The 41st Cleveland International Film Festival is kicking-off its 12-day run on March 29 with the click of a typewriter, opening with CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER, directed by Doug Nichol.  The film features a cast of artists, writers, and collectors who remain loyal to the typewriter as their preferred tool, and oftentimes their muse. The film also movingly documents the struggles of California Typewriter, one of the last standing repair shops in America dedicated to keeping the aging machines in working order. Featuring Tom Hanks, John Mayer, David McCullough, and Sam Shepard, among others, this film will leave you looking at your own relationship with technology.

On Sunday, April 9th, the Festival will close with THE HERO directed by CIFF39 alum Brett Haley (I’ll See You in My Dreams). The film is moving, sharply observed character study starring the great Sam Elliott as Lee Hayden, a Western film icon whose best performances are behind him. Faced with a cancer diagnosis, Lee’s priorities are refocused, causing him to assess the life he has led. With a star-studded cast including Nick Offerman, Laura Prepon, and Krysten Ritter, THE HERO addresses the question most people face at one time or another in their lifetime: what kind of legacy will I leave?

The 41st Cleveland International Film Festival will be held March 29 to April 9, 2017 at Tower City Cinemas and select neighborhood screening locations.