Cincinnati’s two biggest film festivals are officially getting hitched. The Cindependent and the Over‑the‑Rhine International Film Festival are merging into a single Cindependent Film Festival, slated for Sept. 17–19, 2026 at Memorial Hall in Over‑the‑Rhine. Organizers say the move is all about combining forces to stretch resources, grow programming and make it easier for local audiences and filmmakers to actually get into the seats.
Organizers and the New Partnership
The merger is being framed as a formal alliance between Cindependent and LADD, the nonprofit that has produced the Over‑the‑Rhine festival. Allyson West, Cindependent’s founder and executive director, said the team is “excited to officially join forces with LADD,” according to Cindependent. The announcement on the festival site also lays out press contact information and notes that year‑round programming will be tied into the newly unified event.
About Over‑the‑Rhine and LADD
The Over‑the‑Rhine International Film Festival grew out of ReelAbilities and has been run by LADD, a Cincinnati nonprofit focused on disability services and advocacy. The festival’s site leans heavily on inclusion, highlighting recent programs that feature audio description, open captions and ASL interpretation to widen access for audiences, per the OTR Film Festival. By folding that inclusion‑driven approach into a larger festival, organizers say they hope to boost voices that typically get pushed to the margins of mainstream lineups.
When, Where and Tickets
The unified Cindependent Film Festival is scheduled for Sept. 17–19, 2026, with most events centered at Memorial Hall in Over‑the‑Rhine. That timing and venue are listed on the festival’s profile on FilmFreeway. Tickets are being sold through the venue’s official box office and event listing at Memorial Hall.
Why the Merger Matters
Festival leaders and local media are casting the merger as a practical way to scale up programming while still backing Cincinnati filmmakers. WLWT reported organizers saying the move “makes sense” and noted that the new festival is intended to be “inclusive and accessible” as the groups aim to grow in ways they say neither could manage on its own. The station also pointed out that the organizations have teamed up before and remain focused on empowering local filmmakers and building out educational offerings.
Accessibility and Programming Expectations
Organizers say the combined festival will pair year‑round education, masterclasses and networking events with an inclusive screening slate that keeps access services front and center. The OTR festival’s mission and past programs emphasize disability‑led curation and accommodations, and those practices are expected to carry into the unified Cindependent experience, according to the OTR Film Festival. Festival and venue materials also describe a virtual festival window plus related expo events built around the weekend’s screenings at Memorial Hall.
What to Watch For
The full lineup and individual film blocks are scheduled to be announced in August, with selection notifications and filmmaker communications set for early August, according to the festival profile on FilmFreeway. In the meantime, organizers are urging filmmakers and moviegoers to keep an eye on festival and venue pages for lineup drops, ticket options and volunteer spots as the new one‑stop film fest takes shape.
