{"id":30787,"date":"2025-07-21T19:08:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T23:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=30787"},"modified":"2025-07-21T19:08:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T23:08:12","slug":"sonya-chung-to-step-down-as-director-of-film-forum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=30787","title":{"rendered":"Sonya Chung to Step Down as Director of Film Forum"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Sonya Chung, Director of\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum, NYC\u2019s leading non-profit independent cinema since 1970, has announced plans to step down from her role at the end of this year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>During her leadership tenure (Deputy Director 2020-23; Director since July 1, 2023), Chung helped\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum weather the closure period and complex reopening process during the COVID pandemic, led the growth of audience outreach and organizational partnerships, co-programmed new-release\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>s with Karen Cooper\u2014<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s director from 1972 to 2023\u2014and Premieres Artistic Director Mike Maggiore, and participated in the management team that negotiated\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s first union contract with the Technical, Office and Professional Union Local 2110 UAW.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s admissions broke box-office records for two consecutive years under Chung\u2019s leadership. The presentation of bold, urgent new\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>s, alongside unmatched repertory programming led by founding Repertory Artistic Director Bruce Goldstein, drove this success. Chung also helped grow and deepen the commitment of a robust membership and donor base, ensuring\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s nonprofit mission to show challenging, underrecognized\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>s regardless of commercial potential.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSonya has evolved management and organizational structures with an eye to the future, laying the groundwork for\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s long-term capacity to serve its devoted audience, philanthropic supporters, the independent\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>\u00a0industry, and the NYC cultural community,\u201d says\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum Board Chair Gray Coleman (Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP). \u201cShe leaves the organization in fine form for her successor\u2014and for the next generation of\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>goers.\u201d<\/p>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1774669342741533\" data-ad-slot=\"1211148813\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<p>\u201cIt has been a privilege to serve and lead\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum these last 5 1\/2 years,\u201d comments Chung. \u201cI am stepping down as Director for much the same reasons I accepted the position: I love\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum and want it to thrive, mature, and remain deeply anchored as a NYC gem that means so much to so many people. This is the right and best time for the next evolution of leadership. I am proud of what our team\u2014along with the\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>makers, industry colleagues, and organizations we partner with\u2014has accomplished together, and I am genuinely excited for this next chapter in\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s journey.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum\u2019s Board of Directors has formed a search committee to be headed by Coleman and Stella Strazdas (together the executive committee of the board). The committee has engaged Tom O\u2019Connor Consulting Group to lead a national search to fill the position, led by Edie Demas, Vice President, Organizational Strategy and Brenna Thomas, Search Consultant.<\/p>\n<p><b><u>About\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n<p>Founded in 1970,\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum (FF) is an independent, nonprofit arthouse cinema in downtown Manhattan. Its mission is to present the NYC theatrical premieres of a rich array of new independent documentaries and narrative feature\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>s alongside classic\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>\u00a0restorations and rediscoveries, bringing\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>\u2019s power as an art form to the widest possible live audiences. Now in its 55th year, FF presents 400-500 movies and 200+ live events each year, via extended runs and multi-week series, on 4 screens and with approx. 225,000 annual admissions. In fulfilling its nonprofit mission, FF takes risks on debut and little-known\u00a0<span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">film<\/span>makers, challenging subject matter, and underrecognized classics\u2014offering this programming at the scope, pace, and volume of commercial theaters and contributing to the vitality of arthouse cinema.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"mark5fj2j20em\" data-markjs=\"true\" data-ogac=\"\" data-ogab=\"\" data-ogsc=\"\" data-ogsb=\"\">Film<\/span>\u00a0Forum senior staff include: Chad Bolton (Managing Director); Adam Grant-Walker (Director of Communications); Bruce Goldstein (Repertory Artistic Director); Mike Maggiore (Premieres Artistic Director); and Mary Ellen Obias (Director of Development).<\/p>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1774669342741533\" data-ad-slot=\"1211148813\" data-ad-format=\"auto\" data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sonya Chung, Director of\u00a0Film\u00a0Forum, NYC\u2019s leading non-profit independent cinema since 1970, has announced plans to step down from her role at the end of this year. During her leadership tenure (Deputy Director 2020-23; Director since July 1, 2023), Chung helped\u00a0Film\u00a0Forum weather the closure period and complex reopening process during the COVID pandemic, led the growth&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,20471],"tags":[27795,27797,27796,6497,27799,27798],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sonya Chung to Step Down as Director of Film Forum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sonya Chung, Director of\u00a0Film\u00a0Forum, NYC\u2019s leading non-profit independent cinema since 1970, has announced plans to step down from her role at the end of this year.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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