Outfest executive
director Stephen Gutwillig has announced he will step
down at the end of the year after eight years with the
organization.
Outfest executive
director Stephen Gutwillig has announced he will step
down at the end of the year after eight years with the
organization. The copresidents of the Outfest board of
directors, Stephen Macias and Angela Courtin, made the
announcement Thursday night during the Legacy Awards,
the organization’s annual benefit.
"Stephen's
leadership has made a difference for the LGBT community
far beyond our home base here in Los Angeles,” Macias
said. “For example, the Outfest Legacy Project
is the only LGBT film preservation project in the
world, and it was created under Stephen’s
stewardship. As Outfest completes its first quarter
century, it’s clear that all five Outfest
programs will have a lasting impact for generations to
come."
During his
tenure, Gutwillig has spearheaded programs like the Legacy
Project for LGBT Film Preservation, responsible for the
recent restoration of Bill Sherwood’s
Parting Glances, among other LGBT
classics. He has also worked on the expansion of
ongoing programs such as the Outfest Screenwriting Lab and
Fusion, the nation’s first film festival focused on
LGBT people of color.
The board of
directors also voted to elevate senior director of
programming and operations Kirsten Schaffer to the post of
co–executive director, effective immediately.
When Gutwillig steps down, Schaffer will serve as
interim executive director. (The Advocate)
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