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Film Society of Lincoln Center Names New Executive Director

Posted Friday, July 9th, 2010 - Comments Off on Film Society of Lincoln Center Names New Executive Director
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NEW YORK – July 9, 2010 – The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today the appointment of Rose Kuo as its Executive Director. She replaces Mara Manus, who has decided to step down after almost two years in the post and will continue in a transition role through July.
“Mara Manus stewarded us through significant organizational changes during a difficult period for all non-profit organizations and we are grateful for her contributions,” said Ann Tenenbaum, chair of the FSLC’s Board of Directors. “We’re extremely fortunate that on the eve of the biggest expansion in the Film Society’s history, we could turn to Rose Kuo, who has just the right expertise in creating dynamic experiences where film programmers, film-makers, and audiences can interact.”
Added Daniel Stern, president of the FSLC’s Board of Directors, “At a time when both audiences and media are changing radically, our goal is to expand into multiple platforms so that audiences can be a part of our film community anytime, anywhere. Rose has the particular experience and ability to lead that effort.”


Kuo’s career in the film industry spans two decades and includes leading world-class film festivals, producing and directing films, and working with critically acclaimed filmmakers. As Artistic Director of AFI FEST for three editions, she was the architect of the American Film Institute’s successful “free festival” in 2009 and is widely credited with revitalizing the image of AFI FEST. Most recently, she founded the festival-consulting firm Festworks with her former colleagues at AFI FEST and has been serving as Co-Director of the Santa Fe Film Festival. Kuo has also worked as a programming consultant for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and for the Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Mill Valley Film Festivals.
Well-versed in both international and American cinema, Kuo produced and directed CALIFORNIA AIDS RIDE ‘94 documentary; executive produced THE FLUFFER, the first feature film by Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award recipients Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland; and is a producer of SEMBENE! Her background in filmmaking includes working as a camera assistant to Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler, as an assistant editor under Thelma Schoonmaker, and for renowned directors such as Michael Mann, Paul Schrader, and Martin Scorsese.
“I have known Rose for many years and respect her broad knowledge of contemporary cinema, and I’m looking forward to forging a close working relationship with her,” said FSLC’s longtime program director Richard Peña. “Her allegiance to filmmakers and film audiences is matched by her strong relationships with funders—a critical attribute in these tough times.”
Kuo’s first priorities will be to oversee the opening of FSLC’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, which will add two new state-of-the-art cinemas to Lincoln Center in 2011, and to strengthen FSLC’s ties to its membership, donors, and the film community in general. Mara Manus will be consulting with the Film Society regarding these important efforts.
About the Film Society of Lincoln Center
The Film Society of Lincoln Center was founded in 1969 to celebrate American and international cinema, to recognize and support new directors, and to enhance the awareness, accessibility and understanding of film. Advancing this mandate today, the Film Society hosts two distinguished festivals. The New York Film Festival annually premieres films from around the world and has introduced the likes of François Truffaut, R.W. Fassbinder, Jean-Luc Godard, Pedro Almodóvar, Martin Scorsese, and Wong Kar-Wai to the United States. New Directors/New Films, co-presented by the Museum of Modern Art, focuses on emerging film talents. Since 1972, when the Film Society honored Charles Chaplin, its annual Gala Tribute celebrates an actor or filmmaker who has helped distinguish cinema as an art form. Additionally, the Film Society presents a year-round calendar of programming at its Walter Reade Theater and offers insightful film writing to a worldwide audience through Film Comment magazine.
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