MovieMaker Magazine named the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival as one of the top 25 “coolest” film festivals in the world.
Since its founding four years ago, the festival has grown into the leading diversity film festival in the nation led by the disability community. The festival was founded by LADD, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit that serves adults with developmental disabilities. Founded in 1975, the Cincinnati nonprofit supports over 650 adults experiencing disabilities through housing, employment and meaningful community engagement programs.
A jury of seven independent, award-winning film critics, filmmakers, curators and directors attended film festivals internationally to select festivals with unforgettable experiences and exceptional films.
“The Over-the-Rhine Film Festival is newer, but mighty,” said Iman Zawahry, an Emmy-award-winning filmmaker and juror of MovieMaker’s ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2022.’ “Highlighting disability and marginalized filmmakers, the festival works hard to promote the films.”
The fourth-annual festival was held July 7-10. Over 100 film entries from around the globe were submitted for consideration in this year’s festival. Awards were presented in narrative, documentary and student categories in addition to two special awards created in partnership with Cincinnati’s National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Harriet Beecher Stowe House.
“We are thrilled that the work LADD and the film festival does to build an inclusive community is being recognized on a national scale,” said festival director Molly Lyons. “And by association, Greater Cincinnati is being recognized as ‘cool’ because of the support this community has shown these films, filmmakers and the mission and vision of LADD.”
MovieMaker is dedicated to the art and craft of making movies. Its list of the ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2022’, presented by Film Freeway, appears in its Summer issue, featuring Emily the Criminal star Aubrey Plaza on the cover, and online at https://www.moviemaker.com/coolest-film-festivals-2022
Other film festivals in MovieMaker’s ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2022’ include:
- Austin Film Festival
- Busan International Film Festival (South Korea)
- Frameline Film Festival (San Francisco)
- Chattanooga Film Festival (Tennessee)
- II Cinema Ritrovato (Bologna, Italy)
- Key West Film Festival
- Luxembourg City Film Festival
- Mammoth Lakes Film Festival (California)
- Marrakech International Film Festival (Morocco)
- Zurich Film Festival (Switzerland)