Film Festival Leadership LaB
“The Leadership Lab was incredibly useful in helping shape and develop my leadership skills for my future as a brand-new Executive Director.”
ABOUT THE LAB
Creating intimate professional development opportunities for future film festival industry leaders
The Film Festival Leadership Lab (FFLL), a partnership between the Film Festival Alliance and Full Spectrum Features, was created to cultivate a more diverse, informed group of film industry decision makers, connecting a network of emerging leaders working in the festival landscape.
Between the systemic inequities of the film industry and the fraught mechanics of nonprofit operations, there are many obstacles for folks who are committed to a career in independent film exhibition. The Lab seeks to offer emerging industry professionals opportunity, education, and connection.
With support from Stephen Sloan, founder of the Humane Leadership Institute (HLI) and board member of the Ashland Independent Film Festival, the FFLL curriculum was designed to equip participants with the techniques and core values of the HLI: fair strength, generative care, and wise balance.
2021 fellows
TIMELINE
March 15: Applications open
April 15: Applications close (extended)
May 10: Notification date
July 16: “Meet the Fellows” at midyear FilmEx event
July 14, 21, 28 & August 4 (1-4pm CST): Humane Leadership workshops
August - November: Skill workshops & industry talks (8)
January: Participants present their outcomes at annual conference
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Currently employed by an organization(s) that is dedicated to independent film exhibition
A demonstrated capacity for leadership from a colleague
Commitment to completing the program and openness towards other cohort members
EQUITABLE PROCESSES, EQUITABLE OUTCOMES
The designers of the Lab are committed to centering racial and social equity. While many leadership programs might offer a "diversity and inclusion" session, FFLL is unique in that the entirety of the Lab's curriculum is developed through a lens of equity.
Simply put, our goal of empowering future film festival leaders requires us to demonstrate equitable processes and equitable outcomes in leadership.
lab goals
Provide fellows with professional development, support, and networking that promotes agency, equitable leadership, career vision, and essential industry skills
Nurture a growing cohort of future industry leaders
Promote a culture of sustainability and humanity within their organizations and future leadership roles
2020 Fellows
Six fellows were selected to participate in the inaugural class of the Film Festival Leadership Lab. Originally planned for in-person and adapted to virtual, the fellows met over the course of four weeks with several weekly touchpoints. Representing organizations of various sizes and geographic locations, the Lab curriculum spanned from programming to operations to education, with a through line of humane leadership practices.
About FFA & FSF
FILM FESTIVAL ALLIANCE creates a collaborative global community for mission-driven film festivals. FFA advocates for a sustainable and inclusive environment for our industry within the cinema exhibition ecosystem and creates a powerful collective voice for film festivals and the people who run them.
FULL SPECTRUM FEATURES is a Chicago-based nonprofit committed to increasing equity in the independent film industry by producing, exhibiting, and supporting the work of women, LGBTQ, and minority filmmakers.
Questions? Please reach out to info@filmfestivalalliance.org