CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland International Film Festival rolls on at Playhouse Square through Sunday, with CIFF49 Streams, the virtual version of the festival, launching Monday and running through April 13. The virtual format offers a second chance to catch many feature-length and short films from this year’s lineup.
This year’s festival showcases more than 300 films from 60 countries, spanning a variety of genres—from drama to comedy and everything in between—along with an array of inspiring and thought-provoking documentaries.
CIFF49 Preview: New chapter begins at Cleveland International Film Festival
The toughest part? Deciding what to watch. We’ve got you covered with 10 standout films to check out in person or online before the festival wraps up.
When: 2:35 p.m., April 2 or 7:30 p.m., April 3
Where: Mimi Ohio Theatre
What: This mockumentary-style comedy, 25 years in the making, features two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali in his first on-screen role. He plays an activist leader whose ambitious plans to change the world take a chaotic turn when the summit he’s organizing spirals into a complete disaster.
When: 12:15 p.m., April 3 or 9:55 p.m., April 4
Where: Mimi Ohio Theatre
What: Winner of the New Wave Award at Fantastic Fest in Austin, this macabre dark comedy from India focuses on a Mumbai woman trapped in an unhappy arranged marriage. As she undergoes disturbing psychological changes, she transforms into someone—or something—entirely different.
“Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts.”
When: 2:30 p.m., April 3 or 7:30 p.m., April 5
Where: KeyBank State Theatre (Thursday), Allen Theatre (Saturday)
What: Pizza Hut’s iconic red-roofed buildings are relics of a bygone era. In this intriguing documentary, filmmaker Matthew Salleh explores what has become of these once-beloved restaurants. The surprising and inspiring answers reveal the evolution of American culture.
When: 10 p.m., April 4
Where: KeyBank State Theatre
What: Danielle Deadwyler (“The Piano Lesson”) stars in this post-apocalyptic thriller, which earned raves at the Toronto International Film Festival. Set in the near future after a second Civil War, the movie centers on a Black family struggling to defend their farm from a band of starving cannibals.
“Fox and Hare Save the Forest”
When: 9:55 a.m., April 5
Where: Allen Theatre
What: Kicking off CIFF49’s Family Day , this animated adventure is about two animal friends who spring into action when a beaver’s dam floods the forest. “My son has already watched it and loves it. He keeps asking to see it again,” CIFF artistic director Mallory Martin said.
The portrait documentary "Sally" explores the groundbreaking career of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, while shedding light on the nearly 30-year secret relationship she shared with author and tennis player Tam O’Shaughnessy.Bettmann Archive
When: 4:55 p.m., April 5
Where: Mimi Ohio Theatre
What: Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Cristina Costantini’s documentary tells the story of astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space who, for the final 27 years of her life, kept her relationship with author and former tennis player Tam O’Shaughnessy a secret. The screening will be preceded by a City Club Forum on Friday, discussing Ride’s legacy and the state of LGBTQ+ rights today.
When: 7:30 p.m., April 5
Where: KeyBank State Theatre
What: CIFF49’s closing night film is a romantic comedy that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. André Holland (“Moonlight”) and Nicole Beharie (“Miss Juneteenth”) star as a couple trying to navigate their relationship in a rapidly changing Brooklyn neighborhood—while his ex, played by DeWanda Wise (Netflix’s “She’s Gotta Have It”), remains very much in the picture.
The Irish film "Aontas" will be available to stream in Ohio during CIFF49 Streams, April 6-13.Aontas
When: April 6-13
Where: CIFF49 Streams (Ohio only)
What: This thriller from Ireland follows three desperate women attempting a daring and complex bank heist. Told in reverse chronological order, reminiscent of “Memento,” the film promises suspense and unexpected twists at every turn.
In person: 5:10 p.m., April 2 at KeyBank State Theatre
Online: CIFF49 Streams, April 6-13 (Ohio only)
Remember speech class? This film, nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Documentaries at Sundance, takes audiences inside the high-stakes world of competitive public speaking, following five politically engaged high school students on the road to the Super Bowl of speech competitions.
When: April 6-13
Where: CIFF49 Streams
What: Iranian filmmaker Leila Amini’s documentary, which made its U.S. premiere in Cleveland last week, follows her sister Nasreen’s seven-year pursuit of a singing career in Tehran—without her husband’s support and in a country where women are banned from performing in public.
The 49th Cleveland International Film Festival is going on now through April 5 at Playhouse Square, 1519 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. Tickets start at $16. CIFF49 Streams, the virtual component, runs April 6-13. For more information and a complete schedule, visit clevelandfilm.org.