Miami, March 31, 2025 – The 2025 Miami Film Festival, April 3 – 13, will present the world premiere of the documentary film “Two Islands,” produced by Melissa Messulam, director of Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Koubek Center. The film, which captures an extraordinary international cultural exchange between Afro-Cuban artists from Miami and First Nations Aboriginal artists from Australia, will be screened on April 5 & 13 at the Koubek Center in the heart of Little Havana.
“Two Islands is an evocative documentary that uses cinematic storytelling to delve into the rich traditions, rituals, and ceremonies of these two vibrant cultures,” said Messulam. “Through the exchange of ideas, values, and traditions, the film highlights the power of cultural connection in fostering tolerance, acceptance, and the continuous growth of the global community.”
The journey began with a two-week artistic residency in Miami between the Afro-Cuban and Aboriginal artists that culminated in a multidisciplinary musical and dance performance. During the residency, Miami-based Afro-Cuban multi-instrumentalist and educator Michael Gil worked alongside Gary Lang, Artistic Director and Choreographer of the Aboriginal-run NT Dance Company; Banula Marika, Yolngu elder from East Arnhem Land and David Spry, Marranunggu Marrathiyel singer-songwriter from Darwin, Australia.
Other Afro-Cuban artists also participated in the project, including renowned choreographer and dancer Marisol Blanco from Sikan Afro-Cuban Dance Project, musicians Manuel Clua, René Pedroso, and Caridad Paisán, and dancers Suramy Suarez and Braulio Hernandez. The residency culminated in a sold out performance at the Koubek Center with a variety of artists representing both cultures with original music and dance.
The second phase of the project was set in Australia with Gil traveling to Darwin and Nhulunbuy to explore, perform, and document the distinct cultural traditions of these two islands through music and dance. Produced by the Koubek Center and directed by Humberto Ochoa a renowned storyteller and photographer known for his work in documentary and portrait photography, the film chronicles this unique two-year international cultural exchange. “Two Islands” was also supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.
WHAT: MDC’s Miami Film Festival Presents World Premiere of “Two Islands”
WHEN: Saturday, April 5, at 12:15 p.m. | Sunday, April 13, at 2:45 p.m.
WHERE: Koubek Center, 2705 S.W. Third St.
Free Parking available at the Koubek Center.
Tickets: https://miamifilmfestival.com/program/event/two-islands/
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfJ_6t2TETE
Poster & Pictures by Humberto Ochoa: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TSM0looTy1_HxDLqEMnSAf6DJpykv-IO?usp=sharing
The Koubek Center
A South Florida landmark with a long and rich history as a cultural hub, The Koubek Center is dedicated to building community through the arts. Over the past several decades, the Center has offered a variety of activities, including workshops, art exhibitions, theater performances, literary readings, and concerts. It is a place for artists and local arts organizations to explore, experiment, collaborate, and share their work with the community. The Koubek Center includes a 200-seat theater, an expansive garden, classrooms, rehearsal, and multi-use spaces. Built in 1929 by Austrian trader John J. Koubek as a gift to his wife, it was later donated to the University of Miami and acquired by Miami Dade College in 2011.
About Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival
Celebrating cinema in two annual events, Miami Film Festival (42nd annual edition April 3-13, 2025) and Miami Film Festival GEMS (November 2025), Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival is considered the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema. The annual Festival welcomes more than 45,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university. In the last five years, the Festival has screened films from more than 60 countries, including 300 World, International, North American, U.S. and East Coast Premieres. The Festival also offers unparalleled educational opportunities to film students and the community at large. For more information, visit miamifilmfestival.com or call 305-237-FILM (3456).
Equal access/equal opportunity
Miami Dade College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution which does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, marital status, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, ethnicity, pregnancy, sexual orientation or genetic information. To obtain more information about the College’s equal access and equal opportunity policies, procedures and practices, please contact the College’s Civil Rights Compliance Officer: Cindy Lau Evans, Director, Equal Opportunity Programs/ ADA Coordinator/ Title IX Coordinator, at (305) 237-2577 (Voice) or 711 (Relay Service). 11011 SW 104 St., Room 1102-01; Miami, FL 33176. CRCTitleIXADA@mdc.edu.