From February 24 to March 2, 2025, short format filmmakers and aficionados will gather at the historic Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square to take in local, national and international films — each one under 40 minutes — at the 14th Annual Short. Sweet. Film Fest. It won’t take long for visitors to find an original and unique film during the week-long, fast-paced presentation of shorts.
The first Short. Sweet. Film Fest. was held in June 2012 to give up-and-coming filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work to a live audience. Founder Michael Suglio, a Cleveland native and filmmaker, felt challenged to showcase his own short films at festivals programmed around feature films. He successfully took matters into his own hands, and the festival has grown from a single-day event to seven days of shorts on four screens. In 2024, nearly 300 films were shown, and the plan is to surpass that in 2025.
“Many of our attendees are filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers who are interested in seeing the shorts their peers have produced,” Michael said. “After each program, we bring up the featured filmmakers in attendance to talk about the highlights and the challenges of their experience, taking the audience behind the scenes. We try to create opportunities for the filmmakers and moviegoers to connect with each other,” he mentioned.
Michael attended Case Western Reserve University, where he studied theater, political science and psychology as an undergraduate and then continued on to receive his MBA. He is the director of a feature-length documentary, “The Struggle for Existence,” a film that explores the different ways the Cleveland Natural History Museum and the Creation Museum approach science. Since then, he has directed several short films, including his most recent, “A Tribute to the Fallen.” Michael is in post-production for a feature documentary on Cleveland’s beer brewing history. As a professor at the School of Film & Media Arts at Cleveland State University and an adjunct instructor at Cuyahoga Community College and Case Western Reserve University, he is dedicated to providing an opportunity for students and other filmmakers to share their films.
What’s New in 2025
New for the festival in 2025 is the Short. Sweet. Game Fest., a family-friendly event on Saturday, March 1. Independent developers of video games will showcase their projects on the big screen followed by a game designer talkback. At the end of the festival, awards will be presented to shorts winners in more than 18 categories, ranging from drama, comedy, documentary and animation to experimental, environmental and science fiction and including the winner of the Short. Sweet. Game Fest. competition.
The festival also provides a unique and fun opportunity for filmmakers — the Short. Sweet. Film Competition. Filmmaking teams sign up to produce a five-minute short film in 33 days based on a random prompt. The top film receives $250, the second-place team receives $150, and the third-place team receives $50.
When asked about his motivation to establish the Short. Sweet. Film Fest., Michael said,“When you are an artist, you sometimes feel isolated. What I really enjoy about Short. Sweet. Film Fest. is seeing how many other people are dedicated to the same creative work. You learn, gain experience and grow your network. You feel less alone,” Michael concluded.
Immerse Yourself in the Neighborhood
The Short. Sweet. Film Fest. is held at the historic Atlas Cinemas Shaker Square. Formerly called the Colony Theater, it was designed for Warner Bros. by John Eberson, a Chicago and New York theater designer, and completed in 1937. The theater features Bakelite, Italian marble, sweeping curves and accents of the late Art Deco period. “It was a shining star for them, a premier theater, and we are in awe of the space,” Michael said.
While at the festival, attendees can take advantage of nearby Larchmere Boulevard one block north of Shaker Square. The boulevard is home to independently owned art and craft galleries, antique dealers, a bookstore, vintage stores, and several food and drink establishments from fine dining and ethnic food to sandwiches and coffee shops.
Film Submissions for Short. Sweet. Film Fest.
Filmmakers can go to www.shortsweetfilmfestival.com for information on submitting their short film for consideration. Several categories are defined on the website under the “About” category.