

Festival
Awards and Competitions
CIFF is honored to present numerous competitions and awards that recognize our filmmakers with over $130,000 in cash prizes.
Many of our awards are determined by audience vote, so make sure to cast your vote after each in-person screening by logging into your CIFF Eventive account or visiting the voting kiosks located in the lobby of the theatre. All awards will be announced at our Closing Awards Ceremony in the KeyBank State Theatre at Playhouse Square, immediately following the last round of films.
To see the list of films in each competition, you can use the filters on the Films listing page or click into each competition.
CIFF47 Awards Artist
Each year the Cleveland International Film Festival commissions a local artist to create the Festival’s coveted Filmmaker Awards. With more than 25 awards going to filmmakers from across the world, CIFF’s locally designed and produced awards are a calling card of the thriving arts community in Ohio.
CIFF is thrilled to announce that this year’s Award Artist is April Bleakney.
April Bleakney is an artist, entrepreneur, and student of history. After graduating from Kent State University and working in the nonprofit world at the height of the recession, she launched her one-woman creative business, APE MADE, in 2011.
While primarily working as a screen printer, April also creates photographic, hand drawn, and mixed media work. She only utilizes eco-friendly hand printing techniques in her studio. April engages with the community with both teaching and public art projects. She has completed local and international artists residencies and recently created multiple large-scale murals and commissioned artworks.
Filmmaker Awards will be presented throughout the Festival and as part of the Closing Night Ceremony, taking place on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
