Hilltop Stories: Connecting communities through film
During the summer of 2014, artists Ryan Mulligan and Sam Meador debuted the inaugural film festival for Hilltop Stories: A Neighborhood Film Project in Walnut Hills. This summer the project is back and coming to North and South Fairmount! Hilltop Stories, a community art project, celebrates the stories and people of vibrant neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati. We are collaborating with community members in North and South Fairmount, meeting neighbors, listening to stories, and connecting local creatives to create celebratory community made short films. Our goal is to put North and South Fairmount in front of and behind the camera, to serve as a catalyst for community interactions, and positive social connection. Working with a diverse section of the community, these films celebrate the people living around the block and aim to empower residents by amplifying their voices and showcasing their talents.
In May the Hilltop Stories team began talking with community partners, business owners, and residents, to meet neighbors and discover stories that celebrate the community. In June an incredible team of inspiring creatives joined the project to bring the communities stories to life. We have met 75 amazing neighbors and been joined by 8 local creatives! The stories currently spotlight a young woman with mechanical skills far beyond her age, a neighborhood patriarch, the vibrant Latino community, St. Leo's Food Pantry, and much more still to come. Hilltop Stories is committed to facilitating community building through organizing, stories, and art.
This Friday (August 26), Hilltop Stories will premiere 14 films spotlighting the wonderful neighbors, businesses and groups in these communities. Whether you live in North and South Fairmount or not, we invite you to come! For more information, visit Hilltop Stories on Facebook or email us at hilltopstories513@gmail.com.
This project was funded in part by grants from The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and Xavier University’s Community Building Institute. Generous and invaluable support has also been provided by the Cradle Cincinnati Connections team.