Hollywood is notorious for being the cinematic capital of the world pumping out blockbuster after blockbuster, however along the shores of Lake Erie Cleveland is one of the competing cities in the growing film industry.
With that being said Clevand is home to The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), one of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the world.
CIFF was founded in 1977 at Tower City Cinema showing 8 films over the span of 8 weeks, 49 years later the festival shows over 300 films by filmmakers from 60 countries in the span of 5 days. As many as 3,500 people flock to Playhouse Square to watch world premieres of unique international films.
CIFF offers an entertaining event for cinephiles and regular movie-goers alike, serving as a melting pot for people of all walks of life to come together and appreciate cinema beyond the large-studio motion pictures shown in theaters through the rest of the year.
When asked about the selection process for what films are shown during CIFF, Interim Education Director of the festival, Valarie Temple, said it was, “A very hard process at the Festival, we had over 3,400 submissions.”
The process for choosing which films to include in the festival takes place throughout the year, Temple explained. It requires long and complex conversations with the CIFF team to decide what films are shown during the five-day stretch of the festival.
Films from all types of genres and cultures are shown in Playhouse Square, allowing audiences to delve into the world of unique and experimental films. These films, from over 60 different countries, travel along with their makers from all corners of the world to Cleveland.
“Every year it is the same festival but a whole new set of films, filmmakers, and a new set of enrichment opportunities,” said Temple.
CIFF offers more than just movie screenings, including panels with experts in the world of cinema, Q-and-A sessions with filmmakers and different programs for people interested in becoming members of the growing world of movie-making.
One of the programs that CIFF offers is called Film Slam, for middle schoolers and high schoolers across the state.
“Film Slam is a festival inside the festival,” said Temple, “We have 4,500 students and 150 educators coming to Playhouse Square from all over Ohio.”
Film Slam is one of the education programs the CIFF provides local communities. The mission of CLIFF is to educate and entertain through film, an art medium that can be anything from live action, documentaries to stop motion animation.
“It is such a great opportunity for people to learn,” Temple said.
From March 31st through April 5th, CLIFF movies were shown throughout the theaters of Playhouse. ClIFF films were also be available through CIFF streams, April 6 though 13.
Cauldron Guest Contributor 
EveLynne Bruening