New Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival Celebrates Stories of Diversity, Freedom, Identity, Disability and Faith

CINCINNATI, Aug. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival, a four-day celebration of diversity, disability and difference, debuts September 26-30 with more than 65 juried films celebrating the shared human experience.  Centrally located in downtown Cincinnati in the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, the festival features five film tracks showcasing stories around diversity, freedom, identity, disability and faith; along with celebrity appearances, panel discussions and special events.

"Our festival champions the curious, the brave, the dreamers, the open-hearted, the vulnerable and the unheard," said Jack Geiger, managing director of the Festival. "We are excited that this film festival can be an impactful part of the many efforts that are building even more welcoming and diverse communities in Cincinnati, throughout the region and across the country."

Festival screening highlights include: "Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me," community screening of Disney's "Christopher Robin," free screening of "Queen of Katwe," the Midwest Premieres of "Happy Lucky Golden Tofu Panda Dragon Good Time Fun Fun Show," "Take a Look at This Heart" and "Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story" as well as the Cincinnati Exclusive Screening of "Two Beats, One Soul," and the Cincinnati Premiere of "United Skates."

Some 20 Hollywood celebrities, including Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee, Virginia Madsen, Zach Anner of ABC's "Speechless," Merle Dandridge star of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network's "Greenleaf," Drew Lachey, Member of "98 Degrees" band, and Tanika Ray, Co-Host of "EXTRA," will participate.  

The curatorial team for the 2018 Festival includes: Opal Bennet, who programs for the Nantucket Film Festival, NY Doc, Tribeca Film Festival and Sundance London; Adam Piron, a programmer for Sundance Film Festival shorts; and lead curator TT Stern-Enzi, a local film critic for CityBeat and FOX 19 and educator in several Cincinnati schools and venues.

Selected films for the 2018 Festival include: "100,000 Miles A Second" (Short), "93 Miles" (Short), "A Ferry Tale" (Short), "A Level Playing Field" (Short), "A Place Where We Can Be Treated Fairly" (Short), "After Death in Heaven" (Short), "Aiden's Journey: The Next Chapter" (Short), "Anyone Like Me" (Short), "Being Rachel" (Feature), "Birth of a New Form: Lineillism Revealed" (Short), "Carry On Little Sis" (Short), "Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story" (Feature), "Fool" (Short), "Godspeed: The Pace of Being Known" (Short), "Happy Lucky Golden Tofu Panda Dragon Good Time Fun Fun Show" (Feature), "Harlem Blues" (Short), "How the Moon Fell From the Sky and No On Even Noticed" (Short), "Hypo" (Short), "Irony" (Short), "Just Go!" (Short), "Let Us Dance" (Feature), "Life In Strides" (Short), Mumpsimus and Halcyon Discord" (Short), "My Dad Matthew" (Short), "Outburst" (Short), "Palacios" (Feature), "Peggie" (Short), "Project Home: The Next Battle" (Short), "Queen of Katwe" (Feature), "Sammy Davis Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me" (Feature), "Sexual Being" (Short), "Sing Me" (Short), "Snowflakes & Diamonds" (Short), "Standing Still | Standing Still" (Short), Take A Look At This Heart" (Feature), "The Best Little Coffeehouse in Maryland" (Short), "The Children Act" (Feature), "The Color of Me" (Short), "The Intimate Realities of Water" (Feature), "The Last Embrace" (Short), "The Magic Bracelet" (Short), "Thin Lines" (Short), "True Colors" (Short) and "Unmasked" (Short).

More than 150 feature and short-length films submitted by Hollywood and independent filmmakers from around the world were reviewed by jurors including:

• Maya Solis, Manager, Native Film Program, Sundance
• Courtney Parker, V.P. of Alternative Programming, Adaptive Studios; a television and publishing veteran, who among many other credits wrote and worked for seven years on TV's #1 franchise Law & Order.
• Jim Brunzell, Program Director for the All Genders, Lifestyles and Identities Film Festival (aGLIFF) in Austin, Texas.
• Tim Gordon, Critic and Founder of the Lakefront Film Festival
• Amber Espinosa Jones, Outreach & Inclusion Coordinator, Sundance Institute- supporting artists from underrepresented backgrounds and assisting community outreach.
• Michael Chenevert, Actor/Producer, Star of Off-Broadway play, "An Adam Experiment;" TV credits include "Ugly Betty," "Boardwalk Empire," "Law and Order SVU," and "The Following." Matthew Faraci, President and Founder of Inspire Buzz, and Executive Producer for the Dove Channel.

More information on tickets, films and events is available at OTRFilmFest.org or by calling (513) 487-3939. Follow the festival on Twitter and Instagram @OTRFilmFest; and on Facebook at facebook.com/OTRFilmFest.

For information about Cincinnati and where to stay, go to www.cincinnatiusa.com.

The Over-the-Rhine Film Festival is organized by LADD, an organization supporting adults with disabilities that ran the successful ReelAbilities Film Festival created in 2012.

SOURCE Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival

Related Links

https://otrfilmfest.org