American Film Institute Names Todd Hitchcock To Lead AFI Fest Programming; Brings In Ethan Caldwell From Academy Museum
05.04.2023 - 18:29
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Alfred Hitchcock won the AFI’s Life Achievement Award in 1979, but now there is another Hitchcock moving up in the organization.
The American Film Institute has named Todd Hitchcock to oversee the national programming team tasked with programming the 37th annual AFI FEST in Los Angeles. Hitchcock also was recently named to the position of Director of the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. The AFI says this move unites all of AFI’s exhibition and programming activities under his leadership.
He began his career at AFI in 2003 working on the inaugural edition of SILVERDOCS before joining AFI Silver’s year-round programming team. As Director of Programming at AFI Silver and the Associate Theatre Director, he oversaw numerous international film festivals, retrospectives, first-run engagements and special events, including planning, programming and producing the Silent Cinema Showcase, the AFI Latin American Film Festival, the AFI European Union Film Showcase and the New African Film Festival.
Additionally Ethan Caldwell has been named to the newly created position of Director of Operations, AFI Productions. A veteran of cinema exhibition and operations, Caldwell most recently served as the Director, Theater Operations at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, CA. In his new position, Caldwell will be responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of AFI’s exhibition activities, including AFI FEST.
“Todd’s expert knowledge in programming – combined with Ethan’s deep appreciation for the art of exhibition – makes them a dynamic duo to forge the future for AFI FEST,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “This fall, we look forward to launching the 37th Annual AFI FEST – and, once