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Party Spotlight |
 Marika H. Megyimori, The Honorable April H. Foley and Catherine Hackney  Monika Hargitai, Istvan Hargitai and Aniko Trombitas Kalnoki Cleveland International Film Festival “Opening Night” Not even a blizzard could keep the Cleveland International Film Festival from breaking a record this year. Happily, opening night was snow-free, and a sell-out crowd of movie groupies flocked to Tower City Center for “And Then She Found Me,” starring and directed by Helen Hunt with a cast including Bette Midler and, be still my heart, the divine Colin Firth. A thousand people trekked to the MK Ferguson Plaza for the traditional first-night party which was loud and fun with plenty of food (this year by Joy Hailor of La Petite Triangle Café) and music (the salsa flavorings of Sammy De Leon y su Orquesta). Most of the cinema buffs we talked to thought the movie was “too commercial” and a piece of fluff, but we don’t care; we liked it a lot. Finally, we got to have a word with Elinor Lipman, author of the eponymous book. She enjoyed her Hollywood experience. “It’s a big thrill even though the book was written 10 years ago.” At the party we watched her being incredibly polite to a man who wanted to know why she had to “emasculate” the men in the movie. I would have slugged him. Such are the tribulations of fame. About that blizzard: according to CFF director Marcie Goodman, the Saturday night gig turned into a “giant slumber party” with much of the staff and many of the film-goers checking into a hotel. “I hear they (the Ritz and the Renaissance) were both sold out,” she said. The next week broke attendance records. STORY BY MARTHA TOWNS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEFF FARR |