The 45th Cleveland International Film Festival announced its feature film juried competitions. Twenty-six films in three categories compete for $30,000 in cash prizes.
GEORGE GUND III MEMORIAL CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COMPETITION
Thirty-one years ago, CIFF launched a special focus on films from Central and Eastern Europe, the native lands of many Clevelanders. This year CIFF is proud to present the 19th Central and Eastern European Competition. And, for the ninth year, CIFF will present this competition in loving memory of George Gund III with the support of an endowment from The George Gund Foundation.
THE AUSCHWITZ REPORT (Slovakia, Peter Bebjak)
CHARLATAN (Czechia/Ireland/Poland/Slovakia, Agnieszka Holland)
FATHER (Serbia/France/Germany/Croatia/Slovenia/Bosnia and Herzegovina, Srdan Golubović)
GOODBYE SOVIET UNION (Finland/Estonia, Lauri Randla)
HAVEL (Czechia, Slávek Horák)
MASHA (Russia, Anastasiya Palchikova)
PREPARATIONS TO BE TOGETHER FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME (Hungary, Lili Horvát)
SANREMO (Slovenia/Italy, Miroslav Mandić)
Jurors: Tom Hall (Montclair Film), tt stern-enzi (Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival), and Barbara Twist (Film Festival Alliance)
NESNADNY + SCHWARTZ PORTRAIT DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
The Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition is dedicated to the life and work of CIFF board member and friend Mark Schwartz (1956-2014).
For 17 years, the CIFF has presented the Nesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Competition. This will be the fifth year we celebrate the life of Mark Schwartz with a sharper focus on portrait documentaries. The subjects in these documentaries are determined, dedicated, and daring. The films themselves are artistic, passionate, and insightful. This competition is made possible with generous support from Nesnadny + Schwartz.
AMY TAN: UNINTENDED MEMOIR (USA, James Redford)
A COPS AND ROBBERS STORY (United Kingdom/USA, Ilinca Calugareanu)
OR MADMEN ONLY (USA, Heather Ross)
JACINTA (USA, Jessica Earnshaw)
LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD (USA, Jeremy Workman)
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD (Sweden, Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri)
NO ORDINARY MAN (Canada, Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt)
RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT (USA, Mariem Pérez Riera)
THE SELF PORTRAIT (Norway, Katja Høgset, Margreth Olin, and Espen Wallin)
TRUTH TO POWER: BARBARA LEE SPEAKS FOR ME (USA, Abby Ginzberg)
YES I AM – THE RIC WEILAND STORY (USA, Aaron Bear)
Jurors: Greta Hagen-Richardson (Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival), Abby Sun (DocYard), and Chloe Walters-Wallace (Firelight Media)
NEW DIRECTION COMPETITION
Now in its sixth year, CIFF’s New Direction Competition focuses on debut directors whose innovative films transform the traditional notions of cinematic storytelling.
KARNAWAL (Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Mexico/Norway, Juan Pablo Felix)
MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY (USA/France, Marion Hill)
MY HEART CAN’T BEAT UNLESS YOU TELL IT TO (USA, Jonathan Cuartas)
THE NIGHT OF THE BEAST (Colombia, Mauricio Leiva-Cock)
THE PINK CLOUD (Brazil, Iuli Gerbase)
SUPERIOR (USA, Erin Vassilopoulos)
UNDERGODS (Estonia/Sweden/Belgium/United Kingdom, Chino Moya)
Jurors: Katie McCullough (Festival Formula), Setu Raval (Film Independent), and Joe Yanick (Yellow Veil Pictures)