I am still buzzing from last night! The premiere was extraordinary! We had four theaters packed full of enthusiastic film fans here to see Swedish Auto, and we had Derek Sieg, Tyler Davidson, and Lee Weaver with us! After the screening, we all trooped over to the MK Ferguson Plaza for the reception, which was amazing. We had spectacular food and hilarious entertainment! There's no way I can post this entry without mentioning Lounge Kitty, the riotous act that performed for us. I think I've found the reincarnation of Lucille Ball (either that or she's Lucy's love child with Carol Burnett)! Trust me, a lady with a huge beehive hairdo and a sparkly pink dress, singing "It's Not Easy Being Green..." is an unforgettable experience.

The Festival is the cover story of this week's Friday Magazine in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and they've given us some fantastic coverage! I'm saving my copy as a souvenir of the event! If you didn't manage to get a copy of the paper, yourself, the articles are also on Cleveland.com.

Showings kick off at 11:30 today with Congorama and Taking Father Home, then Thicker Than Water and What Means Motley? starting at 11:45 and Pingpong starting at noon. Inside Tip: This is the festival's slowest time and these very first showings tend to be a little undersold, so if you're feeling impulsive and want to see a film, this is your best chance to get in without waiting in a Standby line. And all five of these films are stellar, so they're worth zipping in for.

We have some exciting things happening this afternoon, but I have to finish finding out all about it. I'll be posting again very soon!

It's going to be an exciting afternoon!

Our first round of afternoon showings kicks off at 1:45 with Falkenberg Farewell and Still Alive, and then Bamako and Going Private starting at 2:00, and Frozen City at 2:15. Members of the Polish-American Cultural Center will be holding a Q&A after Still Alive screens, and a discussion about Bamako will be held in the Legends of Rock Room at the Hard Rock Cafe after its screening concludes. If you want to expand your cultural and political awareness, these are some great things to attend!

Then it's time for our "4:00 Round," which is actually beginning at 4:15 with Fresh Air and Indy Shorts #1. Then Stolen Holidays and Transylvania start at 4:30, and Boy Culture kicks off at 4:45.

The showing of Boy Culture will be followed by a Filmmaker Q&A, and actor Derek Magyar will be in attendance. Afterwards (or instead, if you couldn't make it) go to the MATURE Gallery Opening Reception at M% Studios and attend one of the most provocative art gallery openings around. You'll also have a chance to mingle with other Festival attendees, and Derek Magyar will be there, too! The Opening Reception runs from 5pm to 9pm, and M% Studios is the sponsor of the Festival's 10% Cinema, devoted to films of a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender nature.

Inside Tip: Word is that parking at Tower City is filling up fast, so you might get sent to an outlying lot or garage. If you'd rather not walk, I'd recommend driving over to one of the RTA parking lots for the trains. All of the RTA trains come in to Tower City, and that's a great way to avoid the crowding. (And it'll be even more important tomorrow when the St. Patrick's Day Parade is going off!) As another inside tip, the Producer Pass comes with Free Valet Parking, which will let you sidestep all of that kind of hassle for the entire festival.

Our Challenge Match is off to a fantastic start. As of this morning, we're well on our way to our $31,000 goal; donations stand at $3,425 between pre-Festival donations and Opening Night contributions. There are a whole lot of fantastic prizes and premiums for Challenge Match contributions, so stop by the table and check them out. I'm going to try to post a list of them later.

I have the best job in the world!

It's going on evening here in Tower City, and we're gearing up for the 7:00 PM round of films! The round will kick off at 6:45 with Red Road. Then, at 7:00, Congorama and The Rape of Europa will start. Those will be followed at 7:15 by Brotherly Jazz and Itty Bitty Titty Committee, both of which will have Filmmaker Q&A sessions afterwards.

So far, Itty Bitty Titty Committee, The Rape of Europa, and Red Road are in Stand-By status, so be sure to get in line early for them if you want your best shot at entry. Especially if you want a chance to talk to IBTC's director afterwards.

A lot of people have been fans of Jamie Babbitt since her 1999 film, But I'm a Cheerleader, so this is a great chance to talk to one of Cleveland's most fascinating voices. (Yes, she's a Clevelander!) Or if Jazz is your passion, you can join the filmmakers for a discussion about Brotherly Jazz and then adjourn with them to the English Oak Room in Tower City Center for the Tri-C JazzFest CD Release Party.

Tonight definitely has a spicy kick to it!