Beachwood Filmmakers Meet the Silver Screen at 2015 Cleveland International Film Festival BY Douglas J. Guth C definition of an amateur project, says Alvarez. It’s also the film she’s most proud of. “People who’ve seen it said they called their grandma afterward to tell her how much they loved her,” she says. Tackling serious themes is nothing new to Alvarez. “Carrie’s Wish,” her previous CIFF entry, is a nine-minute film about a woman who completes her sister’s bucket list after she dies The girl who would change the world in a car accident. the entire project in Amsterdam while visiting Movies can have a real-world influence, an her grandmother, who had been diagnosed Alvarez, a Beachwood High School senior, with Alzheimer’s years before. Upon arrival, the ideal that has shaped Alvarez’s burgeoning catraveled far both in a physical reer. She began dabbling in the medium at age family was taken aback by how far her condiand emotional sense to make “The Waiting Game,” a contem- tion had deteriorated, and were told by doctors 9, after getting a flip camera for her birthday. that the approaching end was “a waiting game.” Home movies were followed by a YouTube muplative, beautifully shot study sic-video phase. Then came more structured Alvarez spent those last days documenting about finding hope at the end short films, an effort supported by her parents, her oma’s life with a crew that consisted of her of life. The short film Luis and Wanda, both of whom came from arts sister, Monroe, and herself, functioning as the tells the story of a and photography backgrounds. director, cinematographer, editor and screenstruggling writer who For “The Waiting Game,” her folks allowed her writer. Monroe played the writer role in “The travels to Amsterdam to film in the hospital where her grandmother Waiting Game,” which was written and shot to say goodbye to her over two weeks before Alvarez’s grandmother’s was staying, as well as at the funeral. In setting dying grandmother. these scenes, Alvarez followed her “artistic gut,” death a few days before New Year’s Eve 2013. There she Though filming her grandmother’s final days something she gleans from favorite director, learns how to David Fincher. was difficult, it was also therapeutic, Alvarez balance the “When I see a great film, I can’t forget about maintains. “For me, it was the most beautiful pain of loss it,” she says. “I want to have the same effect and and accurate way that I could depict my dewith happy tell stories that can impact how people live votion to her,” she says. “In a sense, movies are memories how I speak. Making this film was the best way their lives.” shared with BHS video production teacher Kevin Houchher oma, giv- that I could tell her how much I love her.” ins, who has known Alvarez since she was a Reaction to “The Waiting Game” has been ing her the freshman, is confident his student can reach purpose and overwhelmingly positive. Along with its entry whatever movie-making heights she aspires to. into CIFF, the movie has played at 14 festivals inspiration to start Though Houchins is proud of all of his pupils, worldwide and won five awards, two for best writing again. Alvarez’s skills with a camera were immediately overall film. Among its accolades was a best Though the apparent. high school docudrama at the International movie has fictional “Maria is a very gifted in the art of cinemaStudent Film Festival Hollywood. elements, it was tography,” says Houchins. “Much like a painter Having no budget and family members in inspired by true using a canvas, she has her own unique style of events. Alvarez shot leading roles, “The Waiting Game” is the very leveland has been in the Hollywood spotlight these last few years, thanks to big-ticket productions getting filmed on downtown streets. That Tinseltown glow has given rise to quality short films being made locally, a trend that two cinematically minded Beachwood residents have harnessed for their own brightly lit visions. Maria Alvarez’s “The Waiting Game” and Steven Hacker’s “On a Technicality” will be among the short films screened at this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival, which runs March 18 through March 29 at Tower City Cinemas. More than 1,600 independent short film entries were submitted for review this year to the CIFF selection committee, with only 238 films chosen for screening. Alvarez’s short “Carrie’s Wish” played at last year’s festival, while Hacker’s CIFF offering will be his first. “With the growth of filmmaking here in the Cleveland market, I think it is important that we reflect that growth,” says Paul Sloop, short films programming manager for the festival. Their movies may be vastly different, but Alvarez and Hacker are thrilled to be part of Cleveland’s rising artistic tide. The pair of dream-makers shared their inspirations, hopes and future projects with Beachwood Buzz. 8 Beachwood Buzz n March 2015