Gina Prince-Bythewood Set to Headline Film Independent’s Forum

Filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood is set to keynote the 2025 Film Independent Forum in a conversation moderated by Lena Waithe.

The two-day forum will take place from Sept. 26-27 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles and will offer candid, topical conversations focusing on current trends in the industry.

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María Raquel Bozzi, Film Independent’s senior director of education and international initiatives, said, “We’re honored to have Gina Prince-Bythewood as our Centerpiece Keynote. She fully embodies the independent spirit we champion. From ‘Love & Basketball,’ her influential debut film 25 years ago, to ‘The Woman King’ epic, she has established herself as a true visionary, working across film and TV, creating compelling work that is both personal and universal.” Bozzi added, “And with multitalented Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe joining the conversation with Gina, we’re looking forward to what promises to be an exciting and memorable Keynote.”

The forum features screenings, panels, workshops, one-on-one meetings, receptions, and networking opportunities, all aimed to support and elevate independent storytellers. Sessions will explore best practices for fiction films and documentaries across all platforms, from theatrical screens to television and streaming outlets, while highlighting emerging tools and formats that foster innovation and creative risk-taking. In addition to panels and workshops, Industry Connect, the event’s signature one-on-one meetings with industry leaders and experts, will be held on both days.

The New Wave, presented in partnership with Film Independent, SAGindie, Easterseals Disability Services and Plot Shift Media, returns with a two-part program spotlighting the next generation of artists shaping independent film. Curated with guidance from all three partners, this year’s conversations will highlight both the creative and professional challenges faced by emerging talent across the industry.

The program begins with New Wave Filmmakers, a roundtable exploring filmmakers’ experience with the dual goals of making money while telling stories that can both entertain and inspire transformation. This will be followed by New Wave Actors, featuring a diverse group of talented performers who have broken into the industry and continue to deliver standout performances, including Isabel Deroy-Olson (“Fancy Dance”), Jessy Yates (“Pulse”), Marissa Bode (“Wicked”) and Michael Cimino (“Motorheads). SAGindie executive director Darrien Michele Gipson will moderate the conversation, which aims to look at how the actors are pushing boundaries and fighting for more authentic and inclusive representation onscreen.

Now in its 20th year, the Forum continues to be the perfect space to meet and learn from independent filmmakers and executives who are calling the shots today, and to exchange ideas with peers in a very inclusive, festive and communal setting.

Confirmed speakers include:

Esteban Arango, director, “Ponyboi”
Marissa Bode, actress, “Wicked”
Pamala Buzick Kim, founder, mavenverse
Wendy Calhoun, writer/producer, “Empire”
Lisa Callif, partner, Donaldson Callif Perez LLP
Daniel Cardone, senior manager nonfiction programs and fiscal sponsorship, Film Independent
Michael Cimino, actor, “Motorheads”
Andrew Corkin, producer, “Rosemead”
Deniese Davis, producer, “Insecure”
Isabel Deroy-Olson, actor, “Fancy Dance”
Vera Drew, writer/director/actor, “The People’s Joker”
Aaron T. Edmonds, vice president of film, Hartbeat
Darrien Michele Gipson, executive director, SAGindie
Lauren Greenfield, director, social studies, “Queen of Versailles”
Angela C. Lee, director of Artist Development, Film Independent
Zoe Lister-Jones, writer/director/producer/actor, “Slip”
Adam Bhala Lough, director, “Telemarketers”
Lauren Mann, producer, “Swiss Army Man”
Missy Mansour, producer, “Loot”
Josh Mingo, location and permit consultant, Legend Locations LLC
Sam Mirpoorian, director, “Greener Pastures”
Sev Ohanian, producer, “Sinners”
Alex Orlovsky, producer, “Roofman”
Shari Page, program director, Half Initiative
Nina Parikh, director, Film Mississippi
Anayansi Prado, director, “Uvalde Mom”
Chris Quintos Cathcart, co-CEO, Unapologetic Projects
Brenda Robinson, executive producer, “Passing”
Izzy Shill, writer/director, “Going Nowhere”
Annalisa Shoemaker, producer, “To Kill A Tiger”
Sarah Strunin, producer, “Jaripeo, burn, scar”
Steffie van Rhee, producer, “Earth to Michael”
Trevor Wall, producer, “Slanted”
Tre Wesley, video producer, IMDb Originals
Kit Williamson, writer/director/actor, Unconventional
Jessy Yates, actor, “Pulse”
Ryan Zacarias, producer, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”