CIFF turns 50: The moments that defined Cleveland's film festival
By Troy Smith
Published on April 9, 2026.
The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a screening of 326 short and feature-length films. The first film ever screened was "F for Fake," starring Orson Welles in 1977. The festival will also feature a special screening of "It's a Wonderful Life" with director Frank Capra in attendance. In 2004, "Born Into Brothels" won the festival's audience choice award for best film and went on to win the 2005 Academy Award for best documentary feature. In 2000, CIFF became a qualifying festival for the animated short and live action short categories at the Academy Awards.
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