Note: this is a cross-post from Social Studies @ CSU.
The Cleveland International Film Festival is here! We are keeping up with the tradition to look through the schedule and see which films will be interesting and useful for History and Social Studies teachers. Every year key themes emerge from this list. This year’s dominant themes are education, geography, gender, and LGBQT+.
Let’s get the #CIFF42 chat started in the comments and on Twitter @SocstudiesatCSU!
Current CSU students: You can present your CSU ID for 2 vouchers for the CIFF in SC 319 (Student Life Office). Also visit https://www.csuohio.edu/class/film/csu-day for other ways to see films for free or discounted rates.
Disclaimer and Navigation: This is not an exhaustive list of all films at the festival. I have organized it into loose categories of US, World, and Europe.
Special thanks to Drs. Kelly Wrenhaven and Karen Sotiropoulos for assisting with this list!
US
306 HOLLYWOOD
Year: 2018
Country: USA, HUNGARY
Run Time: 94 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/306-hollywood
Topics: US, Cultural History
ACORN AND THE FIRESTORM
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 84 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/acorn-and-the-firestorm
Topics: American Government, Contemporary Issues
AFTER LOUIE
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 100 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/after-louie
Topics: Contemporary Issues, LGBQT+
AFTER SOLITARY
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 9 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/after-solitary
Topics: Sociology, Contemporary Issues
ALASKA IS A DRAG
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 89 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/alaska-is-a-drag
Topics: Contemporary Issues, LGBQT+
BAD REPUTATION
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 92 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/bad-reputation
Topics: Music history, Joan Jett, American history
BISBEE ’17
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 118 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/bisbee-17
Topics: immigration, Arizona, Contemporary Issues, politics of memory, labor history
BOOM FOR REAL: THE LATE TEENAGE YEARS OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 78 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/boom-for-real-the-late-teenage-years-of-jean-michel-basquiat
Topics: New York City, art, Basquiat, urban history
BURDEN OF GENIUS
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 88 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/burden-of-genius
Topics: technology, history of medicine, ethics
MANRY AT SEA ~ IN THE WAKE OF A DREAM
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 93 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/manry-at-sea-in-the-wake-of-a-dream
Topics: Cleveland, Sailing, Willowick
DARK MONEY
Year: 2018
Country: USA
Run Time: 98 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/dark-money
Topics: American government, contemporary issues, politics
World
AN ACT OF DEFIANCE
Country: NETHERLANDS
Directed By: Jean van de Velde
Running Time: 123 Minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/an-act-of-defiance
Topics: apartheid, racism, South African history
ALI’s WEDDING
Country: AUSTRALIA
Directed By: Jeffrey Walker
Running Time: 110 Minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/alis-wedding
Topics: culture, cultural conflict, family, religion, migration
AKASHI
Year: 2017
Country: CANADA
Run Time: 10 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/akashi
Topics: Geography, Japan, Contemporary Issues, migration
ASK THE SEXPERT
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 83 minutes
https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/ask-the-sexpert
Topics: India, gender, contemporary issues
ANOTE’S ARK
Year: 2018
Country: CANADA
Run Time: 77 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/anotes-ark
Topics: Geography, climate change, migration
BEFORE SUMMER ENDS (Avant la fin de l’ete)
Year: 2017
Country: SWITZERLAND, FRANCE
Run Time: 80 minutes
https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/before-summer-ends
Topics: Migration, Middle East, France, geography
BORG VS. MCENROE
Year: 2017
Country: SWEDEN, DENMARK, FINLAND
Run Time: 107 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/borg-vs-mcenroe
Topics: sports history, media, mental health
BURKINABÈ RISING – THE ART OF RESISTANCE IN BURKINA FASO
Year: 2017
Country: BURKINA FASO
Run Time: 72 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/burkinab-rising–the-art-of-resistance-in-burkina-faso
Topics: Burkina Faso, Africa,nonviolence
ON HER SHOULDERS
Year: 2018
Country: USA
Run Time: 94 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/on-her-shoulders
Topics: Middle East, education, gender, human rights
THE NEW FIRE
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 84 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/the-new-fire
Topics: Geography, climate change, global warming, technology, contemporary issues
THE SEEN AND UNSEEN
Year: 2017
Country: INDONESIA
Run Time: 86 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/the-seen-and-unseen
Topics: Indonesia, world history, geography
TAKE LIGHT
Country: CANADA
DIRECTED BY: SHASHA NAKHAI
RUNNING TIME: 78 MINUTES
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/take-light
Topics: Nigeria, Africa, geography
Europe
100 WOMEN I KNOW
Year: 2017
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Run Time: 13 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/100-women-i-know
Topics: Sexual assault, women’s & gender studies, contemporary issues
1745
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Directed By: Gordon Napier
Running Time: 18 Minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/1745
Topics: slavery, racism, British history, empire
THE ART OF LOVING (Sztuka Kochania)
Year: 2017
Country: POLAND
Run Time: 120 minutes
https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/the-art-of-loving
Topics: Poland, Europe, Cold War, women’s and gender studies
BAREFOOT (Po strnisti bos)
Year: 2017
Country: CZECHIA
Run Time: 104 minutes
https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/barefoot
Topics: World War II, Prague
MADEMOISELLE PARADIS (Licht)
Year: 2017
Country: AUSTRIA, GERMANY
Run Time: 97 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/mademoiselle-paradis
Topics: Austria, 18th century history, Europe
MAZE
Year: 2017
Country: IRELAND
Run Time: 93 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/maze
Topics: Northern Ireland, IRA
THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING (Druga strana svega)
Year: 2017
Country: SERBIA, FRANCE, QATAR
Run Time: 104 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/the-other-side-of-everything
Topics: Serbia, communism, Balkans, geography
SILVANA
Year: 2017
Country: SWEDEN
Run Time: 91 minutes
URL:https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/silvana
Topics: rap, hip-hop, Sweden, gender, LGBQT+
WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST
Year: 2017
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
Run Time: 78 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/westwood-punk-icon-activist
Topics: activism, United Kingdom, New York City, fashion
WHAT WILL PEOPLE SAY (Hva vil folk si)
Year: 2018
Country: NORWAY, GERMANY, SWEDEN
Run Time: 106 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/what-will-people-say
Topics: migration, Europe, Norway, Pakistan, geography
School/Education Theme
6 WEEKS TO MOTHER’S DAY
Year: 2017
Country: USA, THAILAND
Run Time: 92 minutes
https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/6-weeks-to-mothers-day
Topics: Thailand, Contemporary Issues, Geography
ADVENTURES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL
Country: CANADA
Directed By: Kyle Rideout
Running Time: 86 Minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/adventures-in-public-school
Topics: Teens, coming-of-age, public school, education
AND THEN I GO
Country: USA
Directed By: Vincent Grashaw
Running Time: 99 Minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/and-then-i-go
Topics: Teens, coming-of-age, school violence, education
BLUE MY MIND
Year: 2017
Country: SWITZERLAND
Run Time: 98 minutes
Topics: Teens, coming-of-age, fantasy, women’s studies
BREAKING THE BEE
Year: 2018
Country: USA
Run Time: 96 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/breaking-the-bee
Topics: education, Indian-American community
BREAKING THE GRADE
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 21 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/breaking-the-grade
Topics: education, Columbus, Ohio
FAIL STATE
Year: 2017
Country: USA
Run Time: 94 minutes
URL: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/fail-state
Topics: for-profit colleges, higher education
SCIENCE FAIR
Year: 2018
Country: USA
Run Time: 90 minutes
Url: https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2018/science-fair
Topics: STEM, education
