Paper art by James Taylor / Photographs Courtesy Katie Nartker / stock.adobe.com
Local filmmakers, producers, and enthusiasts are doing their part to shine a spotlight on the moviemaking talent that exists in Cincinnati. (We covered the Queen City’s place in the film firmament in February 2023.) Allyson West, executive director and founder of Cindependent Film Festival, has dedicated her career to doing so. Founded in 2017, Cindependent is the city’s only multi-genre, multi-type film festival. Each September, the festival aims to “cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit of filmmaking,” and, West adds, “showcase Cincinnati as a film destination.”
And what are we showcasing, when even national film festivals, such as Sundance, take notice? (In July, the well-known and largest independent film festival in the nation put Cincinnati on its shortlist of potential cities to relocate to in 2027.) That’s where Jonny Shenk, Cindependent’s curation lead, comes in. Shenk directs Cindependent’s adjudication team, which sorts through hundreds of submissions to narrow down a lineup. This year, the festival featured 111 films and screenplays.
As a multi-hyphenated film festival, West says that Cindependent truly is about people—all people. “Our filmmakers are incredible and diverse,” she says, adding that “as an industry-led film festival, we have the unique opportunity to serve our artists alongside our audience; we love the special space where movie makers and movie lovers discuss the work as movie people.”
This sentiment is illustrated by myriad groups that collaborate with Cindependent, including numerous film festivals and other organizations. Representation is the “why” so many get into film, says local filmmaker Vernard Fields, part of the Black Cinema Cincinnati Collective (B3C). Founded in 2017 out of “a need to find other people of color who are Cincinnati filmmakers,” Fields says its audiences have an interest in consuming entertainment produced by people of color or telling the story of the Black experience. “If given the opportunity, people who are disenfranchised or marginalized can experience filmmaking that they would otherwise not have due to life obstacles.”
This quest for inclusion is shared by David Wolff, cofounder of OutReels Cincinnati, who in 2012 partnered with local creative Chuck Beatty to begin the area’s first LGBTQ+ film festival. According to Wolff, OutReels is dedicated to supporting the creative and critical discussion of LGBTQ+ issues via film, simultaneously providing a safe and stimulating space for expression. “The beauty of film festivals is that, many times, they’re the only opportunity to see these independent films,” Wolff says. “Many big budget movies don’t feature LGBTQ+ stories, so festivals like ours offer folks the chance to see themselves on the big screen.”
Getting involved isn’t as intimidating as it may appear, says Jamie Meyers Schlenck, president of Women in Film Cincinnati. “There is a place for everyone, whether you are a professional or someone who just loves movies.” She adds that Women in Film is an excellent resource to learning key aspects of the industry. “Leveraging the connections of our directors and partners, we bring in high-level professionals, to lead discussions and workshops.”
This renaissance was destined to be, according to Michael Gott, professor and director of programming for the Niehoff Center of Film & Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Gott explains that there has “always been a small hard core of traditional cinephiles who would patronize places like the Esquire Theatre,” but the emergence of local film festivals and increased film production in town has solidified Cincinnati’s place in the industry.
This stake in the film community is a foothold worth protecting and celebrating, Schlenck says. “Imagine the pride in saying you worked on a De Niro film shot in town or a friend you were in class with just won an Academy Award for production design on Black Panther. How cool is that?”
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