hits, it hits hard and leaves you breathless until the next pause. As the main character travels, you become more and more interested as to why he makes the choices he does in not abandoning the area, but sticking around despite the horrific conditions. By the end, you are ready for more... but it is continued. This is part two of a trilogy. the other two (prequel and sequel) are set to film in December.

Also look for "So Dark," a Florida made film which has already made a splash!

Ticket prices vary for the fest, which also includes some other aspects like technology offerings and seminars, as well as an awards party at 1 p.m. on Sunday in which special effects guru Dean Lyon will receive an award for his lifetime of achievements. Lyon is best known for working on a plethora of projects, including the "Lord of the Rings" films, but his passion is in independent local filmmaking.

For info., visit http://miscifi.com/