The 8th Annual Miami Short Film Festival, presented by the University of Miami School of Communication, will run from Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 22 with the opening night Green Carpet Gala on Saturday, November 14. The festival’s home and central venue will be the Bill Cosford Cinema, with screenings also held at the Miami Beach Cinematheque on Española Way and Miami Children’s Museum on Watson Island. UM students, faculty, and staff will receive a 50 percent discount for all Cosford screenings. For more information, visit www.miamishortfilmfestival.com.

Mark Rosenberg, president of Florida International University, will examine key trends in Latin America and the Caribbean and will explore questions about educational attainment and per-capita income when he presents “21st-Century Competitiveness in Latin America: The Role of Education.” The talk will take place on Tuesday, November 17 at 6 p.m. in the Wesley Gallery.

The Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Miami will present a free educational program, “2009 Huntington’s Disease Symposium,” on Tuesday, November 17 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Easter Seals of South Florida, 1475 NW 14th Ave., Miami.

Presenters will include Carlos Singer, professor of neurology and director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center, who will speak on “Current Thinking and On-Going Clinical Trials in HD”; Lisa Baumback-Reardon, associate research professor in the Department of Neurology, who will present “Genetic Testing for HD”; Katherine Moser, manager, advocacy and patient support, Lundbeck, Inc., who will present “My Personal Experience/Living with HD”; and Larissa Nusser-Meany, certified life coach/yoga instructor, who will present “Benefits of Exercise and Staying Active.”

The program is designed for HD patients and their family, caregivers, and friends. For more information or to RSVP, call George Dumenigo at 305-243-1865 or e-mail [email protected].

Mary Lou King, professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at the Miller School of Medicine, will present “Preserving the Germline: Surprises in Gene Regulation” on Tuesday, November 17 at 12 p.m. in the Rosenstiel Medical Science Building, fourth-floor auditorium. For more information, call Nilcer Aviles at 305-243-6691 or e-mail [email protected].