The cinematic celebration of Italian culture and celluloid returns to Cleveland this September with the 17th installment of the Cleveland Italian Film Festival. The brainchild of Joyce Mariani, who imported the festival concept to Cleveland in 2006 after her sojourn through Italy, promises to deliver once again a hit of Mediterranean cinephilia to local audiences craving a taste of la dolce vita.
In an innovation by the festival director, only a single film will grace the screen each evening, highlighting Mariani's distaste for the "marathon" format typical of most other film festivals. Akin to savoring a fine wine, the festival's slower pace intends to offer a pause, a moment for the film to resonate rather than immediately being chased by another. In a statement obtained by WeTheItalians, Mariani shared her thoughts: "I always found it tedious to go night after night like a marathon to see one film after another like most film festivals."
Mariani's bemusement sparked the festival's creation that award-winning Italian films regularly flew over Cleveland, favoring other U.S. cities for their American premieres. According to cleveland.com, Mariani said, "After studying and living in Italy on visits back to Cleveland, I wondered why great award-winning films shot over Cleveland to other cities in the U.S." This bewilderment led to action and, subsequently, to what would become a staple on the Cleveland cultural calendar.
True to the heart of the festival's philosophy, the essence of Italian cinema will be shown throughout three consecutive Thursdays, spread out across evenings that can ensure each work of art has a chance to shine under the spotlight without competition from a packed schedule. Acknowledging the variety of gems that constitute Italian filmmaking, Mariani curates a collection aimed to inspire, entertain, and possibly challenge the Cleveland crowd that awaits eagerly for the curtain to rise this September. Having established a cinematic rite of passage in the area, the Cleveland Italian Film Festival is poised to deliver another year of dynamic storytelling from one of the world's most culturally rich nations.
