Ann Arbor filmmaker Barbara Twist named director of membership for FFA
Film Festival Alliance recently announced the hiring of film exhibition veteran and filmmaker Barbara Twist as their Director of Membership. Twist will begin in the newly created position on January 6 and will be primarily responsible for growing & managing the organization’s membership and membership benefits. FFA currently serves more than 200 member organizations and individuals from 40 states, Canada and the UK and recently opened its doors to global members.
“I am so thrilled to be working with Film Festival Alliance and their membership,” said Twist. “Film festivals are a vital part of the exhibition industry, discovering new filmmakers, cultivating movie-going audiences through curation, and serving as place-makers in their own neighborhoods. I look forward to supporting the growth of the festival community.”
Twist began her career at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor where she assisted with special programs, including the Cinetopia Film Festival. She then spent five years working with Art House Convergence, most recently as its Managing Director during years of significant growth, before pursuing her Masters in Creative Producing at Columbia University (2020.) She also currently works with Tales of Europe, a traveling film series developed to promote European cinema within the US, and serves on the board of the Ann Arbor Film Festival.
“Barbara will be an excellent addition to our team,” said FFA Executive Director Lela Meadow-Conner. “Not only does she bring with her great experience from her time with AHC – where we worked together for several years, she brings invaluable perspective as a filmmaker. The Alliance is focused on growing its membership to be evermore inclusive and accessible, and also finding ways to support festival stakeholders – filmmakers being one of the most vital. Barbara’s experiences align with our goals.”
About Film Festival Alliance
Film Festival Alliance creates a collaborative global community for mission-driven film festivals. FFA advocates for a sustainable and inclusive environment for our industry within the cinema exhibition ecosystem and creates a powerful collective voice for film festivals and the people who run them.
Founded in 2010 as a program of IFP, Film Festival Alliance (FFA) was established in 2015 as an independent non-profit networking organization, and now serves a membership of more than 180 organizations and individuals – representing a diverse array of size, geographic location and annual budget. FFA presents year-round professional development, and engagement opportunities around the country, offers valuable money-saving benefits and creates a collective community for festival professionals.
FFA works year-round to celebrate and support the art of film, filmmaking and film presentation by connecting festival professionals with one another, and with other industry stakeholders including the greater filmmaking community.
