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  

Store Menu (Festival)

BUY A CIFF MEMBERSHIP & STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT OF THE FILM WORLD

Your membership isn't just about movies; it's about community, culture, and contributing to the vibrant arts scene in Cleveland.

Give family, friends, co-workers, or yourself an unexpected treat and keep the magic of movies coming to the C.L.E.

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Help us bring new indie films to Cleveland and celebrate local and global artists.

Join a community of passionate film lovers and expand your social circle.

Get all-access to every shorts program at CIFF49, a 20% discount on all streaming shorts as part of CIFF Streams, and invitations and discounts on new shorts programming throughout the year, plus a 20% discount on tickets to Get Shorty, our most popular fundraising event of the year!

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Complimentary mailing of the CIFF49 Film Guide

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Advance CIFF49 ticket sales before public sales 

$2 off every tickets to CIFF49 @ PSQ (in-person) and CIFF49 Streams (online) screenings

Opportunity to purchase one members-only CIFF49 Playhouse Square Parking Pass

Opportunity to purchase members-only CIFF49 Ticket 10-Packs (a savings of $20 per pack!)

20% Off CIFF49 Day Passes

20% off CIFF49 Opening Night Film & Reception tickets

20% off CIFF Special Event tickets throughout the year

20% off CIFF Merchandise

One CIFF49 Streams Pass (online) 

One ticket to the CIFF49 Opening Night Film & Reception

One CIFF49 Festival Pass (in-person)

Access to the CIFF49 Passholder Lounge

Complimentary VIP Valet Parking at Playhouse Square (evenings only during CIFF49) 

Two tickets to the CIFF49 Opening Night Film & Reception

Two tickets to Get Shorty 2025 (CIFF Special Event)

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Donor recognition on clevelandfilm.org

Your CIFF49 Festival Passholder Membership Welcome Letter (coming from 

) will be emailed within one week of purchase.

If you purchased a CIFF49 Membership for another person, you will need to transfer that Membership from your CIFF Eventive Account into their CIFF Eventive Account. Visit our "How Can I Transfer a CIFF Membership to another person?" FAQ under the Membership FAQs for more information.

Be sure to log into your CIFF Eventive account when visiting clevelandfilm.org or the 

 to ensure access to your membership benefits and discounts. If you do not have your CIFF Eventive login information, please click "

)" from the login screen to reset your password. If you do not have your CIFF Eventive login information, please email CIFF Membership Manager Kristopher Caccamise at 

Festival, Hybrid, and VIP Passholder memberships purchased on or after March 17, 2025, will have their in-person pass held at CIFF49 Guest Services (located in the inner lobby of the KeyBank State Theatre at Playhouse Square) for pick up beginning Friday, March 28, 2025, during their CIFF49 hours of operation.

Members at the Festival, Hybrid, and VIP Passholder levels will have their CIFF49 Opening Night Film & Reception ticket (or tickets, for VIP Passholders) emailed to them in an Order Confirmation at approximately 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

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 Memebrs 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 

 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 will 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.

Not all films in the CIFF49 program will be available for streaming during CIFF49 Streams but all films available to stream during CIFF49 Streams (April 6-13, 2025) will be screened in-person during CIFF49 @ PSQ (March 27-April 5, 2025.)

Films in the CIFF49 Streams program will be available for streaming nationwide in the United States unless noted. Some films may be geo-restricted to viewers in Ohio or regionally (Midwest USA: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania). Any geo-restrictions on CIFF49 Streams films will be noted on the film’s description page.

All films screening in person during CIFF49 (April 6-13, 2025) are limited to a maximum number of tickets sold per film, regardless of available venue space. While the venue may be able to accommodate additional patrons, distributor restrictions on the number of tickets available, may not.

Available November 2024, CIFF49 Memberships offer early access and discounts on Festival tickets, CIFF Special Events, CIFF Merchandise and so much more. 

Join CIFF Membership for Discounts and Early Access to CIFF49

Membership (On Sale)

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.

Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) Announces New Executive Director 

Day Pass: Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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