Lloyd Kaufman

Chairman Vows to ‘Protect and Serve’ Independents, Will Continue to Fight for Marketplace Opportunities

Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 28, 2009 – Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) Chairman Lloyd Kaufman, president Troma Entertainment, has been reelected to a second two-year term leading the 150-member organization. IFTA President-CEO Jean Prewitt made the announcement today.

An outspoken advocate of net neutrality, Kaufman enters a second term just as the FCC is poised to consider expanded protection for new services and applications on the Internet.  “I am honored to have a second term as chairman of IFTA, which has become the leading voice for independents worldwide,” said Kaufman. “I will continue to fight alongside my colleagues to protect and serve independent art on film, television, DVD, and the Internet, aggressively tackling media consolidation, net neutrality, piracy and other key issues facing our industry.”

Others elected to two-year terms on the Executive Committee are: Pierre David (Imagination Worldwide), named General Vice Chairperson, and Brad Kembel (Summit Entertainment), who will serve as Vice Chairperson/Secretary.

They  join other Executive Committee members continuing their two-year terms: Roger Corman (New Horizons), General Vice Chairperson; Avi Lerner (Nu Image), Vice Chairperson-Finance; Albert Lee (Emperor Motion Pictures Ltd. HK), Vice Chairperson/Non-California; and, Elisabeth Costa de Beauregard Rose (Lakeshore Entertainment Group), Chairperson, Export Alliance.

Elected to two-year terms on the Board of Directors are: Paul Hertzberg (Cinetel Films); Jay Joyce (Artist View Entertainment); Mark Lindsay (Arclight Films); Nicole Mackey (Fortissimo Films UK); Almira Malyshev (Screen Media Ventures); Bobby Meyers (Meyers Film Entertainment); Charlotte Mickie (E1 Entertainment); Barbara Mudge (Worldwide Film Entertainment); Michael Ryan (Handmade Films International); Adam Wright (Regent Worldwide Sales); Carl Clifton (The Works International), Alternate; Tony Kandah (Hollywood Wizard), Alternate; and, Edward Noeltner (Cinema Management Group), Alternate.

Continuing in their Board positions are: Steve Bickel (The Film Department); Nicolas Chartier (Voltage Pictures); Kirk D’Amico (Myriad Pictures); Mark Damon (Foresight Unlimited); Clay Epstein (The Little Film Company); Kim Fox (QED International); Richard Guardian (Lightning Entertainment); Brad Krevoy (Motion Picture Corp. of America); Kathy Morgan (Kathy Morgan International); and, Brian O’Shea (Odd Lot International).

“Our Chairman, new Executive Committee and Board of Directors members are among the industry’s most forward-thinking executives and I look forward to working with them,” Prewitt said. “Their leadership, dedication and guidance will continue to have a meaningful impact on IFTA’s ongoing activities as our industry deals with the creative and business challenges that lie ahead.”

The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) is the global trade association of the independent motion picture and television programming industry.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, the organization represents and provides significant entertainment industry services to 150 member companies from 22 countries, consisting of independent production and distribution companies, sales agents, television companies, studio-affiliated companies, and financial institutions engaged in content finance.

Collectively, the Independent Film & Television Alliance’s members produce more than 400 independent films and countless hours of television programming each year and generate more than $4 billion in distribution revenues annually.  The organization’s premiere event, the American Film Market, held in conjunction with AFI Fest, will take place this year from Nov. 4-11 in Santa Monica.

As the voice and advocate for the independent film and television industry worldwide, the Alliance speaks out on matters of critical importance and, where appropriate, actively lobbies governments around the world in regard to measures directly affecting the independent industry.  For more information on IFTA and the American Film Market, please visit www.ifta-online.org.

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