From an absurdist anthology to a documentary about a scandalous Japanese game show, the first full day of the Cleveland International Film Festival was a palette of genres.
Leslie Buck from Cleveland began her day with the British thriller “Femme.” She’s been attending CIFF for two decades and said, while she does plan to stream some of this year’s films, she preferred being at Playhouse Square.
“It’s nothing like being in a theater with other people hearing reactions and being part of society and enjoy[ing] these beautiful theaters,” Buck said.
The 48th fest is the third year the films have screened at Playhouse Square.
The festival moved from Tower City Cinemas to Playhouse Square in 2020, though it was forced online that year and the next due to the pandemic. The last few years have been hybrid festivals, with films screening in person first and then later online.
Matt Somers preferred having everything under one roof, but he said he wished the screenings began earlier in the day so he could get home to North Canton before rush hour. He said he plans to be at Playhouse Square several times for the fest, and then he will rewatch some of the films online.
“I find some of the feature films that are a little abstract, I like watching,” he said. “From all the different countries, you get to be exposed to different environments, different settings. Some of the American films just don’t draw me in as much.”
The festival was founded in 1977 and began at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights. Sylvia Hart remembered those days, and she has been attending CIFF almost since the beginning. She liked the Cedar Lee but said she is waiting for the fest to recapture the feel of the Tower City years.
“There were definitely more places to get food,” she said. “Here, it just seems a little bit oppressive. I’m trying to get acclimated, but it’s not happening yet. But I love the film festival, and I’ll always come back.”
This year’s festival opened Wednesday night with the comedy “Thelma.” It wraps in Playhouse Square April 13 with a documentary about Akron New Wave pioneers Devo. Then the festival offers eight days of streaming until April 21. There are several films with local ties, such as a documentary on Akron runner Butch Reynolds and another on the efforts of Cleveland nurses to combat Black mortality.
