April 10, 2016

40th Cleveland International Film Festival Celebrates Record-Breaking Year

Contact:
Debby Samples
Marketing Director
216.623.3456 x14 / debby@clevelandfilm.org

The 40th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), presented by Dollar Bank, hosted record-breaking crowds during the 12-day event held in Tower City Cinemas in downtown Cleveland and at eight other neighborhood locations. The CIFF welcomed 102,255 attendees to its 500+ screenings and, in partnership with Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, raised $144,660 in Challenge Match (annual campaign) donations.

The Festival showcased 195 feature films and 213 short subjects from 72 countries. FilmSlam (the CIFF’s high school and middle school mini-Festival) was attended by 8,500 engaged and enthusiastic students from 105 schools. More than 1,000 volunteers donated their time and talents to help pave the way for the success of the CIFF40, contributing over 11,000 hours of their invaluable time. And without the generous support of our 187 sponsors and funders, 164 non-profit community partners, and 71 media and neighborhood outreach partners, the CIFF40 would not have been possible.

For the fourth time in organizational history, the CIFF presented its Legacy Award. The recipient was Dollar Bank. The Festival was thrilled to recognize Dollar Bank’s unparalleled support spanning nearly 20 years, with 15 years as its Opening Night Sponsor before becoming its Presenting Sponsor in 2013.

The CIFF hosted 300+ filmmakers from around the world who shared their films and offered both local and global perspectives on a vast array of topics. The winners of the competitions and awards were announced at the Closing Night ceremony on Sunday, April 10, 2016.

Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film
Sponsored by the Callahan Foundation
ROMEO IS BLEEDING, directed by Jason Zeldes (USA)
$15,000 cash prize

George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition
Presented with generous support from The George Gund Foundation
A GOOD WIFE, directed by Mirjana Karanovic (Serbia)
$10,000 cash prize

Nesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Competition
Sponsored by Nesnadny + Schwartz
MOM AND ME, directed by Ken Wardrop (Ireland, USA)
$7,500 cash prize

New Direction Competition
Presented with generous support from Cover My Meds
THE FITS, directed by Anna Rose Holmer (USA)
$7,500 cash prize

Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition
Presented with generous support from The George Gund Foundation
JIM BROWN’S AMER-I-CAN DREAM, directed by Aurora Ferlin (USA)
$7,500 cash prize

Global Health Competition
Sponsored by Cleveland Clinic
THE C WORD, directed by Meghan O’Hara (USA)
$7,500 cash prize

American Independents Competition
Presented with the generous support of Lauren Rich Fine and Gary Giller
COMING THROUGH THE RYE, directed by James Sadwith (USA)
$7,500 cash prize

Local Heroes Competition
Presented with the generous support of Mike and Nicki Cancelliere
MADTOWN, directed by Charles Moore (USA)
$7,500 cash prize

Music Movies Competition
Presented with the generous support of Jules and Fran Belkin
WHAT WOULD BEETHOVEN DO?, directed by Jonathan Keijser (USA, Canada)
$7,500 cash prize

ReelWomenDirect Award for Excellence in Directing by a Woman
Presented with the generous support of Deborah Bachman Ratner
Dawn Porter (for TRAPPED; USA)
$10,000 cash prize

FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Feature Film
ROMEO IS BLEEDING, directed by Jason Zeldes (USA)
$1,000 Cash Prize

Audience Choice Award for Best Short Subject
THE GNOMIST, directed by Sharon Liese (USA)
$1,000 Cash Prize

Best Animated Short Award*
Sponsored by Reminger Co., L.P.A
ARIA FOR A COW, directed by Dan Lund (USA)
$1,000 cash prize

Best Documentary Short Award*
Sponsored by Jules and Fran Belkin
LIFE AFTER PI, directed by Scott Leberecht (USA)
$1,000 cash prize

Best Live Action Short Award*
Sponsored by Anne Bloomberg and Alan Gordon Lipson & Judy Harris
PARDON THE INTRUSION, directed by Louise Galizia (United Kingdom)
$1,000 cash prize

FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Short Film
UN ENCUENTRO (AN ENCOUNTER), directed by Miguel Berzal De Miguel (Spain)
$1,000 Cash Prize

*These award winners will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards^®.

For a full list of short subject film award winners, please visit clevelandfilm.org.

The Cleveland International Film Festival is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.