Director of Curation and Programming

Director of Curation and Programming
Cindependent
Cincinnati, Ohio
Full-Time | Exempt
Salary: $50,000–$65,000

About Cindependent
Cindependent is Cincinnati's nonprofit home for independent film.Through the Cindependent Film Festival, year-round artist development, educational programs, and stewardship of the historic Mariemont Theatre, we connect people through stories that inspire curiosity, empathy, and conversation.

Our purpose is simple: create places where strangers become friends through film.

The Mariemont Theatre is our year-round home - a five-screen nonprofit cinema dedicated to independent film, community programming, education, and cultural experiences.

Position Summary
The Director of Curation and Programming leads the artistic vision for everything audiences experience through Cindependent.

This position oversees programming for both the Cindependent Film Festival and the Mariemont Theatre, creating a cohesive year-round calendar of films, filmmakers, conversations, educational experiences, and community events.

The Director works at the intersection of art and audience. They discover exceptional films, cultivate relationships across the film industry, build meaningful community partnerships, and create programs that inspire people to gather, think, and connect.

The ideal candidate is equally comfortable negotiating with distributors, speaking with filmmakers, introducing a screening, analyzing box office trends, building a festival lineup, and imagining entirely new ways a nonprofit cinema can serve its community.

Primary Responsibilities

Festival Programming

• Lead artistic programming for the annual Cindependent Film Festival.
• Review submissions and oversee the festival selection process.
• Curate feature films, shorts, documentaries, and screenplay programming.
• Recruit programming volunteers, jurors, and screening committees.
• Develop filmmaker experiences, artist conversations, and educational programming.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director on festival strategy and artistic vision.

Theatre Programming

• Curate year-round programming across five cinema screens.
• Book first-run independent, documentary, international, repertory, family, and specialty films.
• Develop recurring signature series and seasonal programming.
• Create special events, filmmaker appearances, anniversaries, live discussions, and community screenings.
• Build a programming calendar that balances artistic excellence with financial sustainability.

Industry Relations

• Serve as Cindependent's primary relationship manager with distributors, studios, sales agents, publicists, filmmakers, and exhibitors.
• Negotiate booking terms and licensing agreements.
• Attend film festivals, screenings, and industry conferences to identify emerging work and strengthen relationships.
• Position Cindependent and the Mariemont Theatre as respected partners within the independent film community.

Community Engagement

• Build partnerships with schools, universities, nonprofits, neighborhood organizations, artists, and cultural institutions.
• Develop educational programs that expand access to film.
• Collaborate on community-driven programming that reflects Cincinnati's diverse audiences.
• Create opportunities for local filmmakers to exhibit and discuss their work.

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate with marketing to develop compelling campaigns around programming.
• Write program notes, festival copy, website content, and promotional materials.
• Monitor attendance, admissions, and audience trends.
• Use data to refine programming decisions.
• Assist with annual programming budgets and forecasting.
• Represent Cindependent publicly through speaking engagements, filmmaker conversations, interviews, and community events.
• This role reports directly to the Executive Director.

Qualifications

We're looking for someone who combines artistic curiosity with strong organizational skills and a deep love of cinema. Ideal candidates will have:

• Experience programming for a film festival, independent cinema, museum, university, or arts organization.
• Deep knowledge of contemporary independent, documentary, international, repertory, and classic cinema.
• Experience working with distributors, studios, filmmakers, or exhibitors.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent writing and communication abilities.
• Comfort speaking publicly and facilitating conversations.
• Ability to analyze audience behavior while maintaining an ambitious artistic vision.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and festival periods.

Bonus Experience

• Existing relationships within the independent film industry.
• FilmFreeway or festival programming experience.
• Experience managing screening committees.
• Familiarity with nonprofit arts organizations.
• Experience hosting filmmaker Q&As or moderating discussions.
• Knowledge of arthouse exhibition and film booking practices.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first year, you will:

• Curate a successful Cindependent Film Festival that strengthens our national reputation.
• Establish the Mariemont Theatre as Cincinnati's leading destination for independent film.
• Develop signature programming that audiences return to throughout the year.
• Build lasting relationships with filmmakers, distributors, and community partners.
• Grow attendance while advancing Cindependent's mission of connecting people through film.