The Cleveland International Film Festival is one of my yearly staples. Each March, I pencil in 10 days for my trip to the event. I’ve proposed a list of what I believe to be the 15 most promising selections from around the world that shouldn’t be missed. The best part? You can catch them all in one spot — at the Cleveland International Film Festival. “3” — Germany From Tom Tykwer, the director of the indie darling “Run Lola Run”, comes “3”, a Berlin-set drama centered on a 40-something couple who, separately, fall in love with the same man. Tykwer captures three different lovers as they find one another. “A Somewhat Gentle Man” — Norway A Norwegian black comedy starring Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard (of “Good Will Hunting” fame) is a must-see simply because of its lead actor and country origin. Scandinavian cinema has been astonishing in the last five years; expect this film about a prison-free ex-gangster thrown back into the game to be no exception. “Beyond This Place” — Switzerland Cloud Rock La Belle is a hippie still living a stoned and carefree life long after the ’60s. His son, writer/director Kaleo La Belle, attempts to re-connect with his father by taking a 500-mile bike trip together around the Pacific Northwest. What the Cleveland Film Festival does best is selecting some outstanding documentaries. “Beyond This Place” sounds like something extremely unique and original. “Carancho” — Argentina Selected as the Argentine entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards, Carancho stars Ricardo Darín (“The Aura”, “The Secret in Their Eyes”) in a story of the growing industry founded on insurance payouts and legal loopholes from the thousands of traffic accidents experienced each year. “Hospitalite” — Japan Japanese director Koji Fukada tells the story of a normal family who are forced to change their ways by the presence of a stranger. The film took home the top prize in the Japanese Eyes program at the 2010 Tokyo International Film Festival and has been described as reminiscent of the work of legendary Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. “Kooky” — Czech Republic Famed Czech director Jan Sverak has gone animated for his latest film, described as a delightful child fantasy film following a determined stuffed teddy bear on his journey back to his owner. Expect a fantastic mix of live-action and animation in this film, sure to be a festival favorite. “Limbo” — Norway A film about love, betrayal and desperation in a country far from home, “Limbo” is described as a “coming of-age” story for adults and is the debut feature of acclaimed short-film director Maria Sødahl. “The Man From Nowhere” — South Korea One can’t make it to the film festival without catching the token foreign action flick. While the festival strives on coming in under the radar with dramatic, thought-provoking titles, each year usually brings at least one action film in some form or another. The South Korean blockbuster tells the tale of an ex-con thrown back into the drug trade and promises to be a refreshing jolt of action to keep you afloat in the melodrama. “Meek’s Cutoff” — USA After debuting with the critically acclaimed “Old Joy”, Kelly Reichardt followed it up with the equally impressive “Wendy and Lucy”. “Meek’s Cutoff”, Reichardt’s third film, includes the likes of Michelle Williams and Paul Dano and is set in 1845 along the Oregon Trail. The film follows three pioneer families who have entrusted a scout, Stephen Meek, with guiding them across the unrelenting land. “Rubber” — France Hands-down one of the most original, and most bizarre, films you’re likely to see all year, “Rubber” is an unconventional horror comedy about a killer tire that uses its telepathic powers to explode the heads of its unfortunate victims. Director Quentin Dupieux, known to the electro music world as Mr. Oizo, has crafted what is sure to be an insanely wild ride and has already garnered a cult following from previous film festival appearances around the globe. “Sound of Noise” — Sweden Stop me if you heard this one — a band of musical rebels who break into a hospital, a bank and other public places to play compositions using the surroundings as their instruments. The astonishingly inventive plot should alone drive you straight to this Scandinavian madcap comedy. “Special Treatment” — France French sensation Isabelle Hupert stars as a high-class prostitute bored with her lifestyle, who believes seeing a psychiatrist will be just the remedy. Hupert continues to take the world by storm as an arthouse goddess and isn’t afraid to take chances with her films. “Steam of Life” — Finland Chosen by Finland as their entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards — and the first-ever documentary submitted by the country — “Steam of Life” chronicles the lives of Finnish men who pour their heart and soul out in the most unlikely of places — a sauna. “Surrogate Valentine” — USA Director David Boyle’s is one of this year’s Someone to Watch recipients at the festival and “Surrogate Valentine”, his third feature and third time to the Cleveland International Film Festival, should not be missed. The film follows San Francisco musician Goh Nakamura as he experiences life on the road in search of friendships and relationships. “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” — Thailand Acclaimed director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Palme d’Or-winning film at last year’s Cannes International Film Festival makes its way to Cleveland. The film centers on the last days of Uncle Boonme as he explores his past lives. The Cleveland International Film Festival runs from March 24^th through April 3^rd at the Tower City Cinemas located in Tower City Center in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.