TEHRAN – The Iranian short film “Ramy” written and directed by Pouyan Rostami and produced by Kasra Tirsahar will have its world premiere at the 2025 Cindependent Film Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio, the U.S., which will be held from September 18 to 20.

The 10-minute film happens in the heart of a forest, where a group of women carry a coffin on their shoulders, while a grieving woman follows them, wailing and crying out. Unmoved by her cries, the women proceed toward a cemetery, IRNA reported.

Salar Saki, Houra Pakizehel, and Ramin Yahyazadeh perform in the film that represents Iranian independent cinema. 

The Cindependent Film Festival is a celebration of fearless storytelling, where indie films break boundaries and ignite creativity. 

Set in the heart of Cincinnati, this bold festival brings together the world’s most innovative filmmakers, industry pros, and passionate audiences for a high-energy, cinematic experience. 

From thought-provoking films to unforgettable events, Cindependent is a movement that amplifies fresh voices and pushes the limits of cinema. It’s not just a festival—it’s a platform for the future of film and a gathering place for trailblazers in the art of storytelling.

According to the festival website, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access create a stronger community, stronger learning, and stronger stories that impact the overall health and abilities as a society. The festival seeks to serve communities of storytellers and audiences across regions, genres, ethnicities, gender, orientation, and ability.

The festival goals include deepening and expanding connections to diverse communities, cultures, languages, and regions across Ohio, the United States, and the world. In doing this, the organizers hope to increase the diversity of projects submitted for consideration to all Institute programs and inspire new artists to tell their stories. They strive to put resources into the hands of people that have something important to say and empower these voices by uplifting and removing barriers to access in the story-sharing space.  

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