Local film festival Cindependent has been ranked as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World,” according to cinema magazine MovieMaker.
Other winners include notable international names like the Austin Film Festival and Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
“This distinction is truly an honor,” the festival’s Executive Director and Founder Allyson West wrote in a press release.
The win comes after a five-day run in September, which featured 60 hours of film screenings across the Queen City, multiple cinema-craft masterclasses and the grand reopening of Mariemont Theatre.
It was also the first festival since Cindependent merged with the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival in April 2026, officially becoming Cindependent Presented with LADD. LADD, which stands for Living Arrangements for Developmentally Disabled, is a local nonprofit that has hosted OTR-based film festivals since 2013.
West concluded the announcement by honoring those whose hard work had made the film festival possible.
“Cindependent is the summation of hundreds of people giving their time, ideas and artistry to a beautiful event that feels uniquely Cincinnati and celebrates a wide array of perspectives and ideas. Thank you to everyone who has supported this work and helped us achieve this recognition,” West wrote.
Cindependent Presented with LADD will return for its second combined year this Sept. 15-19, 2027.
Cincinnati has a legacy of critically-noted film festivals. In November 2022, the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival was also named by MovieMaker as one of the coolest film festivals in the world.
