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Michael Lumpkin to leave Frameline at end of 2008 Festival
10/17/2007
Respected arts professional leaves after 28 years
Artistic Director Michael Lumpkin today announced that he will be leaving the fabled LGBT film/arts organization after 28 years involvement, and 22 years as Executive Director. Calling Lumpkin "a hero," Frameline Board President Linda Harrison said that Lumpkin's "shoes will be hard to fill." Lumpkin will stay on at Frameline through the completion of the 2008 Festival (June 19-29, 2008), currently in the planning stages. An international search will begin immediately for his replacement. Founded in 1977, Frameline is the longest running, largest and most widely recognized LGBT film exhibition event in the world.
"I am proud to have played a role in the growth of LGBT cinema and the development of Frameline as the world's leading LGBT film organization," said Lumpkin, 53. "With the completion of Frameline's major gifts campaign this past June, there is no doubt that Frameline will continue to play a major role in the rapidly expanding world of media consumption and delivery. I look forward to putting together an exciting program for the 2008 Film Festival, then taking some time off to discover what new opportunities await me in the next phase of my career."
During his first 12 years with Frameline (1979 - 1991), Lumpkin served as Festival Director. He served on the organization's Board of Directors 1993 - 1995. From 1995 through 2006 he served as Executive Director and assumed the title of Artistic Director in 2007.
"Working with Michael has been an honor and a tremendously enriching experience," said Matt Westendorf, Frameline Managing Director. "Michael's breadth and depth of knowledge in both the nonprofit and media arts worlds are truly impressive. Michael has served Frameline and our community exceedingly well. His talent, experience and creative vision will be sorely missed."
During his tenure at Frameline, Harrison credited Lumpkin with the following accomplishments.
- Built The San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival from a small local event into one of the world's largest annual international film festivals with latest 11-day event screening 267 films from 33 countries to audiences numbering more than 60,000.
- Through the Film Festival introduced San Francisco film audiences to the work of Pedro Almodovar, Derek Jarman, Gus Van Sant, Gregg Araki and Cheryl Dunye.
- Developed significant and stable funding base for Frameline, the non-profit organization that presents the festival, consisting of national and regional corporate sponsorship ($289,000/cash, $299,000/in-kind), contributed and grant support ($652,000), membership ($410,000) and earned income ($575,000).
- Developed and executed two successful long-range strategic plans. The first (1999) strengthened Frameline's operational and financial infrastructure; the second (2004) focused on program expansion and the development and launch of a major gifts campaign.
- Successfully completed $1.25 million major gifts campaign in June 2007.
- Launched distribution program in 1984 that now provides 250 titles to educational, broadcast, theatrical and home video markets.
- Established filmmaker support program in 1990 that currently awards more than $75,000 annually.
- Established youth filmmaker training/media literacy program in 2005.
- Spearheaded campaign to purchase a permanent home for Frameline and three other non-profit media arts organizations. Worked closely with funders, consultants and real estate developers to create a financial framework for the purchase and helped to plan and oversee the renovation of the 21,600 square foot building for its new use.
- From 1991 to 1995, co-produced The Celluloid Closet, a feature documentary examining the depiction of homosexuality in Hollywood films. Primary responsibilities included fundraising, budget management, research, film clip licensing, and talent clearances.
"During Michael's tenure, Frameline has experienced a transformation from a small grassroots undertaking to an internationally recognized LGBT media arts organization," said Harrison. "Along the way, Frameline's Board of Directors and staff have grown and matured to fully support our expanded programs and infrastructure. Thanks to Michael's foresight and leadership, Frameline is well positioned to enter into a new and exciting era."
Frameline's mission is to strengthen the diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and further its visibility by supporting and promoting a broad array of cultural representations and artistic expression in film, video and other media arts.
With annual attendance of 60,000 to 80,000 the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival is the longest running, largest and most widely recognized LGBT film exhibition event in the world. Founded in 1977, the Festival is the most prominent and well attended LGBT arts event in the Bay Area. Frameline also presents year-round exhibition events. Frameline at the Center: Free Screenings for the Community features monthly screenings of socially relevant works at the San Francisco LGBT community Center. Year-round programs also include members-only screenings and special events, as well as sneak previews of feature films and documentaries.
Established in 1981, Frameline Distribution serves an international audience of hundreds of thousands and is the leading educational distributor solely dedicated to LGBT film and video. Frameline is an important bridge between independent filmmakers and their audiences, and our collection of more than 200 groundbreaking films reaches teenagers, college students, individuals and families in urban centers, small towns and rural areas through multiple channels, including film festival screenings, television airings and home video sales.
Since 1990, nearly eighty films and videos have been completed with assistance from the Frameline Film & Video Completion Fund. Awards are made annually and provide much needed support to filmmakers for their final editing and lab work. Once completed, these films often go on to receive international exposure. Submissions include documentary, educational, narrative, animated and experimental projects by or about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their communities. Frameline also supports filmmakers with the largest cash awards of any LGBT film festival in the world: the $10,000 First Feature Award and the $10,000 Best Documentary Award, as well as three $2,500 audience awards.
"Michael Lumpkin is extraordinary. He has been visionary in his leadership at Frameline," said John R. Killacky, Program Officer Arts and Culture, The San Francisco Foundation. "He has made this incredible organization not only the most important queer film festival in the world, but also under his stewardship, Frameline and three other media organizations were able to purchase a building and create a home for media arts in the Bay Area. His legacy will continue for generations."