Opening Night Shorts

Thursday, September 18th, 8pm
Memorial Hall Main Theater
Total Runtime: 88m 11s

The Weatherman Who Knew Too Much dir. Kaylin Allshouse
In Full Bloom: The Story of Jessica Dimon dir. Katie Dankworth
The Release dir. Clare Austen-Smith, Sofia Dobrushin
Bark dir. Searit Kahsay Huluf
Starlight dir. Davis Cameron Chu
Missing Rhythms dir. Regina Hoyle
Forced Perspective dir. Becca Schall
BELIEF dir. Christian Loubek

Shining the spotlight on local filmmakers to kick off the first night of Cindependent. These 8 shorts will have you laughing, crying, and seeing the world through Cincinnati eyes.

The Weatherman Who Knew Too Much

Close-up of a man with light blue eyes in a white shirt and patterned tie, surrounded by two women, one brushing his face with a makeup brush, in an indoor setting.

Directed by: Kaylin Allshouse

Desperate to keep his job, a local weatherman seeks the help of a psychic to gain the power of prediction; will his newfound abilities be his downfall, or will he be able to keep up the charade?

Runtime: 10:00

In Full Bloom: The Story of Jessica Dimon

Two women in a dressing room, with one woman dressed glamorous and the other lying back and resting her head on the shoulder of the glamorously dressed woman, both looking into a mirror surrounded by bright lights.

Directed by: Katie Dankworth

A short documentary that follows local Cincinnati drag performer, Jessica Dimon, as she highlights the importance of queer spaces, love, acceptance, and the art of drag.

Runtime: 9:59

A young woman with short, wavy hair is smiling softly, looking slightly to the side in an indoor setting with a blurred background.

The Release

Directed by: Clare Austen-Smith, Sofia Dobrushin

A wannabe wellness influencer goes viral for all the wrong reasons — but a mysterious cult might just hold the key to her redemption.

Runtime: 11:00

A woman holding out a lanyard with a badge towards a surprised man with a headband, standing inside a room with tiger artwork in the background.

Bark

Directed by: Searit Kahsay Huluf

He stole her heart. She stole his dog. After a breakup, an obsessive woman steals her ex’s dog in a desperate attempt to reconnect.

Runtime: 16:32

Starlight

Black and white photograph of an astronaut floating in space near a large, illuminated, cratered asteroid with a smooth, curved surface.

Directed by: Davis Cameron Chu

A lone astronaut pilots a ship, a man finds himself trapped in a suffocating doorway, and a dancer performs in a liminal space - all unified through moments of animation and design. This is the moment a relationship reaches its tipping point.

Runtime: 5:01

Missing Rhythms

A woman with curly black hair smiling, wearing a white medical gown with blue patterns, standing against a plain gray background.

Directed by: Regina Hoyles

In a mysterious, insane asylum full of missing Black women from all over the country, a woman must use rhythm to remember her true identity and fight being lost forever behind the ominous Blue Door.

Runtime: 15:23

A woman with short brown hair, wearing a black blazer and white blouse with a black ribbon, sitting at a desk, with a US flag in the background. The desk has a computer mouse, open book, and various framed photographs.

Forced Perspective

Directed by: Becca Schall

Strange events begin to affect the life of a senator when she hesitates to address the concerns of the disability community.

Runtime: 6:18

A young boy stands alone on a residential street facing a tall, rectangular information or advertisement display board at dusk or dawn.

BELIEF

Directed by: Christian Loubek

Alongside his wife and daughter, Lennox joyously unpacks their new home but is left speechless when he finds a letter in a moving box labelled 'mom' that predestines a different life for him – it’s not as he remembers.

Runtime: 13:58