Points North Institute has appointed Elise McCave as its executive director. Sean Flynn has been named the org’s artistic director.
The announcement comes on the opening day of the 20th annual Camden Intl. Film Festival, which is produced by Points North Institute. The preeminent four-day documentary fest based in Maine begins Thursday and runs to Sunday.
McCave succeeds long-time CIFF board member Rick Rector, who has served as Points North interim exec director since January, which is when Ben Fowlie, former PNI exec director and artistic director stepped down after 20 years.
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As CIFF’s umbrella organization, PNI supports the next generation of nonfiction storytellers. In addition tot CIFF, the org’s programs include Points North Forum, Storyforms exhibition, as well as a year-round calendar of artist development initiatives that nurture the careers of diverse nonfiction storytellers.
Most recently McCave served as head of film at Kickstarter, where she worked with over 700 film teams, and helped channel more than $190 million towards various film projects across all genres.
Prior to Kickstarter, McCave served as deputy director of Doc Society, formerly known as BRITDOC, in the U.K and New York City. In her eight years at Doc Society, McCave developed models for community engagement through doc film, notably via the international Good Pitch program and the free-to-access Impact Field Guide and Toolkit.
“Through Elise’s work at Kickstarter and Doc Society, she has demonstrated a long-time dedication to serving independent filmmakers, fostering community, and unlocking resources,” says Caroline von Kuhn, PNI board chair and co-founder. “These achievements—and many more besides—make her a remarkable leader who we’re confident will build on Points North’s legacy and steer the organization into its bright future.”
McCave will assume her new position on Oct. 8 and work between Maine and New York.
“In this critical moment in our industry and in the world at large, Points North performs a unique and essential role by identifying, nurturing, and exhibiting work with a diversity of perspectives in an environment that invites open dialogue,” says McCave. “This work is vital within thriving democracies, especially at a time when public discourse is more polarized and less nuanced at the local, national, and international level.”
In 2016 von Kuhn founded PNI with Fowlie and Flynn, a longtime leader of the org’s artist development programs.
As the new artistic director, Flynn will oversee all Points North programs, including CIFF. He will lead the development, design and curation of all of Points North’s innovative artist programs which encompass artist development and public exhibition, and comprise fellowships, grants, creative retreats and industry networking opportunities supporting dozens of filmmakers annually from around the world.
“I’m honored to be stepping into this expanded role, working alongside Elise and our stellar team to build an arts organization that serves both independent storytellers and Maine communities with such a rare mix of ambition, creativity, care, and integrity,” says Flynn. “Now more than ever, we need to invest in artistic freedom and innovation, ensuring that filmmakers have the resources they need to bring culture-shifting stories to audiences on their own terms.”
In the last decade CIFF has become a key campaign spot for docus seeking Oscar recognition. Last year, Madeleine Gavin’s “Beyond Utopia,” which was shortlisted for the best feature documentary Oscar, opened CIFF.
The 20th edition of CIFF features a lineup full of political, hot button documentaries fresh off showings at Toronto, Venice and Telluride. This year’s CIFF highlights include: Steve Pink’s “The Last Republican,” Michael Premo’s “Homegrown,” and “No Other Land,” directed by Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor and Adra.
Points North will be supporting more projects-in-development and filmmaking teams than ever across six different fellowship programs and multiple partnerships with mission-aligned nonprofits, which will beheld in parallel with the festival.
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