Join us on February 28-29, 2020, for the inaugural NYICFF Industry Forum: Towards an Inclusive Future, as we bring together a community of industry leaders and content makers to explore the future of inclusive storytelling in children’s media. 

The NYICFF Industry Forum will host local, national, and international creative and cultural practitioners and content creators. Together we’ll generate thought-provoking discussion, actionable ideas, and collaborative opportunities over a two-day program of demonstrations, panels, networking receptions, and conversations.

We welcome participation from those at all career stages—from upcoming talent to established makers: executives, filmmakers, directors, producers, distributors, writers, animators, and film and media students.

BE PART OF THIS VITAL CONVERSATION!

Sign up to receive updates:

January 8, 2020 - Read our Announcement Press Release here!

Anne del Castillo
Commissioner of the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)

Julie Ann Crommett
Vice President of Multicultural Audience Engagement at The Walt Disney Studios and Women in Animation (WIA) Secretary and Inclusion Committee Co-Chair

Karen Rupert Toliver
Producer, Oscar®-nominated short film Hair Love and Executive Vice President, Creative, Sony Pictures Animation

Peilin Chou
Producer of Abominable and Chief Creative Officer, Pearl Studio

Daisuke Tsutsumi
Co-Director of the Oscar®-nominated short film The Dam Keeper and Founder, Tonko House

Gerta Xhelo
Director of Production, TED-ED, and Co-Founder of Tomato Beach Animation

Kim Diaz
Director of Production & Development, Sesame Workshop

Sarah Mullervy
SVP of Creative, Silvergate Media

Stephanie Simpson
Emmy Award-winning Writer, Hilda

Jill Culton
Writer/Animator and Director of Abominable and Open Season

Camrus Johnson
Actor and Writer/Director of the short film Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad

Friday, February 28th
1:00pm - 6:00pm

Introductory Remarks
Anne del Castillo, Commissioner of the MAYOR’S OFFICE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT, Founding Industry Forum Partner

Keynote Address: Towards a More Inclusive Future
Julie Ann Crommett, Vice President of Multicultural Audience Engagement at THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS and WOMEN IN ANIMATION (WIA) Secretary and Inclusion Committee Co-Chair

Panel Discussions: Singular Stories, Multiple Viewpoints
Join our panel of acclaimed Producers and Directors for an exclusive look behind the production curtain, as they detail how their leading studios identify and develop authentic stories and storytellers to ensure unique perspectives on screen that reflect the wider world.

• Karen Rupert Toliver, Producer, Oscar®-nominated short film Hair Love and Executive Vice President, Creative, SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
• Peilin Chou, Producer, Abominable and Chief Creative Officer, PEARL STUDIO
• Dice Tsutsumi, co-Director, Oscar®-nominated short film The Dam Keeper, and Founder, TONKO HOUSE

Additional panelist to be announced

Coffe Break
Mix-and-Mingle. Meet-and-Greet. Connect-and-Collaborate. A chance to exchange your cards and ideas, and fuel your creative energy in between the day’s discussions and presentations.

Animate NYC Panel Presentation
A connector and anchor to the animation world, New York offers a unique path toward collaboration and cross-pollination. Join producers and creatives as they show us examples of great collective projects that they nurtured to success.

• Gerta Xhelo, Director of Production, TED-ED, professor at Pratt University
• Kim Diaz, Director of Production & Development, SESAME WORKSHOP
• Sarah Mullervy, SVP of Creative, SILVERGATE MEDIA
• Stephanie Simpson, Emmy Award-winning Writer, Hilda

Additional participants to be announced

Evening Reception
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Join our invited guests, generous Forum partners, and your industry contemporaries at our invitation-only Evening Reception. A chance to gather together to expand on the afternoon’s learnings, and reflect on all that’s to come!

Space is limited. First passholders receive an invite as space allows, so get in quick!

Saturday, February 29th

Festival screenings
10:00am - 5:00pm
See the NYICFF 2020 line-up as it’s best experienced—alongside our curious, adventurous, all ages audience!

Tickets for Festival screenings on Saturday, February 29 can be claimed during registration on Friday, February 28, 11am-12:30pm at SVA Theatre. First come, first served.

Animators All Around Panel Discussion
NYICFF’s signature annual panel illuminates the creative process in animation, highlighting acclaimed and emerging animators from around the globe as they share excerpts from their films, discuss their inspiration to create, and demonstrate how they craft their celebrated works through sketches, storyboards, photos and more. Stay and meet our guest animators in person at our post-panel reception.

• Jill Culton, Writer/Animator and Director of Abominable and Open Season
• Dice Tsutsumi, co-Director, Oscar®-nominated short film The Dam Keeper, and Founder, TONKO HOUSE
• Camrus Johnson, Actor and Writer/Director of the short film Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad, an official selection in competition in NYICFF’s 2020 program

industry@nyicff.org

(212) 349-0330

New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) is a year-round, nonprofit arts organization building a more dynamic film culture for those aged 3-18, their families, and their communities. For over two decades, NYICFF has delivered impactful programming to children, families, students, educators, filmmakers and screen professionals through its three core activities: its Oscar-qualifying, annual NYC-based film festival; its city-wide media arts and literacy program, NYICFF Film-Ed; and its national screening program serving major and regional cultural institutions, cinemas, and museums, NYICFF Kid Flicks. The inaugural 2020 NYICFF Industry Forum will bring the community together for dialogue around inclusion and representation in the creation and dissemination of media content for young audiences.