Boxoffice - October 2018

INDIE FOCUS
SCREENS
We have one auditorium with 141 seats. While we’re a small
single screen, our projection booth packs state-of-the-art technology,
including a Barco 4K DCP projector capable of 3-D and
dual Century JJ 35mm/70mm projectors that are frequently used
to show films on actual celluloid.
TOP TITLES
This past year, we had exceptional runs with repertory
programs including the 50th anniversary rerelease of 2001: A
Space Odyssey on 70 millimeter, for which we had a 98 percent
occupancy rate for the entire run; a record-breaking retrospective
of Pedro Almodovar’s films called Almodovar: The Top Ten; and
another successful program of anime films with The Complete
Studio Ghibli, a retrospective showcasing all 22 films in the
studio’s repertoire.
In September 2017, we premiered Fernando Trueba’s new
film, The Queen of Spain, with him in attendance. We sold out
all of our weekend screenings, including Monday as it was Labor
Day. It was a record for us, and unfortunately we had to cancel
the rest of the run due to Hurricane Irma.
STAFF
The Coral Gables Art Cinema is the brainchild of Founder &
Executive Director Steven Krams, who founded the organization
in 2006. After four years of development, CGAC opened its
doors on October 15, 2010, with the film Freakonomics. Krams
is a veteran film industry professional whose other businesses
include Magna-Tech Electronic Company and the post-production
house Continental Film & Digital Lab. Over the years,
CGAC has become a cultural hub in South Florida and the
highest-grossing single-screen art house in the region. In addition
to theatrical exhibitions, it is also host to live performances and
educational events. The facility features a film antiquities gallery
in the second-floor lobby that pulls from Krams’s extensive personal
collection. Director of Programming Nat Chediak joined
the team in November 2014. Chediak is known as the dean of
South Florida independent art house exhibitors (celebrating 50
years in the business in 2020) and the founder of the Miami
Film Festival, which he directed from 1984 to 2001. During
his tenure at CGAC, Chediak has developed unique and highly
successful programs that speak to the vibrant, diverse, multicultural,
and multilingual community and incorporate the best of
independent, foreign, and classic films.
He is assisted in this endeavor by Associate Director Javier
Chavez, who joined the cinema in 2012; in addition to
overall programming work (from curation with Chediak to
print trafficking, film schedules, box office payments, etc.),
he personally curates the After Hours program, directs the
overall marketing efforts of the organization, and manages the
Spotlight Cinema Networks account. Administrative Director
Brenda Moe joined the team in January 2008, although she
was instrumental in CGAC’s founding as she worked with
Krams and the nonprofit from 2006 up until the theater first
opened. Her leadership in the past two years has elevated the
organization to the next level and significantly increased funding
via membership, donations, and grants. She leads a team
consisting of Operations Manager Elizabeth Dedios, Marketing
Manager Carolina Mayo, Theater Manager Nelson Junco,
and Front-of-House Manager Reginald Desjardins.
We are proud to say that a significant number of our managerial
staff rose through the ranks of the cinema. All our employers
are integral to our success, and we always keep an eye out for
exceptional staff who are capable of so much more.
COMMUNITY
The core audience is primarily affluent, retired culture lovers,
with our varied programming attracting a diverse audience.
96 BOXOFFICE ® OCTOBER 2018