After hosting crowds topping 100,000, the 42nd Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) announced the winners of the competitions and awards at the Closing Night Ceremony on Sunday, April 15, 2018. The Drummer and the Keeper, directed by Nick Kelly was awarded the top prize – the Audience Choice Award for Best Film.
The Drummer and the Keeper begins with a pantless man dragging a couch onto a beach. He douses it with gasoline and casually sets it on fire. His name is Gabriel, and he is a drummer for an up-and-coming rock band. His bandmates have had enough of his out-of-control antics, though. He’s constantly drunk, and the couch incident is just one of many. When Gabriel agrees to get help, it’s revealed he’s bipolar. His therapist prescribes medicine and enrolls him in treatment, which includes joining a soccer team with other mental health patients. He reluctantly shows up to practice, where the coach pushes him to befriend Christopher, a teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome. Soon Gabriel can’t seem to get rid of Christopher. But as time goes by, Gabriel will discover Christopher is not just the only friend he really has, but also exactly the kind he needs. This funny, moving film examines an anomalous union that seems doomed from the start. However, their unlikely but beautiful friendship will give them both the pieces they’ve been missing.
The 43rd Cleveland International Film Festival will take place March 27 to April 7, 2019 at Tower City Cinemas.
Winners of 42nd Cleveland International Film Festival
Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film
Sponsored by the Callahan Foundation
THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER, directed by Nick Kelly (Ireland)
$15,000 cash prize
ReelWomenDirect Award for Excellence in Directing by a Woman
Presented with generous support from Deborah Bachman Ratner
Dana Nachman (for PICK OF THE LITTER; USA)
$10,000 cash prize
George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition
Presented with generous support from The George Gund Foundation
MEN DON’T CRY, directed by Alen Drljević (Bosnia, Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany)
$10,000 cash prize
Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition
MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU Director’s Award
Presented with generous support from Nesnadny + Schwartz
LOVE MEANS ZERO, directed by Jason Kohn (USA)
$10,000 cash prize
New Direction Competition
Presented with generous support from CoverMyMeds
QUALITY TIME, directed by Daan Bakker (Netherlands, Norway)
$10,000 cash prize
Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition
Presented with generous support from The George Gund Foundation
6 WEEKS TO MOTHER’S DAY, directed by Marvin Blunte (USA, Thailand)
$7,500 cash prize
Global Health Competition
Presented by:
Cleveland Clinic Global Patient Services
Cleveland Clinic Mikati Center for Liver Diseases
Cleveland Clinic R.J. Fasenmyer Center for Clinical Immunology
BURDEN OF GENIUS, directed by Tjardus Greidanus (USA)
$7,500 cash prize
American Independents Competition
Presented with generous support from Mike and Nicki Cancelliere
LIFE HACK, directed by Sloan Copeland (USA)
$7,500 cash prize
Local Heroes Competition
Presented with generous support from Lauren Rich Fine and Gries Financial
MANRY AT SEA ~ IN THE WAKE OF A DREAM, directed by Steve Wystrach (USA)
$7,500 cash prize
Music Movies Competition
Presented with generous support from Jules and Fran Belkin
IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW: A FILM ABOUT LYNYRD SKYNYRD, directed by Stephen Kijak (USA)
$7,500 cash prize
Ad Hoc Docs Competition
Presented with generous support from Anne E. Bloomberg
BREAKING THE BEE, directed by Sam Rega (USA)
$7,500 cash prize
International Narrative Competition
Presented with generous support from Tom Piraino and Barbara McWilliams
EDIE, directed by Simon Hunter (United Kingdom)
$7,500 cash prize
FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Feature Film
Presented with generous support from OverDrive
SCIENCE FAIR, directed by Cristina Maria Costantini and Darren Foster (USA)
$2,000 Cash Prize
Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film Overall
Sponsored by Jive City Recordings
BAGHEERA, directed by Christopher Watson (India, United Kingdom)
$1,000 Cash Prize
Best Animated Short Award*
Sponsored by Reminger Co., L.P.A.
THE DRIVER IS RED, directed by Randall Christopher (USA)
$1,000 cash prize
Best Documentary Short Award*
Sponsored by Jules and Fran Belkin
PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE., directed by Rayka Zehtabchi (USA)
$1,000 cash prize
Best Live Action Short Award*
Sponsored by Anne Bloomberg and Alan Gordon Lipson & Judy Harris
SACRED HAIR, directed by Mario Morin (Canada)
$1,000 cash prize
FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Short Film
Presented with generous support from OverDrive
JOINT CUSTODY, directed by Carlus Fábrega (Spain)
$1,000 Cash Prize
*These award winners will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards®.