EXCLUSIVE: Alfred Hitchcock received the AFI’s Life Achievement Award in 1979, however now there’s one other Hitchcock shifting up within the group.
The American Movie Institute on Wednesday named Todd Hitchcock to supervise the nationwide programming group tasked with programming the thirty seventh annual AFI Fest in Los Angeles. Hitchcock additionally was lately named to the place of Director of the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Middle. The AFI says this transfer unites the entire institute’s exhibition and programming actions beneath his management.
Hitchcock started his profession at AFI in 2003 engaged on the inaugural version of Silverdocs earlier than becoming a member of AFI Silver’s year-round programming group. As Director of Programming at AFI Silver and the Affiliate Theatre Director, he oversaw quite a few worldwide movie festivals, retrospectives, first-run engagements and particular occasions together with planning, programming and producing the Silent Cinema Showcase, the AFI Latin American Movie Pageant, the AFI European Union Movie Showcase and the New African Movie Pageant.
Moreover, AFI mentioned Ethan Caldwell has been named to the newly created place of Director of Operations, AFI Productions. A veteran of cinema exhibition and operations, Caldwell most lately served because the Director, Theater Operations on the Academy Museum of Movement Photos. In his new place, he might be answerable for overseeing the planning and execution of AFI’s exhibition actions together with AFI Fest.
“Todd’s skilled information in programming – mixed with Ethan’s deep appreciation for the artwork of exhibition – makes them a dynamic duo to forge the longer term for AFI Fest,” mentioned Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “This fall, we sit up for launching the thirty seventh Annual AFI Fest – and, as soon as once more, shining a lightweight upon tales that uplift and encourage us all.”
This yr’s AFI Fest will happen in individual from October 25-29 on the TCL Chinese language Theatre in Hollywood. The five-day competition will once more embody a curated number of crimson carpet galas, particular screenings, world cinema, documentaries and quick movies.
“It’s an unimaginable honor to be programming AFI Fest,” mentioned Hitchcock. “All through my time at AFI, it has been a pleasure to have the ability to join audiences with the most effective in world cinema, each previous and current, via our packages at AFI Silver. I’m thrilled to now lead the group that may create that have for the AFI Fest viewers.”
Hitchcock will oversee a nationwide programming group together with Director of AFI Programming Abbie Algar, Senior Programmer Malin Kan, and programmers Josh Gardner and Javier Chavez.
“The historical past and influence of AFI and AFI Fest is unparalleled. I’m excited to hitch this storied establishment and to work alongside people who find themselves simply as captivated with creating distinctive and highly effective occasions as I’m,” mentioned Caldwell.
As beforehand introduced, entries for the AFI Fest 2023 Brief Movie Competitors program open right this moment and filmmakers are invited to submit fiction, documentary, experimental and animated quick movies. The Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences acknowledges AFI Fest as a qualifying competition for the Reside Motion, Animated and Documentary Brief Movie classes on the Oscars.
