We are Cincinnati's home for independent filmmakers. We cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit of filmmaking!

We are an all-genre festival accepting submissions from all over the world. We believe in the power of film to inspire, delight, challenge, and build vibrant community. We value a diversity of voices across race, culture, gender, and orientation. Accessibility is a core value of Cindependent, and we are dedicated to amplifying disabled voices and stories.

Cindependent Film Festival returns September 16-20, 2026, at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio! We host over ten hours of film programming daily, networking events, live screenplay readings for accepted screenplays by local professional actors, VIP parties, and a filmmaker lounge for networking your film or screenplay. Come connect with directors, producers, filmmakers, artists and community members from all over Cincinnati, the US, and the world.

Cindependent is a filmmaker-focused festival, dedicated to empowering and providing career development resources for accepted artists during our event. We welcome storytellers at all levels of their careers. Building connection and collaboration across the filmmaking community is our guiding principle.

Our festival is located in walking distance to the many incredible parks, bars, restaurants, and museums in the heart of the Queen City.

We provide lodging for filmmakers attending the festival - lodging may be limited and we prioritize film nominees, followed by out-of-town visitors and local filmmakers.

A sample festival schedule may run like this:

Wednesday Evening: Welcome Party for visiting Filmmakers and Screenwriters
Thursday: Film Screenings, Workshops, Screenplay readings begin. After Party at 10pm.
Friday: Film Screenings, Workshops, Screenplay readings begin. After Party at 10pm.
Saturday: Film Screenings, Workshops, Screenplay readings continue. After Party at 10pm.
Sunday: Awards Ceremony and Goodbye Brunch

Awards & Prizes

Cindependent may provide five Development Grants during each festival. This is not cash-money provided directly but a development program that works to sustain new works within the Cincinnati region. You do not have to be local to Cincinnati to win one of these awards. Our ability to award this is dependent on our funding progress and we may not offer this in 2026.

Cindependent awards films and screenplays in the following categories:

• Best Short Screenplay
• Best Feature Screenplay
• Best Student Short
• Best International Short
• Best Live Action Short
• Ohio Watershed Short Film Award
• Best Family Short
• Best Comedy Short
• Best Drama Short
• Best Off-Kilter Short
• Best Music Video
• Best Experimental Short
• Best Documentary Short
• Best Animated Short
• Best Feature Film
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Director
• Kirk M Weber Fan Favorite Film
• Kirk M Weber Fan Favorite Screenplay
• Founder's Film Award

Past award winning films include:

- The Singers dir. Sam Davis (2025 Best Live Action Short) *Oscar Winner
- ADO dir. Sam Henderson (2025 Best Actress award for Jenifer Lewis) *Oscar Shortlisted
- Sister Wives dir. Louisa Connelly-Burnham (2024 Best International Short) *BAFTA Longlisted
- Relationship to Patient dir. Caroline Creaghead (2024 Best Director) *2025 Short of the Week Awards - Audience Choice Winner
- Hand Job dir. Davis Cameron-Chu and Meezahn Senbetta (2024 Best Off-Kilter Short)
- The Violinist dir. Katy McCarthy (2023 Best Live Action Short)
- Night Cafe dir. Josh Nowak (2023 Best Director)

Rules & Terms

Submitter only needs to submit in ONE category, but will be considered in all appropriate categories.

You agree to the following terms and conditions of the Cindependent Film Festival.

• All films must be the original work of the filmmakers and all filmmakers must have the necessary rights. The festival is not liable for any rights issues.
• As a festival, we recognize the utility and inextricability of AI tools in the filmmaking process. We also recognize concerns around the use of AI (particularly generative AI) in regard to rights infringement, artistic integrity, and environmental degradation. Please email Cindependent Curation Director Jonny Shenk at jonny@cindependentfilmfest.org for further questions and considerations around the use of AI in submissions to the festival.
• By submitting a film to CFF, you grant the Cindependent Film Festival permission to screen your film, if said film is officially accepted into this year's lineup.
• If your film has been selected, you are automatically considered accepted. If we do not hear from you otherwise within 14 days of notification, your selection will be accepted and intended for playing in the festival.
• All entries must be either in English or subtitled in English. Foreign language films without English subtitles will not be screened.
• Only completed entries (including entry form, payment, and final film) will be considered.
• We are an environmentally friendly festival. We accept digital entries ONLY. Do not send DVD’s, Blu-rays, or physical press kits.
• Films must have been completed no earlier than 2024.
• If accepted, the filmmaker is required to provide the festival a digital file (mp4) for exhibition.
• In accordance with the Cindependent Film Festival policy, the entry fee is non-refundable.

You grant the Cindependent Film Festival the following:
• Permission to exhibit your film. Films must be available for screening September 2026.
• Allow photos, posters, highlights or excerpts of your film (e.g. a trailer) to be placed on the Cindependent Film Festival Festival website and used for other marketing and promotional purposes. You also agree to allow CFF to promote the following year's festival with the material listed above. CFF will never solicit or screen your film outside the promotion of the CFF without your approval.

The Festival
• We are accepting short film (under 40 minutes), feature film (over 40 minutes), and screenplay submissions.
• Notification of selections will be made August 2nd, 2026.
• The Cindependent Film Festival reserves the right to change our programming without notice. The official selections and screening schedule is at the sole discretion of the festival.
• You may submit as many entries as you like. Each entry requires its own entry fee. Entry fees will not be refunded.
• Entrants are encouraged, but not required, to attend the festival. Accepted submissions receive 2 free full passes to the film festival for the duration of the film festival, and can receive artist pricing on each additional pass.
• Exceptions to these rules will not be made unless we make an exception.
For questions and inquiries, please email jonny@cindependentfilmfest.org
144 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Megan Smith-Harris

    The 2025 Cindependent Film Festival impressed me from the very beginning, even though I was ultimately unable to attend in person—and I was genuinely heartbroken to miss it, as it looked like an absolute joy.

    From the outset, the festival’s communication was outstanding: clear, welcoming, and incredibly thoughtful. The organizers hosted a Zoom orientation for visiting filmmakers and screenwriters, which was such a generous and professional way to set expectations and build excitement. Their social media package was well-designed and ready to download, making promotion easy and fun.

    Cindependent also stood out for its creative, filmmaker-forward perks—from the option to arrive in a vintage car for a true red carpet moment to what appeared to be a stunning venue that perfectly matched the festival’s energy and personality.

    As a screenwriter, I was especially thrilled by how intentionally and enthusiastically Cindependent celebrates writers. The opportunity to have 20 minutes of a screenplay read aloud by professional actors is remarkable and rare. At many festivals, screenwriters can feel like an afterthought; here, they are clearly valued, spotlighted, and embraced as an essential part of the storytelling ecosystem.

    I was honored that my feature screenplay The Ghost of You was selected as a finalist, and even from afar, the spirit, joy, and care that define this festival were unmistakable. Cindependent radiates warmth, creativity, and a genuine love of artists and their work. I would recommend it wholeheartedly and hope to attend in the future.

    January 2026
    Helpful
  • Wiktoria Kwoka

    I couldn't attend the festival in person, but it's hard to find such a gem. Communication was wonderful; the team was very helpful and answered fast. Upon selection, we received beautiful laurels and a personalized video, which was so nice. The promo on social media was also very helpful, and when we won an award, the team was kind enough to send it to us. I would always recommend this festival; my biggest regret is that I couldn't be there in person.

    November 2025
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  • Yuki Maekawa-Ledbetter

    From the moment we got accepted, the communication was on point and seamless. They went above and beyond to make sure all filmmakers and audience members feel welcomed and valued. Highly recommend!

    November 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    You are so so kind to share this review. Thank you!

  • Christian Loubek

    This is A TOP the list of our favorite festival to date. Such a vibrant, creative and well-organized celebration of Indie Film in the wonderful hometown city of Cincinnati. Thank you Allyson and the entire team! So grateful to have shared the screen with such fine film filmmakers and films. Thank you for including BELIEF in your program and thank you for the award recognition! We are humbled, Erika & Christian.

    October 2025
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    Response from festival:

    Erika & Christian - thank you! BELIEF moved our audience, and it was an honor to screen and recognize your work; we’re so glad you shared it with Cincinnati and our Cindependent community.

  • Michael Klug

    I was unable to attend, but was thrilled to have my feature script, "One Last Build in Centralia" named an Official Selection! Based on everything I saw on the socials, it was one heck of an event! And the communication from Cindependent throughout the process was exceptional. I will be submitting again. :)

    October 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Michael, thank you so much for your kind review! We hope we're able to meet you in person soon. :)