Film director Gina Prince Beeschwood aims to give the keynote speech at the 2025 Film Independence Forum in a conversation moderated by Lena Weihe.
The two-day forum will be held at the American Director’s Guild in Los Angeles from September 26-27 to provide candid and talked-about conversations focusing on current trends in the industry.
María Raquel Bozzi, senior director of Film Independent Education and International Initiatives, said, “We are honored to have Gina Prince Beeshwood as our centerpiece keynote address. She is completely tangible from “Love and Basketball.” Universal. “Bozzi said, “And we look forward to seeing Multialented Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe joining in the conversation with Gina and committing to an exciting and memorable keynote.”
The forum has screenings, panels, workshops, one-on-one meetings, receptions and networking opportunities, all aimed at supporting and elevating independent storytellers. The session explores best practices in fiction films and documentaries across all platforms, from theatre screens to television and streaming outlets, highlighting new tools and formats that promote innovation and creative risk-taking. In addition to panels and workshops, Industry Connect, there will be a signature one-on-one meeting of events with industry leaders and experts on both days.
The New Wave is presented in collaboration with Film Independer, Sagindie, Easterseals Disability Services and Plot Shift Media, bringing the spotlight to the next generation of artists who will return to form independent films in a two-part program. This year’s conversation is curated with guidance from all three partners, highlighting both the creative and professional challenges faced by emerging talent across the industry.
The program begins with a New Wave filmmaker. This starts with experiences with a double goal of exploring the filmmaker’s experience and making money with a double goal of telling stories that can entertain and inspire transformation. This will be followed by New Wave Actors, featuring a divers group of talented performers who have broken into the industry and continue to deliver standout performances, including Isabel Deroy-Olson (“Fancy Dance”), Jessy Yates (“Pulse”), Marissa Bode (“Wicked”) and Michael Cimino (“Motorheads). SAGindie executive director Darrien Michele Gipson will moderate the conversation, which aims to look at how The actors push boundaries and fight for more authentic and comprehensive representation on screen.
This year marks 20th year, the forum continues to be the perfect space to meet and learn with independent filmmakers and executives calling today’s shots, exchanging ideas with peers in a highly inclusive, celebratory, community setting.
The confirmed speakers include:
Esteban Alango, Director, “Ponyvoy”
Marissa Bode, actress, “Evil”
Pamala Buzick Kim, founder of Mavenverse
Wendy Calhoun, author/producer, “Empire”
Lisa Caliph, partner, Donaldson Caliph Perez LLP
Daniel Cardon, Senior Manager’s Non-Fiction Program and Financial Sponsorship, Film Independence
Michael Simino, actor, “Motorheads”
Andrew Corkin, producer, “Rosemead”
Producer denies “anxiety”
Isabelle Deroy Olson, actor, “Fancy Dance”
Bella Drew, author/director/actor, “People’s Joker”
Aaron T. Edmonds, Vice President of Film at Heartbeat
Darien Michele Gipson, executive director of Sagindi
Lauren Greenfield, Director of Social Sciences, “Queen of Versailles”
Angela C. Lee, Director of Artist Development, Film Independent
Zoe Lister Jones, writer/director/producer/actor, “Slip”
Adam Bara Raff, Director, “Telemarketer”
Lauren Mann, producer, “Swiss military”
Missy Mansour, producer, “Loot”
Josh Mingo, Location and Permit Consultant, Legend Locations LLC
Sam Mirpolian, directed by “Green Meadow”
Cebu Ohanian, producer, “Sinner”
Producer Alex Orlovsky, “Roofman”
Shari Page, Program Director, Half Initiative
Mississippi Film Director Nina Pariff
Anayansi Prado, director, Uvalde Mama
Chris Quintos Cathcart, CO-CEO, Non-Apologies Project
Brenda Robinson, Executive Producer, “Pass”
Izzy Sill, author/director, “I’m not going anywhere”
Analysa Shoemaker, producer, “To Kill the Tiger”
Sarah Strunin, producer, “Jalipop, burns, wounds”
Producer Stephen Van Lee, “Michael from Earth”
Producer Trevor Wall, “Slant”
Tre Wesley, Video Producer, IMDB Original
Kit Williamson, author/director/actor, unconventional
Jesse Yates, actor, “Pulse”
Ryan Zacarias, producer, “If I have a leg, I’ll kick you.”
