Green Room New York

GREEN ROOM NEW YORK

Film Forum Names Tabitha Jackson as New Director (released Tuesday, February 3, 2026) By Kimberly Burke Tabitha Jackson is the Director of Film Forum beginning February 23, 2026. Jackson has 30 years of independent and non-profit media in the US and her native England. She started out as a researcher, producer, and director for the BBC. Jackson moved to Channel4, the UK's second public broadcaster as a Commissioning Editor for Arts and Performance and Animation, and as an Executive Producer for Film4. In 2013, she became Director of the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program overseeing non-fiction film from development to distribution. During this time, she commissioned bold non-fiction programming, including FF premieres THE ARBOR and the NICK CAVE documentary 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH. In 2020, Jackson was named director of the Sundance Film Festival. She was able to steer and world class showcase of cinema during a global pandemic. Rising to the call to push through the pandemic, she managed to triple the festival audience , establish partnerships with 20 independent arthouse cinemas and increased access for historically underrepresented communities. In 2022, she co-created the popular podcast The Film That Blew My Mind with former Sundance Festival head John Cooper (with whom she co-hosts). She has won numerous awards including an Emmy Award® for her producing work, the Leading Light Award at the DOC NYC Visionaries Tribute in 2018, and was presented with the Trustees Award by the Grierson Trust in 2021. She is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and served three terms on the Documentary Branch Executive Committee. "'Independent nonprofit arthouse cinema'—those four words distill everything I've championed throughout my career. That they also describe Film Forum, my local movie theater, makes this appointment feel like coming home,"' says Jackson. "For 56 years, Film Forum has built a national and international reputation for bold curation, unparalleled repertory programming, fiercely loyal audiences—and legendary banana bread. It is an honor to step into the world built by my predecessors Karen Cooper and Sonya Chung, Artistic Directors Bruce Goldstein and Mike Maggiore, Managing Director Chad Bolton, and the rest of the incredible Film Forum staff and board, and a privilege to lead this vital space into its next chapter. Because Film Forum is where art becomes civic life—where a film can start a debate, transform the way we see, or simply remind us we're not alone in the dark." The Film Forum was founded in 1970. The 4-screen, independent, nonprofit arthouse cinema in downtown Manhattan. Programmed by Mike Maggiore, Premieres Artistic Director, the mission is to present 400-500 films a year, both domestic and international, independent narrative features and documentaries. Film Forum in its 56th year, is open 365 days a year and has approximately 225,000 annual admissions. In addition to film screenings, Film Forum does 200 plus live events a year and is known for taking risks on debut and little-known filmmakers, challenging subject matter and under recognized classics. Film Forum offers programming at the scope, pace and volume of commercial theaters while contributing to the arthouse cinema culture. The national search for Film Forum's next director was led by a committee headed by Film Forum Board Chair Gray Coleman (Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP) and HR professional Stella Strazdas (together the executive committee of the board), facilitated by Edie Demas, Vice President, Organizational Strategy and Brenna Thomas, Search Consultant, at Tom O'Connor Consulting Group. "After a search process involving a large number of extremely qualified candidates, our board of directors and staff quickly reached a strong consensus around Tabitha, and it's no surprise, given her passion for film and history of strong management in the non-profit arts arena," commented Coleman. "Plus, she is a longtime resident of Greenwich Village and has spent years attending screenings and events at Film Forum. My board colleagues and I look forward to seeing Tabitha preserve our mission and expand our reach for many years to come."

Film Forum Names Tabitha Jackson as New Director
(released Tuesday, February 3, 2026)
By Kimberly Burke

Tabitha Jackson is the Director of Film Forum beginning February 23, 2026. Jackson has 30 years of independent and non-profit media in the US and her native England. She started out as a researcher, producer, and director for the BBC. Jackson moved to Channel4, the UK's second public broadcaster as a Commissioning Editor for Arts and Performance and Animation, and as an Executive Producer for Film4.

In 2013, she became Director of the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film Program overseeing non-fiction film from development to distribution. During this time, she commissioned bold non-fiction programming, including FF premieres THE ARBOR and the NICK CAVE documentary 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH.

In 2020, Jackson was named director of the Sundance Film Festival. She was able to steer and world class showcase of cinema during a global pandemic. Rising to the call to push through the pandemic, she managed to triple the festival audience , establish partnerships with 20 independent arthouse cinemas and increased access for historically underrepresented communities.

In 2022, she co-created the popular podcast The Film That Blew My Mind with former Sundance Festival head John Cooper (with whom she co-hosts). She has won numerous awards including an Emmy Award® for her producing work, the Leading Light Award at the DOC NYC Visionaries Tribute in 2018, and was presented with the Trustees Award by the Grierson Trust in 2021. She is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and served three terms on the Documentary Branch Executive Committee.

"'Independent nonprofit arthouse cinema'—those four words distill everything I've championed throughout my career. That they also describe Film Forum, my local movie theater, makes this appointment feel like coming home,"' says Jackson. "For 56 years, Film Forum has built a national and international reputation for bold curation, unparalleled repertory programming, fiercely loyal audiences—and legendary banana bread. It is an honor to step into the world built by my predecessors Karen Cooper and Sonya Chung, Artistic Directors Bruce Goldstein and Mike Maggiore, Managing Director Chad Bolton, and the rest of the incredible Film Forum staff and board, and a privilege to lead this vital space into its next chapter. Because Film Forum is where art becomes civic life—where a film can start a debate, transform the way we see, or simply remind us we're not alone in the dark."

The Film Forum was founded in 1970. The 4-screen, independent, nonprofit arthouse cinema in downtown Manhattan. Programmed by Mike Maggiore, Premieres Artistic Director, the mission is to present 400-500 films a year, both domestic and international, independent narrative features and documentaries.

Film Forum in its 56th year, is open 365 days a year and has approximately 225,000 annual admissions. In addition to film screenings, Film Forum does 200 plus live events a year and is known for taking risks on debut and little-known filmmakers, challenging subject matter and under recognized classics. Film Forum offers programming at the scope, pace and volume of commercial theaters while contributing to the arthouse cinema culture.

The national search for Film Forum's next director was led by a committee headed by Film Forum Board Chair Gray Coleman (Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP) and HR professional Stella Strazdas (together the executive committee of the board), facilitated by Edie Demas, Vice President, Organizational Strategy and Brenna Thomas, Search Consultant, at Tom O'Connor Consulting Group.

"After a search process involving a large number of extremely qualified candidates, our board of directors and staff quickly reached a strong consensus around Tabitha, and it's no surprise, given her passion for film and history of strong management in the non-profit arts arena," commented Coleman. "Plus, she is a longtime resident of Greenwich Village and has spent years attending screenings and events at Film Forum. My board colleagues and I look forward to seeing Tabitha preserve our mission and expand our reach for many years to come."