I’ve been a fan of the Cleveland International Film Festival since my student days at Oberlin College in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Over the years (thanks to full time work schedules and such), I’ve been a casual sort of festivalgoer, catching a film or two after work, and camping out at the fest on weekends.
This year was different. I decided to join the hordes of rabid film buffs that devote all of their vacation days to non-stop CIFF movie watching. And let me tell you, it was amazing.
Watching three or four films (or more) a day is a luxurious experience. There’s no better way to spend days away from the office than watching dozens of independent films (before the rest of the world sees them), making new friends with common interests, and learning about issues, people and subjects one can only learn about through traveling, or by watching documentaries and international films.
Sunday was the last day of the 35th CIFF, and today I’m feeling a bit sad that it’s over. After any good vacation, it’s hard to go back to the “real world.”
When I shared the list of films I watched with a friend of mine, she said, “It seems like you created your own week of movie therapy.” She’s right. Subconsciously, I picked films that appealed to where I am in my life at this moment, where I once was and where I one day hope to be. Over the 11-day festival, these films made me laugh, cry, empathize, and think a great deal about things bigger than myself.
It was therapeutic, energizing, and exciting – and hard to say goodbye.
There is one thing I most certainly will not miss, however: the über-catchy trailer that played before every CIFF film this year. The earworm of a theme song, “I Can Be,” by Craig Wedren, is still stuck in my head, and I’ve been tempted to paint my fingernails green, like the “rebel” (Kristina Morales) in the video. [Ticket image by Brandice Schnabel.]
The festival continues to grow in numbers every year, and this year, it hit record attendance highs for every day of the week. Overall, more than 78,000 people attended. For more statistics and a list of award winners, watch the CIFF blog for updates. They will also post the dates for next year’s festival in the coming weeks.
I, for one, can hardly wait.
