Award-winning filmmaker Dee Rees (Pariah, Bessie, Mudbound) will close the 13th annual Film Independent Forum with a Keynote Conversation.
Chappaquiddick will kick off the event as the Opening Night Film on Friday, October 20, directed by John Curran, starring Jason Clarke, Kate Mara, Ed Helms, Jim Gaffigan, Clancy Brown and Taylor Nichols with Olivia Thirlby and Bruce Dern.
“It has been so great to see Dee Rees grow as an auteur since her debut film Pariah garnered the John Cassavetes Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards just five years ago—I am sure filmmakers attending will be inspired as she shares her artistic journey at the Forum,” said Maria Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education and International Initiatives.
Additional Speakers include:
Mariana Acuña, Co-Founder, Opaque Studios
Sam Bailey, Director, Brown Girls
Debra Birnbaum, Executive Editor, Television, Variety
Josh Braun, Submarine Entertainment
Lisa A. Callif, Esq. Partner, Donaldson+Callif
Kat Candler, Filmmaker/TV Producing Director, Queen Sugar
Dana Calvo, Television Writer/Executive Producer/Creator, Good Girls Revolt
Aymar Jean Christian, Creator, Open TV
Jennifer Cochis, LA Film Festival Director, Film Independent
Mercedes Cooper, Director of Marketing and Promotions, ARRAY
Lorraine D’Alessio, Managing Attorney, D’Alessio Law Group
Christine Davila, Creative Executive, Stage13
Lisa Hasko, Manager of Documentary Programs and Fiscal Sponsorship, Film Independent
Josh Healey, Writer/Producer, The North Pole Show
Yvan Iturriaga, Director, The North Pole Show
Azazel Jacobs, Writer/Director, The Lovers
Jessica Kantor, Director/Producer/Interactive Storyteller
Alia Quart Khan, Director of Publicity, Film Independent
Missy Laney, Independent Marketing and Distribution Strategist
Ben LeClaire, Producer, The Lovers
Grace Lee, Filmmaker, American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs
Matthew Lessall, President, Casting Society of America
Warren Littlefield, Executive Producer, The Handmaid’s Tale, Fargo
Allen Maldonado, Founder, Everybody Digital
Ray Mansfield, Partner, QC Entertainment
Kat McCaffrey, VP Drama Programming, HBO
Jordana Mollick, Partner/Producer/Manager, Haven Entertainment
Laura Nix, Director/Writer/Producer, Felt Films
Brian O’Shea, CEO, The Exchange
Stu Pollard, Producer, Bass Ackwards, And Then I Go, Rust Creek
Doug Pray, Executive Producer, Editor, The Defiant Ones
Jon Reiss, Filmmaker/Author, Think Outside the Box Office
Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Founder, Superlative Films
Ilse Ronteltap, Head of the Film Production Incentive, Netherlands Film Fund
Marjan Safinia, Board President, International Documentary Association
Paula M. Schmidt, Senior Vice President, Film Finances Inc.
Bec Smith, Agent, UTA
Chris Stinson, Producer, The Lovers
Rahdi Taylor, Executive, Concordia Studio