Tabitha Jackson Takes Helm at New York’s Film Forum

Tabitha Jackson, the former director of the Sundance Film Festival, has been named the new director of Film Forum, the influential New York-based nonprofit cinema. Jackson will begin the position on February 23, bringing with her more than 30 years of experience championing independent filmmaking and documentary work.

The appointment marks a significant move for both Jackson and the organization. Film Forum, which has operated as a cultural institution in New York since its founding, will now be led by someone who has spent her career supporting independent voices and expanding access to cinema. Jackson's hiring comes after she spent two years as a fellow at MIT's Open Documentary Lab, where she focused on emerging technologies and their implications for documentary filmmaking.

Background

Jackson's career has been defined by her work in independent media and documentary cinema. She spent 30 years supporting filmmakers and audiences, working to expand what kinds of stories get told and who gets to tell them. Her path to this role began in the United Kingdom, where she worked in production at BBC Television and served as Arts Commissioning Editor at Channel 4. In those roles, she helped bring theatrical documentaries to audiences, including projects like "20,000 Days on Earth" and "The Arbor."

Her work eventually brought her to the Sundance Institute, where she headed the Documentary Film Program from 2013 to 2020. In that role, she launched the Art of Nonfiction initiative, which reimagined how the institute supported documentary makers. Rather than following traditional models, Jackson created what she called artist-centered approaches that gave filmmakers more agency in their own development.

Key Details

Her Time at Sundance

In 2020, Jackson made history when she became the first woman and person of color appointed as director of the Sundance Film Festival. She took over from John Cooper, who had led the festival for years. Her tenure came at an unusual moment—the pandemic forced festivals to rethink how they operated.

Instead of viewing this as a setback, Jackson used it as an opportunity to reimagine what a film festival could be. She led two editions of Sundance that were technologically new and designed to reach broader audiences. These pandemic-era festivals expanded access to independent cinema in ways that had never been possible before, allowing people from around the world to participate more easily.

"She re-imagined and led two technologically new and radically accessible pandemic editions that expanded the possibilities of what a film festival can be, and who it can be for."

During her time at Sundance, Jackson also became a member of the Academy, serving three terms on the Documentary Branch Executive Committee. This recognition reflects her standing within the film industry and her commitment to supporting documentary work.

Recent Work and Focus

After stepping back from her daily role at Sundance, Jackson pursued research opportunities that allowed her to think more deeply about the future of documentary filmmaking. As a 2024 Documentary Film Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center for Media, Policy and Public Policy, she explored the relationship between truth, trust, and documentary work.

At MIT's Open Documentary Lab, where she spent the last two years, Jackson focused on how emerging technologies like virtual reality and artificial intelligence might shape documentary in the coming years. She examined what these new tools mean for the fundamental nature of documentary filmmaking and how institutions should respond to these changes.

What This Means

Jackson's appointment signals that Film Forum is positioning itself to engage with contemporary questions about cinema and access. Her track record suggests she will likely continue her work of expanding who gets to make films and who gets to see them. Her experience with technological innovation at Sundance, particularly in making festivals more accessible, could influence how Film Forum operates.

For the broader independent film world, the move also represents a vote of confidence in Jackson's vision for cinema's future. Film Forum has long been a venue for independent and international films that might not otherwise find theatrical distribution. With Jackson leading the organization, the venue will likely continue that mission while potentially exploring new ways to reach audiences.

Jackson's career has consistently centered on the idea that the arts serve a public good. In her new role at Film Forum, she will have the opportunity to shape how one of New York's most important independent cinemas serves its community and the filmmakers it supports.