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CIFF 39: Michael Barnett's "Becoming Bulletproof" won the top prize, and two other awards, Sunday night at the 39th Cleveland International Film Festival's closing reception. (Super Films)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Can a film festival held in the Rust Belt in March draw more than 100,000 fans? One can.

The Cleveland International Film Festival, which wrapped Sunday night with an awards reception in Tower City Center, broke through the six-figure barrier in attendance for the first time in its 39-year history, drawing 100,204 film fans over 12 days.

"The same message over and over is that we want to do better, not bigger," the festival's executive director, Marcie Goodman, told me before the awards ceremony. "But sometimes those two things go hand in hand."

The festival presented more than 400 features and shorts from 60 countries at Tower City Cinemas and 11 satellite locations. It also hosted a record number of directors, writers, producers and performers.

"We had nearly 300 visiting filmmakers here, about 100 more than ever before," said Goodman. "That's what makes the festival. They are our international calling card, our ambassadors to other filmmakers around the world."

"Becoming Bulletproof," Michael Barnett's celebration of people with disabilities making a Western, was named best film. It won the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award and a $10,000 prize.

It was a big night for Barnett. His film also won the FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Feature, and the Global Health Competition, which includes a $5,000 prize.

"The Young Kieslowski," a comedy about virginal lovers from Kerem Sanga, won the American Independents Competition and a $5,000 prize.

"Frame by Frame," about photojournalists in Afghanistan, took the ReelWomenDirect Award, with $10,000 going to co-directors Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli. Yury Bykov's "The Fool," from Russia, won the George Gund III Central and Eastern European Competition and $10,000.

The Local Heroes prize (for films by or about Ohioans), and $5,000, went to "Forced Perspective," Nick Cavalier's look at Cleveland artist Derek Hess.

The Nesnadny and Schwartz Award for best documentary, and $7,500, went to "Stray Dog" and director Debra Granik. Goodman delivered a heartfelt tribute to Mark Schwartz, the longtime festival board member and Cleveland arts supporter, who passed away last summer.

For a complete list of awards, go to clevelandfilm.org.

One of the biggest hits of the festival was "All-Stars," writer-director Lance Kinsey's mockumentary about a girls softball team.

Kinsey, who grew up in Chagrin Falls and went to Hawken School, hit town with co-stars and fellow Northeast Ohio natives Fred Willard and Miriam Flynn. "The Q&As were great fun," said Kinsey before the ceremony. "It helps that Fred Willard is the funniest person on the planet."

One night the film played in two packed theaters simultaneously.

"I was going back and forth between both theaters listening to the laughter and thinking, 'Iit may never get better than this again.' "

Kinsey is hoping "All-Stars" makes it to wide release in late summer or early fall.

Serbian director Darko Lungolov said he was impressed with the Cleveland audiences who came out to see his dark comedy "Monument to Michael Jackson."

"It's a well-informed, dedicated audience here," said Lungolov, who lives in Belgrade and New York. "By the questions, you know they really got into the movie. It was a very cool experience."

It was a Northeast Ohio native who inspired him to make films. "All the movies when I was growing up were about car chases and explosions. Then I saw Jim Jarmusch's 'Stranger Than Paradise' [filmed partially in Cleveland]. I thought, 'I want to make movies like that.' "

As an homage of sorts to Akron native Jarmusch, Lungolov ventured to the edge of Lake Erie, a la one of the more iconic scenes in "Stranger Than Paradise." He also headed to Tremont to see St. Theodosius Church (from "The Deer Hunter").

Abhay Kumar may have traveled further than anyone, jetting in from New Delhi, India, with his documentary "Placebo," about the intense pressure on medical students.

"The community participation here was amazing," said Kumar. "I have been to the Tribeca Film Festival, but that was too huge. This was much more intimate."

Kumar was also upgraded to celebrity status in Cleveland. "I signed my first autograph at this festival," he said. "This woman came up and asked me. I said, 'Are you serious?' "

Documentaries won several of the top awards and provided some of the festival's best moments.

Sleazy conspirators were exposed in "A Murder in the Park." The realities of the Texas-Mexico border were explored in "Western." We learned the truth about James Traficant, Tab Hunter, Greg Louganis and Big Bird. And James "The Amazing" Randi adroitly explained the difference between lying, and lying about lying, in "An Honest Liar."

Personally, I was drawn to "Sweet Micky for President," which chronicled the unlikely political triumph of former pop star Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly. It also introduced me to an old Haitian proverb: "Beyond the mountains, there are mountains."

I have no idea what that means. But I love it.

Tune in next year, when the 40th CIFF takes over Tower City from March 23 to April 3, 2016. NOTE: After this article first appeared, those dates shifted. The 40th CIFF will now run March 30 - April 10, 2016. Check it out!