4/2/2025 10 films to watch at the 2025 Cleveland International Film Festival before it ends

4/1/25 The projectors are rolling: CIFF49 kicks off with record crowds and new features, with more to come

4/1/25 Freshwater Cleveland: The projectors are rolling: CIFF49 kicks off with record crowds and new features, with more to come

3/31/25 Greater Cleveland Partnership: Lights, camera, community! The magic of the Cleveland International Film Festival Trailer

 3/31/25 'Lost & Found in Cleveland’ sets CIFF attendance record

The 49th Cleveland International Film Festival is officially underway through April 5th at Playhouse Square! ....

We enjoyed the last day of the Cleveland International Film Festival with Tadashi Nakamura's Third Act Film......

We've been posting about the Cleveland International Film Festival a lot....

Check out the awesome media coverage the films and filmmakers received during CIFF49. From local television stations to independent news sources to out of town digital outlets, we were amazed at how far some of these stories traveled. 

CIFF49 Media Coverage

Looking for the CIFF49 Film Guides? Here's how to get yours!

Get your CIFF49 Film Guides today. See new and independent film in Cleveland. Things to do in Cleveland. March 27 - April 5 in person at Playhouse Square.

CIFF49 Film Guide Locations | Cleveland International Film Festival

Where to Find CIFF49 Film Guides!

The wait is over! The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) proudly announces the complete lineup for its highly anticipated 49th season, CIFF49, featuring 300 exceptional films from around the globe.

Discover the spotlight films for the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), featuring exciting world, North American, and U.S. premieres!  Explore 300 independent films from around the globe March 27 - April 13, 2025. Get your tickets now! 

CIFF, CIFF49, Cleveland International Film Festival, independent film, film festival, movie festival, film premieres, spotlight films, Marlee Matlin, Amy Landecker,  André Holland, Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio, film tickets

CIFF49 Film Schedule Announced! | Cleveland International Film Festival

Lights, Camera, CIFF49!  Cleveland International Film Festival Announces 300-Film Lineup  

Footer Navigation (Festival)

For general the general policies of the Cleveland International Film Festival, please 

CIFF films are unrated by the M.P.A.A. Viewer discretion is advised for all films.

Content warnings listed on CIFF film descriptions are specific to films that reference or depict suicide, domestic violence, sexual harassment or assault, eating disorders, animal cruelty, and post-traumatic stress disorder. No person under 10 will be admitted to CIFF in-person screening except those in the 

 sidebars. All children must have a ticket or pass and be accompanied by an adult.

Children under the age of ten are also not recommended to view films in CIFF Streams except for films and shorts programs included in the 

 for CIFF programming changes and additions. Programs and schedules are subject to change without notice and CIFF reserves the right to postpone, reschedule, or cancel any film or screening.

StandBy and Sold-Out Screenings in person

Only a portion of the in-person tickets to CIFF49 screenings are sold to ensure that passholders, who do not reserve their tickets in advance, can also attend the screenings of their choice.

Once all regular tickets to an in-person screening have been sold, patrons will be directed to purchase Standby tickets 

from a line forming at least 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of the screening

 in the nearest lobby. If seats are still available after passholders and ticket holders have been admitted, Festival Staff will sell Standby tickets to patrons in the order in which they are queued on a space-available basis until the theatre is full. If a screening reaches legal capacity, a film may then be SOLD OUT.

Standby tickets are $18 for both non-members and CIFF49 Members. There is no member discount on Standby tickets. CIFF49 paper vouchers or credit cards may be used to purchase; no checks, cash, or Ticket 10-Packs accepted for Standby tickets.

Hint: Buy your tickets early or, better yet, 

to avoid missing Standby and Sold-Out Screenings!

All films in the CIFF Streams program are limited to a maximum number of streams set by distributors (called a 

) and are therefore available on a first-come, first-served basis. Once all available tickets have been released, a film's status will change to SOLD OUT and no further streams will be available for purchase.

Each CIFF Ticket, Ticket 10-Pack, Voucher, and Pass is a revocable license that may be withdrawn and access may be refused at any time at the sole discretion of the Cleveland International Film Festival.

 CIFF in-person screening can be purchased within the same order, tickets to 

 CIFF in-person screenings cannot be purchased in the same order. Instead, a ticket or tickets to each CIFF in-person screening may need to be purchased separately.

While you may purchase more than one ticket to a CIFF Streams online screening, you may need to do so in separate orders. Streaming ticket purchases are limited to one ticket per film per order. Both ticket holders and passholders with streaming access must pre-order or unlock a ticket to a specific online screening to stream it. For passholders with streaming access, those tickets are free and are limited to one free ticket per film.

Paper tickets to in-person screenings during CIFF will not be issued. Instead, QR-coded, printable PDF tickets will be enclosed in an emailed Order Confirmation sent within minutes of purchase. CIFF ticket holders can either print their ticket(s) and bring them to CIFF in-person screenings or access their QR-coded CIFF tickets on a smartphone from their emailed Order Confirmation or from “

” on the CIFF Eventive account dashboard. Tickets will be scanned by CIFF Staff or Volunteers at the entrance to the theatre for all in-person screenings.

All CIFF49 ticket and membership purchases are subject to service fees applied at checkout or by our Box Office staff.

CIFF49 tickets are not refundable or exchangeable, except for a canceled screening or film. Exchanges, when possible, will be subject to a $2 processing fee per order. Refunds, when possible, will not be issued after 7:30 PM on April 5, 2025, for CIFF49 @ PSQ in-person tickets or will not be issued after 11:00 PM ET on April 13, 2025, for online screening tickets to CIFF49 Streams. Tickets to in-person screenings cannot be exchanged for tickets to online screenings or vice versa. Refunds and exchanges on CIFF Streams tickets and passes will not be issued for technical difficulties with a ticket holder's infrastructure or equipment. Unused CIFF49 Tickets, CIFF49 Ticket 10-Packs, CIFF49 PSQ Parking Passes, CIFF49 Vouchers, CIFF49 Memberships, and CIFF49 Passes cannot be refunded or exchanged.

Tickets ordered with CIFF49 Ticket 10-Packs cannot be exchanged. Refunds are not available for partially redeemed or unused CIFF49 Ticket 10-Packs, and credit cannot be applied for future use beyond CIFF49 @ PSQ (March 27-April 5, 2025)

 screenings. Ticket 10-Packs cannot be redeemed for CIFF49 Streams (April 6-13, 2025) tickets.

Voucher Codes and paper vouchers expire at 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Unused CIFF49 Voucher Codes and paper vouchers have no assigned monetary value and, therefore, cannot be refunded or reserved for future use beyond CIFF49 Streams.

CIFF is not responsible for physical or technical disruptions to the extent that performance is prevented by force majeure (conditions beyond the control of CIFF, including acts of nature, acts of terrorism, voluntary or involuntary compliance with any regulation, law, or order of any government, war, acts of war, labor strike or lock-out, civil commotion, epidemic, failure or default of public utilities or common carriers, destruction of production facilities or materials by fire, earthquake, storm or like catastrophe).

CIFF Members may purchase up to 4 tickets per screening or event at the member’s discounted price. Additional tickets will be sold at the general admission price. CIFF49 Members may purchase up to two CIFF49 Ticket 10-Packs. Additional Ticket 10-Packs cannot be purchased once the two per member limit is reached. CIFF49 Members may purchase up to one CIFF49 PSQ Parking Pass. Additional Parking Passes cannot be purchased once the one per member limit is reached.

By purchasing a membership to the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) you agree to adhere to the CIFF Code of Conduct and CIFF's Membership Policies stated below. Failure to observe organizational policies regarding member conduct at CIFF events and screenings may result in the termination of your membership without a refund.

CIFF Memberships are annual and only valid for one Festival cycle. Most members will be issued a renewal date one year from the time of their membership purchase or if renewing early, one year from their current renewal date. However, CIFF Memberships will not be issued for two Festival cycles. As a result, CIFF Memberships purchased in March and April will be issued a renewal date at the end of February for the following year.

CIFF Memberships are per individual. Memberships and membership passes cannot be transferred or shared with other individuals. Members in violation of this may have their membership revoked without a refund.

CIFF Memberships are tax-deductible to the maximum amount allowed by law unless otherwise noted. CIFF members receive goods and services in exchange for their membership contribution, the value of which often exceeds their contribution, depending on the level of use. Except for members at the VIP Passholder level, it is up to the individual to determine the tax-deductible value of their contribution based on their individual amount of use.

For most screenings, passholders will be admitted into theatres 

. Early arrival does not guarantee admission.

For most screenings, ticket holders will be admitted into theatres 

. Late arrival may result in not being admitted.

General admission seating for ticket holders is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ticket holders will line up in the lobby of the theatre and their ticket will be scanned for admittance to the screening.

Passholder seating is also available on a first-come, first-served basis. Passholders will line up in the lobby of the theatre, and their pass will be scanned for admittance to the screening.

Festival personnel may refuse to permit late seating.

All attendees must exit the theatre following each screening and take any personal belongings.

Seating policies are enforced at all CIFF theatres, although the number of available seats for ticket holders and passholders will vary based on the theatre.

The Film Festival does not tolerate illegal activity of any kind on any CIFF or Playhouse Square premises, including but not limited to:

The possession and use of illegal and illicit substances.

Harassment and/or assault as outlined in the 

The possession or use of firearms, explosives, and weapons of any kind (including, but not limited to: guns, pocket knives, pepper spray/mace, fireworks, tasers, etc.).

The use of cigarettes, e-cigs, or vaping devices.

Reselling of CIFF Tickets, Vouchers, and Passes within the premises of Playhouse Square.

Playhouse Square and its theatres are private property. Failure to comply with CIFF guidelines may result in immediate removal from the Festival and Playhouse Square by security and notification of law enforcement.

The use of electronic devices (including messaging) is not permitted during screenings. CIFF asks all patrons to turn off or silence all devices during screenings. Audio or visual recording devices are prohibited inside Film Festival theatres. Theatre security will enforce this policy at all screenings and will immediately remove any person possessing an unauthorized recording device. The recording device and any recordable medium may be seized by theatre security and turned over to law enforcement authorities. Additional anti-piracy security measures will be in effect.

Items found in the Playhouse Square complex will be delivered to Playhouse Square’s Central Security, located backstage of the KeyBank State Theatre. If you have lost an item, a Playhouse Square House Manager can assist you, or you can call 

with inquiries regarding misplaced items. CIFF and Playhouse Square are not responsible for damaged, lost, stolen, or unclaimed items.

As a resident company of Playhouse Square, which is a cashless venue, Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is endeavoring to be a cashless Festival for the safety of our staff and the efficiency of our operations.

All patrons and guests are strongly encouraged to pay using credit, debit, or another cashless option. If paying in cash is your only option at our Box Office or Merchandise Store, we will round up your transaction to the nearest dollar and donate the rounded-up amount to our Challenge Match.

The Cleveland International Film Festival and its representatives may photograph, film, and/or otherwise record attendees at all Festival activities. By attending, you consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to any use in any and all media throughout the universe in perpetuity and without compensation for the use of your appearance, voice, and name for promotion and/or advertising, or any other purpose by the Cleveland International Film Festival and its affiliates and representatives.

Sharing CIFF Streams tickets, memberships, or passholder access with those outside of the same household is considered an act of piracy, which may be monitored, and any violations will result in an immediate suspension of CIFF Streams access without refund.

The CIFF Streams platform uses multi-DRM technology to prevent piracy. Users caught committing acts of piracy will have their CIFF Streams access revoked without refund and may be turned over to law enforcement authorities.

CIFF STREAMS GUIDELINES & DISTRIBUTOR RESTRICTIONS

Only one ticket can be purchased per film per order for the CIFF48 Streams online screenings, and CIFF Passholders with streaming access are limited to one free ticket per film. Both streams ticket holders and CIFF Passholders with streaming access must pre-order/unlock a ticket to an online screening to stream it.

Members can begin pre-ordering tickets to CIFF49 Streams online screenings when tickets go on sale to members at 11:00 AM ET on March 7, 2025. Non-members can begin pre-ordering tickets to CIFF49 Streams online screenings when tickets go on sale to the public at 11:00 AM ET on March 14, 2025.

Tickets to CIFF49 Streams films ordered during CIFF49 Streams (11:00 AM ET on April 6, 2025, through 11:00 PM ET on April 13, 2025) can be ordered by selecting “Unlock Now” from a film’s description page or listing on the CIFF Streams page and then completing the checkout process.

Ticket holders and Passholders will see a 

 button on the film’s description page just after ordering and on their 

 page on their CIFF Eventive account dashboard. Ordered/unlocked screenings will be accompanied by a 

 option, which, when clicked, will take them to the virtual film detail page on the CIFF Streams Eventive Platform, where they should begin streaming the film or shorts program before 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Once 

 is selected, viewers will have 48 hours to stream the film or shorts program before their streaming access expires.

For CIFF49 Members: March 7, 2025 @ 11:00 AM ET through April 13, 2024 @ 11:00 PM ET

For non-members: March 14, 2025 @ 11:00 AM ET through April 13, 2025 @ 11:00 PM ET

The "Unlock Window" is the length of time during which CIFF49 Streams can be pre-ordered or unlocked. All films and shorts programs included in CIFF49 Streams are available for on-demand streaming from 11:00 AM ET on Sunday, April 6, 2025 through 11:00 PM ET on Sunday, April 13, 2025 on a first-come, first-served basis or until a film is SOLD OUT.

11:00 AM ET on April 14, 2024 through 11:59 PM ET on April 21, 20

The "Availability Window" is the time during which pre-ordered or unlocked CIFF49 Streams online screenings are available to begin streaming. The Unlock Window closes when CIFF49 Streams tickets go off sale at 11:00 AM ET on April 13, 2025. However, ticket holders and passholders can still stream films or shorts programs for which they have existing tickets but have not yet redeemed by clicking “

” on the film or shorts program before 11:59 PM on April 13, 2025. After clicking "

," they have 48 hours to finish streaming before streaming access expires.

The "Watch Window" is the length of time which a streams ticket holder has to finish the screening after clicking 

 on the film or shorts program - 48 hours. Streams tickets must be redeemed before the CIFF49 Streams Availability Window closes (at 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, April 13, 2025) for additional 48 hours to stream the film(s) or shorts program(s).

Every film in the CIFF Streams program is limited to a maximum number of available streams (or a Streaming Cap). We suggest prioritizing the films you want to see most when ordering CIFF Streams tickets as they may sell out. For CIFF Streams programming updates, visit the 

Films streaming online during CIFF Streams are available for streaming nationwide in the United States unless otherwise noted. Some films are geo-restricted to viewers regionally (in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) or only in Ohio. Geo-restrictions on films are listed under the “Access” section of the film’s description page. Applying the “Streaming Location” filter on the CIFF Streams page will generate a list of all CIFF Streams films and shorts programs available to stream from a specific location.

All guests of CIFF @ PSQ or CIFF Streams are subject to the 

The Cleveland International Film Festival's Festival Fine Print & Policies

CIFF49 Fine Print & Policies

Fine Print & Policies (Festival)

The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) reveals this year’s spotlight films to be featured in the line-up of 300 independent films from around the globe. The 49th season runs March 27 - April 5, 2025, at Playhouse Square, followed by CIFF Streams April 6-13, 2025. Explore the complete CIFF49 Film Guide starting February 28th at clevelandfilm.org.

This year's program, curated from over 3,500 submissions, is a testament to the power of independent filmmaking. With representation from 60 countries the program schedule offers diversity in cultural perspectives, storytelling styles, and visual formats.

Mallory Martin, Artistic Director for CIFF, says, "The Festival is an opportunity for artists and audiences to connect and converse about the stories that move us – often these are stories we wouldn’t have access to if not for the Festival.”

Providing a sneak peek into what is ahead at this iconic Cleveland event, Martin and her team reveal CIFF49’s highlights, including spotlight films, world premieres, North American premieres, and U.S. premieres. Several filmmakers are also planning to attend, making their travel arrangements now.

, “A Serious Man”) makes her feature screenwriting/directorial debut with this biting comedy of manners, starring as a newly divorced sober mom who accompanies her Gen Z date to a wedding where things crash and burn (literally) as she tries to keep up with the young wedding party. 

Directed byAmy Landecker.Produced by Amy Landecker, Bradley Whitford, Valerie Stadler, Jenica Bergere, and James Portolese. English with Closed Captions. 2025. 

(Thursday, March 27 at 7:00pm, Connor Palace).

Centerpiece: MARLEE MATLIN: NOT ALONE ANYMORE 

- Marlee Matlin is an Oscar®-winning, Emmy-nominated Deaf actress, though fame came to her quite suddenly with her breakout performance in “Children of a Lesser God” at the age of 21. Learn how she fought through the naysayers and troubled, in-the-spotlight relationships to become a venerated philanthropist and a household name. 

Directed by Shoshannah Stern. Produced by Robyn Kopp, Justine Nagan, Bonni Cohen, and Shoshannah Stern. English and ASL with Open Captions. 2024.

(Tuesday, April 1 at 7:30pm, KeyBank State Theatre)

 - André Holland (“Moonlight”), Nicole Beharie (“Miss Juneteenth”), and DeWanda Wise (

) strike a perfect balance in Rachael Abigail Holder’s sensitive, wryly funny dramedy about a trio of Black friends-slash-lovers who are just trying to cope in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn. 

Directed by Rachael Abigail Holder. Produced by André Holland, Kate Sharp, Patrick Wengler, Maurice Anderson, and Liza Zusman. English. 2025. 

(Saturday, April 5 at 7:30pm, KeyBank State Theatre)

 - For generations, the government has forcefully stripped away the rights and identities of the Esk’etemc, Gitxsan, and Wet’suwet’en territories within Canada, leaving behind unceasing ripples of trauma. But as this defiant documentary shows, they’ll never strip away these tribes’ souls. 

Directed by Zaya Benazzo and Maurizio Benazzo. Produced by Zaya Benazzo, Maurizio Benazzo, and Finley MacNeil. English with Closed Captions. 2024.

(Tuesday, April 1 at 5:15pm, Allen Theatre)

 - In this experimental omnibus documentary, filmmaker Catalina Alvarez paints a picture of small-town America as she chronicles the centuries-long history of Yellow Springs, Ohio. The stories, ranging from comical to disquieting and everything in between, point to a rich community demanding to be heard. 

Directed and Produced by Catalina Alvarez. English with Closed Captions. 2025. 

(Saturday, April 5 at 5:10pm, Upper Allen)

 - As the world teeters on the edge of destruction, a roadkill collector and an excommunicated priest make their way through an apocalyptic hellscape in search of a way out. From the director of the heralded werewolf drama “Good Manners”—CIFF42 comes another genre-busting masterpiece of the surreal. 

Directed by Marco Dutra. Produced by Lourenço Sant’Anna and Rodrigo Teixeira. Portuguese and Chinese with English subtitles. 2024. 

(Thursday, April 3 at 9:45pm, Upper Allen)

 - Acclaimed writer/director Milko Lazarov (“Ága”) spins this humanistic, magical realist yarn—marvelously shot by Kaloyan Bozhilov—about a quiet, widowed villager who must protect his extraordinary, gifted daughter from the scorn and pitchforks of superstitious locals. 

Directed by Milko Lazarov. Produced by Veselka Kiryakova. Bulgarian with English subtitles. 2024.

(Thursday, April 3 at 2:35pm, Upper Allen)

 - In snowy St. Petersburg, an unlikely friendship emerges amidst political upheaval when Georgian immigrant Madea purchases an apartment for a steal—only to realize she must share the space with the curmudgeonly old Russian owner. Rusudan Glurjidze’s haunted second feature deftly navigates the refugee crisis and what it means to have your life uprooted time and time again. 

Directed by Rusudan Glurjidze. Produced by Zurab Magalashvili, Manana Shevardnadze, Andrey Epifanov, Tanya Petrik, Jussi Myllyniemi, and UschFeldges. Georgian, Russian, and English with English subtitles. 2024.

 - Filmmaker Leila Amini followed her sister Nasreen around with a camera for seven years, capturing her covert mission to become a famous singer. But an unsupportive husband, family pressure, and Iran’s oppressive stranglehold on female expression threatens Nasreen’s happiness every step of the way. 

Directed by Leila Amini. Produced by Afsaneh Salari, Vadim Jendreyko, and Leila Amini. Persian language with English subtitles. 2024. 

(Friday, March 28 at 5:15pm, Allen Theatre)

 - In this taut psychological drama about the ripples of assault, a Turkish woman is attacked at a roadhouse while on her way to her wedding in Kosovo. But the festivities must go on, and we are observers to Gülizar’s emotional turmoil of what to do, who to tell, and how to hold your head up high. 

Directed by Belkıs Bayrak. Produced by Mehmet Bahadır Er, Belkıs Bayrak, and Murat Yaşar Bayrak. Turkish and Albanian with English subtitles. 2024.

 - In this claustrophobic thriller ripped from the headlines, newlyweds Olya and Taras are just getting settled into their new Kiev home when the Russians attack. Now they must stay perfectly silent within the confines of their apartment—cut off from the outside world—without tipping off the invading forces of their presence. 

Directed by Zhanna Ozirna. Produced by Dmytro Sukhanov. Ukrainian with English subtitles. 2024. 

MY CHEST IS FULL OF SPARKS (Mi pecho está lleno de centellas)

 - Life doesn’t always go as planned. After the death of the family patriarch, mother and child go separate ways to find themselves—she crosses the ocean to pursue the singing career she left behind, while filmmaker Gal realizes they are transgender—in this collage of video diaries. 

Directed by Gal S. Castellanos. Produced by Eduardo Esquivel, Omar Robles, Metzli Paulina Ibarra, and Gal S. Castellanos. Spanish and Turkish with English subtitles. 2024. 

(Monday, March 31 at 5:20pm, Mimi Ohio Theatre)

 - The remarkable adaptation of Shuang Xuetao’s novel marks the directorial debut of actor-turned-director Dong Zijian. When a diverted flight reunites Limo with a childhood best friend, An Delie, who no longer remembers him, their journey through snowbound northeastern China unlocks long-buried memories, forcing him to confront the lingering ghosts of his past in this poignant tale of friendship, family, and forgiveness. 

Directed by Dong Zijian. Produced by Juan Wan. Mandarin with English subtitles. 2024. 

(Wednesday, April 2 at 11:50am & Thursday, April 3 at 5:00pm, KeyBank State Theatre)

 - Nothing looms over a city like the presence of death. While investigating a mysterious series of sandstorms that have laid a permanent cover over the seaside, a journalist comes face to face with his wife’s ghost—a victim of the Algerian Civil War—in this haunting science-fiction drama. 

Directed by Dania Reymond-Boughenou. Produced by Jérémy Forni and Camille Chandellier. French and Arabic with English subtitles. Audio description. 2024. 

(Saturday, April 5 at 5:05pm, Allen Theatre)

In addition to this list of highlights, the Festival is proud to share that it will continue the longstanding tradition of celebrating Ohio films and filmmakers in the category of Local Heroes, in which filmmakers with regional ties compete for a prize of $7,500.

One of the largest and longest running festivals in the country, CIFF awards a total of $130,000 in prizes. Jurors include: 

Alejandra Martinez, Bilgesu Sisman, and Lediona Kasapi 

for the George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition; 

Cassidy Dimon, Karim Ahmad, Set Hernandez 

for the Portrait Documentary Competition; 

Jourdain Searles, Zuri Obi, and Ingrid Raphaël 

Sharon Badal, Tiffany Alexander, and Jimmy Woody

, by phone at 1.877.304.FILM, or in person starting Friday, March 7th at 11:00 am ET for members, and Friday, March 14th at 11:00 am ET for the public. Tickets can also be purchased on site at the Film Festival Box Office in the KeyBank State Theatre Lobby at Playhouse Square (based on seat availability).

 Individual tickets for in-person screenings are $18 per person, with package deals available for those planning to see multiple films.

The CIFF49 Film Guide launches February 28th with details on 300 films. Find it online at 

 or pick up a physical copy at various locations, including public libraries.

Please note: CIFF members receive a printed Film Guide as a membership benefit.

CIFF members enjoy a range of benefits, including early access to tickets and parking passes, invitations to private special events, discounts on merchandise, and more. To learn about membership or to become a member, visit 

The Cleveland International Film Festival is generously supported by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. The Festival also receives support from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically,1 through state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature.

About the Cleveland International Film Festival: Now entering its 49th year, the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to showcasing the best in independent cinema. CIFF offers year-round programming, including the annual film festival, educational initiatives, and community screenings. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Visit us online at www.clevelandfilm.org (http://www.clevelandfilm.org)

Media Contact: Dahlia Fisher, dahlia@clevelandfilm.org

Discover the spotlight films for the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), featuring exciting world, North American, and U.S. premieres!  Explore 300 independent films from around the globe March 27 - April 13, 2025. Get your tickets now!

CIFF49 Spotlight Films Revealed! | Cleveland International Film Festival

CIFF49 Spotlight Films Revealed!

The Cleveland International Film Festival is now accepting
submissions for CIFF49.

Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) Announces CIFF49 Call for Entries

The Cleveland International Film Festival is proud to announce the appointment of Hermione Malone as its new Executive Director.