Two and a half years after taking over as CEO of the Sundance Institute, the nonprofit organization that is responsible for the annual Sundance Film Festival, Joana Vicente has decided to stand down from her position.
"She has been a true advocate for independent storytellers, and I know she will continue to positively impact this community," said Ebs Burnough, the chair of the Sundance Institute Board of Directors, in a statement that was released on Friday.
During the pandemic, Vicente handled some of the most difficult years for the Sundance Institute. Some of these years included the festival's transition to a virtual format, which was eventually replaced with a hybrid version.
According to the organization, Amanda Kelso, who is a member of the board, has been assigned to the position of acting CEO.
April will mark the beginning of Kelso's transfer into the post, while Vicente will continue to provide advisory contributions until June. She has a total of twenty-five years of expertise in the field of communications and technology, including work as the managing director of Google Creative Lab. She brings this knowledge to the post.
In a statement, Kelso expressed his belief that Sundance possesses the capacity to nurture our mission-based work and that it continues to have an impact on the organization.
Filmmakers such as Ryan Coogler, Chloé Zhao, the Daniels, Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky, and Nia DaCosta have benefited from the Sundance Institute's directing and screenwriting labs, as well as other artist programs,
which are offered throughout the year. These programs can be found at the Sundance Institute.
stay turned for development