The Independent Film and Television Alliance, the nonprofit organization behind the annual American Film Market, has named Jackie Brenneman its new CEO and president.
Mr. Brenneman is the former Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the National Association of Theater Owners (now renamed Cinema United). She replaces Jean Prewitt, who announced her retirement in September after 25 years at the helm of IFTA.
“This is a pivotal moment for the independent film and television community, which has always been defined by risk-taking and innovation,” Brenneman said in the release. “As the industry undergoes rapid transformation through consolidation, new funding structures, and evolving production and distribution models, independent companies are uniquely positioned to forge new paths and lead the next phase of change.”
IFTA is the trade association for independent film and television producers, financiers and distributors. AFM is a global trade show and its signature event, returning to Los Angeles in November after a year in Las Vegas.
Brenneman worked for nine years at NATO, a trade association for theater owners. She led the Save Our Stages initiative, a federal law that helps provide relief to theater operators during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also worked on competition and regulatory issues, including theater owners’ response to the end of the Paramount Consent Decree under the first Trump administration. She also served as president of the Film Foundation, the non-profit arm of NATO.
She got her start in the industry as a copyright and trademark attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP in Los Angeles. Since leaving NATO in 2023, she has been a partner in the Fithian Group, a film consulting firm led by three former NATO executives.
IFTA Chairman Paul Bales said in a statement that Brenneman brings legal and lobbying expertise as well as experience managing member organizations.
“Her deep understanding of how business, public relations and creative communities intersect, and her experience navigating the rapid evolution of our industry and the challenges it poses, especially for independent companies, makes her uniquely qualified to lead IFTA and AFM into its next chapter,” Bales said. “We look forward to working closely with her.”
