If, as the old adage claims, "a picture's worth a thousand words," then what is the words' worth of moving pictures with music? Calculating cinemaphiles can find out for themselves during the ten days of the 28th Cleveland International Film Festival, this year featuring several films with a musical theme, no pun intended.

5 Sides of a Coin, a recent Canadian documentary by Paul Kell, chronicles the origin and history of Hip-Hop, featuring "chapters" on breakdancing, graffiti, rap battles, and turntabling. The film features sound bytes and beats by such giants of Hip-Hop as DJ Spooky, DJ Krush, and C. Delores Tucker! A world-wide survey of the genre that has spawned fashion and political force, not to mention nigh-ubiquitous advertising presence. The documentary moves at breakbeat speed to cover the movement in a precise 70 minutes. "5 Sides of a Coin is an amazing well rounded documentary about Hip-Hop and how it has influenced world culture," explains William Guentzler, Director of Programming for the Cleveland Film Society. "We're also doing a film forum after the film on Monday, March 22."

For those new to the festival, film forums are audience participatory discussions held after select films, promising interesting dialogue and a chance to voice opinions on the subjects of the films. 5 Sides of a Coin should provide plenty of cultural vinyl for everyone in attendance to spin doctor.

Another amazing piece of musical history and education through film comes via the French documentary Nina Simone, Love Sorceress. Ms. Simone, the hard-to-classify diva of Jazz, Soul and Pop for almost 50 years, died in April of 2003. During her career, the pianist-turned-chanteuse lived all across the world, sang eloquently and controversially about African-American issues and social protest through songs such as Old Jim Crow and Mississippi Goddam', and was respected and admired by such diverse recording artists as Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, and Le Tigre.

Possessing a voice rich in emotive and narrative beauty, Simone was not content to stay within accepted musical boundaries and genres, and often confounded fans and audiences with her diversity and unpredictable arrangements. Nina Simone, Love Sorceress, a rare 1976 Paris concert captured on celluloid, showcases this woman's fantastic abilities and appeal, and is presented in partnership with the 25th Anniversary Tri-C Jazz Fest. With only a single showing of this film, tickets will go fast.

Also at this year's festival, in the words of Director Bill Guentzler, is the "crazy weird Dutch musical farce" of Yes Nurse! No Nurse! Billed as a "musical comedy" that features dancing nurses in period costumes, Yes Nurse! No Nurse! features a cast of colorful eccentrics, a tribute to bombastic early Hollywood director Busby Berkely, and a scheming storyline only possible east of the Atlantic Ocean. And don't forget the singing and dancing nurses, with surreality added via English subtitles over original Dutch songs.

The Cleveland International Film Festival runs from March 18th through March 28th at Tower City Cinemas. Tickets are $7 per film for members of the Film Society, $9 for non-members, $7 for students & seniors the day of the film. Information and film schedules can be found by calling 866-865-FILM or at http://www.clevelandfilmfestival.com. Rock on.

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