February 26, 2020

CIFF44 Announces Feature Film Juried Competitions

The 44th Cleveland International Film Festival is delighted to announce its feature film juried competitions. Thirty films are included in three esteemed competitions, with $30,000 in cash prizes available.

GEORGE GUND III MEMORIAL CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COMPETITION
Thirty years ago, CIFF launched a special focus on films from Central and Eastern Europe, the native lands of many Clevelanders. This year CIFF is proud to present the 18th Central and Eastern European Competition. And, for the eighth year, CIFF will present this competition in loving memory of George Gund III with the support of an endowment from The George Gund Foundation.

Award amount: $10,000 USD

BEANPOLE (Russia, Kantemir Balagov)
CORPUS CHRISTI (Poland/France, Jan Komasa)
THE FATHER (Bulgaria/Greece, Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov)
THE FLYING CIRCUS (Kosovo/Albania/North Macedonia, Fatos Berisha)
HALF-SISTER (Slovenia/North Macedonia/Serbia, Damjan Kozole)
THE HUMORIST (Russia/Latvia/Czechia, Michael Idov)
MOTHERLAND (Lithuania/Latvia/Germany/Greece, Tomas Vengris)
ON THE ROOF (Czechia, Jiří Mádl)
TALL TALES (Hungary, Attila Szász)
TRUTH AND JUSTICE (Estonia, Tanel Toom)

Jurors: Ryan Keating-Lambert (Prague-based Film Journalist and Blogger), Dagmar Raudam (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival), and Daniel Vadocky (Art Film Fest Košice and Negativ Film Productions)

NESNADNY + SCHWARTZ PORTRAIT DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
The Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition is dedicated to the life and work of CIFF board member and friend Mark Schwartz (1956-2014).

For 16 years, the CIFF has presented the Nesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Competition. This will be the fourth year we celebrate the life of Mark Schwartz with a sharper focus on portrait documentaries. The subjects in these documentaries are determined, dedicated, and daring. The films themselves are artistic, passionate, and insightful. This competition is made possible with generous support from Nesnadny + Schwartz.

Award amount: $10,000 USD

BULLY, COWARD, VICTIM. THE STORY OF ROY COHN (USA, Ivy Meeropol)
THE CAPOTE TAPES (United Kingdom, Ebs Burnough
FORMAN VS FORMAN (Czechia/France, Helena Třeštíková, Jakub Hejna)
GOLDA (Israel, Sagi Bornstein, Udi Nir, and Shani Rozanes)
HE DREAMS OF GIANTS (United Kingdom, Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe)
JAY SEBRING…CUTTING TO THE TRUTH (USA, Anthony DiMaria)
LIL’ BUCK: REAL SWAN (USA, Louis Wallecan)
MARTHA: A PICTURE STORY (Australia/USA/Germany/Brazil, Selina Miles)
NAIL IN THE COFFIN: THE FALL AND RISE OF VAMPIRO (Canada, Michael Paszt)
SEARCHING FOR MR. RUGOFF (USA, Ira Deutchman)

Jurors: Mara Bresnahan (Camden International Film Festival and Brooklyn Film Festival),
Lela Meadow-Conner (Film Festival Alliance and mamafilm) Greg Sorvig (Heartland Film)

NEW DIRECTION COMPETITION
Now in its fifth year, CIFF’s New Direction Competition focuses on debut directors whose innovative films transform the traditional notions of cinematic storytelling. This competition is made possible with generous support from CoverMyMeds.

Award amount: $10,000 USD

THE ANTENNA (Turkey, Orçun Behram)
BEAST BEAST (USA, Danny Madden)
BOY MEETS GUN (Netherlands, Joost van Hezik)
THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS (USA, Robert Machoian)
JUMBO (France/Luxembourg/Belgium, Zoé Wittock)
LINA FROM LIMA (Chile/Argentina/Peru, María Paz González
MURMUR (Canada, Heather Young)
PATRICK (Belgium, Tim Mielants)
THE PLANTERS (USA, Alexandra Kotcheff, Hannah Leder)
WYRM (USA, Christopher Winterbauer)

Jurors: Dominic Davis (Rooftop Films), RJ Millard (Obscured Pictures), and Lauren Jane Holland
(Creative Artists Agency).