Miami Film Festival Appoints James Woolley as Executive Director – The Hollywood Reporter

James Woolley

James Woolley/Courtesy of Miami Film Festival

The Miami Film Festival has a new executive director: James Woolley.

The festival veteran has been selected to oversee festival operations and activities while nurturing relationships with filmmakers, distributors, sponsors, donors and the greater Miami film community. The news was announced by Miami Dade College, which puts on the fest.

Woolley joins after serving as executive director of Frameline, a LGBTQ film festival out of San Francisco. Woolley spent nearly two decades working on more than 20 large-scale film festivals including the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane International Film Festivals. In 2017, he was appointed Sydney Film Festival’s head of marketing and customer relations.

In a statement, he said he’s excited about the opportunity to take on the new role for the festival, “an institution I highly admire.” He added: “I look forward to building its international programming and connecting with audiences in Miami and from all over the world.”

María Carla Chicuén, Miami Dade College’s executive director for cultural affairs, offered, “James has the passion, knowledge and experience necessary to produce a successful film festival, from developing programming to marketing and box office operations. I know he will elevate the Miami Film Festival to new heights.”

The next installment of the Miami Film Festival, its 41st annual edition, is set to take place April 5-14, 2024.