1 month ago
Film Independent said Tuesday that Juan Devis, nan shaper and erstwhile main imaginative serviceman astatine nan Los Angeles media institution down nationalist broadcasters PBS SoCal and KCET, has been named president of nan nonprofit arts organization.
The prosecute formally completes nan hunt fills to capable nan spot held by Josh Welsh, nan org’s president since 2012 who died successful December aft a conflict pinch cancer. Brenda Robinson, who had been committee chair, had been Acting President for nan org, which features year-round assistance and laboratory mentorship programs, screening bid and puts connected nan yearly Film Independent Spirit Awards.
“This is simply a pivotal infinitesimal for Film Independent as we participate our adjacent era, and I americium perfectly thrilled to invited Juan Devis arsenic our adjacent President,” said Robinson of Devis, who starts April 20. “Juan brings a uncommon blend of organization activity and independent production experience, from overseeing award-winning programming astatine PBS SoCal, to his activity astatine Ninetythree Media. His way grounds of expanding how independent stories scope audiences and elevating distinguished voices makes him nan perfect prime to lead nan statement forward.”
The Colombia-born Devis was Chief Creative Officer astatine nan Public Media Group of Southern California earlier exiting successful 2022. During his tenure, he grew nan nationalist broadcaster’s premium contented workplace and expanded nan PBS SocCal and KCET’s integer contented offerings to online, nan PBS App and nan station’s YouTube channels. He besides forged partnerships pinch funders, organizations and independent accumulation houses to bolster nan company’s slate.
That slate during his clip astatine nan Los Angeles nationalist broadcasters see bid Artbound, Migrant Kitchen, Broken Bread pinch Roy Choi and Art Happens Here pinch John Lithgow, among others, earning respective Emmys arsenic good arsenic James Beard and Edward R. Murrow awards on nan way.
Devis is besides is simply a co-founder pinch Participant’s Jeff Berg successful Ninetythree Media, a cross-cultural accumulation institution focused connected independent film, documentary and emerging media.
“We met galore outstanding candidates,” Film Independent hunt committee co-chairs Alix Madigan and Eric d’Arbeloff said. “Juan stood retired for nan measurement he embodies nan enduring values that define Film Independent — championing creator voices and building organization — successful a measurement that transcends nan quickly shifting landscape.”
Devis, an Emerson graduate, earned his MFA from CalArts and lives successful Los Angeles pinch his partner, filmmaker Laura Purdy, and their 2 children.
“I’ve spent my life creating access, building ecosystems and championing divers voices, because I judge that a healthy, inclusive and sustainable independent film community isn’t conscionable bully for artists — it’s basal for our culture,” he said. “I americium looking guardant to helping build Film Independent’s early arsenic a resilient, globally connected, multi-platform ecosystem that sustains and celebrates independent film and media worldwide.”
