tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1 2008-03-17T00:11:23Z This is the blog of the Cleveland International Film Festival. Movable Type 3.34 tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.192 2008-03-17T00:15:55Z 2008-03-17T00:11:23Z

All of the last-round shows have begun screening, and now it's time for us to pack up and get ready for the Closing Night party. It's like last Thursday night, only in a strange sort of reverse, with things being...

Lara Klaber ages!" there's a sense of "How long will it be until I see them again?" Fortunately, the Film Society does have other activities and events throughout the year, and I plan to be part of them. I just wish that this one weren't ending. It's time to go over to the party and get things ready there. See you there soon... and I'll be back with the names of our various winners later on tonight. Happy film-watching!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.191 2008-03-16T21:50:35Z 2008-03-16T21:51:09Z

There's something both really beautiful and really sad about watching everybody here prepare for the end of the Festival. I had a lot of fun watching Amy and Laura prepare the closing night slide show and a special video... but...

Lara Klaber just left. This job gives phenomenal amounts of energy, far more than it takes. If I could do something like this every day, I would without hesitation. With the 4:00 round now in session, we only have one round left to go, and four wonderful films in it. Our 7:00 screening is American Teen, which is on Stand-By. (One more time: Come early. You're going to be so glad when I stop writing that, aren't you?) Then at 7:15, three more films go in: Angels Among Us, an extraordinary short film collection; Wild Horse Redemption, which is on Stand-By, too; and then last-minute encore presentation The Substitute, which is so popular that it sold 100 tickets in the first 24 hours after we announced the added screening, and will be shown in two theaters to accommodate the anticipated crowd. Once the audience for those films go in, that's almost it. Remember going to summer camp? Remember how, at the end of the week, when it was time to say good-bye and go home, even the most stoic campers ended up hugging and crying? That's what it's going to be like here tonight. We still have lots to do -- things to shut down and pack up, loose ends to tie into nice little knots in the days and weeks to come, the usual with any event -- but tonight is the closing night of something beautiful and extraordinary, and we're all feeling it deep inside. As Marcie likes to say, today is Waterproof Mascara Day. I'm glad I've got mine.]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.190 2008-03-16T19:30:29Z 2008-03-16T19:29:59Z

What amazing crowds! I can't get over how big this Festival has gotten, even just compared to last year! If this kind of growth keeps up, the huge festivals had better look out! It's just so wonderful to know how...

Lara Klaber huge festivals had better look out! It's just so wonderful to know how many of you are genuinely interested in alternatives to the bland mass-marketed fare the studios churn out... and you sure showed that in the 2:00 round! Now it's time to look ahead to the 4:00 round, and we start it off at 4:15 with our screening of All of Us, which will have a FilmForum at its conclusion, and which is on Stand-By. Then, at 4:30, we'll be showing The English Surgeon, a fantastic late addition to the schedule; Super Noble Brothers, which will have a Filmmaker Q&A at its conclusion; and the incredibly popular World's Best Commercials, which is on Stand-By as well. (Remember: come early!) The round concludes with 4:45 showings of Flash Point, which is on Stand-By, and the immensely popular Kids in da Hood, which we've put into two theaters to accommodate all of the enthusiasts who have been pouring in. There's one last round to report on after this one, and I'll be back to let you know what's going on with it. I wish there was a way to keep this going forever.]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.189 2008-03-16T17:00:23Z 2008-03-16T17:00:12Z

Oh, I love the crowds we have today. Everybody is so bouncy and spirited, in the best possible ways! The 2:00 round is going to be very intense, so I'm glad everyone is in such a great mood! We're beginning...

Lara Klaber very intense, so I'm glad everyone is in such a great mood! We're beginning the round with 2:00 showings of Mongol, which is on Stand-By, and the tremendously popular Shorts Audience Choice Awards, a great chance to see the audience-favorite short films from this year's festival. (It's also the only show in the round that's not on Stand-By, at this time, so it's a great one to go for if you don't want to wait in the Stand-By lines.) Torn From the Flag, which is also on Stand-By, will also begin at 2:00. Then, at 2:15, we'll begin screening Paranoid Park, which is on Stand-By and which is also scheduled to open at the Cedar Lee on Friday, March 21^st; Shelter, also on Stand-By; and Young@Heart, which is on Stand-By as well, and which will return to the Cedar Lee on May 2^nd. We're finishing out the round with a 2:30 encore presentation of the wildly popular Jump! It's also on Stand-By, and the jumpers have returned to perform an interactive demo of their skills after the screening. Tori, the star of the film, will be back with them, so this is a great chance to see how cool these kids are! Remember, most of these films are on Stand-By, so get here early for the best chance at seats. And keep in mind that we do have dates for when Paranoid Park and Young@Heart will be returning to the Cedar Lee, so you will get another great chance to see them if you don't go today. I'll be back soon with more news!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.188 2008-03-16T16:00:31Z 2008-03-16T16:01:13Z

I knew it! We broke records in a big way yesterday! We had three enormous rounds in a row, all of which broke our previous per-round record. The ultimate winner was the 7:00 pm round, with 2,287 (yes, two more...

Lara Klaber big way yesterday! We had three enormous rounds in a row, all of which broke our previous per-round record. The ultimate winner was the 7:00 pm round, with 2,287 (yes, two more than I reported last night) attendees! And the attendee number for the entire day: 8,701 people!!! Even with the blizzard last weekend, this has turned into our biggest, best, and most amazing Festival ever, and we can't possibly stress enough that it's because of you. We're now preparing for our noon round, which will kick off at 11:30 with showings of The Orange Chronicles and The Shorts Jury Awards. If you missed The Orange Chronicles last weekend due to the storm, this is a great opportunity to see it... and the Jury Awards are always a fantastic time. At 11:45, we'll begin screening Ben X, which is enough of an audience favorite that we've put it into two theaters, and Entry Level, which has a Filmmaker Q&A at the end, and which is on Stand-By. (Remember: come early.) Then we'll finish off the noon round with Teddybear and Thread of Life, both of which are on Stand-By. (Again: come early! :D!) A lot of things are on Stand-By this afternoon and evening, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get here... Tower City can keep you entertained while you wait between rounds. Join us for this wonderful, final day in the Festival! ...Wow, I just found something I don't like saying. I don't want this to end.]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.187 2008-03-16T03:00:35Z 2008-03-16T03:00:35Z

I can't believe how intense all of this is, this weekend! Every time I turned around, another film was going on Stand-By, which had all of our jaws dropping. You guys are totally amazing. And a special thank-you to Philip...

Lara Klaber totally amazing. And a special thank-you to Philip Fragassi for the wonderful pizza! You kept our blood sugar up at at critical time! Now it's time for the Midnight round to gear up. We have two great movies up tonight: Flash Point and Otis. As for me, I turn into a pumpkin at midnight, especially after a day like today, so I'm going to head home and get as much sleep as I can for tomorrow. We have one more incredible day coming up, and it starts early! Kick things off with us on Sunday morning at 9:30 with three cool films: Bomb It!, Dirty Country, and a VERY special added screening of Swing State. These are great films for keeping your Sunday from starting out in the usual dull routine. A lot of things are going on Stand-By for tomorrow, too, so keep an eye on the lists and, as always (you've seen me write this a million times!) get here early to make sure you can get a seat. Have a wonderful night, everyone. You're the best.]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.186 2008-03-16T01:00:29Z 2008-03-16T01:02:36Z

I just got the number of attendees for the 7:00 round. For that one round alone, we have 2,285 people in the theaters! That's something that's never happened before! Once upon a time, that number would have reflected an entire...

Lara Klaber 2,285 people in the theaters! That's something that's never happened before! Once upon a time, that number would have reflected an entire day's attendance! ...Have I mentioned lately how incredible all of you are?]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.185 2008-03-16T00:30:42Z 2008-03-16T00:32:33Z

I keep saying that I can't believe how many people can fit in the hallway and the lobby. And then I keep being surprised as, with each ensuing round, even more pile in! The Stand-By lines were swarmed with people!...

Lara Klaber more pile in! The Stand-By lines were swarmed with people! I had to run something out to the Duke Desk, and afterwards, I felt like I'd learned what it felt like to be a salmon in spawning season (thankfully, though, with no bears). If you were trying to see Mongol, but didn't get in, we've received word that it will be opening at the Cedar Lee in June, so you'll have another great chance. But now it's time to look ahead to the 9:00 round, which we think will be a little more sedate! We're starting off at 9:30 with screenings of The Art of Negative Thinking and Dirty Country. Then, at 9:45, we'll start showing Boystown, and also Deficit, which has gone on Stand-By, so make sure you get here early if you haven't already purchased your tickets. At 10:00, we're showing Cargo 200 and also Public Enemy: Welcome to the Terrordome, which will have a Filmmaker Q&A at its conclusion. We've got a midnight round coming up as well, so check back! This is a long and wild night for us, and it's only just begun!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.184 2008-03-15T21:45:38Z 2008-03-15T21:46:34Z

This is definitely going to be another record-breaking day! I think that everybody's bent on making up for last weekend's storm-attenuated crowds! With the 4:00 round now in, it's time to look ahead to the 7:00 round, which is going...

Lara Klaber definitely going to be another record-breaking day! I think that everybody's bent on making up for last weekend's storm-attenuated crowds! With the 4:00 round now in, it's time to look ahead to the 7:00 round, which is going to be even wilder than the last two rounds were! It's important to note that five of the six films in this round are on Stand-By, so things are going to be very, very busy. The round starts at 6:45 with The Pixar Story, followed at 7:00 with showings of Mongol and Shelter. Then, at 7:15, we'll begin screening Priceless and Roming. All five of these films are on Stand-By already. At 7:30, we'll start screening the final film of the round, Ben X. If you can't get into one of the other five, this film is not a "last resort" -- it's actually our Artistic Director's favorite film this year, and this is a wonderful chance to find out why.]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.183 2008-03-15T20:20:27Z 2008-03-15T20:20:34Z

Because so many of our films today are turning out to be a lot more popular than we expected, I thought I'd make a few suggestions of how to sidestep the Stand-By line. First: remember that every film in the...

Lara Klaber lot more popular than we expected, I thought I'd make a few suggestions of how to sidestep the Stand-By line. First: remember that every film in the round is a gem. If the one you're interested in most of all is already on Stand-By, take another look at the others in the round. For instance, in the 7:00 round, Ben X is actually our Artistic Director's favorite film this year, and we've put it into two theaters for the round, to accommodate as large a crowd as we can. Second: remember that some of these films will be back soon. If you were hoping to catch the 7:15 showing of Priceless, we've received word that it will be returning to the Cedar Lee later this spring. So bear in mind that, in most cases, this isn't your last chance to see a film. Especially since, the more popular a film is at our festival (and the more tickets it sells), the more likely it is that it'll end up in even wider distribution. Third: as always, come early. If you're a passholder, we really need you to be in your seat fifteen minutes before the screening starts, so that we can get the most accurate count possible of how many seats we have left, and so that neither you nor anyone else has to be disappointed. This is also true for ticket-holders, and especially true for the holders of Stand-By tickets. The sooner you arrive, the faster we'll be able to get you into your seat. If you keep these things firmly in mind, you'll be able to have the best possible time at the Festival... and that's what we definitely want you to have.]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.182 2008-03-15T19:20:20Z 2008-03-15T19:20:10Z

Oh my. That was a mind-blowing round! And the wild part is that things are only going to get more intense as the day goes on! I sneaked out to grab some lunch between rounds, and had a wonderful time...

Lara Klaber my. That was a mind-blowing round! And the wild part is that things are only going to get more intense as the day goes on! I sneaked out to grab some lunch between rounds, and had a wonderful time listening to everyone at the table tease each other mercilessly. These are the best people to work with, and now I know how they keep their unflappable cool. Behind the scenes, they're completely crazy in the best possible ways. We're preparing ourselves for the 4:00 round, which is going to be even wilder than the 2:00 round. Again, four of our six films are on Stand-By, so get here early for the best shot at tickets. Things will start off with the 4:15 showing of One Bad Cat: the Reverend Albert Wagner Story, which is on Stand-By and which will be followed by a FilmForum. Also starting at 4:15 is Armin, which is not on Stand-By, and which is a great little film, especially if you aren't in the mood to be quite so crowded. At 4:30, we'll begin showing Exodus and The Teeth of Love, both of which have gone by Stand-By. Again, come early to make sure you have the best chance of getting in! Then, at 4:45, we'll start screening The First Saturday in May, which will have a Filmmaker Q&A after it concludes. (And most of the staff seems to have a crush on the filmmaker!) It's not on Stand-By, at least, not yet. Meanwhile, Torn From the Flag, which is on Stand-By, will also begin. It will have a Filmmaker Q&A at its conclusion, as well, and we have a number of remarkable guests in to see it! Remember, lots of things are on Stand-By, and more may go on Stand-By, so get here early for your best chances at seats!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.181 2008-03-15T18:10:03Z 2008-03-15T18:10:29Z

This is just a quick heads-up: Roming, which came off of Stand-By last night for the 7:15 showing tonight, is now back on Stand-By. Remember, come early to make sure you have the best chance of getting in. Stand-By tickets...

Lara Klaber Roming, which came off of Stand-By last night for the 7:15 showing tonight, is now back on Stand-By. Remember, come early to make sure you have the best chance of getting in. Stand-By tickets will begin selling at 6:15!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.180 2008-03-15T17:00:47Z 2008-03-15T17:01:18Z

I can't believe how fast these days keep going. I ought to be used to it by now, but it never ceases to amaze me. We've finished seating our noon round attendees, and it's time to look forward to the...

Lara Klaber that is going to be intense! Four of our films are on Stand-By, so if you're interested in seeing one of them, make sure to get here early. We're starting of at 1:45 with Which Way Today, a fantastic film that isn't on Stand-By, and which is going to have a Filmmaker Q&A after the showing. So if you're looking for something that you don't have to battle the crowds for, this is your best bet. At 2:00, screenings of our Family Shorts Program #2 and Roman de Gare will begin screening. Both of these are on Stand-By, so again, plan ahead and get here early if you want to get in. We'll finsh up the round with 2:15 showings of Flow: For Love of Water, which is showing in two theaters to accommodate the crowds and to keep it off of the Stand-By list, and also Battle in Seattle and Unspeakable, which are on Stand-By. We're gearing up to deal with these amazing crowds -- and I hope you'll be in them and enjoying yourself! -- and looking forward to it with a mixture of dread and excitement. In spite of the storm, it feels like this year's Festival has gone stratospheric!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.179 2008-03-15T16:05:49Z 2008-03-15T16:07:21Z

I'm in constant awe of all of you. Thanks to your enthusiasm, we've shattered our Friday attendance records, setting the new bar at 6,267 attendees! You've also been cleaning out our merchandise with astounding speed! And thanks to your incredible...

Lara Klaber shattered our Friday attendance records, setting the new bar at 6,267 attendees! You've also been cleaning out our merchandise with astounding speed! And thanks to your incredible generosity, our Challenge Match has now reached the $43,000 mark, and the Film Society Board is getting in on the act to raise the bar even higher! Cleveland Festivalgoers are the best ever! Today is going to be wild. We have a lot of things on Stand-By, and a lot of things that will probably go on Stand-By, starting with the 2:00 round, so I'd really like to suggest that you consider taking in a Noon Round movie. We're starting the round at 11;30 with showings of the intense drama The Class and the massively popular Independent Shorts Program #11. Then, at 11:45, we have showings of the beautiful Finn's Girl and the family crowd favorite Kidz in da Hood. We'll finish up the noon round with 12:00 showings of Festival late additon The English Surgeon (a must-see!) and All of Us, which will have a Filmmaker Q&A after the screening. It's a great time to see a film and beat the wild crowds, so come join us!]]> tag:www.clevelandfilm.org,2008:/blog//1.178 2008-03-15T03:00:07Z 2008-03-15T03:01:55Z

Oh my! I don't think I've ever seen the theater lobby quite as packed as it was before the 9:00 round! Everything got so noisy and active, but the energy was totally amazing. You guys all remain the best possible...

Lara Klaber ever seen the theater lobby quite as packed as it was before the 9:00 round! Everything got so noisy and active, but the energy was totally amazing. You guys all remain the best possible filmgoing audience. And the weekend's only just begun! Now that the 9:00 round is underway, it's time to talk about our last round of the night, which is a very special Midnight round! For the first time ever, we're showing three different films during the round! And they're wonderful ones. Choose from the hilarious Big Man Japan, the deeply wicked Dirty Country, or our ever-popular Midnight Shorts Program #2. No matter which one you pick, you're definitely in for a fantastic time! Tomorrow is, we think, going to be even wilder than today was! So I'm going to get some extra sleep tonight, and I'm not sticking around for the midnight round. So before I go, here's the scoop on the morning round. At 9:30 am, we'll have screenings of Katyn, which entirely too many people were forced by the snowstorm to miss last weekend, and One Man in the Band, which is a great movie to begin your day with. I hope to see you there! Have a wonderful night, everyone. And remember, if you tried to see The Substitute tonight, but left disappointed, we've added another screening at 7:15 pm on Sunday. Sweet dreams, everybody!]]>