Cleveland International Film Festival – Days One and Two

or Kandi Finally Gets a Job!

Over the span of twelve days, I had to work nine of them, seven shifts as Kandi. With the exception of one day, all seven hour shifts for Kandi. The other days would be my regular job.

On March 29, 2022, we had an organizational meeting at 5:30. Which meant work my regular job, drive across town, get dressed, drive back downtown and be on time for the meeting.

We had to stand up and introduce ourselves. I work for the fundraising team. Name, where we live, what we’re watching and something interesting about ourselves. I introduce myself, where I live and then say I have the attention span of a gnat, so I am watching nothing (truth is, I don’t really watch anything because I am almost always either exhausted, watching the Cavs or out doing something). I also go on to say I have been in five movies in the last year and that I have this little race coming up. One woman came up to be later and told me I was a goddess! Loved that!

Day Two, March 30, 2022 was the ultimate non-story day.

I got very casually dressed as the day was all about setting things up. I sorted festival buttons, which you will see me wearing going forward. I assembled manuals that are on each of our four stations throughout Playhouse Square.

I did some other things, opening boxes, cleaning up packaging materials, etc. This is the festival’s first time ever at Playhouse Square after two years streaming only, due to the plague that set upon us. Prior to that we were in another home for many, many years. So it was all about getting the machine cranked back up and figuring out the new digs.