Over 100,000 Northeast Ohioans spent the past week-and-a-half in the dark, taking in more than 400 movies at the 39th Cleveland International Film Festival.
A couple thousand people gathered in the Tower City Fountain Court area for this year's closing night awards reception. The big winner was the documentary "Becoming Bulletproof" about a Vermont filmmaking camp that allows people with disabilites --- ranging from Down syndrome to cerebral palsy --- to stage an elaborate western drama. The film scored top prize in three categorries, including the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award. Director Michael Barnett brought his cast on stage with him
MICHAEL BARNETT: "Becoming Bulletproof" is a film about real inclusion and equality. I really want to say thanks to you guys for including us here. It's really magical and tremendous.
Among the other honorees, last night, was "Frame By Frame", the story of photojournalists in Afghanistan, which won the Reel Women Direct competition, and Solon native Nick Cavalier took home the Local Heroes fimmaking award for "Forced Perspective", his portrait of Cleveland artist Derek Hess.
This year's attendance was the highest ever for the Festival which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2016.
