Recap of Cleveland International Film Festival
My short documentary, The Lower 9: A Story of Home, played at this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival. It was a fantastic experience, and I was blown away by the organization, attendance, lineup and team of the Cleveland International Film Festival. Cleveland isn’t often thought of as a film town, but this city is home to one of the biggest film festivals in the United States, which brought an attendance of 93,235 to Tower City Cinemas.
From the Plain Dealer…“The CIFF added an extra day this year, which meant additional screenings. It also competed with Indians and Cavs games for downtown parking spaces, but still drew big. “We were bracing for impact,” said marketing director Debby Samples, “but it never hit.” They used every theater inside Tower City Cinemas to show 180 features and 164 short subjects from 65 countries, and some film fans spent an inordinate amount of time there.”
During that week, most of my time was spent at Tower City. I tried to see as many films as possible, but mostly sought the opportunity to meet and talk with other filmmakers.
The Lower 9 trailer
When first arriving at the CIFF, visiting filmmakers were photographed and interviewed. Here’s my interview!
The Lower 9 was part of the “Ohio Shorts Program.” All films must have either been made in Ohio, or by an Ohio filmmaker.
I found $20 on the ground, outside the Terminal Tower.
The Terminal Tower lights were arranged to match the colors of the Cleveland International Film Festival.
Closing night of the Cleveland International Film Festival. About 2,000 people attended the closing ceremony, which was held around the fountain in Tower City.