While the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots enjoy a week off before preparing for their big game, another team of hard-working film lovers will kick off the Island’s own cinematic Super Bowl as the third annual Key Biscayne Film Festival gets underway.

Nearly 40 films comprise the four-day lineup, most being shown at the new Paradise Cinema inside the Village Chambers, as well as outside at Paradise Park and another at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School off the Rickenbacker Causeway.

“There’s a lot going on,” said Isabel Custer, a Miami filmmaker and co-founder of the Key Biscayne Film Festival, which opens Thursday and concludes Sunday.

The new venue will provide a cozy theater in which to view the films, several of which are locally produced and will be complemented by expert panelists, directors and producers.

“Paradise Cinema is a huge advancement in bringing cinematic arts to Key Biscayne,” Custer said. “Movies need to be seen in a high-quality environment, with good surround sound and in the dark, with carpeting and upholstered seating, and we have that.”

Film Festival Board treasurer Toby Rohrer said, “ticket sales are moving,” pointing to a sold-out Peruvian film, “Mistura,” that opens the week’s events, as well as Sunday’s sold-out Youth Showcase lineup, featuring short films from area students.

“It shows there’s an appetite for this type of (entertainment and education),” said Rohrer, who calls the new Paradise Cinema “fabulous” and appreciates the community support.

Rohrer is part of a hands-on organizing committee that in addition to her and artistic director Custer, includes Chair and co-founder Maite Garrido Thornton, Vice Chair Claire London and Events Director and Secretary Mary Tague.

This year, the format calls for individual film tickets being sold at $20 apiece or a VIP ticket that allows flexibility.

“It’s all at home, you don’t have to deal with traffic, it’s super cool,” said Rohrer, who advises to purchase tickets online “sooner than later.” Door sales will be limited, if any are available.

Highlights of the lineup

Custer said there isn’t a week that goes by that a parent or two will call her and say, “My child is in film school; what’s the best way to get him or her to Hollywood?”

Now, she has that answer directly from North Carolina native Kip Kroeger, an Emmy Award-winning producer who has credits with “Ted Lasso,” “Shrinking” and “Scrubs,” for example, and is being brought in to Key Biscayne from Los Angeles.

“He is a great example of how to make it in Hollywood,” said Custer, noting that Kroeger has climbed the ladder from a production assistant, to coordinator, to line producer, to executive producer. “He fought his way up in a clear and firm way.”

Kroeger’s entertaining “fireside chat” discussion takes place at noon Saturday at the Paradise Cinema, with a ticket price of $20, although Custer will waive the fee for students.

“He’ll talk about the milestones, the peaks, the struggles,” she said. “I think it’s really important, for students, especially, to hear what he did and how he did it.”

Among the other highlights:

Thursday, Jan. 29: The festival opens Thursday afternoon at the new Paradise Cinema with the Peruvian feature “Mistura,” directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, a story of a woman redefining her life through a daring culinary venture. After the film, producer Ivan Orlic will be on hand for a live Q&A. This is sold out.

Opening Night includes movies under the stars at Paradise Park (bring a blanket). The evening starts with the documentary short “Parker & Sammy,” a heartwarming look at friendship and perseverance filmed in Florida. This is followed by the powerful documentary “Blue Zeus,” narrated by Gerard Butler, which exposes the broken bureaucratic system surrounding America’s wild horses.

The night concludes with a VIP cocktail reception.

Friday, Jan. 30: At 10 a.m. in the Paradise Cinema, a screening of “Cuban Voices,” a collection of four short films, including the debut of “Bay of Pigs,” will be shown, with a couple of actual survivors on hand telling their story. “I think this one is important to the community,” Custer said.

The acclaimed documentary “River of Grass,” an ode to the Florida Everglades told through the writings of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, will take place in the auditorium at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science on the Rickenbacker Causeway, starting with a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. and the film at 6 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 31: Saturday morning kicks off with “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” an intimate look at the Oscar-winning actress’ groundbreaking career, shown at the Paradise Cinema at 10 a.m.. Next up, at noon, the festival will host an insightful conversation with Kip Kroeger.

The afternoon continues at 2 p.m. with “News Without a Newsroom,” directed by Oana Martisca. The documentary explores journalism’s uncertain future in the digital age, collapse of traditional media, the rise of misinformation, and the fight to preserve truth in an age of disruption. Panelists include journalists Justo Rey of Islander News, Ed O’Dell, Diana Gonzalez, Lizette Alvarez, as well as Martisca.

At 4 p.m., the humorous documentary “Anxiety Club” explores the topic of anxiety through the eyes of comedians such as Marc Maron, Joe List and Tiffany Jenkins. After the showing, Director Wendy Lobel will lead a Q&A alongside special guests (hint: comedians).

Saturday night moves to Paradise Park for the festival’s Awards Ceremony at 6 p.m., followed by the free screening of the hilarious coming-of-age comedy “Ethan Bloom.” Director Herschel Faber will be on hand to discuss the film’s authentic portrait of adolescence before a closing-night cocktail reception catered by Narbona.

Sunday, Feb. 1: The final day kicks off with the sold-out Spotlight on Youth Showcase, highlighting films from student filmmakers and emerging talent.

Also at the Paradise Cinema is “Naked Ambition,” a fascinating documentary exploring the life of legendary photographer Bunny Yeager. Director Dennis Scholl, a Miami artist, will lead a Q&A after the 4 p.m. screening. Custer calls this one of the finest edited documentaries she has seen.

Schedule and ticketing information: Tickets are available at kbfilmfestival.org and attendees may purchase individual tickets for specific screenings or the Festival VIP Pass, which grants all-access entry to every screening, panel, and the VIP cocktail party.