October 8 to 12, 2014
Locations throughout Chagrin Falls, OH
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio (September 3, 2014) – Tickets, event passes and online program are now available for the upcoming Chagrin Documentary Film Festival, Oct. 8-12. Chagrin Falls will be bustling as an anticipated record-breaking crowd celebrates the power and passion of the documentary film at the five-day festival featuring more than 70 documentary films being shown in venues throughout the town. The full lineup, including special event information, can be found at www.chagrinfilmfest.org.
Filmmakers from across the country and around the world will be attending to share insights about their films and to attend the Festival Awards Ceremony at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 11. Dewey Forward, proprietor of the iconic Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop, will serve as Master of Ceremony for the awards presentation.
The Festival kicks off Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. with opening film “The Curse and the Symphony” directed by David Schulte, at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre. Guest speaker will be Ivan Schwarz, Executive Director of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. The documentaries presented at the 5th Anniversary Festival highlight thought-provoking topics, tales of the power of the human spirit, and even humor. A few highlights of the Festival’s 2014 program include:
• Perseverance: The Story of Dr. Billy Taylor, directed by Dan Chace. The Ohio premiere of a real life story of an improbable comeback, this powerful film traces the life, downfall and recovery of one of the University of Michigan’s greatest running backs, Billy Taylor. Dr. Taylor will be on hand for the film on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2:00 p.m. at Judson Manor. An additional screening will be on Thursday evening, 7:45 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Chagrin Falls.
• Hava Nagila (The Movie), directed by Roberta Grossman. The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage is sponsoring a performance by the Workmen’s Circle Klezmer Orchestra following the film.
• Hotline, directed by Tony Shaff. Dial M for...mesmerizing. The hot, steamy, funny, startling and wrenching confessions of telephone hotline workers, founders and volunteers, from suicide help-lines to sex chats to 9-1-1 dispatch to prayer lines and genuine phone celebs - such as psychic Miss Cleo and NYC's "Jeff, One Lonely Guy." It's a compliment to call this a talking-head movie. Northeast Ohio help-line volunteers will share their own accounts following the film.
• Tom Rush: No Regrets, directed by local documentarian Todd Kwait who shares the story of this iconic singer, songwriter and storyteller. Tom Rush had a profound impact on the American music scene and helped shape the folk revival in the '60s and the renaissance of the '80s and '90s.
• Festival Closing on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. - Reflect, Reclaim, Rejoice: Preserving the Gift of Black Sacred Music, directed by Henri Giles. Black sacred music is slowly being lost to America's collective memory. Narrated by Academy Award nominated actress Alfre Woodard, this stirring film traces the music's history and invites the viewer to see, hear and feel how it was originally sung and how it is part of America's story, too. The rousing Antioch Baptist Choir, directed by Helen Turner Thompson, will perform following the film. Tickets are $15 or $10 with an All Festival Pass.
The Festival Program Guide and online schedule include information on all films, programs and events. Festival ticket options include: Individual tickets $10; Festival Opening event $20; Closing Event $15; Festival After-hours Gala $30; and an All-Fest Pass, including five days of films, for $70.
Founded in 2010 to honor of the filmmaking spirit of local filmmaker David Ponce, the Festival is designed to create a family-friendly and educational environment with the backdrop of beautiful Chagrin Falls. In 2013, the Festival audience exceeded 6,000, demonstrating Northeast Ohio’s compelling interest in the individual voices of documentary filmmakers. Festival organizers anticipate a hearty increase in attendance at the 2014 Festival.
To learn more about the Festival, become a Festival member, or volunteer, visit www.chagrinfilmfest.org, call the Festival office at 440-247-1591 or look for us on Facebook and Twitter.