An actress makes a long awaited return to Cleveland, and a Northeast Ohio native’s film opens this weekend. Here is your #movienerd report!

There is quite a bit happening over the next several days so here we go.

Tonight, at the Cleveland Cinematheque (11610 Euclid Ave Cleveland, OH 44106) they have a screening of Jim Jarmusch’s breakthrough film “Stranger Than Paradise.” The film follows a young woman who visits her cousin in New York and it eventually leads into a journey to Cleveland (where it was partially filmed) and Florida. The young woman was memorably played by Hungarian actress and violinist Eszter Balint, who will be on hand at the screening for a post film Q&A!

Sticking with the Cinematheque on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 9:10 p.m. they will present a 4K restoration of the 1996 film “I Shot Andy Warhol.” It is a film based on the true story of Valarie Solanas, who wrote a screenplay that she wanted Andy Warhol to produce but he ignored it and she subsequently shot him. The film stars Lili Taylor in an award-winning performance!

Thursday evening at 8:35 p.m. they will present Dario Argento’s “Inferno” and it will play from a 35mm print.

Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m. they will present a new French film titled “Promised Sky.” Set in Tunisia, it looks at a pastor who offers shelter to two young women and how the dynamics change when she takes in another person.

Friday at 8:40 p.m. and Saturday at 6:55 p.m. they will present the film “Rose of Nevada.” It follows two men who join the crew of a mysterious boat that returns to a village 30 years after vanishing. It stars Callum Turner and George McCay.

Sunday they will continue to celebrate Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda’s centennial with two more of films of his in 1960’s “Innocent Sorcerers” at 3:30 p.m. and 1962’s “Love at Twenty” at 5:15 p.m.

Sunday at 7:35 p.m. they will present the second film in the Man With No Name Trilogy in Sergio Leone’s “For A Few Dollars More” in a new 4K restoration.

More information about the films and ticket prices are at: cinematheque.cia.edu

Four new films will be hitting theaters including two that made a big splash at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.

First up is the live action version of one of the recent beloved Disney films in “Moana.” This version, like the animated one, features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and newcomer Catherine Laga’aia in the titular role.

The other wide release this weekend is the sixth film of a classic horror franchise in “Evil Dead Burn.” Now this one doesn’t really have any recognizable stars in it, but with horror films that really doesn’t seem to matter as long as you have experienced people behind it, such as producer Sam Raimi.

One of the buzziest titles from this year’s Sundance was definitely “The Invite.” The film, which was directed by and stars Olivia Wilde, tells the story of a dinner party that spirals into unexpected places when a couple invite their neighbors over. It also stars Seth Rogen, Penèlope Cruz and Edward Norton.

Cleveland’s own David Wain also delivers his first film in a couple years in “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass.” It looks at a hairdresser who travels to Los Angeles to meet and have sex with Jon Hamm, when she discovers her fiancé has had sex with his “celebrity sex pass.” It features Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino (who co-wrote with Wain) and, of course, Jon Hamm.

At the Nightlight Cinema (30 N High Street Akron, OH 44308):

On top of new films “The Invite” and “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass” they will present a documentary about a poet from Ohio in, “Mary Oliver: Saved By The Beauty Of The World.” It features a number of recognizable interviewees including John Waters, Oprah and Stephen Colbert.

Sunday at 4 p.m. they will present another documentary titled “Seeds.” It is an exploration of Black generational farmers in the American South, which reveals the fragility of legacy and the significance of owning land.

They also will be showing one of the great animated films from director Hayao Miyazaki in “My Neighbor Totoro.”

More information about the films and ticket prices are at: nightlightcinema.com

At the Cleveland Public Library’s Main Branch (525 Superior Avenue, Cleveland) on Saturday at 2 p.m. will be the latest film presented by the Cleveland Silent Film Festival & Colloquium in 1926’s “The Scarlet Letter.” Presented as a part of the Ohio Goes To The Movies series. This has an Ohio connection through its star Lillian Gish, an Ohio native! The film will be accompanied with a live score from the Cleveland Photoplayers which is under the direction of Eric Charnofsky! This one is free!!

This weekend also brings back the BorderLight Festival. While primarily it is what is called a fringe theater festival, this time there is one film that is playing and it happens to be one I am proud to say I am a producer on. Directed by Nicole Rossa, and also produced by her husband Ben, It is called “Tina’s At The End Of The World,” which is about the popular karaoke bar that is located in the Gordon Square neighborhood. Ticket buyers will be able to watch the short documentary and then participate in karaoke ! It will play Thursday, Friday and Saturday!

More information about tickets are available here: https://www.borderlightcle.org/2026-show/tinas-at-the-end-of-the-world-live/

If that wasn’t enough, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission will be holding an event on Friday at TRG Multimedia (1 American Road Ste 700, Brooklyn, OH) called “An Insider’s Evening With Casper Kelly.” Casper Kelly will be on hand to talk about his career from the Adult Swim short “Too Many Cooks” to his feature film debut in “Buddy.” The film, which will come out on August 28, was actually filmed at TRG. The moderator for the event will be Lenora from Lenora’s Midnight Rental.

Casper will also be leading a screenwriting workshop on Saturday morning for those who want to learn more about how to become a screenwriter!

Tickets for the event can be found here: https://www.clevelandfilm.com/events/2026/07/10/an-insiders-evening-with-casper-kelly-at-trg-multimedia

So there you have it, as always so many cool things going on in the CLE! We’ll see you at the movies!