ABOUT GOTHAM WEEK EXPO
The Gotham Week Expo brings together partners from The Gotham’s Expanding Communities initiative to provide community and thought leadership on topics pertinent to film & media creators, including discussing challenges and solutions on how to approach advocacy and career advancement.
The Expo contains two sections: Pathways Sessions, which includes a series of interactive talks and panels, and Showcase, which includes spaces for organizations to promote their communities, programs, and events.
EXPO: PATHWAYS SESSIONS
The current state of the film and media industry requires that creators explore various pathways to success in all aspects of their craft and opportunities for growth in their careers. These pathways can include ways to finance films such as crowdfunding or artists support programs, new forms of distribution models, as well as how the world of branded storytelling can enhance a filmmaker’s abilities to achieve their goals.
These interactive sessions are hosted by The Gotham’s Expanding Communities partners as well as leaders in the field who are approaching the challenges filmmakers are currently facing with opportunities to develop innovative pathways for film and media creators to advance their careers.
DAY 1 | Fundraising & Artist Support
10 AM | Deep Dive: Lionsgate’s Story Spark Tool led by Kamala Avila-Salmon
Most storytellers and execs aspire to inclusive storytelling but not everyone knows where to start. Enter Story Spark, a free questionnaire that offers a creative-first approach to collaborative conversations about inclusion in film. This simple tool has been calibrated to spark thinking that can expand the cultural relevance, audience appeal, and creative opportunities of any script, any genre, and at any stage of development. Hear from creator Kamala Avila-Salmon, Founder of Kas Kas Productions and former Head of Inclusive Content at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, about the need for this framework, actual films that were developed using this tool, and a hands-on demonstration.
This event is also hosted by The Gotham’s Owning It program, which is dedicated to supporting, connecting, and empowering women and non-binary creators and entrepreneurs who break down boundaries in the media and entertainment industry.
Takeaways:
– How Story Spark has already been used in film development
– How to leverage the Story Spark tool to start discussions about diversity in storytelling
– The key dimensions of inclusivity
Speaker | Kamala Avila-Salmon, Founder of Kas Kas Productions
Kamala Avila-Salmon is a newly-minted film producer with a deal at Lionsgate, where she exited this month as the first-ever Head of Inclusive Content at Lionsgate. Her personal and professional mission remains using storytelling to change how underrepresented communities are seen and shift our world towards greater connection and compassion. Her new company, Kas Kas Productions, is a dynamic start-up production company focused on curating, cultivating, and creating commercially relevant and culturally impactful content. Born in Jamaica and raised in NYC, she earned her BA and MBA at Harvard and has led global campaigns for companies like Bad Boy, NBC, Google, and Facebook. At Lionsgate, she spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives like Story Spark, a creative-first tool for development execs and filmmakers to measure diversity and intersectionality in their projects. Under her leadership, the inclusive content team collaborated with the development and marketing teams to focus on inclusive decision-making across Lionsgate’s film slate. A believer in continuous learning and improvement, she completed fellowships with both the Aspen Institute and the Pop Culture Collaborative. She is an outspoken voice on DEI and racial justice generally, penning articles on Medium and LinkedIn and hosting and creating the podcast, “From Woke to Work: The Anti-Racist Journey”, geared at moving people from “woke” feelings to effective actions that advance racial justice. Kamala’s work promoting diversity and inclusion in storytelling has garnered her awards from the inaugural Champion of Inclusive Storytelling Award from HOORAE at the American Black Film Festival Power Exec Awards to the AdColor Innovator Award.
11 AM | Transcendent Futures — with Film Fatales
Please join Film Fatales at the Gotham Week Expo for a panel discussion about artist development opportunities for gender diverse filmmakers.
Hear from new voices in trans cinema including Fatales Forward fellows Brit Fryer (Director of You’re Watching Queer TV), Chase Joynt (Director of Framing Agnes), and Nyala Moon (Writer/Director/Actor of How Not to Date While Trans) as they discuss their filmmaking process and the power of storytelling as a tool for meaningful cultural change. Moderated by Film Fatales team member Abygai Peña.
There are many paths towards getting your next feature film made. Learn from experienced indie filmmakers about the multifaceted options available including artist development labs, incubators, grants and other funding opportunities. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to navigate the myriad options available as you embark on the development of your next scripted or unscripted project.
Despite the increased visibility of trans characters on screen, opportunities for gender-expansive directors behind the camera are virtually non-existent. By sidelining gender nonconforming voices, Hollywood is actively contributing to the misrepresentation that leads directly to real-world violence. It is crucial for the film industry to take responsibility for our role in influencing culture. We need more gender-nonconforming storytellers behind the camera to ensure the authenticity of the stories being told.
Join us in discussing a gender expansive approach to the creative process and receive practical information about finding funding and institutional support for your next film.
Panelist | Brit Fryer, Director of You’re Watching Queer TV
Brit Fryer is a Brooklyn-based queer and trans filmmaker, originally from Chicago’s South Side. He has directed several films, including THE SCRIPT (co-directed with Noah Schamus), which premiered at 2023’s CPH:DOX, and CARO COMES OUT, which premiered on HBOMax after winning the Knight Made in MIA Award. His other films include ACROSS, BEYOND, AND OVER, and TRANS·IENCE. He produced Crystal Kayiza’s REST STOP, winner of the 2023 Short Film Jury Award for US Fiction at Sundance. Brit and his work have been supported by the Sundance Ignite Fellowship, Creative Culture, GLAAD, and HBO / Gotham’s Documentary Development Initiative.
Panelist | Chase Joynt, Director of Framing Agnes
Chase Joynt is a non-fiction filmmaker and writer who works at the edges of genre. His documentary feature, Framing Agnes, was named a Best Movie of the Year by The New Yorker after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the NEXT Innovator Award and the NEXT Audience Award. With Aisling Chin-Yee, Chase co-directed No Ordinary Man, which was presented at Cannes Docs as part of the Canadian Showcase of Docs-in-Progress. For the CW, Chase directed episodes of Two Sentence Horror Stories which are now streaming on Netflix. With Samantha Curley, he runs Level Ground Productions in Los Angeles.
Panelist | Nyala Moon, Writer/Director/Actor of How Not to Date While Trans
Nyala Moon is a graduate of City College with an MFA in film production. Nyala was a QueerArt Film fellow, a TV writing fellow for Hillman Grad, and a Fatales Forward fellow. Nyala was selected as a 2022 NewFest/Netflix New Voices Filmmaker Grant winner. Her film, “How Not To Date While Trans,” was distributed through Frameline’s New Voices program. Her latest short, Dilating For Maximum Results, won the Short Grand Jury Prize at OutFest and Newfest. Filmmaker Magazine named Nyala one of the 25 New Faces 2023. Nyala was selected to be a part of the Whitney Museum Biennial 2024.
Moderator | Abygai Peña, Programmer at Film Fatales
Abygai Peña is a queer, non-binary Latinx filmmaker who works with traditional filmmaking techniques while telling new queer stories. Abygai is a current programmer for Film Fatales.
12 PM | Wide Shot: New Angles on Artist Support — with rePROfilm and Peace Is Loud
In this session, we’ll review new models of artist support programs, including Peace is Loud’s Collective Lens collaborations with rePRO Film, which offers impact training and a $3K unrestricted impact stipend; UFO’s Short Film Lab, an 18-month long program in Brooklyn where filmmakers produce two short films from development through exhibition; and Dhaka Doc Impact Lab, the first impact lab to take place in Bangladesh. The panelists will discuss the role of care, sustainability, and community in these spaces, and their vision for holistic filmmaker support.
Takeaways:
– What does sustainable artist support look like?
– How are new programs of artist support braiding elements like impact, distribution and financial support into their foundations?
– How are these new artist support programs aiming to support artists but to better the ecosystem as a whole?
Panelist | Martha Gregory, Co-Director at UFO
Martha is a producer, editor and professor based in Brooklyn, NY. She executive produced Billy Luther’s Frybread Face and Me which premiered at SXSW 2023 and was released by NETFLIX, and Chloe Abraham’s The Taste of Mango which premiered at TRUE/FALSE 2023, won Best Documentary at BFI and will be released by Oscilloscope and POV. Her own short doc, Three Red Sweaters, played at festivals around the world and is a Vimeo Staff Pick. Martha has taught film and post production at Kenyon College, Fashion Institute of Technology and SVA and she is now co-director of UFO, a filmmaker support organization that runs a short film lab at BAM and residencies in upstate NY.
Panelist | Rahi Hasan, Director, DocImpact Programs at Dhaka Doc Impact Lab
Rahi Hasan (they/them) is a formerly undocumented dancer, documentary filmmaker, impact strategist and educator challenging power on all fronts to create space for healing and radical imagination. They immigrated to Queens, New York from Dhaka, Bangladesh before moving to Durham, NC. Rahi was the recipient of Firelight Media Impact Producer fellowship and Lewis Hine Documentary Fellowship. They are the co-founder and co-leader of Undocumented Filmmakers Collective and Art Asylum as well as the Strategic Advisor for International Initiatives at Dhaka Doc Lab. Rahi is also one of the core leaders for A-Doc (Asian American Documentary Network) and on the board of Migrant Roots Media.
Panelist | Florencia Varela, Program Lead, Learning and Filmmaker Outreach at Peace is Loud
Florencia’s (she/her) work lies at the intersection of learning, social impact, and film. She currently leads Peace is Loud’s learning and filmmaker outreach initiatives, mainly through the organization’s signature program Collective Lens. She previously has worked on impact campaigns for films such as To the End, On the Divide, Knock Down the House, Women War & Peace II, The Bleeding Edge, and The Hunting Ground. In her current role, Florencia seeks to center filmmakers who are currently underrepresented in the industry, and offer spaces to share knowledge, redistribute power, and build community. Previous to Peace is Loud, Florencia honed her partnerships, outreach, and development skills over more than a decade at organizations such as PEN America, the Rubin Museum of Art, the Poetry Society of America, and Nitehawk Cinema, where she launched the cinema’s partnerships and sponsorships program. Florencia is also on the board of The Future of Film is Female, is a published poet, the mother of two young children, and was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Moderator | Lela Meadow-Conner, Co-Founder at rePROFilm
Lela is a Creative Producer, Impact Curator, Distribution Strategist, and the Founder of mamafilm, which curates and produces bold, socially-conscious entertainment through a maternal gaze. She has 20 years of experience building community and advocating for the independent film exhibition sector, beginning as a co-founder of Tallgrass Film Festival, working at regional festivals including Bentonville and Woods Hole and serving Executive Director of the Film Festival Alliance from 2017-2022. She currently serves as Board President of Art House Convergence, which champions independent community-driven cinemas across North America, Lela is the co-founder of rePROFilm, amplifying bodily autonomy through on-screen storytelling, and The Popcorn List – an annual survey of highly-enjoyed independent films without distribution as recommended by film festival programmers from across the US.
2 PM | The Power of Short-Form Documentary — with Chicken & Egg Pictures and POV Shorts
Sponsored by Mississippi Film Office. Documentary short films often have the unique ability to reach millions of viewers and be responsive to social issues, while often allowing filmmakers to take artistic risks outside of commercial demands and add to their body of work. The Power of Short-Form Documentary will bring together documentary shorts filmmakers supported by the Chicken & Egg Pictures/POV Shorts Co-Production Fund, to discuss where they are in production with their films, how these films fit into their larger body of work, and their experience participating in the inaugural year of this Co-Production Fund.
The conversation will highlight the value of holistic support — including funding, mentorship, and exhibition – for short films from a filmmaker’s perspective, and inspire meaningful conversation about how peer organizations, programmers, or exhibitors can continue to create space for short films.
The Chicken & Egg Pictures/POV Shorts Co-Production Fund provided a total of $120,000 of development and production funding to three short documentary films helmed by women and nonbinary filmmakers. Through this program, five young documentary filmmakers received creative, strategic, and editorial mentorship from both the POV Shorts and Chicken & Egg Pictures teams. The awarded filmmakers include: Imani Dennison, LaTajh Weaver, Aurora Brachman, Brit Fryer, and Lydia Cornett.
Takeaways: This conversation will be most appealing to emerging filmmakers who are interested in working on short films, as this conversation will provide case study examples of how others in their shoes were able to leverage support to complete their films, learnings and takeaways from their experience, and plans for future work. Peer organizations or industry professionals will also benefit from this conversation, adding to their understanding of what it means to support short films.
Panelist | Aurora Brachman, Co-Director of Hold Me Close
Aurora Brachman is an Emmy nominated documentary director, producer, and cinematographer. She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Through patient and poetic storytelling her films explore narratives of intimate relationships within families and communities. Her short documentaries, including CLUB QUARANTINE , JOYCHILD, STILL WATERS, and THE GALLERY THAT DESTROYS ALL SHAME, have been acquired by The New York Times, The New Yorker, and POV; shortlisted for an IDA Award; selected for Vimeo Staff Picks; exhibited at the MoMA, and screened at numerous festivals including Sundance, True/False, Hot Docs, BlackStar, and SFFILM. She co-produced Apple TV+’s GIRLS STATE (Sundance 2024), associate produced A24’s STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERRATED (Sundance 2023); and assisted on the critically acclaimed Showtime docuseries COUPLES THERAPY. Aurora is a graduate of the MFA program in Documentary Film at Stanford University, a 2020 Sundance Ignite Fellow, a 2023 SFFILM FilmHouse Resident, and a 2023 BAVC MediaMaker Fellow. She is also the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship in filmmaking. Aurora primarily makes work about the experiences of Black, brown, and Queer people and is committed to collaborative and ethical storytelling.
Panelist | Brit Fryer, Co-Director of En Travesti
Brit Fryer is an artist and filmmaker from Chicago’s South Side, currently based in Brooklyn, NY, whose unique approach to nonfiction storytelling centers on gender and queerness through process-forward and collaborative methods. His most recent film, THE SCRIPT, co-directed with Noah Schamus, unpacks the boundaries of language and the role of performance in shaping an expansive and gender-expansive healthcare system. The film was shortlisted for the 2023 IDA Awards and won the Creative Activism Award at the 2024 SIMA Awards. It is distributed on The Criterion Channel and The New Yorker. He is also the director of CARO COMES OUT, which premiered on HBO Max after winning the Knight Made in MIA Award at the Miami International Film Festival. His other films include ACROSS, BEYOND AND OVER and TRANS·IENCE. His films have screened in theatres and festivals internationally, including Blackstar, CPH: DOX, Newfest, Indie Grits, Nitehawk, and MIX NYC. He has received generous support from Creative Culture, The Sundance Institute, The Ford Foundation, The Jerome Foundation, The Gotham Film and Media Institute, Points North Institute, GLAAD, and Film Fatales. He is forever thankful to the residencies that have given space for his practice, including Yaddo, Saltonstall, Silver Sun, and BRIC.
Panelist | Imani Dennison, Director of The People Could Fly
Imani Dennison, she/they, is a multidisciplinary artist, curator and award winning Filmmaker born in Louisville, Kentucky. Imani graduated from Howard University where they studied Political Science and Photography. Through image based mediums and sound, Imani interrogates hidden and counter histories centered around folklore, fantasy, fables. Imani has created commissioned documentary works for PBS, Tribeca, ITVS, and Procter & Gamble. Imani is a 2022 Tribeca Queen Collective Directing Program grantee where they directed their award winning creative non fiction film, Bone Black: Midwives vs the South that made its international premier at the Tribeca Film Festival. Imani is currently a 2023 Chicken & Egg/POV grant recipient which awarded them the opportunity to produce their short creative non-fiction film, The People Could Fly, about the ritual of roller skating and how roller rinks emerged as sanctuaries for Black culture in Louisville, Kentucky. Imani is a 2025 Black Rock Senegal artist in residence where they will work on an ongoing multi-media series, Mississippi Mud in Spring. They will spend fall 2024 further developing this project as a fellow of the Points North/ Black Star Film Festival’s North Star Program.
Moderator | Kiyoko McCrae, Program Director at Chicken & Egg Pictures
As Program Director Kiyoko works closely with the CEO and Program staff to strategize, plan and oversee the implementation of all Chicken & Egg programs. Previously, Kiyoko was Director of Documentary Programming and Filmmaker Labs at the New Orleans Film Society. There, she led the documentary film programming for the New Orleans Film Festival and worked to connect Southern filmmakers to resources and relationships through the Emerging Voices Directors Lab, Southern Producers Lab, and South Pitch. Prior to that, she was the Managing Director of Junebug Productions, a nonprofit organization that produces and presents art that questions and confronts inequitable conditions that have historically impacted the Black community in New Orleans. She has worked as an organizational development consultant for social justice arts organizations and is an award-winning film and theater director. Her films have screened at AFI Docs, Calgary, Hot Springs, Flickers Rhode Island, IndieMemphis, Cucalorus, and Milwaukee and have been supported by the Center for Asian American Media, Firelight Media, Reel South, World Channel, Southern Documentary Fund, and others. She is a 2017-2018 Intercultural Leadership Institute Fellow, a 2020 John O’Neal Cultural Arts Fellow, and a member of A-Doc.Kiyoko received her BFA in Theatre Arts from NYU’s Tisch School. She was raised in Tokyo and has also lived in London and New Orleans. She is happy to be returning to New York with her husband and two children.
3 PM | The Disconnect between Indie vs. Hollywood — with Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) and Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF)
Sponsored by Virginia Film Office. The last few years have seen a rise in diversity/equity fellowships. Some of these fellowships are run by big studios, and others are more grassroots. However, the work created in these fellowships isn’t always being greenlit by studios. Leaving filmmakers to figure out their own ways to tell their authentic stories independently.
Hear from organizations and filmmakers as they discuss their experiences and case studies that delve into the nitty gritty of what it can take to tell authentic stories independently in the absence of big studios greenlighting the work of these filmmakers. Those in attendance will leave inspired to find collaborators to create and get their work out into the world, and gain a better understanding on how the Studio systems work.
Panelist | Michelle Hamada, Manager of Production and Development at Tribeca Studios
Michelle Hamada has dedicated nearly a decade to filmmaker development initiatives across multiple organizations. Currently, she serves as the Manager of Production and Development at Tribeca Studios, where she manages artist development programs such as Queen Collective, Through Her Lens, AT&T Untold Stories, and the Future Gold Film Fellowship. Additionally, she collaborates on the department’s branded entertainment initiatives.
Previously, Michelle held the role of Director of Industry & Filmmaker Relations at Syrn Media Ventures, where she represented the company to artist support institutions and filmmakers. She played a crucial role in shaping SMV’s community-driven strategies and year-round filmmaker engagement.
Before her time at Syrn, Michelle was the Manager of Documentary and Scripted programs at Tribeca Film Institute (TFI), a nonprofit artist support organization affiliated with Tribeca Film Festival. During her tenure at TFI, Michelle was instrumental in selecting over 300 projects and supporting filmmakers through grants, workshops, and program development. She spearheaded TFI’s alumni support programs, including the TFI Pond5 Program, which provided funding and networking opportunities for TFI alumni.
Prior to joining TFI, Michelle contributed to SnagFilms by programming and marketing the company’s platforms and played a key role in developing Indiewire’s video presence.
Michelle holds degrees from Soka University of America and NYU’s Cinema Studies Program, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise in supporting emerging filmmakers and advancing community-driven film initiatives
Panelist | Sofian Khan, Filmmaker and Founder of Capital K Pictures
Sofian Khan is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and founder of Capital K Pictures. He directed, produced and shot THE INTERPRETERS, a feature-length documentary following Afghan and Iraqi interpreters being targeted for their work helping American forces that made its broadcast premiere on the 2019 season of PBS Independent Lens. His episode of the PBS American Masters series IN THE MAKING (2021) received a Webby Award and NAACP Image nomination. In 2022, Sofian directed an episode of the new series TAKEOUT WITH LISA LING on HBOMax and produced AN ACT OF WORSHIP under the Capital K Pictures banner, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and broadcasted on PBS’ POV series. He was a Sundance Producing Fellow in 2019-2020, a 2024 Creative Capital Awardee and current Disney Muslim Filmmakers Fellow.
Panelist | Li Lu, Filmmaker
Li Lu is an award-winning narrative and documentary director. She was born in Suzhou, China and raised in Sugar Land, TX. She received her BA from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
Her debut feature THERE IS A NEW WORLD SOMEWHERE won three Best Feature awards and was distributed theatrically and on demand. Li’s narrative TV credits include THE RESIDENT (FOX/DISNEY) and ECHOES, a NETFLIX limited series starring Michelle Monaghan. A TOWN CALLED VICTORIA, a 3-part limited docuseries about an arson of a Texas mosque, premiered nationwide on PBS’s Independent Lens and captivated audiences with a multi-city theatrical tour in 2023 and 2024. It garnered support from the Ford Foundation, Sundance Institute, Firelight Media, Austin Film Society, the Center for Asian American Media, Islamic Scholarship Fund, ITVS, Reel South, and others. Most recently, Li was selected for the esteemed DOCNYC’s 40 Under 40 list. A lover of all storytelling, Li strives to create bold and fearless projects spanning genre and form.
Moderator | Leila Abu-Saada, CAAM Building Bridges Fund Program Manager
Leila Abu-saada is an award-winning Libyan-American filmmaker with over a decade of experience directing, producing, and developing premium documentary series and films for Emmy-winning series on global streaming platforms including Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and National Geographic. She began as a news producer at Al Jazeera English in Doha, Qatar where she was part of the Peabody award-winning newsroom team covering the Arab Spring.
Her work has taken her to six continents producing stories that merge investigative journalism and cinematic verite filmmaking with a human-first lens. Her goal is to center and leverage the impact of mission-driven stories; participating fully in the filmmaking process from development, field to post-production.
She is the recipient of a HBO and the Gotham Film & Media Institute grant, and a Camden Film Festival North Star fellowship, a proud member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and Women in Film.
4 PM | Missouri Stories by Women, for Women — with Missouri Film Office
This panel will feature female winners of the Missouri Stories Scriptwriting Fellowship as they discuss writing film and television stories from the female perspective, for female audiences. The Missouri Stories Scriptwriting Fellowship is an annual contest for feature and pilot scripts set in the state of Missouri.
Panelist | McKenzie Moser, Filmmaker
McKenzie Moser is an award-winning writer, director and graduate of USC’s Writing for Screen and Television MFA program. Before grad school, McKenzie worked in the addiction treatment industry. Naturally, her work finds the comedy in chaos.
She is a Missouri Stories Scriptwriting fellow, Missouri Stories Production Lab selectee, and recipient of the Ken Haller Playwrighting Award for LGBTQIA+.
In 2023, McKenzie wrote and directed “Disordered, Recovered, Whatever.” The short film was an official selection at Santa Fe International Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival and Toronto International Women Film Festival among others.
As a writer, her work has appeared in Rising Phoenix Review, International Human Rights Arts Movement and Wild Women Stories.
Now, she is working on her next project and fighting for her life against the daily Wordle.
Panelist | Sarah Peele, Actor / Writer
Sarah Peele grew up in Arkansas, studied theater in Missouri, and has lived in New York City her entire adult life. She went to elementary school in a church basement, so she still has trouble with things like math and science, but she can sing all of the books of the New Testament. As an actor, Sarah has been featured in several national commercials, and she has performed at comedy festivals in New York, Chicago and Boston. Most of her writing has been for sketch comedy shows in and around NYC. In 2024 she was a Missouri Stories Scriptwriting Fellow, as well as a finalist for the ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship and the CineStory Foundation Feature Fellowship. Pure Intentions is her first screenplay.
Panelist | Michelle Davidson, Filmmaker
Michelle Davidson is a five-time regional Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and TV host. ( Michelle Davidson | Actress, Writer, Producer ) Michelle directed the short films “Sound Off,” “A Senior Moment” and “The Perfect Note,” which have won awards at film festivals around the world. Michelle co-wrote the feature film ARBOR DEMON with Director Patrick Rea, starring Fiona Dourif and Jake Busey. She served as the President of Film In MO ( www.filminmo.com ), which just successfully advocated for the reinstatement of the Missouri film incentive to attract television series and film productions to the Show Me state. She’s also proud to be the founder of the non-profit Inclusivity Media which elevates new voices and shapes the future of filmmaking. ( Inclusivity Media )
5 PM | Expanding Communities Happy Hour
Celebrate the start of Gotham Week! Open to those who attended the Day 1 Expo Sessions and Showcase.
DAY 2 | Distribution Models
10 AM | What’s The Popcorn List? — with The Popcorn List
The Popcorn List is an annual survey of highly-enjoyed feature films without theatrical distribution, recommended by film festival programmers across the United States. The Popcorn List co-founders Lela Meadow-Conner and Barbara Twist will share how a kernel of an idea became a recognized list of undistributed feature films, discuss why so many high-quality films aren’t securing distribution after successful festival runs, and lay out some alternative pathways for reaching audiences.
Takeaways:
– What’s The Popcorn List all about?
– What are some of the roadblocks filmmakers are facing when it comes to distribution?
– What are alternative ways to get your films in front of audiences?
Presenter | Lela Meadow-Conner, Co-Founder of The Popcorn List
Lela has over 20 years of experience in community building and advocacy within the independent film sector. She currently curates and produces bold, socially-conscious entertainment through her company mamafilm; is the co-founder of The Popcorn List, an annual list of exceptional films that have yet to secure distribution; and serves as the Board President of the Art House Convergence, a coalition of independent exhibitors that connects, amplifies, and advocates for its community. She’s a co-founder of the Tallgrass Film Festival and served as the Executive Director of Film Festival Alliance from from 2017-2022, supporting festivals across the country through the pandemic. She is the co-founder of rePROFilm, amplifying bodily autonomy through on-screen storytelling, and an award-winning Producer (Chasing Chasing Amy, 2024).
11 AM | The Indie Exhibition Landscape: A Dialogue — with Art House Convergence and Film Festival Alliance
Engage with the leadership of Art House Convergence and Film Festival Alliance in an insightful discussion on the current state of independent film exhibition. This conversation will explore the dynamics of audiences in both festivals and cinemas, the types of films drawing them in, and the prospects for independent filmmakers in the near future.
Takeaways:
– What does the future of film festivals look like and why will they remain so important to filmmakers?
– Who is attending art house cinemas and what are they watching?
– What should filmmakers know about the landscape and what tools can they equip themselves with to reach broader audiences for their films?
Speaker | Albert Chow, Board of Directors, Film Festival Alliance
I am replacing Barbara Twist at this morning’s The Indie Exhibition Landscape: A Dialogue panel. I did not have an opportunity to share my photo and bio for your website and program. Here it is and attached:
Beginning with the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006, Albert has embarked on a prolific festival career, which now includes Sundance and New York Film Festival amongst other regional festivals. He is currently the Festival Producer for Urbanworld Film Festival. In addition to his extensive film festival experience, Albert’s background in endurance events, most notably his work with the New York City Marathon and Five Boro Bike Tour, has helped him pivot into new career paths such as event management and communication technology. A native New Yorker, Albert enjoys traveling the world and meeting new people. He currently serves as Board Secretary of Film Festival Alliance.
Speaker | Kate Markham, Managing Director, Art House Convergence
Kate Markham is the Managing Director of Art House Convergence, an organization that provides networking and professional development for mission-driven independent cinemas. She is responsible for overseeing all management, administration, and operations for the organization. Prior to joining Art House Convergence, she served as the Development Director at Riverside Theatre in Iowa City and Director of Operations at FilmScene in Iowa City.. Kate holds a BA in Art and Art History from the University of Iowa, with additional post-baccalaureate coursework in Accounting and Museum Studies from Northwestern University and Entrepreneurial Management from the University of Iowa.
12 PM | Distribution Strategies for Independent Filmmakers — with Black Film Space
Learn the Latest Trends for Streaming—the Most Common Form of Distribution!
Black Film Space will host a conversation about the nuts and bolts of successfully distributing an independently produced content with the intent to get it on a streaming platform. Various professionals in the film and television space will offer perspectives that will guide the audience in preparation for their next distribution opportunity. In this dynamic discussion, we will learn about what it takes to negotiate a deal that aligns with the current climate of the industry and the best interest of the creator.
Takeaways:
– Learning the best ways to attract desirable platforms for independent films/projects
– Learning how to prepare for the distribution process
– Negotiating the best distribution deals
Panelist | Christie Marchese, Founder and CEO of Kinema
Christie Marchese is the founder and CEO of Kinema. Kinema revolutionizes how films are distributed, opening up new opportunities for filmmakers and studios to reach their audiences and maximizing revenue through screening tours, virtual events and VOD. She was previously the founder of the impact agency Picture Motion, and led as CEO for 9 years alongside PicMo President Wendy Cohen. Prior to PicMo, she ran impact for Righteous Pictures, led digital strategy for the social action group at Participant Media, and handled program coordination and social media strategy at Norman Lear’s nonprofit Declare Yourself. She’s won several industry recognitions, including being named one of Fortune’s Rising Female Founders in 2023 and Fast Company’s Most Creative People in 2021. She is currently on the board of Subject Matter and The Reinvent Stockton Foundation, and the Capacity Council for Brown Girls Doc Mafia. She holds a BA from SDSU in International Security and Conflict Resolution, with a focus on Arabic and the Middle East.
Panelist | Rachel Watanabe-Batton, Film and Television Producer
Panelist | Lauren L. Owen, Independent Producer and Creator
Lauren L. Owen is an independent producer, writer, director, actor, and the first Black or African American graduate of NYU’s highly selective MBA/MFA dual master’s degree program. She previously held the position of Vice President of Development and Special Projects at 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, where she sourced materials and discovered stories to adapt into film and television projects for director/producer Spike Lee. She worked on Mr. Lee’s acclaimed BlacKkKlansman, and she is an Associate Producer for the Netflix Original Film, See You Yesterday.
While pursuing her two master’s degrees, Lauren wrote and directed six short films, a commercial, and produced many other projects, including the Academy Award-nominated My Nephew Emmett. Additionally, Lauren co-produced a feature film, Blood Surf, that was executive produced by James Franco. She is also the producer of the feature film Paper Friends, starring Robinne Lee, Dorian Missick, and Sharon Leal, which premiered on the BET Her channel. She co-produced a psychological thriller entitled Ghostwritten, now streaming on Amazon Prime, which stars Jay Duplass and Maria Dizzia, and she is developing a biographical narrative feature with Grammy Award-winning, Oscar- nominated, Raphael Saadiq as Executive Producer.
Lauren created a short film entitled Trapped, for which she was the writer, director, producer, and the only actor, playing opposite herself. She also won the Best Comedy Short Screenplay Award at the Houston Comedy Film Festival in 2024 for her mockumentary script Changing Spots, which was inspired by time she spent caring for her father.
Lauren continues to build a slate of shows, feature films, and shorts that she is writing, directing, and/or producing. Her work is geared toward promoting diversity both on the screen and behind the scenes. Lastly, Lauren loves living in Brooklyn and performing with her UCB improv team, and she has a healthy addiction to tacos.
Moderator | Lande Yoosuf, CoFounder of Black Film Space
Lande Yoosuf is a director, writer, and producer. Her short film, Privilege Unhinged, Her short film, “Privilege Unhinged”, screened at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, the DC Black Film Festival, aired on AMC’s Shorts TV and was a finalist for HBO’s “Insecure” and “Rap Shit” star Jean Elie’s short film contest under his company banner, Bassett House.
Most recently, Lande was in the ESSENCE Film Festival Screenplay competition for her proof of concept short entitled “White Agbada.” She also directed the dramatic short film Love in Submission which screened in 60+ theaters across the country, and was a part of a case study discussion for Hollywood at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.
Lande works to contribute to increased control, ownership and media management for content creators of African descent across all cinematic formats and content platforms. She has served as host, workshop facilitator, speaker and moderator for events with organizations like ARRAY, Seed & Spark, HBO, ABFF, The Gotham, The Root and others. Her speaking engagements have also received coverage from outlets such as the New York Times.
2 PM | Distribution Down Low: You’ve Made a Film, Now What? — with Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF)
Filmmakers looking for distribution pathways will walk away with a better understanding of how to get their films out into the world.
There are preconceived notions systemically built around what pathway filmmakers must take to become “successful.” Not only are these misconceptions singular/narrow, but they have discouraged filmmakers from creating while leaving their creativity beholden to the film industry/gatekeepers.
You will hear from organizations and filmmakers highlighting case studies where filmmakers created and distributed films that defy the conventional pathway. Filmmakers will leave with ways to help them re-evaluate/revamp their current path that prioritizes their values and that can actually get their work out in the world.
Takeaways:
– Filmmakers will learn possible pathways to distribute short films and features from others who have done it successfully.
– We will share comprehensive resource The Distribution Playbook Created by Seed&Spark and Kinema
Panelist | Pulkit Datta, Producer, Director, & Film Programmer
Pulkit Datta is a producer, director, and film programmer, based in New York. Over fifteen years, he has worked on a wide range of scripted films, documentaries, commercials, short films, music videos and multimedia campaigns. His films have screened at festivals such as Toronto, Tribeca, Atlanta, Cinequest, Fantasia, LAAPFF, Cleveland, and OutFest. Key credits include: ISRAELISM (Big Sky, CPH:Dox, Brooklyn Film Festival), INVISIBLE, a feature documentary about fibromyalgia (Amazon Prime, Tubi), the gun-violence themed short documentary DO WE BELONG? (The Atlantic, 2018 IDA Doc Award shortlist), and upcoming climate activism doc series VS. GOLIATH and fiction feature JERSEY BOY. Pulkit has been a Producing Fellow at Center for Asian American Media as well as Impact Partners. He is also active in the filmmaking community, having established initiatives that nurture underrepresented talent for careers in American film and television, building alternative strategies for distribution and impact, as well as programming and curating for film festivals. www.pulkitdatta.com
Panelist | Christie Marchese, Founder and CEO of Kinema
Christie Marchese is the founder and CEO of Kinema. Kinema is a global film distribution and exhibition platform that leverages the power of community and social interaction to screen and stream films. She was previously the founder and CEO of the award winning impact agency Picture Motion. Prior to PicMo, she ran impact for Righteous Pictures, led digital strategy for the social action group at Participant Media, and handled program coordination and social media management at Norman Lear’s nonprofit Declare Yourself.
Christie is also the co-author of The Distribution Playbook and won several industry recognitions, including being named one of Fortune’s Rising Female Founders in 2023 and Fast Company’s Most Creative People in 2021. She’s currently on the board of Subject Matter and The Reinvent Stockton Foundation, and on the Capacity Council for Brown Girls Doc Mafia.
Panelist | Maryam Mir, Filmmaker
Maryam Mir is a Brooklyn-based filmmaker. As a Kashmiri-Canadian born in Germany, raised in Bahrain, with Kenyan ancestry, Maryam finds inspiration in (im)migrant stories of warmth, joy and gentleness. She is a New York Foundation of the Arts Awardee ’22, Gotham Marcie Bloom Fellow ’23 and Pillars Artist Fellow ‘24.
Her latest narrative short, “Sweet Refuge”, was acquired by AMC+, has screened at 25+ festivals and won several awards, including a DGA Jury Award for Best Student Filmmaker. She is currently in post-production for her thesis film set in Bahrain, with support from the Doha Film Institute. She holds an MFA degree from NYU Tisch’s Graduate Film Program, where she was an Ang Lee Scholar and concentrated in writing and directing.
Moderator | Aizzah Fatima, ISF Artist Development & Partnerships Manager
3 PM | A Case Study: Meet The Popcorn List Films — with The Popcorn List
In this case study, we’ll talk to some of the filmmakers whose films were recommended to the inaugural Spring 2024 The Popcorn List, and follow their journeys – from festival premiere to today. They’ll share insights and experiences that have driven their own distribution pathways.
Filmmaker | Matthew Mills, Producer of Chasing Chasing Amy
Matthew C. Mills is an Emmy Award-winning director, executive producer, writer. He is also the founder/CEO of Spacestation, a full-service independent production company specializing in documentary film, nonfiction TV and digital series, plus branded content, and live events. Since 2007, Matthew has grown the company into a multi-million dollar business that has delivered thousands of hours of content to entertainment, ad agency, and brand clients like HBO, Netflix, NBCU, Food Network, Omnicom, Wunderman, AT&T, NASDAQ, Citibank, Oreo, and Mercedes-Benz. He has also launched multiple digital platforms, including DailyBurn 365, Genius Kitchen and the Webby Award-winning obé Fitness. Matthew got his start in television at MTV Networks, where he wrote, produced and directed generation-defining series like TRL, SAY WHAT? KARAOKE, THE VMA’S. Matthew also directed the Emmy-winning season of MTV UNPLUGGED featuring Adele, Katy Perry, Vampire Weekend and Paramore. He studied Journalism and Communications from University of Missouri-Columbia, Theater at Stephens College, and was a Forward/Story Fellow at the Columbia School of Business in 2018. Matthew lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Filmmaker | Carrie Radigan, Producer of Chasing Chasing Amy
Originally from New Jersey, Carrie Radigan is an acclaimed film producer and the head of production at Professional Amateur Productions. With roots in post-production, Carrie has post-produced for various films, television series, and comedy specials available on HBO, Hulu, Peacock, Comedy Central, and more. Her background comes from her previous post work for VICE, Sim, Senior Post, and Light Iron, a Panavision Company. Her producing credits include CHASING CHASING AMY (Produced by, p.g.a.) (Tribeca ‘23) by Sav Rodgers, TRIPLE THREAT by Stacey Maltin (available on Peacock, 2022 ReFrame Stamp), and THE INVADERS by Mateo Marquez (BFI 2018). She is a member of the International Documentary Association, the Documentary Producers Alliance, and a 2024 WIF Producer Fellow. She is currently a Project Manager at BBC StoryWorks, the award winning content studio of BBC Studios.
Filmmaker | Ben Kainz, Producer of JessZilla
Ben Kainz is the producing partner of Emily Sheskin and together they’ve created award-winning short films, feature documentaries, and commercials. Ben’s latest project is the documentary feature, JESSZILLA, which premiered at Big Sky Film Festival. It won Best Picture and Best Documentary Feature at the Fargo Film Festival and Special Jury Mention at the Atlanta Film Festival. Prior to that, Ben was an associate producer on the feature film OVUM, directed by Matt Ott. OVUM premiered at the Big Apple Film Festival where it won Best Feature Film. Ben is a member of the Documentary Producers Alliance, Film Independent, and Variable.
Filmmaker | Emily Sheskin, Director of JessZilla
Emily Sheskin is an award winning film and commercial director. Her work has been featured in numerous publications such as The New York Times, National Geographic, and The Atlantic. She’s created short documentary content for Netflix, and brings a commercial level of polish to all her short film work, such as Girl Boxer which premiered as a New York Times OpDoc in 2017. Her first feature film, JessZilla, premiered in 2023 at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival where it was in competition. From there, the film has won awards at the Fargo Film Festival, Rhode Island Film Festival, Ridgefield Film Festival, and the Atlanta Film Festival. She is currently working with Versus NY to find a home for it as it continues to be programmed in festivals such as IDFA, DOC NYC, and more. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is a member of New York Women in Film & Television, Film Fatales, and IFP.
Filmmaker | Brendan Hall, Director of Out There: A National Parks Story
Brendan Halll is a documentary filmmaker and speaker sharing stories in the natural world and beyond. Since graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he has traveled the world directing projects for global non-profits and brands including National Geographic, Google, Adobe and The Nature Conservancy. He has also contributed cinematography to feature-length documentaries including PBS’s Bill Nye: Science Guy and Apple TV’s Red Heaven, and is a member of the Explorer’s Club in New York City. In his work, Brendan is committed to sharing awe and empathy on our planet in hopes that we may be inspired to preserve it for future generations. It’s a spirit he brought to his award-winning debut feature-length documentary, Out There: A National Parks Story. The film follows Hall and a childhood friend road tripping across 10,000 miles of the U.S. national parks to share profound stories of the people they meet along the way. Out There has screened at festivals across the country, headlining events at venues including the Public Lands Alliance, Explorers Club, and Pixar Animation Studios. While Brendan is a director, cinematographer and editor, he is also a night sky photographer, scuba diver and amateur juggler.
Filmmaker | Beth Lane, Writer/Director of Unbroken
Actress, director, producer and writer of the feature documentary film,UnBroken, Beth Lane is a 2G Holocaust survivor. A keynote speaker, she has curated and served on panels nationwide & hosted over 40 episodes of the weekly Instagram Live podcast, Banter with Beth. The World Premiere of UnBroken was awarded Best Documentary Feature Film for Beth’s directorial debut at The Heartland International Film Festival in 2023. UnBroken has continued to win audience choice awards at the River Run Int’l Film Festival, Julien Dubuque Int’l Film Festival and The Berkshire Int’l Film Festival. Beth received Best First Time Filmmaker Award at Hot Springs Int’l Women’s Film Festival in 2024. UnBroken is both a professional milestone and a personal quest to immortalize the incredible story of the Weber siblings’ survival as Jews living in Nazi Germany. Beth is the founder of The Weber Family Arts Foundation which is the culmination of many thoughtful years of experience as an artist and activist serving on philanthropic boards and volunteering. The mission of WFAF is to combat antisemitism, bigotry and hate by driving awareness, engagement and activism through the arts, across a wide variety of mediums, by sharing stories of hope. UnBroken is WFAF’s first project.
Moderator | Faridah Gbadamosi, Film Programmer
Faridah is a pop culture-lover of film, working towards making the space more inclusive in whose stories get told and who gets to author those stories. She has extensive experience as a film programmer, working at organizations like Frameline, the California Film Institute, Athena Film Festival, SIFF, and many more. In addition to her curation work, Faridah has provided consultations to several film/TV projects and non-profit organizations, published articles on different media topics, taught film courses, and even worked as Director of Distribution, handling the virtual theatrical release of the Pulitzer prize-winning film MR. SOUL!. She is serving as the Chair of the Board of the Anarchist United Foundation, an organization founded by Lily Wachowski that provides grants and development opportunities for filmmakers from historically excluded communities. She is also on the community board for The Gathering Spot. She currently works at Tribeca Enterprises as a Senior Programmer.
DAY 3 | Exhibition & Audience
10:30 AM | Innovative Exhibitions: Community-Driven Screenings, Pop-Ups, and Microcinema — with Minorities in Film
This session will focus on learning how to organize and promote community-driven screenings, pop-ups, and microcinemas as platforms to reach and engage diverse audiences. Attendees will gain insights into audience engagement strategies and building a loyal viewership as well as develop actionable plans for leveraging these exhibition methods to enhance visibility and impact.
Panelist | Emelyn Stuart, CEO & Owner of Stuart Cinema
Emelyn Stuart is the Vice Chair of NATO’s ITOC (Independent Theatre Owners Coalition), championing independent exhibitors as the backbone of the cinema industry. The owner and founder of Stuart Cinema & Café in Brooklyn, Stuart and her work were recently given a spotlight as part of NATO’s “Behind the Screens: The Faces of Exhibition” series at CinemaCon in April 2024.
As the first Black Latina to own a theater in New York, Stuart wanted to have more control about what people in her community get to watch on the big screen. She transformed a warehouse storing construction trucks into a vital movie theater and café that is now the cornerstone of her neighborhood, inspiring other business owners and independent filmmakers to move into the area as well. By investing in her cinema and making it a locus of culture, she helped revitalize a forgotten corner of Brooklyn. She continues to serve her community by donating movie tickets to underrepresented groups and hiring employees from programs that represent high-risk youth. Her expansion plans include a second luxury auditorium next door to the original Stuart Cinema, an additional venue in another under-represented Brooklyn neighborhood and an upcoming showcase of Chinese movies coming to our shores. Stuart is also a filmmaker, a film festival founder, an executive producer and a board member of the Art House Convergence and NY Women in Film & Television.
Panelist | Kelli McNeil-Yellen, Writer & Producer, Film Marketing & PR Consultant
Kelli McNeil-Yellen is a twenty-year marketing and public relations professional who made the leap to independent filmmaking with her feature film DARUMA, which she wrote and produced. DARUMA is the first film in US cinematic history to star two disabled leads in a narrative not about overcoming a disability. After screening the film at Slamdance to two sold-out screenings and securing media coverage in all of the major trades as well as CNN, she was approached by a number of filmmakers who asked her for advice on how to replicate the success of her film. She realized the large disconnect most filmmakers have between the business side of filmmaking and the creative side and as a result, she founded a small consultancy, KLA Media Group, to help filmmakers address this critical step in the filmmaking process and set themselves up for success. Acknowledging that the distribution model for independent film is broken, she aims to teach her clients self-reliance and hone the skills they need to differentiate their projects and build their unique audiences. She is a published author with Scholastic, and sold the book unagented to the publishing giant via the same methods she used to get her feature film out into the world. She hopes to empower creatives across multiple industries by teaching them to not wait for permission and create their own path to success. She’s a graduate of the University of Southern California and is currently developing a slate of projects with her producing partner and husband, Alexander Yellen. She runs the popular substack Marketing & PR for Indie Films: https://substack.com/@klamediagroup
Panelist | Adnaan Wasey, Executive Director of Rooftop Films
Adnaan Wasey is the Executive Director of Rooftop Films, the nearly 30-year-old New York City-based cultural institution. With over two decades in media and nonprofit leadership, Adnaan has demonstrated a track record of innovation and a deep commitment to storytelling that engages and reflects diverse communities. His experience also includes roles at organizations such as the PBS series POV, The New York Times, Disney, and WNYC New York Public Radio. For his boundary-pushing work as a creative professional, Adnaan has won an Emmy Award and received multiple Emmy and Webby nominations, among other awards. As a respected thought leader in the media industry, his insights have made him a sought-after speaker and facilitator at venues such as SXSW, YouTube, New York Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Independent Film Week, Media Impact Funders, and International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). He previously served on the board of The Flaherty and currently co-leads the Producers Guild of America’s Asian American & Pacific Islanders Working Group.
Moderator | Brittany Franklin, Founder of Minorities in Film
Brittany Franklin, known warmly as Britt, is an impact-driven Writer/Director, producer, and organizer. Her work under her indie banner Cerebral Entertainment produces experiential and narrative work that blends cutting-edge strategy with immersive experiences for diverse audiences and brands. Born hearing, now proudly Hard of Hearing, her work often explores identity, community, and belonging.
In 2020, she founded Minorities in Film (MiFILM), a collective dedicated to empowering marginalized communities through film and media, launching groundbreaking initiatives to advance the careers of Directors in advertising. Her work has garnered partnerships with 72&Sunny, Prettybird, The Gotham, Even/Odd, AICP, Final Draft, Alma Harel’s Free the Work, Johannes Leonardo, and more.
She is a recipient of the 2021 Sundance Uprising Grant Fund and the Barbara and Carl Zydney Grant for Artists with Disabilities. She is a 2022 Shondaland Women Directors Finalist, an alumni of RespectAbility x WarnerMedia Early Access Career Bootcamp, a 2023 RespectAbility Entertainment Lab Director Fellow, and a 2024 Soho House x Creative Futures Fellow. Recently, she was selected as Gotham’s Branded Storyteller to Watch, launching during Gotham Week.
Brittany travels frequently, loves anime and writing fantasy, and is a classically trained musician. She is currently in post on a breakout indie LGBTQ web series called NATIVES, which is scheduled to premiere this fall.
11:30 AM | Presenting Films More Accessibly — with ReelAbilities
Accessibility is a crucial part of diversity efforts. ReelAbilities Film Festival attempts to raise the bar on accessible film presentations. Join a session with film programmers discussing representation and diving deep into how to best present accessibly.
The disability community makes up 20-25% percent of our society, yet its inclusion in film representation and accessibility efforts are limited. Why is disability inclusion important, and what cultural changes are needed in the industry and beyond to be more inclusive? How can we change attitudes and be more accepting of the largest minority in America?
We will attempt to show how presenting disability and creating accessibility in our presentations serves the entire community and opens the market to a wider audience.
Takeaways:
– Why be more accessible?
– How to be more Accessible?
– How to Market Accessibly?
Panelist | Xian Horn
Xian Horn is a joyful half-Asian woman with Cerebral Palsy, who serves as teacher, speaker, beauty advocate, blogger, and an award-winning speaker and contributor at Forbes and Ariana Huffington’s Thrive Global and has been featured in The White House Blog’s Women Working To Do Good series, the New York Times, NPR, Fast Company, NBC News, Fox 5 and Yahoo Life among others. Xian has also spoken at NYU, Columbia University, Barnard College, Williams College, Manhattan College, Hunter and Gallaudet. Xian is passionate about empowered representation and is a proud member of ReelAbilities Film Festival’s Advisory and Film Selection Committee. She has advised and judged for NY Women in Film and TV Loreen Arbus Grant, Ceres Food Film Festival (formerly Faces of Hunger). She has spoken at the Casting Society of America, DCTV, Lights! Camera! Access! 2.0, FilmWax, and Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Panelist | Peter Lubell
As a writer, director, and producer, Peter Lubell has worked in print, radio, and television. As a performer, Peter has appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe. He is a longtime member of the ReelAbilities Film Festival selection committee.
Moderator | Isaac Zablocki, CEO at ReelAbilities
Isaac Zablocki is the Founder and CEO of the ReelAbilities Film Festival, the largest festival in the world showcasing films by and about people with disabilities. He is the Senior Director of Film Programs at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan with a rich background in multiple aspects of the film industry. After graduating from Columbia University’s film school, he worked at Miramax Films and later produced and directed feature films while also developing educational programs for the Department of Education. He has been instrumental in shaping the film landscape at JCC Manhattan, including the establishment of the Israel Film Center and the annual programming of several film festivals.
12:30 PM | Centering Impact & Ethics during Story Development — with Kartemquin Films
Wondering how your creative story development can shape your impact campaign? This interactive workshop will explore how filmmakers can consider audience engagement and impact campaign design, development, and implementation as part of their story development during the filmmaking process. Filmmakers will work backwards from the ideal audience discussions to help shape the storytelling of their documentary project.
Session Leader | haydée souffrant, Manager of Filmmaker Programs at Kartemquin Films
haydée “hr” souffrant is a Chicago-based Haitian American writer, interdisciplinary producer, and film programmer. Many of her artist programs and projects incorporate creative writing and story development for narrative and documentary consultation, impact campaign strategy designing, and leading artist services programs for people of color, artists, educators, youth, and adult audiences. souffrant has served as a film programmer for Chicago Filmmakers’ REELING 2024 Film Festival; juried for The Gotham, Milwaukee Film Festival, filmmaker forum liaison for Hot Springs; Associate Producer for the 2021 BBC Award winning Audio Drama Unwell: A Midwestern Gothic Mystery; Impact Producer for PERMANENT PUNISHMENTS (In Development); and currently serves as the Manager of Filmmaker Programs with Kartemquin Films.
souffrant’s professional and creative work has focused on film & theater production, program management and trauma-informed facilitations for both profit and nonprofit arts organizations, theaters, artist collectives and performance venues such as Honey Pot Performance, Theater on the Lake, Berger Park Theater, Links Hall, MPAACT at The Greenhouse Theater, The Black Revolutionary Theatre Workshop (New York), Dramatic Questions Theatre (New York), The Kitchen (New York), The Whitney (New York) and additional theaters and artist spaces.
souffrant’s literary work has been featured in The Poetry Lab, Hair Trigger Issue 41, Medium, Picture This Post, and Sixty Inches from Center. She holds a BA in African American Studies and English from Oberlin College, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago.
2:30 PM | Leveraging Data to Identify, Grow and Engage Your Film’s Audience — with Distribution Advocates
As the distribution landscape becomes increasingly dysfunctional, the urgency for independent filmmakers to understand their audience is even more crucial. How can we leverage data to identify our target audience and demonstrate its value to funders and distributors?
This session equips independent filmmakers with actionable strategies to navigate the evolving distribution landscape and connect with their target audiences.
Through real time exercises and case studies, you’ll gain the skills to bridge the gap between theory and practice—from identifying and understanding your ideal viewers to leveraging cutting-edge technology and AI-powered tools. You’ll learn how to leverage both qualitative and quantitative data to inform your audience development strategy, build a loyal following, and ensure your film reaches its full potential.
Takeaways:
– Learn how to answer those grant questions around Identifying Audience, and walk into a potential distributor meeting with data to impress.
– Identify available online tools and methodology for audience design, growth and engagement.
DAY 4 | October 3 | Branded Storytelling
10:00 AM | Opening: The Power of Storytelling and Shaping the World We Want to Live In
Storytelling has been practiced and passed on for thousands of years across all cultural lines. It’s a thread that connects us to our past, present, future and to each other. Join Joél Leon (Author, Storyteller, Creative Director at T Brand Studio), as he kicks off the Branded Storytelling Expo with a powerful talk centered around the power of storytelling and how “We” can shape the world we want to see and live in with storytelling.
Speaker | Joél Leon (Author, Storyteller, Creative Director at T Brand Studio)
Takeaways:
– The importance of storytelling in amplifying voices and creating inclusive spaces for all.
– How aligning storytelling with your values can drive meaningful connections and foster a sense of purpose.
– Techniques for using personal narratives to influence and inspire positive change in communities and the world.
10:45 AM | The Landscape of Branded Storytelling
We’re witnessing and experiencing big changes in the advertising world, new directions, uncertainty, and also room for opportunity and creating differently. Join Jason Rosenberg (Senior Manager, Roku Brand Partnerships), Leyla T. Rosario (Director/Producer, The Gig Media), and Allie Dvorin (PMCI Entertainment, SVP Development & Distribution, Publicis Media) in conversation surrounding the current landscape of Branded Storytelling, the real and honest state of advertising and the opportunities that lay ahead.
Panelist | Jason Rosenberg (Senior Manager, Roku Brand Partnerships)
Panelist | Leyla T. Rosario (The Gig Media)
Panelist | Allie Dvorin (PMCI Entertainment, SVP Development & Distribution, Publicis Media)
Takeaways:
– Current trends and shifts in the branded storytelling landscape.
– The evolving role of authenticity in advertising and its impact on audience engagement.
– Exploring opportunities for brands to connect with consumers through genuine, story-driven content.
– Insights into the challenges and rewards of balancing brand objectives with storytelling integrity.
– Practical advice for creatives and brands looking to adapt to the changing dynamics of the current advertising industry.
12:00 PM | Building Relationships with Agencies and Brands
In an industry where connections often determine the trajectory of your career, building meaningful relationships with agencies and brands is more crucial than ever. This session will delve into the art and strategy behind cultivating these connections, offering valuable insights from seasoned professionals. Join us as we explore how to navigate the complex landscape of agency and brand collaborations, turning networking into lasting partnerships that fuel creative growth.
In this conversation, we’ll explore how building relationships and community with agencies and brands has a vital impact on the success of your career. We’ll gain insider tips, learn more about the hits and misses, and more, directly from Lindsay Pounder (VP of Entertainment Strategy, Publicis Media), Lora Schulson (Head of Production & PAL, 72andSunny North America), Brody Bernheisel (Director / Writer), and Talibah Newman Ometu (Director).
Panelist | Lindsay Pounder (VP of Entertainment Strategy, Publicis Media)
Panelist | Lora Schulson (Head of Production & PAL, 72andSunny)
Panelist | Brody Bernheisel (Director / Writer)
Panelist | Talibah Newman Ometu (Director)
Takeaways:
– The importance of cultivating strong relationships with agencies and brands to advance your career.
– Insider tips on navigating the complexities of working with different creative partners.
– Key lessons learned from both successful and challenging collaborations within the industry.
– Strategies for building a supportive community of creative allies that can drive mutual growth.
– Practical advice on identifying and fostering partnerships that align with your career goals and values.
2:00 PM | Ownership Around Content: How Do You Get Recognized and Paid
In the ever-evolving creative industry, ownership of your work is important along with ensuring you get the recognition and compensation you deserve. This panel will dive deep into content ownership, offering practical advice on how to protect your intellectual property, negotiating fair deals, and establishing yourself as a valued creative force in the marketplace.
Join Director Rodney Lucas and Taylor Washington, Esq. (Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs, The SpringHill Company) as they talk about navigating ownership around your work, partnership with brands and production companies and getting the recognition and pay that you deserve.
Panelist | Rodney Lucas (Director)
Panelist | Taylor Washington, Esq. (Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs, The SpringHill Company)
Takeaways:
– Understanding the importance of content ownership and its impact on recognition and compensation.
– Tips for building strong agreements that support long-term career success and financial stability.
– Strategies for negotiating fair compensation and recognition with brands and production companies.
– Insights on managing partnerships and ensuring your work is valued appropriately.
– Legal considerations and best practices for protecting your intellectual property, with input from entertainment lawyers.
3:15 PM | Aligning Your Identity with the Brand Your Work With
In today’s dynamic creative landscape, finding the right creative partnerships that resonate with your personal and professional identity are as important as securing work. Aligning with brands, agencies, creatives that share your values and vision can lead to more authentic collaborations, enhanced creative satisfaction, and long-term career growth.
This panel will explore the profound impact of working with collaborators that reflect who you are as a creative individual. Join Jamie Cutburth (Executive Vice President of Creative Partnerships, NBCUniversal Advertising and Partnerships), Kate Pfetsch (Global Senior Director of Content Strategy | Head of Marriott Content Studio), Geoff McHenry (Head of Strategy, 72andSunny), and Anthony Hull (Director & Co-Founder, Side Projects) as they speak about the importance of aligning your identity with the brand you work with and the opportunities that come from finding an aligned ethos that is true to you and will benefit your career in the long run.
Panelist | Jamie Cutburth (Executive Vice President, Creative Partnerships, NBCUniversal Advertising and Partnerships)
Panelist | Kate Pfetsch (Global Senior Director of Content Strategy | Head of Marriott Content Studio)
Panelist | Geoff McHenry (Executive Strategy Director, 72andSunny)
Panelist | Anthony Hull (Director & Co-Founder at Side Projects Films)
Takeaways:
– The significance of personal and professional alignment with a brand’s core values.
– Strategies for identifying and working with brands that resonate with your personal identity.
– Long-term benefits of building relationships and collaborating with brands that align with your personal ethos.
– Insights into how brand alignment can enhance personal fulfillment and professional success.
– Practical steps for evaluating if a brand’s mission and values align with your own.
4:30 PM | Screening: Owkin Short Film “Je Suis Elodie” followed by Q&A
We would like to extend an invitation to a private screening of short documentary ‘Je Suis Elodie’ followed by a Q&A with directors/producers Tabs Breese & India Wadsworth and Owkin’s Chief Marketing Officer, Darius Meadon.
A Parisian scientist dedicating her life to curing cancer using AI, has a work-life collision when she gets a breast cancer diagnosis. Shot partially on 16mm over a year, ‘Je Suis Elodie’ follows Elodie as she balances family life with the demands of a high stakes job at a biotech company developing AI models intended to radically change the landscape of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Panelist | Tabs Breese, (Director/Producer, “Je Suis Elodie”)
Panelist | India Wadsworth (Director/Producer, “Je Suis Elodie”)
Panelist | Darius Meadon (Chief Marketing Officer, Owkin)
5:30 PM | Creative Community Mixer
As the day winds down, we invite you to join us for a special evening of creativity, connection, and celebration. This Happy Hour is more than just a social gathering—it’s a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the creative community, foster new connections, and get inspired by the power of branded storytelling.
Enjoy complimentary drinks provided by our official sponsor, Kings County Distillery.
Takeaways:
– The opportunity to connect and network with industry professionals and creatives.
– The value of community building and fostering relationships within the creative industry.
EXPO: SHOWCASE
Showcase is an opportunity for Expanding Communities, Owning It, and Gotham EDU to host spaces to promote their individual community, programs, and events. The audience for the Gotham Week Expo Showcase includes the Project Market participants, industry attendees, and the general public.
This year’s Showcase participants include American Documentary, Art House Convergence and Art House New York, Black TV & Film Collective, Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Center for Communication, Chicken & Egg Pictures, Diversity in Cannes, Filmshop, Kartemquin Films, Minorities in Film, Mississippi Film Office, Missouri Film Office, NewFest, NYU Tisch – Film Department, Outlast Arts and Education, Inc., PANO, Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, Virginia Film Office, and more!
EXPO: BRANDED STORYTELLING
The world of storytelling in film and media is transforming. Today, brands are spotlighting real people, their stories, and important causes to deliver their messages in compelling and profound ways utilizing various methods to meaningfully connect with audiences.
The Branded Storytelling Expo Sessions at Gotham Week brings together some of the most innovative minds in the industry to share insights, foster connections, and create collaborative opportunities. This program is dedicated to celebrating creativity and facilitating career growth and partnerships.
At the Branded Storytelling Expo, we explore how to forge impactful relationships, advance careers, emphasize the significance and value of storytelling, and discover how branded storytelling can elevate a filmmaker’s craft and help them achieve their goals.
ABOUT EXPANDING COMMUNITIES
Expanding Communities, a program of The Gotham Film and Media Institute, provides resources, a community space, and industry access to film and media creators across film, TV, and audio industries. The program focuses on partnering with organizations who uplift creators from historically excluded backgrounds such as individuals with Disabilities, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQIA+.
Through these partnerships, the program acts as a platform for both creators and organizations to reach new audiences, develop networks of potential collaborators, and access career advancement resources and opportunities within the media and entertainment industry.
Partner organizations include Black Film Space, BlackStar Projects, Black TV and Film Collective, CAAM, Chicken & Pictures, Film Fatales, Film Festival Alliance, Film Independent, Islamic Scholarship Fund, mama.film, Minorities in Film, NewFest, New Orleans Film Society, Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, Q26, ReelAbilities Film Festival, Transgender Film Center, Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, Women in Film, Women Make Movies, among others.
For inquiries about the Expo and how you, or your organization, can get involved, please email [email protected].