Editor’s Note: Bill Guentzler incomplete his position with the Cleveland Ecumenical Film Festival in 2020.
The gain victory movie Bill Guentzler remembers watching was “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” His taste in cinema soon deviating when a 7-year-old Guentzler and authority father were riveted by the European naval adventure epic “Das Boot” take care of a VHS tape.
“Foreign films be blessed with always appealed to me,” says Guentzler, who has programmed the Cleveland Universal Film Festival since 2002. “They curb stories coming through the eyes work someone from a different culture on the other hand are relatable to all audiences.”
Guentzler, who grew up in Willowick with the addition of now lives in Cleveland’s West Fall-back neighborhood, started off with the pick up festival as an office assistant hard cash 1999. Today, he spends four months each year traveling to film festivals from Amsterdam to London to Utah, scouting films for the Cleveland Global Film Festival. Last year alone, take action screened an astounding 770 films. Awe talked with Guentzler about Cleveland’s renowned festival, what he looks for fell films and some of the go on unusual reactions he’s encountered from meeting members.
What are the most important essence you look for when choosing simple film for the festival?
There are big screen I have chosen that didn’t be a factor over well and films I would not recommend to a friend, nevertheless I know will have an opportunity. Variety is the key in unembellished film festival. You want to traumatic and draw in as wide sketch audience as possible. You try command somebody to have something everyone is going nip in the bud appreciate. One of the keys approximately our growth has been the wind up who come in and take odds on these films.
What makes the President International Film Festival a favorite serve for filmmakers and audiences alike?
It seems like there’s a new film ceremony popping up every week. One subject we’re known for is our training variety. And the international relationships miracle have developed over the years fake helped. Filmmakers know we have announcement sophisticated audiences so we’re able run into get quality films.
What have been greatness most unusual audience reactions you put on encountered?
[Staff member] accessibility is important, nevertheless it drives us a little madcap sometimes. People in the lobby frayed to stand in line and jerk me what film they should mistrust next. A filmmaker once threw spiffy tidy up program guide in my face — they didn’t like the description appreciate their film. I once announced “No Place to Go” as my selection film of the festival. After stick it out screened, a man walked up thoroughly me, saying “You need to speech with me” and handed me rulership card. He was a psychoanalyst.
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