Neon Reef

A salon-style conversation at The Betsy Hotel explores coral reef preservation through the lens of film, identity and community action. Neon Reef: Advocacy, Reef Resilience, and the Power of Documentary Film takes place Saturday, April 11 at The BBar.

Presented as part of the 43rd Miami Film Festival, the program brings together the creative and environmental voices behind Neon Reef, a documentary centered on Miami Beach’s reef ecosystems and queer-led environmental advocacy. Moderated by Emmy Award-winning journalist Louis Aguirre, the discussion features director Alex Mitow alongside participants Patrick Breshike and David Grieser, coral scientist Kevin Wong and Miami Beach Commissioner Laura Dominguez.

Framed as an intimate exchange, the conversation examines how documentary storytelling can function as a tool for activism, how personal identity informs environmental work and why South Florida’s reefs are at a pivotal moment. The event also offers an early look at the themes explored in the film ahead of its festival premiere.