Knight and Day in Akron, poster. Photo via www.akronartmuseum.org

Several hundred people showed up at the Akron Civic Theatre (a Knight Arts grantee) on March 4th to celebrate Akron’s participation in the Cleveland International Film Festival for the fifth consecutive year, made possible through the Knight and Day in Akron program sponsored by the Knight Foundation.

Attendees seemingly had a great time. Admission was free. Those who arrived there early enough got in line to help themselves from platters of hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar was on hand. Attendees also could sign up for chances to win several prizes, including a Director’s Pass to all the showings during the film festival.

They also received a CIFF catalog with an insert describing the feature films and shorts being shown in three locations in downtown Akron on the weekend of March 20-21: Akron-Summit County Public Library, Akron Art Museum (a Knight Arts grantee) and, for the first time this year, Nightlight Cinema (also a Knight Arts grantee).

In the second hour of the event, attendees gathered in the mezzanine of the grand old theater to be welcomed by festival organizers and local representatives, but were also given the opportunity to see four short films from the festival. What a treat that was, but also what a good way to generate interest in the coming festival centered in the Tower City Cinemas in downtown Cleveland March 18-29.

Akron, however, will have its own set of screenings – seven films and two collections of short films beginning with the Friday evening showing of director Karina Epperlein’s Finding the Gold Within at 7 p.m. An hour before the screening, starting at 6 p.m., there will be a reception in the library lobby, where hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. The film will be followed by a panel discussion.

Finding the Gold Within reportedly tells the tale of six young African-American men from Akron on their journey from a support program called Alchemy Inc. through their choices for college and university life.

“Finding the Gold Within,” film poster. Photo via www.clevelandfilm.org

On Saturday, March 21 in the Akron Art Museum, things begin with a “Family Shorts Program 2” at 12 p.m., followed by four documentary-style films: 1971 at 2:15 p.m. (about breaking into FBI files); A Royal Hangover at 4 p.m. (about British binge drinking); Traficant: The Congressman of Crimetown at 6:20 p.m.; and The Creeping Garden at 8:30p.m. (a science non-fiction thriller about slime molds).

Like Finding the Gold Within, the film Traficant: The Congressman of Crimetown has a local connection. It is director Eric Murphy’s documentary about Youngstown political figure Jim Traficant, who ran first for sheriff, then for congressman, before getting in trouble for contempt of court orders and racketeering. The film includes interviews with local celebrities Ed O’Neill (of Married with Children) and boxer Ray Boom Boom Mancini.

“Traficant: The Congressman of Crimetown,” film poster. Photo via www.clevelandfilm.org

Nightlight Cinema, also on Saturday, March 21 will repeat two feature films: The Circle at 1:45 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. (about the true story of gay activists who published an illegal journal of the same name as the title), and Man from Reno at 3:45 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. (a neo-noir thriller about murder and missing persons in the San Francisco area), followed by a collection called After Hours Shorts Program 4 at 10:30 p.m.

Longer descriptions of the films can be found online in the in the Knight and Day in Akron section of the CIFF website, or in the CIFF catalogue.

Parking is available for free in the parking deck connected to the Akron-Summit County Public Library.

Tickets for the Knight and Day in Akron films shown March 20-21 can be purchased in advance online at www.clevelandfilm.org; by phone at 877-304-3456; or in person at the CIFF Box Office at Tower City Cinemas. Day of show tickets can be purchased on-site beginning one hour prior to the start of the first screening at each Akron location.