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Last summer, Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque Director John Ewing was named a Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Arts of Letters of the Republic of France for his many years of promoting French culture at both the Cinematheque and the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA), where he is associate director of film. This distinction adds Ewing to an impressive list of international artists, including T.S. Eliot, Robert Redford, Jeanne Moreau, and Rudolf Nureyev.

On February 3 at 7:30pm, Marie-Anne Toledano, cultural attaché of the French Consulate in Chicago, will officially present Ewing with his award in a short ceremony hosted by CIA and CMA in CIA’s Aitken Auditorium at 11141 East Boulevard.

Following the ceremony and cocktail reception, the Cinematheque will show one of Ewing’s all-time favorite French films, Le ciel est à vous (The Sky Is Yours, aka The Woman Who Dared). Jean Grémillon’s 1944 masterpiece, undistributed in the U.S. and shown here in a rare archival print, tells of a provincial married couple (Madeleine Renaud, Charles Vanel) whose mundane, middle-class life together is turned upside down by a sudden passion for flying.

The reception is $40 for all attendees. Special admission for just the award ceremony and film is $7 for Cinematheque members and CIA students and staff, and $10 for the general public. Tickets to the reception (which includes admission to the award ceremony and film) can be purchased in advance by calling 216.421.7450; tickets to the award ceremony and film can be purchased only at the Cinematheque box office on February 3, after 7 pm.

An exclusive preview party for members of the Cinematheque and CMA film program will be hosted at 6pm by Cleveland’s top French brasserie, L’Albatros, featuring its sommelier and fromager, Brandon Chrostowski. Contact 216.421.7450 or cinema@cia.edu for information and tickets.

For information about film programming, visit the Cleveland Institute of Art at cia.edu or the Cleveland Museum of Art at clevelandart.org.