Pepper Your Flick Bash With Boffo Eats
by Carlo Wolff
Navigating the Cleveland International Film Festival is exhilarating but challenging. It can make you very hungry. Let’s connect the two.
With movies playing Tower City Cinemas nonstop during the first two weeks of April, downtown Cleveland will be jammed; in 2012, 85,000 glued themselves in front of Tower City Center screens to view more than 320 movies, and this year, with an additional day on the schedule, last year’s attendance record might well be broken. (A few movies will screen at the Capitol Theatre in Cleveland’s Gordon Square Arts District, Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights, and in Oberlin and Akron.)
The numbers are staggering: 180 feature films and 164 short-subject films from 65 countries are scheduled for this festival.
No matter how much of a film buff you are, however, you have to eat (this is your Jewish mother talking) – particularly if you’re zipping from theater to theater, like fans that spend their vacation time at CIFF to see as many movies as they can jam into these very long days.
The film festival is a feast for the eyes. But don’t forget to keep your eye on the feast. Give yourself a break. Check out these eateries. We’ve matched them to appropriate movies. Consider this a sampler; it doesn’t aim to be representative but it does transmit the flavor of the scene (we hope). Sometimes we stretch, but hey …
The critical fact is that from Wednesday, April 3, to Sunday, April 14, movies are what Cleveland is about. But the city is also a top food destination. Downtown, above all, marries the two perfectly during the festival.
Aliyah
ORIGIN: France
INFO: 90 minutes, directed by Elie Wajeman
SCREENINGS: Tuesday, April 09, 1:55 p.m.; Wednesday, April 10, 6:25 p.m.
Let’s start with “Aliyah” (the CJN is sponsoring the movie), a film about Alex, a Parisian Jew who dreams of getting to Tel Aviv, where his cousin Nathan is developing a restaurant. It sounds complicated and thrilling.
Food Pairing: For tips on how to run a classy restaurant, cousin Nathan might want to visit Johnny’s Bar on Fulton (3164 Fulton Road), an eatery specializing in abbondanza – and the original Johnny’s (there are outposts on West 6th Street and on Frankfort Avenue). Johnny’s on Fulton is a visual treat, too. johnnyscleveland.com
Foodie
ORIGIN: USA
INFO: 14 minutes (your meal may take longer), directed by Aaron Rudelson
SCREENING: Sunday, April 7, 12:25 p.m.
For cuisine of a different stripe, we turn to “Foodie,” about a man counseling a friend experiencing a “supernatural digestive disorder.”
Food Pairing: Spaghetti and pizza figure in this, so try Chinato, Zach Bruell’s restaurant at 2079 E. 4th St. chinatocleveland.com or – OK, it’s not exactly downtown – Michaelangelo’s at 2198 Murray Hill Road in Little Italy mangelos.com
Khaana
ORIGIN: United Kingdom
INFO: Eight minutes, directed by Cary Sawnhey
SCREENINGS: Sunday, April 07, 9:15 a.m.; Monday, April 8, 5:10 p.m.
For an increased sense of urgency, we turn to “Khaana,” a short about a pregnant orthodox Muslim woman who lives in East London. It focuses on her preoccupation with food. Let’s try for an exotic pairing with this one.
Food Pairing: Nearby Middle Eastern mainstays include Aladdin’s Baking Co. at 1301 Carnegie Ave. for takeout. aladdinbaking.com – There’s also Nate’s Deli & Restaurant, a veteran of the city’s food scene, at 1923 W. 25th St. 216-696-7529
Record Breaker
ORIGIN: Denmark
INFO: 25 minutes, directed by Brian McGinn
SCREENINGS: Thursday, April 11, noon; Friday, April 12, 4:45 p.m.
One of the longer shorts is “Record Breaker,” a film about a health-food storeowner and his obsession with breaking records. His fix is creating new categories; he’s preparing to walk up Macchu Picchu on stilts.
Food Pairing: A tough category – there’s no designated “health food restaurant” downtown, but Google the phrase to find some within a few minutes’ drive, like Johnny Mango World Cafe & Bar at 3120 Bridge Ave. Johnny Mango serves bright, cheerful food in a bright, cheerful atmosphere jmango.com – There’s also “new Asian cuisine” at cozy Tea-House Noodles, 1900 E. 6th St., which offers lard-free, non-fried food. teahousenoodlescleveland.com
The Sugar Wars: The Life Story of Angelo Lonardo
INFO: 52 minutes, directed by T.J. Amato, Josh Mills
SCREENINGS: Monday, April 8, 7:20 p.m., Capitol Theatre, 1390 W. 65th St.; Tuesday, April 9, 11:40 a.m.
On the Italian front, we turn to “The Sugar Wars: The Life Story of Angelo Lonardo,” a documentary about the son of Cleveland mob architect Joseph “Big Joe” Lonardo. It features an interview with Angelo after he returned from the witness protection program.
Food Pairing: Since the Capitol is in Gordon Square, try eclectic, stylish Luxe & Kitchen Lounge, 6605 Detroit Ave. luxecleveland.com For a downtown meal, try La Strada at 2050 E. 4th St. (we keep coming back to this strip). Terry Tarantino’s “world café” boasts cuisine that blends Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish and Greek flavors. No word on whether Terry is kin to Quentin. lastradacleveland.com
Le Grand Soir
INFO: 92 minutes, directed by Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kervern
SCREENINGS: Friday, April 5, 4:15 p.m.; Saturday, April 6, 6:25 p.m.
A French flick that looks well worth seeing is “Le Grand Soir,” about a punk man and his square brother. When the square loses his job, the punk carries him, turning him onto the notion that survival means more than getting along. Looks rowdy and colorful.
Food Pairing: Sans Souci Mediterranean Cuisine in the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel has been taking armchair travelers to France for quite some time. It offers Mediterranean cuisine in a comfortable, artful setting. At 24 Public Square, it’s a natural destination for festivalgoers. sanssoucicleveland.com
Key of Life
INFO: 128 minutes, directed by Kenji Uchida
SCREENINGS: Friday, April 12, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 13, 3:30 p.m.
Can’t leave out Japan, which presents us “Key of Life,” billed as a “screwball comedy” about identity, crisis and more.
Food Pairing: Sushi 86 has moved around but never lost its appeal. It’s a narrow, peaceful room whose owners serve fresh, artfully presented sushi. sushi86.com At 509 Prospect Ave., it’s a player in a food district spreading off East Fourth that also includes Stonetown, a soul food emporium at 627 Prospect.
Downeast
ORIGIN: USA
INFO: 77 minutes, directed by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin
SCREENINGS: Monday, April 8, 9:20 p.m.; Tuesday, April 9, 2:15 p.m.
On a nautical note, “Downeast” looks to be a fascinating inquiry into part of the economic shape shifting roiling American industry. It’s a documentary about the death of the sardine industry in Maine and the struggle to replace it with lobster business.
Food Pairing: Try these two, both in the Warehouse District: Blue Point Grille, 700 W. St. Clair Ave. 216-875-7827 and Nauti Mermaid, 1378 W. 6th St. thenautimermaid.com At Blue Point, the lobster Bolognese (lobster, penne pasta, spinach and Parmesan) looks good; at the far less formal Nauti, the Caribbean conch ceviche (a roadside shack standby in Jamaica) sounds juicy. Sardines? You’ll have to look elsewhere.