Copyright 1999 Plain Dealer Publishing Co.
The Plain Dealer
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December 31, 1999 Friday, FINAL / ALL
SECTION: THE MILLENNIUM THOSE WHO HAVE SHAPED OUR LIVES; Pg. 7S
LENGTH: 266 words
HEADLINE:
JONATHAN FORMAN
BODY:
Until the mid-1970s, Cleveland was something of a wasteland for people
interested in film. Foreign films played in just one commercial theater, the
Heights Art Theater. But things changed in 1976 when
Jonathan Forman decided to put together a film festival. Forman had come to Cleveland to study
architecture at Case Western Reserve University. He changed his major to
speech and communications and began working at the student-run CWRU Film
Society. A friend, who owned an ad agency, suggested that Forman do what he
loved and put on a festival. By the third year, the festival had grant money
from both the Cleveland and the Gund foundations, and a full-time staff of
three, plus Forman and lots of volunteers. They mounted a 30-day festival.
Eventually the festival settled down to its
current span of 10 days, and in 1991 it moved from the Cedar Lee to the Tower
City theaters. Soon the Cleveland Film Society board, uncomfortable with
Forman's dual role as a theater businessman and director of a nonprofit arts
organization, named David Wittkowsky executive director.
Today, he says,
"I'm just the founding director, and all I do is answer the occasional question
from David."
"Just" the founder is hardly the way most film lovers in Cleveland would put it. The
Cleveland Film Society offers education and outreach programs in addition to
the annual festival.
"As much credit as I will be happy to take for founding the festival, there were
an awful lot of people who worked together to get it going," Forman said.
"We have created this monster, but it's a nice monster."
COLUMN: Arts
LOAD-DATE: January 7, 2000
