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ARTS NEWSIE: MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL GEMS OUT & ABOUT: LUMINOSA FESTIVAL

DINING DELICIOUS: FLAVORFUL HOLIDAY MEALS PHOTO ALBUMS: + TWIST + TASK FORCE BE YOU BALL + LATINOS SALUD FOOD BAZAAR

MODELS IN PINK

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

LUMINOSA RETURNS TO JUNGLE ISLAND

Get ready to glow! Jungle Island’s beloved Luminosa festival is back for its 4th spectacular year, lighting up Miami nights from November 14, through March 7, 2026. In collaboration with LEKTRIK Art, this radiant event transforms the lush tropical Miami Beach park into a breathtaking illuminated world filled with handcrafted silk lanterns, glowing creatures, and jawdropping art installations that feel straight out of a dream. Visit luminosamiami.com to get your tickets before they sell out.

Each year, Luminosa reinvents itself, but 2025 promises to be the most ambitious and immersive edition yet. Guests will embark on an epic journey across the planet’s most mystical ecosystems, from the misty Amazon rainforest to the golden African savannah, all brought to life through towering sculptures, holograms, and cutting-edge animatronics. “It feels like stepping into a fairytale,” says Jeremy Hauwelaert, President & CEO of Jungle Island. “Luminosa is unlike anything Miami has ever experienced.”

ancient feline shimmers into view. The Great Baobab Grove glows with luminous trees, while the Savannah Oasis invites guests to play with interactive water ripples among radiant zebras and elephants. The Dance of the Flamingos showcases a full sensory spectacle with projection-mapped marshes and sound-activated light shows. But the magic doesn’t stop there. In the Egypt zone, time seems to turn back as you encounter illuminated recreations of the Sphinx, Abu Simbel Temple, and the Valley of Kings. The finale is a Frozen Kingdom where glowing wolves, jellyfish, and a majestic polar bear beneath the aurora light the night sky in icy blues and silvers.

As you wander through Jungle Island’s glowing trails, you’ll pass under a towering parrot archway, encounter a 43-foot Chinese dragon, and marvel at the Jaguar’s Temple, where an

Luminosa is a marvel of artistry and engineering featuring over 37 monumental scenes, 58,000 LED bulbs, and nearly 720,000 feet of LED light strips crafted by a team of more than 200 artists and designers from around the world. “We’ve created mystical worlds that feel alive,” says Justin Corsa, CEO of LEKTRIK Art. “The result isn’t just Instagram-worthy — it’s transformative.”

Also, be sure to enjoy Jungle Island’s charming Holiday Village, returning with festive treats, a glittering 30-foot Christmas tree, and a merry seasonal bazaar.

Photos Provided by Luminosa

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without ﬁrst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: dofetilide rifampin any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you: Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. Have any other health problems. Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including: Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ﬁght infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.

If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

PUBLISHER’S CORNER SEASON IS IN FULL SWING

During this month’s issue of Wire Magazine, we start previewing season in Miami and the Beaches. Enjoy our sneak peek of the Miami Film Festival GEMS and Luminosa at Jungle Island. We also bring you a sexy array of models in pink photographed by Photo Studio Miami to remind you about the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Encourage all the women in your life to get screened. It was an annual mammogram that discovered my mom’s breast cancer just in time for her to have surgery and cutting-edge treatment that saved her life.

As November rolls around, Miami transforms into a playground of art, culture, and music. While the rest of the country bundles up, our Magic City turns up the heat by welcoming the glittering arrival of event season that brings together the world’s brightest artists, trendsetters, and revelers beneath our famous swaying palms and beautiful beaches.

At the heart of it all will be Miami Art Week, a cultural explosion that takes over both Miami and Miami Beach in early December, so stay tuned for next month’s Wire Magazine Miami Art Week Special Issue. The crown jewel, Art Basel Miami Beach, will draw global attention with its dazzling displays of contemporary art from elite galleries around the world. In addition, across the city, entire neighborhoods will transform into open-air galleries. Wynwood will burst with live mural painting, DJ sets, and popup exhibits that last into the night, while the Design District and Downtown Miami will host sleek installations, fashion happenings, and glamorous VIP soirées. Over on Miami Beach, stylish crowds will move from oceanfront art fairs like Untitled and Scope to rooftop parties where art, music, and champagne will flow in perfect harmony. It’s the kind of week where inspiration is endless , and where creativity feels contagious. But the fun won’t stop when the art crowds pack up.

November and December in Miami are packed with events that celebrate everything from food to film to festive lights. The Miami Book Fair draws literary lovers to Downtown’s streets, Luminosa at Jungle Island dazzles families with glowing lantern worlds, and Art Deco Weekend brings vintage glamour back to Ocean Drive. Add in outdoor concerts, holiday markets, boat parades, and alfresco dining under twinkling lights, and you’ve got a season full of our Magic City’s world-renowned energy.

During event season, the rhythm of our City, the color of the art, the taste of the food, and the sound of the waves, all blends into one unforgettable symphony of culture and celebration. When winter arrives elsewhere, Miami shines brighter!

Cheers,

Rafa Carvajal Publisher & Editor in Chief rafa@wiremag.com

“You gain strength, courage, and conﬁdence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

By Rafa Carvajal

Instagram @rafa_carvajal

Photos by Photo Studio Miami @PhotoStudioMiami

"Keep

your sunny side up, keep yourself beautiful, and indulge yourself!"

- Betsey Johnson

“Cancer survivors are blessed with two lives. There is your life before cancer, and your life after. I am here to tell you your second life is going to be so much better than the ﬁrst.”

- Hoda Kotb

"There can be life after breast cancer. The prerequisite is early detection."

- Ann Jillian

“It’s about focusing on the ﬁght, not the fright.” - Robin Roberts

DINING DELICIOUS

By Family Features

PREPARE A HAPPY, HEARTY HOLIDAY MEAL

The holiday season is about celebrating with friends and family over warm, memorable meals, and few things make those gatherings more special than serving dishes made at home.

To elevate your menu, consider a versatile, beginner-friendly ingredient like Wild Caught Texas Shrimp for your next occasion. For a luxurious Italian dish, try creamy Shrimp Risotto with arborio rice. Or, for a comforting bowl of goodness, serve Shrimp Wonton Soup with tender pork and chopped shrimp.

You can feel good knowing you’re serving seafood free from antibiotics and additives while supporting local shrimpers and the Texas shrimping industry. Choosing domestic over imported shrimp ensures your meal is responsibly sourced, meets strict U.S. standards and helps sustain a Texas tradition worth celebrating.

“Asking for Wild Caught Texas Shrimp brings quality to your plate that’s delivered with pride and shines a light on the people that make Texas seafood exceptional,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said.

Visit WildCaughtTXShrimp.com for cooking tips and fresh seafood recipes.

Shrimp Risotto Servings: 4

1 pound Wild Caught Texas Shrimp

2 cups arborio rice

1 teaspoon paprika salt pepper

8 cups broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 white onion

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup grated Parmesan Italian parsley, for garnish

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails on. Rinse, pat dry and set aside. Heat oven to 375 F. Season shrimp with paprika, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil then toss to combine. Lay shrimp in single layer on baking sheet and refrigerate. Heat medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add broth.

In separate deep, heavy-bottom pot, melt butter. Chop onion and garlic then add to pot and cook until soft and browning. Add arborio rice and stir to incorporate. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until alcohol smell evaporates. Add warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring consistently. Do not add another ladle until liquid from previous ladle is mostly soaked up by rice.

Risotto has finished cooking when rice is chewy with consistency of thick oatmeal. Roast shrimp until cooked through. Remove risotto from heat and stir in grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Scoop into bowls and lay roasted shrimp on top. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with

Photo Provided by Family Features

Photo by Fernando Andrade on Unsplash

By Rafa Carvajal

THE MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL GEMS 2025 SHINES BRIGHT WITH STAR POWER AND GLOBAL CINEMA

The silver screen is lighting up in Miami October 29 to November 5 with the 12th edition of the Miami Film Festival GEMS. This year’s festival will showcase 40 films from over 20 countries and feature a glittering lineup of international premieres, acclaimed filmmakers, and cinematic legends. Visit miamifilmfestival.com to explore the films program and purchase your tickets.

“The 12th edition of GEMS brings together some of the most anticipated films of the season alongside daring new discoveries,” said Lauren Cohen, Director of Programming. Lauren is right, as this year’s lineup reads like a who’s who of global cinema: Park Chan-wook, Guillermo del Toro, Chloé Zhao, Noah Baumbach, Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Sorrentino, and more. Add to those 10 official submissions to the 2026 Academy Awards, and you have a Festival brimming with Oscar buzz.

GEMS opens with No Other Choice, the latest from South Korean visionary Park Chan-wook, who will attend in person to receive the Precious Gem Master Award. Adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s novel The Ax, the film follows a man’s desperate job hunt that spirals into a darkly human thriller — classic Park Chan-wook territory. Known for masterpieces like Oldboy , The Handmaiden , and Decision to Leave , the director’s Miami appearance is sure to be a highlight for cinephiles.

In true GEMS fashion, the Festival will celebrate not only films but the artists who make them unforgettable. This year, three industry powerhouses will take home Precious Gem Awards. Lucy Liu, honored at a special pre-festival screening of her acclaimed film Rosemead on October 25. Mona May, the costume designer behind the iconic looks of Clueless and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, will be celebrated at a 30th-anniversary screening of Clueless. And, of course, Park Chan-wook will receive the Festival’s top honor for his visionary storytelling. “As we continue to cement our place on the fall awards circuit, we are beyond thrilled to honor visionary filmmaker Park Chan-wook, trailblazing artist Lucy Liu and innovative costume designer Mona May along with Ethan Hawke, Dylan O’Brien, and Gus Van Sant for their incredible contributions to the entertainment industry,” explains James Woolley, Executive Director of the Festival.

Between the red carpets and awards, GEMS delivers an eclectic showcase of storytelling. This year’s Centerpiece films include: Belén, a gripping Argentinian drama about justice and resilience; Hamnet, Chloé Zhao’s sweeping interpretation of the love and loss behind Shakespeare’s Hamlet , starring

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal; Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach’s soulful dramedy featuring George Clooney, Adam Sandler, and Laura Dern; Nuremberg, a powerful WWII courtroom epic starring Russell Crowe and Rami Malek; Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent, both from NEON, exploring family ties and political intrigue.

The Festival wraps up in thrilling style with Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Daniel Craig returns as detective Benoit Blanc in what promises to be his most dangerous — and delightfully twisty — case yet. The allstar cast includes Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, and Mila Kunis.

With world premieres, Hollywood icons, and red-carpet glamour, the Miami Film Festival GEMS continues to prove why it is a jewel of the international film scene.

BLUE MOON

Directed by Richard Linklater. United States, Ireland. 2025

GEMS Synopsis:

On the evening of March 31, 1943, legendary lyricist and Broadway songwriter Lorenz Hart confronts his shattered selfconfidence in Sardi’s bar as Richard Rodgers, his former collaborator, celebrates the opening night of his groundbreaking hit Oklahoma ! Starring Ethan Hawke in an astonishing performance as Hart, with Margaret Qualley, Andrew Scott, and Bobby Cannavale also delivering star turns. This is one of two Richard Linklater films about creative geniuses in this year’s GEMS lineup, with Nouvelle Vague focusing on Jean-Luc Goddard’s filming of Breathless Both films are radically different, and both are excellent.

Film Photos Provided by Miami International Film Festival GEMS

Why you need dental insurance in retirement.

Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage for their entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care.

Simply put — without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.

When you’re comparing plans ...

Look for coverage that helps pay for major services. Some plans may limit the number of procedures — or pay for preventive care only.

Look for coverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to pay hundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.

Shop for coverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’t pay for dental care.1

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meant to cover everything. That means if you want protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection can prevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.

The best way to prevent large dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental Association recommends checkups twice a year.

Previous dental work can wear out.

Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t take your dental health for granted. In fact, your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2

Treatment is expensive — especially the services people over 50 often need.

Consider these national average costs of treatment ... $222 for a checkup ... $190 for a filling ... $1,213 for a crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be a real burden, especially if you’re on a fixed income.

1 “Medicare & You,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2025. 2 “Aging changes in teeth and gums”, medlineplus.gov, 4/17/2022. 3 American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute, 2020 Survey of Dental Fees, Copyright 2020, American Dental Association.

“Absolutely love”

“I absolutely love my dental insurance. My dental ofﬁce ﬁles the claims, leaving me with very little balance to pay.”

Dorothy P., TN

NO OTHER CHOICE

Directed by Park Chan-wook. South Korea. 2025

GEMS Synopsis:

No Other Choice is a satirical masterpiece. With shades of Parasite, Director Park tackles corporate ruthlessness and economic desperation with a new modern classic. Based on Donald E. Westlake's novel The Ax, the story follows Man-su on his desperate hunt for a new job after his abrupt layoff from the paper company he served for 25 years. With limited job opportunities in the industry and with bills mounting, Mansu will go to violent lengths to make ends meet. Winner of the inaugural International People’s Choice Award at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, this pitch-black comedy will shock you in ways only Chan-wook can.

THE PLAGUE

Directed by Charlie Polinger. United States, Romania. 2025

GEMS Synopsis:

Winner of the Grand Prize and Critics Prize at the Deauville American Film Festival, as well as best picture at Fantastic Fest, The Plague – written by Charlie Pollinger and his directorial debut – is one of the year’s most striking first features. Set in the summer of 2003 at an all-boys water polo camp, the film follows a socially anxious 12-year-old who becomes ensnared in a cruel tradition targeting an outcast branded with an illness they call ‘The Plague.’ As the lines between childish prank and something darker begin to blur, he realizes the cost of belonging may be far greater than he imagined. Produced by and co-starring Joel Edgerton, who can also be seen in Train Dreams, The Plague is a raw and unsettling portrait of masculinity in its earliest formation.

NATIONAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE BE YOU BALL PHOTOS BY CARINA MASK | WIREMAG.COM/PHOTOS

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