Our History

From Local Beginnings to Global Screens

Cindependent Film Festival:
A Bold Celebration of Indie Film

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  • The inaugural festival in 2018 set the tone, with over 160 artists and 200 films and screenplays showcased at The Woodward Theater and Mini MicroCinema. Partnering with 21c Museum Hotel, Cindependent went beyond screenings—hosting city-wide filmmaker tours, four educational masterclasses, and a vibrant networking scene. With over 2,000 attendees and international submissions, the festival made an immediate impact.

  • A celebration of storytelling took over Main Street in OTR for three days, from August 23 to 25. Filmmakers from around the world gathered to see what an independent festival in southwest Ohio was cooking up.

  • Cindependent Film Festival (created in 2017) has evolved into a powerhouse of creativity, community, and cinematic innovation. More than just a festival, CCF is a movement, fueling independent storytelling, fostering artistic careers, and transforming Cincinnati into a hub for global cinema.

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Rising Momentum & Industry Recognition

  • Expanding to four venues—including The Woodward Theater, Mini MicroCinema, Graydon on Main, and Know Theatre—Cindependent welcomed 220+ filmmakers from around the world, including Canada, Mexico, Russia, and India.

  • With multiple sold-out screenings and attendance surpassing 2,500, the festival was cemented as a must-attend event for indie filmmakers.

  • Recognized for its filmmaker-first approach, the inaugural Cindependent Film Festival was awarded a ‘Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festival’ recognition from FilmFreeway. This honor stands consistently to this day.

Adapting & Innovating: Reels on Wheels

  • Cindependent didn’t stop; it reinvented.

  • A mobile cinema created by Allyson West and funded by ArtsWave and the Ohio Arts Council brought films directly to neighborhoods across Cincinnati, screening 25+ times in its first year.

    This program expanded in 2024, even earning a spot in BLINK, Cincinnati’s legendary street and light installation.

  • The festival launched Cindependent & Chill, a virtual subscription program that kept artists employed and audiences engaged with 11 months of curated indie film content. Screenwriters were also in the spotlight, with live virtual screenplay readings bringing scripts to life with professional performers.

A promotional poster for the Cinependant film festival features a stylized red, yellow, and white movie projector with wheels, labeled 'Reels on Wheels' and 'Cinependant Presents.' The background has yellow rays emanating from the projector, and there is a red stamp that says 'Mobile Cinema.' The text at the bottom reads 'Coming soon to a neighborhood near you! 2020' in red.
A vintage television set with the text "Let's Chill" on the screen, surrounded by red and beige colors, promoting the Cindependent Film Fest 2021.

The Festival Returns, Bigger Than Ever

  • Cindependent was back in full force at Memorial Hall, proving once again why it’s a trailblazer in the indie film scene. Then came 2024 - a landmark year for the festival:

  • Continuing to break boundaries, Reels on Wheels became a featured exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center of Cincinnati in 2024 - a testament to Cindependent’s creative impact beyond the festival.

Poster for a film festival featuring a collage of illustrated characters including a person with a film camera for a head, a woman with colorful hair and a house on her chest, with a black background and gold speckles. Text reads: 'Cincy’s Home for Indie Filmmaking 2023' and the event is called 'Cindependent Film Festival'.
A promotional poster for the CIndependent Film Festival, showing a red curtain partially opened with bright stars shining through, and event details including dates September 29-30, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Reel Moments, Real Impact

  • Cindependent returned to Cincinnati September 18–20, 2025, transforming Memorial Hall into a vibrant hub for independent film and creative collaboration.

  • The festival’s programming reached new heights, offering bigger, bolder, and more groundbreaking selections than ever before. Audiences experienced a lineup that challenged convention and celebrated innovation in storytelling.

  • From emerging filmmakers to passionate cinephiles and industry trailblazers, Cindependent continues to be the place where indie film thrives, evolves, and inspires.

A promotional poster for the Cindependent Film Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, held from September 18-20, 2025. The poster features a red background with a pattern of stylized eyes in shades of yellow, black, and white. The top of the poster displays the festival's name, 'Cindependent,' in large cream-colored letters and 'Film Festival' beneath it in smaller font. The bottom of the poster contains information about the event's location, dates, website, and participating groups in black text on an orange background.
Poster for the Cindeependent Film Festival happening September 19-21, 2024 at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio. The poster features a large red hand with yellow accents on a black background with gold speckles. Text on the poster promotes the festival, including features such as Black Cincinnati Cinema Collective, OutReels Cincinnati, and Women in Film Cincinnati.

“Indie films are the real deal.They come from sheer willpower and problem solving. They’re made by people with a dream and a drive to tell a story. “

A man with curly red hair, a mustache, wearing sunglasses, a light gray suit, and a white shirt being interviewed by a person holding a microphone, at a professional event with blurred people and a red background.

Jack Crumley Board President/Press Director