January 25, 2019

CIFF Announces New Program and Award: DReam Catcher

DReam Catcher is the Cleveland International Film Festival’s new program and award, established to honor the life and memory of David K. Ream (1949-2017), who was a beloved and long-serving CIFF trustee. An indexer by profession, a master of puns by choice, and a true Renaissance man at heart, Dave loved Cleveland and everything about it. And he was everywhere, including political events, LGBTQ gatherings, and arts happenings – especially the CIFF.

DReam Catcher will celebrate LGBTQ artists through the recognition of an LGBTQ filmmaker at each Festival.

In its inaugural year, the CIFF is thrilled to recognize director Jamie Babbit as its first DReam Catcher program participant and award recipient. A Cleveland native, Babbit’s award-winning work spans across film and television.

While at the Festival, Babbit will be connected with organizations in Northeast Ohio whose missions support the LGBTQ community, as well as with LGBTQ student groups. The DReam Catcher award will be presented to Babbit on Closing Night of CIFF43.

Jamie Babbit has directed several features and shorts and produced and directed multiple award winning television shows. Her feature credits include “Fresno” (SXSW Premiere 2015), starring Natasha Lyonne and Aubrey Plaza, and the queer comedy, "But I'm a Cheerleader," which debuted at The Sundance Film Festival. Other features include "The Quiet" for Sony Classics starring Edie Falco and "The Itty Bitty Titty Committee" (CIFF31), which won the grand jury prize at the SXSW film festival.

Babbit's directing television credits include GIRLS (HBO), Looking (HBO), The L Word (Showtime), and a best directing Emmy nomination for Silicon Valley (HBO). Babbit has been profiled in The New York Times, Out Magazine, Time Out, The LA Times, Filmmaker magazine, and The Huffington Post. She was listed by Variety as a "director to watch."

Babbit graduated from Columbia University where she was a Centennial scholar in foreign studies. She grew up in Shaker Heights, OH, and currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her wife, Karey Dornetto, and her two daughters.

The 43rd Cleveland International Film Festival will be held March 27 – April 7, 2019 at Tower City Cinemas in downtown Cleveland, as well as at west side and east side locations. More than 500 screenings will take place during the 12 days of the Festival, with over 300 guest filmmakers from around the world who will be visiting our city for the Festival. CIFF43 program details will be available at clevelandfilm.org on Friday, March 1, with Program Guides hitting the streets the week of March 4th. Tickets will go on sale to CIFF Members on Friday, March 8th and to the general public on Friday, March 15th. For more information, please visit www.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.