December greetings, dear blogsters!  In November, I talked about Ohio’s place in the creation of the motion picture industry.  Next year, America 250 – Ohio will celebrate our historical significance in film throughout 2026 with “Ohio Goes to the Movies”.  As I mentioned last month, Ohio may indeed be going to the movies, but in many ways, Ohio is the movies.  This is because here in the self-proclaimed heart of it all, is where the movie business as we know it today, got its start through the brilliance of early Ohio innovators like Thomas Edison and the Warner Brothers.  Click here in case you missed it.

Today, Ohio is recognized as a great place to make movies, and in addition to the movie business  pioneers mentioned above whose focus was behind the camera,  our state boasts many well-known native Ohioans who have graced movie and television screens everywhere in front of the camera.  

To learn more about Ohio’s place in film history along with the tremendous return on investment the Greater Cleveland Film Commission (GCFC) generates for our community, reach out to me lperryjr@clevelandfilm.com to schedule a Lunch & Learn or Coffee Chat with yours truly for your organization or professional group.  Enjoy a fast-paced, entertaining, and informative gathering that will surely leave you exclaiming afterwards “Wow, I did not know that!”  This already popular series of presentations will be ongoing throughout 2026 as part of GCFC’s contribution to Ohio Goes to the Movies.  There are still a few limited dates available for this month.

In the meantime, wishing you all a safe and blessed holiday season as we bring this chaotic roller coaster of a 2025 to welcome close.   Although there is still much to be thankful for, like our friends and family of course. Life is way too short, so never forget to let them know how much you love them.   And Cleveland did get to experience the triumphant return of our hometown hero, Superman after all!  There is also still some time for you to become a GCFC superhero in your own right.

Hoping that 2026 will bring some much-needed good tidings of great joy which is to all people.  See you at the Year-End Mixer!

Cheers!

LP
Chief Diversity Officer, VP Corporate & Community Engagement