Future Film Coalition hires rockstar Interim Executive Director, The Librarians Release Success, Among Neighbors opens today at the Quad
Future Film Coalition Names Jax Deluca Interim Executive Director
I am super excited to announce here that the organization I helped found with a group of compatriots to advocate for the sustainability of our entire independent film community, The Future Film Coalition, has hired a rockstar of independent media – Jax Deluca – as our Interim Executive Director. This was announced yesterday in Variety where I was quoted:
“We are thrilled to have Jax join this dynamic coalition. Jax’s leadership is informed by deep field research and hands-on experience with the realities faced by those working independently in the film sector. Her ability to connect data, policy insight, and creative vision makes her the ideal leader for FFC’s formative stage.”
That is an understatement – Jax is truly amazing and we are so lucky to have her in this role. until recently Jax was the Director of Film and Media Arts at the NEA and is a true force of nature.
Jax wrote an inspiring piece for the Future Film Coalition Substack (our temp website) aptly titled Independent Voices/Collective Power. If you are interested in the future of our field, check it out – but here’s a taste:
“Our mission is to unite independent film professionals and organizations to build collective power and shape strategies that ensure U.S. independent filmmaking not only survives but flourishes alongside the broader entertainment industry. This isn’t about defending the status quo…it’s about reimagining what’s possible when we work as one.”
Many great things will be happening with the FFC including FFC branches opening for interested members of our community to join. Sign up here to be the first to know when we go public!
The Librarians Opens to Roaring Success!
Opening week for The Librarians has been extraordinary. We had the second highest per screen average in the country – even topping Taylor Swift (see graphic). After its sold-out, standing-ovation debut at at the Film Forum NYC the film continues to spark dialogue across the country as it expands to 29 markets nationwide this week alone in honor of #BannedBooksWeek, amplifying the conversation around access, representation, and the freedom to read. So far the film is booked in over 80 cities across the country over the next few months. Check screenings here.
The response has been deeply moving from critics and audiences alike. The New York Times hailed the film as “as well-crafted as it is profoundly alarming” (Critic’s Pick), while People published two exclusive stories connected to the documentary—one following Weston Brown, who confronts his mother’s book-ban campaign, and another profiling Arianna McLennon, who shares how more diverse books might have helped her feel “more comfortable” growing up. Roger Ebert’s Nell Minow praised the film’s moral clarity: “This movie reminds us there is just one way to separate truth from propaganda: learning.” And PBS News highlighted both its urgency and humanity. In that same interview, director Kim A. Snyder reflected on what she hopes viewers carry forward:
“The hope in the film is not only the courage, but the agency — that there is power in standing up for what’s right. School board races really matter… we want people to take cues from our courageous characters in protecting kids’ rights and supporting their libraries.”
As the film continues its national rollout, it remains a testament to the quiet power of those standing up against censorship, and a reminder of what’s at stake when stories are silenced.https://jonreiss.substack.com/p/independent-films-future-just-got