King of Them All: The Story of King Records

About the Film

A cinematic listening session that feels like time travel through America’s musical past. King of Them All revisits 1950s Cincinnati’s King Records – where country met R&B, barriers fell, and the sound of modern music was born.

King of Them All is a feature-length documentary about King Records, the scrappy Cincinnati label that reshaped American music. Founded in the 1940s by Syd Nathan, a brash outsider dismissed by the industry, King dared to put everything under one roof. In a single building, records were written, recorded, pressed, and shipped – capturing performances with an urgency the industry giants couldn’t match. The results were transformative. James Brown’s fiery soul, Little Willie John’s smooth R&B, Hank Ballard’s rock ‘n’ roll anthems, and the Stanley Brothers’ bluegrass harmonies all came through King, together forming a catalog that rewrote the sound of the 20th century.

About the Artist

Yemi Oyediran is a Nigerian American filmmaker and music producer whose work centers on American music history, cultural legacy, and interdisciplinary storytelling. Born in the United States and raised in part in Nigeria, he developed an early connection to music and performance, shaped by both West African and American traditions. Oyediran began his career as a musician and producer before expanding into documentary filmmaking. His work reflects a long-standing interest in the social, historical, and artistic forces that shape popular music.

JP Leong is a Cincinnati-based filmmaker, cinematographer, editor, and photographer whose work highlights the city’s arts, culture, and community. He is also a board member at the Asian American Cultural Association of Cincinnati and an organizer of the Asian Food Fest.

Together, Yemi and JP created Afrochine, a Cincinnati-based creative studio that produces films, music, and multimedia projects that preserve history while pushing culture forward. Afrochine builds bridges between past and present—amplifying underrepresented voices, re-imagining archival materials with cutting-edge tools, and creating space for community dialogue through art.

The Art Show

About the Film

Southwest Ohio is home to a vibrant and thriving arts and cultural community. The Art Show, an Emmy Award-winning television series from CET and ThinkTV, celebrates that creative spirit by profiling artists, organizations, and cultural stories from across Cincinnati, Dayton, and the surrounding region.

This special CliftonFest presentation features a curated selection of short segments from the series, including profiles of Cincinnati artists Michael Coppage, sculptor Tom Tsuchiya, Gift and Romain Mayambi, and Jimi Jones.

The program also highlights community-focused stories, including Sew Valley, which explores a local sustainable fashion nonprofit; Lalovavi, documenting the launch of Cincinnati Opera’s groundbreaking Black Opera Project; and Hair: The Crown You Wear, a celebration of the art, history, and culture of Black hair.

About the Artist

Nadya Ellerhorst is the Series Producer of The Art Show at CET and ThinkTV. An award-winning producer and storyteller, she develops and produces segments that spotlight artists, cultural organizations, and creative communities throughout Southwest Ohio.

Rodney Veal is the host and producer of The Art Show, the Emmy Award-winning arts series from CET and ThinkTV. An accomplished choreographer, interdisciplinary artist, and arts advocate, Veal has spent more than a decade celebrating the artists and cultural organizations of Southwest Ohio through television, helping connect audiences with the region’s rich and diverse creative community.

Animation Hour

About the Film

Cincinnati animator Mark Neeley creates handcrafted, frame-by-frame animated films and music videos that explore the intersection of sound and image. Working with paper, ink, and paint, his distinctive analog style transforms music and storytelling into richly textured visual experiences.

This CliftonFest program features a curated selection of Neeley’s original animated short films alongside music videos created for a diverse range of musicians. Together, the works showcase the artistry and creativity of independent animation while celebrating the expressive possibilities of the handmade medium

About the Artist

Mark Neeley is an animator, designer & journalist from Cincinnati, Ohio. Neeley’s film works are analogue made using paper, ink & paint: frame by frame animation. Short film Fragments(2020) was the winner of the PBS “Reel 13” program and was the recipient of over a dozen international film festival screenings. Pure Animation for Now People (2024), featuring a soundtrack by Mark Mothersbaugh, is currently on the film festival circuit.

Commercial work in the form of music videos and creative advertising are his specialities. He’s worked with musicians such as Beachwood Sparks, Never Young Beach, Allah-Las, Robyn Hitchcock, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Michael Rault, Cara Beth Satalino, Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection, Bonny Doon, Maston, Gruff Rhys, Lee Baggett.

His illustration work has also been featured in publications such as New York Times and been featured on clothing collaborations with Madewell. As a purveyor of multiple creative projects rooted in the juxtaposition of sound & vision, Neeley is also a contributor for taste-making music & arts publication Aquarium Drunkard and has written for publications like Shindig! magazine and Volume 1 Brooklyn. He has consulted and curated music programming for Dublab, NTS Radio and more.

Clifton: A Documentary

About the Film

This documentary offers a portrait of Clifton, one of Cincinnati’s most distinctive and historically rich neighborhoods. Through conversations with residents, local businesses, and community voices, the film explores Clifton’s layered identity—its historic architecture, cultural diversity, and strong sense of neighborhood life. Blending past and present, it captures what makes Clifton both a unique place within Cincinnati and a community shaped by the people who call it home.

About the Artist

Matt Stalf is a Cincinnati-based filmmaker, cinematographer, and creative director specializing in documentary, commercial, and music video production. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, he is known for his cinematic storytelling and collaborative approach, creating visually compelling films that highlight artists, musicians, small businesses, and communities throughout the region.

Esquire: Then and Now

About the Film

This curated screening celebrates the enduring legacy of the Esquire Theatre—one of Clifton’s most iconic cultural landmarks—through a blend of archival history and contemporary storytelling. The program weaves together historical footage, including glimpses of the beloved Mystery Movie Nights, vintage clips from past screenings, and newspaper clipsthat trace the theatre’s place in Cincinnati’s film culture.

Alongside this rich archive, the program also looks forward, featuring present-day content created by Esquire staff, including playful and inventive social media clips that reflect how the theatre continues to evolve with its audience. Together, these pieces offer a living portrait of a neighborhood institution—honoring its past while celebrating its ongoing role at the heart of Clifton’s creative life.

About the Artist

A cornerstone of Clifton’s cultural identity, the Esquire Theatre has long been more than a movie house—it is a cultural institution and gathering place deeply woven into the fabric of the neighborhood. For decades, it has served as one of the region’s most dedicated champions of arthouse, independent, international, and local cinema.

In an era where many theaters focus primarily on mainstream releases, Esquire stands apart as a rare and vital space for films that might otherwise go unseen. From independent productions and documentaries to global cinema and work by local filmmakers, the theatre has consistently created space for voices and visions outside the Hollywood system—offering Cincinnati audiences access to films that challenge, expand, and inspire.

As the only theater of its kind in the area with this sustained level of commitment to independent, international, and locally made film, Esquire has built a legacy not only as a place to watch movies, but as a home for film culture itself. Through programs like Mystery Movie Nights, curated series, and community partnerships, it continues to nurture curiosity, conversation, and a deep appreciation for cinema in all its forms.

Into the Retroverse

About the Film

This curated collection of short films embraces a retro-inspired vision of cinematic storytelling, blending cosmic adventure, thrilling sci-fi, and independent DIY filmmaking energy. Through imaginative visuals and a distinctly nostalgic aesthetic, the works transport audiences into stylized worlds where analog texture meets futuristic possibility.

About the Artist

Joe Reiter is a Cincinnati, Ohio–based photographer and videographer specializing in portraits, concerts, and event coverage. He has worked with a range of local organizations, including Cincinnati Parks and the Cindependent Film Festival, among others. From storyboarding through filming and editing, he is engaged in the full creative process from start to finish.