The brand new state-of-the-art Coral Gables Art Cinema breathes new life into South Florida’s multicultural art scene. The cinema showcases the best first-run American independent and international features, including documentaries, that are not usually available at other regional big screen venues. Although alternative, the Coral Gables Art Cinema is anything but second class. The cinema features HD professional theater-quality sound, stadium seating, a gourmet café and covered outdoor patio seating. The seats are pretty comfortable too!

This Friday, Nov. 5, the cinema presents South Florida’s exclusive first theatrical presentation of Eyes Wide Open, a provocative Israeli film that tells the story of forbidden love between a married ultra-Orthodox family man (a father of four) and a young male yeshiva student.  The film captures the complex relationship between two men who struggle to reconcile their sexual desires with their religious and social obligations. Eyes Wide Open made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Robert Rosenberg, director of the Coral Gables Art Cinema, tells me that the cinema has big plans for the near future with the upcoming Florida premiere and first run presentations of international films from Peru, France and Nicaragua, as well as U.S. titles–films with stars such as Colombian heart throb Manolo Cardona and Isabelle Huppert; and award-winning directors such as Gasper Noé, D.A. Pennebaker and Claire Denis. And, he says, if you have time, stop by the cinema before this Thursday and see Howl, the acclaimed biopic starring James Franco as Beat poet Allen Ginsberg. The last day to see Howl is Nov. 4. Final week screenings for Howl are available here.

Eyes Wide Open Event, The Exclusive South Florida First Run Theatrical Presentation Friday, Nov. 5, film begins full-week run; screenings Friday, 11/5 – 5:00, 7:00 & 9:00 PM, Saturday, 11/6 – 3:00, 5:00, 7:00 & 9:00 PM, Sunday, 11/7 – 3:00, 5:00, 7:00 & 9:00 PM, Monday, 11/8 – 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30 PM, Tuesday, 11/9 – 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30 PM, Wednesday, 11/10 – 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30 PM Coral Gables Art Cinema, 260 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134. Parking on-site in covered garage. Tickets: $9 general admission; $7 for seniors 65 and over and full time students 25 and under, I.D. required; and $5 for children 12 and under. Members at all levels pay just $6 at regular screenings for a full year plus other benefits depending on level. Tickets available at the box office only during screening hours with online advance sales in the near future. For more information, visit www.coralgablescinemateque.org, e-mail [email protected] or call (786) 385-9689