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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowDorothy Henckel, president of the Indianapolis International Film Festival, has become the second person to convert the volunteer gig into a film industry career.
Henckel, a Roche scientist, recently accepted a job as director of acquisitions for The Documentary Channel, based in Nashville, Tenn. Last year, Indianapolis film festival co-founder Brian Owens became artistic director of the Nashville Film Festival, an annual event that draws more than 20,000 attendees.
Henckel and Owens will serve on an advisory board for the local festival, which goes by the nickname Indy Film Fest, and other volunteers will step into the leadership roles. Craig Mince, whose day job is sales and marketing director for the IMAX Theater at White River State Park, becomes president of the organization. Lisa Trifone becomes executive director, which is still an unpaid position, and Jason Roemer becomes the third member of the executive committee.
The festival, which runs in July at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, shows about 125 films from a variety of genres. Attendance this year was about 3,900, up 25 percent over 2009, Mince said. Revenue was flat or even down slightly, however, because corporate sponsors had less money to offer, and the festival discounted a larger number of tickets. Discounts were available for museum members, students and seniors, and during matinee showings.
This year was also the first year the festival awarded a cash prize, $1,000, which went to "A Little Help," starring Jenna Fischer of the TV series, "The Office."
Mince said the festival intends to continue offering discounts to reach a wider audience. Next year's festival will run July 14 through July 24.
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