The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Locarno International Film Festival have announced the participants and details for the inaugural Industry Academy International U.S., taking place March 20-23.
“Creating a more inclusive industry is an essential challenge facing film culture today,” said Film Society of Lincoln Center Deputy Director Eugene Hernandez. “With this program we aim to empower and support a new generation of leaders within the film community by offering direct engagement with leading professionals as well as prime networking opportunities during New Directors/New Films, a festival that showcases work by emerging artists. We were thrilled at the response to the program and are excited by the group of young industry professionals who have been selected for this inaugural initiative.”
Due to the impressive caliber of nominees for the program, the New York initiative has chosen a total of 10 participants, four more than originally planned.  Candidates were selected through a process that included nominations by key industry leaders and veterans. Hailing from New York, Los Angeles, and abroad, these are the names of the selected participants for the inaugural Industry Academy International U.S., along with their current place of work: Charlotte Henskens (Fortissimo Films Netherlands), Rachel Kiner (MGM Studios), Asha Phelps (IFC Center), Zahra Phillips (Broad Green Pictures), Jared Ray (Magnolia Pictures), Rebecca Ray (The Film Sales Company), Shane Riley (Cinetic Media), Hannah Thomas (BAMcinématek), Tiffany Vazquez (GIPHY), and Natalia Winkelman (Indiewire).
The four-day program features a slate of screenings and panel discussions exploring the fields of International Sales, Marketing, Distribution (online and traditional), Exhibition, and Programming. Sessions include a workshop on programming with Hamptons International Film Festival’s David Nugent and MoMA’s Rajendra Roy; acquisitions with IFC Films’ Arianna Bocco; festivals with Toronto International Film Festival’s Thom Powers, BAFTA’s Julie La’Bassiere, and Locarno’s Nadia Dresti; sales and distribution with veteran film executive Tom Quinn, the Film Sales Company’s Jason Ishikawa, and Under the Milky Way’s Pierre-Alexandre Labelle; and more programs featuring Fox Searchlight’s Barry Dale Johnson, Brigade Marketing’s Tom Cunha, Columbia University’s Ira Deutchman, RT Features’ Rodrigo Texeira, and Tangerine Entertainment’s Anne Hubbell & Amy Hobby. The program is being produced with Locarno International Film Festival’s Industry Academy Project Manager Marion Klotz.
As a result of a long-standing relationship between the Film Society and Locarno International Film Festival, the Industry Academy signifies the ongoing dedication they have to engaging a new generation of key players in the independent-film industry, helping them attain a better understanding of the industry’s challenges while also extending their network of contacts and building bridges across different markets. The program will focus on increasing diversity within the film industry and film culture—one of the greatest challenges facing the film business today—and support and nurture women and people of color who are looking to gain a foothold in the industry.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Locarno International Film Festival have previously partnered on several programs, including a George Cukor retrospective, a celebration of legendary Italian studio Titanus, and an upcoming Sam Peckinpah retrospective. Also, 2016 marks the 5th collaboration with Locarno on the annual Critics Academy (now accepting applications), a workshop for aspiring film critics that occurs during the festival.
 By Film Society on March 15, 2016 in Announcements, ND/NF