SOURCE: Cleveland Jewish News | Jane Kaufman
October 8, 2020
While two films in Cleveland shut down after COVID-19 swept through the city this past spring, the industry appears to be showing encouraging signs of recovery.
Evan Miller, president of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, said he’s optimistic that with the release of more than $20 million in 30% tax credits in 2021, the film industry will recover locally.
Meantime, several commercials are in production in Cleveland and its surroundings, Miller said.
SOURCE: Deadline.com | Anthony D’Alessandro
October 8, 2020
The National Association of Theatre Owners urged Congress again Thursday to #SaveYourCinema and pass relief for cinemas that are struggling to survive during the pandemic. The exhibition lobbyist group is asking moviegoers nationwide to urge D.C. lawmakers with a goal of reaching a half-million letters sent.
Already, NATO’s #SaveYourCinema campaign has triggered 100,000 people across the country to send more than 300,000 letters to Congress in support of aid to movie theaters.
Atlas Cinemas allowing customers to rent theaters for private screenings and parties (Source: Vic Gideon)
SOURCE: Cleveland 19 News | Vic Gideon
October 6, 2020
Cleveland, OH (WOIO) – Hollywood had delayed many big movie openings, like the James Bond movie “No Time to Die,” keeping many theater chains in suspense.
“Everybody needs an uptick,” says Chris Baxter, Operations Manager of Cleveland’s Atlas Cinemas. “I mean, I think every industry now is facing that were we all kind of need that next big thing to help jump-start business a little bit. Yeah, we all look forward to ‘Wonder Woman’ and the next ‘Star Wars’ or whatever.”
The theater is keeping its doors open as it waits for the big releases by showing smaller budget or independent films, or re-releases since it reopened in June after a coronavirus shutdown.
The Cleveland International Film Festival will present its 2021 film selections virtually. (Image courtesy CIFF)
SOURCE: Cleveland.com | Anne Nickoloff, cleveland.com
October 5, 2020
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland International Film Festival has announced that its 2021 event will go virtual due to concerns surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The fest is set to take place April 7-20.
The decision follows a challenging year for CIFF; its 2020 event was canceled in March due to the pandemic, and the fest later opened up virtual streaming options for many of its films. CIFF Streams offered hundreds of films and shorts to view at home this year.
Angela Boehm Casting Studio, Cleveland OH, By Angela Boehm
SOURCE: The CSU Cauldron | Nick Hawks
September 29, 2020
When the film “Cherry” was being made in Cleveland, it required a lot of background actors. The film, directed by the Russo brothers and starred Tom Holland, needed a variety of younger-looking individuals. That’s where Angela Boehm Casting comes in.
“The Russo brothers don’t want to sit down and watch 50 or 100 videos per role, they want to see four or five,” said Angela Boehm, creator of Angela Boehm Casting. “So my job is to go ‘This is the role I have,’ look at everyone’s pictures, then show them [Russo brothers] who their five best options are in Cleveland to play this role.”
SOURCE: The Cauldron | Jack Brancatelli and Maggie Phillips
September 29, 2020
On August 31st Tower City Cinemas announced it would be closing its doors for good.
Located on the ground floor of Tower City Center, the movie theater had operated for nearly 30 years as the sole downtown provider for the classic movie-going experience (source).
This video examines possible causes for the theater’s closure and highlights the positive experiences the movie theater provided. We interviewed two former Tower City Cinemas employees–James Carter and Khristopher Mitchell–who shared their experiences behind the scenes at the theater. Also featured is Kevin Vaughan, a film professor at CSU, who shares his experience going to the theater and how its closure will impact Cleveland State University students.
While CSU students no longer have a downtown movie theater they can walk to, some Cleveland cinemas are currently open and are just a short bus-ride away. Check out upcoming showtimes for the Cedar Lee Theatre here and Chagrin Cinemas here.
SOURCE: Cleveland.com | Joan Rusek
September 28, 2020
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio – For the past 10 years volunteers and staff with the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival gathered compelling, quirky and entertaining films from around the world to present to Chagrin Valley viewers in a variety of in-person venues. This year, Oct. 6-11, CDFF is bringing the same level of quality films to your living room or wherever you watch streaming video.
The festival includes 101 films from 32 countries, including topics such as the environment, the human spirit. The fest opens with “Playing with Fire,” featuring the Cleveland-based Grammy Award winner Jeannette Sorrell and her passion for classical music
Lauren Hurley/PA Wire (Press Association via AP Images)
SOURCE: IndieWire | Zack Sharf
September 26, 2020
With the announcement that Apple Original Films has acquired worldwide rights to Anthony and Joe Russo’s “Cherry” in a deal reportedly worth north of $40 million, the streaming giant continues to build its first Oscar slate. Apple has announced an early 2021 release for “Cherry,” and the Russo Brothers have been touting star Tom Holland as an Oscar contender for much of 2020. Holland stars as an Army medic in Iraq who returns home suffering from PTSD and becomes addicted to opiates and heroin.
Tom Holland attends the premiere of Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man Far From Home” at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 26, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Getty Images
SOURCE: Cleveland.com | Joey Morona
September 25, 2020
CLEVELAND, Ohio – “Cherry,” the filmed-in-Cleveland movie from native sons Joe and Anthony Russo, will premiere on Apple TV+ in 2021.
The deal between AGBO, the brothers’ production company, and Apple Original Films for the world distribution rights to the film is worth north of $40 million, Deadline reported.
SOURCE: Deadline.com | David Robb
September 21, 2020
Hollywood’s unions and management’s AMPTP finally have an agreement to return to work in the coronavirus era. Union sources say the deal took much longer to reach than they would have liked or expected.
The agreement means that the studios, networks, major companies and independent producers alike are cleared to resume production. The unions previously had adopted protocols called “Safe Way Forward” on June 12, and the Industry-Wide Labor Management Safety Committee Task Force had issued return-to-work protocols on June 1.
