Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Cabrera.
Hi Luis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Post-pandemic, I was looking to make friends who shared my interests in film. I looked around and could not find any spaces in Miami for movie lovers to congregate and get to know each other better. Thus, truly with nothing to lose, I decided to start posting on Instagram and Meetup, asking people to go to the movies with me. Originally, the concept was simply to gather at the Coral Gables Art Cinema to watch a film with people, and then to hang out afterward across the street at Books & Books to talk about the film. Slowly but surely, people started coming out, and before you knew it, I had a fledgling group of regulars. And then, as we continued to grow, I figured it might be fun to try to plan our outings completely ourselves so that we can tailor them to help people create connections. This eventually led us to renting out a theater at AMC Sunset for Cocaine Bear and then hosting a post-screening party downstairs at Tea & Poets. This ended up becoming a template for our events, as they tended to consist of a movie and some sort of social function where people could mingle and form connections. Eventually, we added our Moviegoers Selection program, where local filmmakers submit their short films to us, and we pair them as an opener with our feature presentations. We also invite the filmmakers to introduce their films, and we award them in true Miami fashion with a gold chain emblazoned with the words Moviegoers Selection on it that they can wear for the night and take pictures with.
Today, we continue strong and have a thriving membership program where people can sign up on Patreon and get access to our Discord server. As a member, you get access to advance screenings where you get to see movies before they are released. Additionally, we have formed many strong ties with the community, where we have now worked with the Miami Film Festival, the Coral Gables Art Cinema, SAG – AFTRA, and many others to continue to bring great in-theater experiences to people.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, the biggest hurdle has been the same one that has plagued movie theaters in the past few years, which is getting people interested in coming out to the theaters. Especially in a city like Miami, there are so many entertainment options that you are always competing against. That is why we try to as much as possible eventize our gatherings. We try to create unique experiences that people won’t want to miss. Some examples of this include our Barbenheimer event that included a weekend double feature of Barbie and Oppenheimer which featured two parties and a fashion show inspired by the movies, a David Lynch memorial screening of Mulholland Drive at Gramps, a goth-themed event for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a murder mystery party paired with North by Northwest, an Edgar Allen Poe-themed screening of The Masque of the Red Death in partnership with live poetry readings, a screening of the original Frankenstein featuring a live DJ score, Charade and people playing charades, and so many others.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Through running the group, I am most proud of the relationships that we have helped engender. Through fostering a film community, we are responsible for many friendships and even romantic relationships. It is crazy to think about that through our silly film club, people have fallen in love! And personally, I have made some of the best friends of my life that I hope to someday grow old with.
I think what sets us apart from others is our accessibility. All you have to do to participate is purchase a ticket and show up. Even to become a member, we have set the price point at an extremely modest rate. There are so many communities that have barriers to entry, and through running my group, I have always sought to tear any of those down. I simply refuse to gatekeep movies from people. After all, movies are for everybody!
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Some of my favorite memories growing up were the movie parties that I would have for my birthdays. It is sort of funny that I am now a grown-up and continue to throw movie parties on a regular basis! Truly, running this group has not only tapped into my creative side with some of the crazy events we throw, but also into my inner child.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://miamimoviegoers.com
- Instagram: @miamimoviegoers
