The Chagrin Documentary Film Festival (CDFF) takes place in the lovely century Village of Chagrin Falls, about 18 miles southeast of Cleveland. The venues are mostly walkable, and the festival welcomes some of the best documentaries from around the globe in early October each year.
This is how visiting filmmakers have described the festival:
“Amazing festival with amazing people and networking events, high-quality programming, and a beautiful town. One of my favorite festivals of the year!”
“Pretty much any positive thing you can think of to say about a film festival applies to the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival. What stands out the most is the warm yet exciting atmosphere for filmmakers and audiences alike, the hospitality and organization of all employees, volunteers, and community members involved with the festival, and the story behind the festival as well as the stories highlighted in the films shown.”
“I have been fortunate to attend some of the biggest and best festivals in the world as a filmmaker and also as a critic/journalist. Chagrin Falls is now on my list of top favorites.”
“The festival is first class all the way around – from really great venues including a large auditorium with great seats, sound and screen. The staff couldn’t be better – they do a great job communicating and were very accommodating. Everyone was friendly and professional. The quality of films was very high, and they had a great turnout of filmmakers from around the world. As for the town, Chagrin Falls is the best-kept secret in the world – a really great, welcoming place that has some stellar restaurants and shops every bit as cool as Park City, Utah. There are plenty of solid hotel options close by along with craft breweries.”
How did the film festival get started?
The festival was founded by Mary Ann Ponce after the loss of her 20-year-old son, David Ponce, to leukemia in 2006. David was a film student and passionate documentarian. Mary Ann witnessed her son’s unstoppable dedication to tell a story, even as he faced his own battle for life. At a film festival in Ireland, Mary Ann had the chance to meet filmmakers just like her son and decided to found a film festival to honor these filmmakers and their remarkable spirit. The backdrop of beautiful Chagrin Falls was the perfect spot for a film festival, and the entire community joined the mission to bring a very special festival to Northeast Ohio.
Prior to founding CDFF, Mary Ann had a long career in business management and strategic planning, including 12 years with British Petroleum. She and her husband, Ed, live in Chagrin Falls and have two grown daughters, Ashley and Aaliyah, whom they adopted after the loss of their son.
What drives the organization’s passion for film?
As a core founding principle, the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival is all about the remarkable unstoppable passion of a documentary filmmaker to tell an important story.
Fevered Dreams Productions, the arts and educational organization that produces the CDFF, has a mission to support emerging documentary storytellers, to encourage meaningful conversation around timely social and global topics, and to enhance collaborative and cultural partnerships across Northeast Ohio. CDFF draws a diverse Midwest audience eager to experience the best in documentary film, explore important issues and cultivate meaningful connections.
Fevered Dreams Productions was originally incorporated by Chagrin Falls High School Alumnus and filmmaker David Ponce as his film production company. David was inspired to tell the story of Sparrow Village, an AIDS orphanage in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a documentary titled “The Lost Sparrows of Roodepoort.” Even as he faced his own battle with leukemia, David wrote: “Nothing is as important to me as producing a work that is true to Sparrow and showing those who have not visited just what the human spirit is capable of when faced with something immensely dark and frightening.”
David succumbed in 2006 before his film could be completed. With the help of his friend Brock Carter and Chapman University/Dodge College of Film Assistant Dean Michael Kowalski, “The Lost Sparrows of Roodepoort” was completed and has become an award-winning documentary. Fevered Dreams Productions has become a nonprofit organization dedicated to allowing talented filmmakers to tell their unique stories. By providing audience members with an opportunity to participate as lifelong learners and to cross lines of difference through film, the CDFF advances an appreciation for the art of documentary film in Ohio and the Midwest.
What are some of the key moments or major accomplishments in the festival’s history?
April 2024 was an enormous milestone for CDFF when its new permanent home opened on the Triangle in Chagrin Falls as it entered its 15th year. In addition to a retail space, the facility includes a small (38-seat) film screening area named the “Cuyahoga Connects” multipurpose space. “It’s extremely meaningful for everyone involved to have this presence and a permanent place to welcome filmmakers and the public to Chagrin Falls,” Mary Ann said.
How has the festival grown or changed since it began?
Since its inception in 2010, CDFF has experienced tremendous growth both in audience and impact. In 2023, CDFF screened 97 compelling documentary films and more than 7,000 attended an in-person festival followed by five days of streaming on the CDFF on demand platform with more than 20,000 views. Attendees come from 170 Ohio zip codes and 32 states to experience the best in documentary film from around the world and directly interact with the filmmakers through screenings, live broadcasts, facilitated discussions and panels, and the CDFF on-demand streaming platform.
It is estimated that CDFF brings an economic impact of more than $1.2 million over the five-day event. Aside from audience growth, the festival has grown its industry recognition, geographical reach and impact. CDFF has been embraced by the regional community with more than 220 dedicated volunteers running festival venues and events.
While at the CDFF, enjoy the charming Village of Chagrin Falls
In the Village of Chagrin Falls, walkable and charming Main Street is lined with notably good restaurants, boutique shopping and historic buildings, enhancing the experience of attending CDFF. About 20 miles east of Cleveland, the Village is centered by the Chagrin River with viewing areas of a 20-foot waterfall. Visit the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce website to make the most of your CDFF experience. www.cvcc.org