West Side vs. East Side “Rivalry” There’s been a longstanding, all-in-good-fun “feud” when it comes to Cincinnatians and their side of town. West Side, best side, amirite? But the East Side has Zip’s Cafe, so we’re torn. By the way, which high school did you go to? Photo: Hailey Bollinger

“I hate to say it, but there’s just nothing sexy about Cincinnati,” states an asshole in this Variety article that complains Cincinnati isn’t cool enough to host the 2027 Sundance Film Festival. “J.Lo isn’t going to play a secret party in Ohio. Is there a scene out there? Are there film lovers there? People don’t want to be honest about this, but there’s an exclusivity to Park City, and just nothing seems cool about Cincinnati.”

On many levels, this statement enrages me (deep breath). Nothing that person said is true, because if they’d been to Cincinnati, they’d feel otherwise.

I grew up in Dayton and lived in LA and Chicago before I boomeranged to Covington in 2011. I worked in Hollywood and went to film school in LA. I can honestly say that Cincinnati not only has the best film scene in the country but also the best people. Most of the people I hang out with are Cincy or Dayton natives. They’re creative, kind and awesome folks. Like me, a lot of them moved to the coasts but boomeranged back here because they know Cincy is affordable and thriving. They can be big fishes in small ponds. In Cincinnati, you can get your projects off the ground. 

“Seeing the mountains as you drive in [to Park City, Utah], getting to know your neighbors and bartenders, watching people in their winter gear. It’s just such a unique vibe,” states another asshole in the article. “With love to Ohio, I don’t think you’re going to get this energy and beautiful setting in the Midwest.”

Oh, snap. Vibes? Cincinnati has great vibes. Chill vibes. Down-to-earth vibes. Fun vibes. The vibes of Cincy encapsulate Midwest meets the South. When I lived in Chicago, everyone was standoffish. They had a chip on their shoulder. But here, everyone is super friendly and generous. There’s a lack of competition in the arts scene. Plus, the city has an interconnectedness in which everyone knows one another. We’re connected by two degrees of separation. We don’t have mountains, but we do have endless rolling hills and views for days. We don’t have ski culture here — though Perfect North is a mere 45 minutes away — but why does a film fest need ski culture? Cincy doesn’t get as much snow as Park City and Boulder, which is great, because January’s blizzard sucked ass.

The question, “Are there film lovers there?” is one of the dumbest questions I’ve ever heard and angers me to the core. Last year, my friend and I founded Leontine Cinema, a film organization that screens women-directed films. I don’t know of any other film organizations in the region (or country?) doing what we’re doing. Cincinnati is rife with film curators like Secret Base Cinema, Open Source Cinema, Outer Cinema, Conveyor Belt Books, Cincinnati World Cinema and many more. Those curators constantly give us advice, and we support one another. I don’t think that would happen in a bigger city.

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The film scene here is more diverse than you’d realize. For instance, last night I attended the weekly free screening at Open Source Cinema, at PAR-Projects, in Northside. They screened a film from Mexico, and next month they’re doing an entire series on films from Latin America. I found myself surrounded by transplants/cinephiles from Switzerland, Mexico City and Puerto Rico. The woman from Mexico City said she loved Cincy and was surprised by the amount of film screenings we have here. Almost every night of the week, the city offers some sort of film event. In September, Cindependent Film Fest takes place at Memorial Hall, and every month they host movies at the Contemporary Arts Center. I’ve been involved with/attended many of their fests and can attest it’s one of the best weekends Cincy has to offer. People come from all over the world to watch incredible films. We have an entire scene dedicated to film lovers who are more knowledgeable about film than those who go to Park City. Kelly Reichardt just filmed a movie here. Robert DeNiro just filmed a movie here. Of course the best Cincinnati film of all time, Airborne, filmed here. And Keanu Reeves and Drew Barrymore gave Cincy a shout-out in the film Babes in Toyland. Suck it, haters!

I’m guessing those “coastal elites” who dissed Cincy don’t realize we’re more than just chili. We’re home to several James Beard-nominated chefs and top-notch restaurants. Our skyline is better than most cities. Whenever I drive down the cut in the hill, I’m always gobsmacked by our skyline, which includes art deco and ziggurat buildings. Those elites need to spend some time on the riverfront, on both sides of the river. Do they know you can walk to Cincy and Kentucky? How cool is that? 

All of my out-of-town friends — including world travelers and a friend from California — love this area. They make a vacation out of drinking bourbon, hanging out in OTR and strolling the riverfront. 

“What’s iconic about Cincinnati?” asked some dumbfuck in the article. Well, just about everything. Like our chili, don’t knock it until you try it.

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This article appears in Mar 19 – Apr 2, 2025.