Keynote
Tuesday, November 17th
5:00 - 6:30 pm
Ted Hope
Producer, former Co-head of Movies at Amazon Studios
Conversation moderated with Caroline von Kuhn, Director of Catalyst, Sundance Institute
One of the great producing visionaries of independent film, Ted Hope recently resigned as Co-Head of Movies at Amazon Studios where he oversaw the prestige movies produced, developed and acquired by the company (Manchester by the Sea, The Salesman, The Big Sick, Cold War) for over five years. In his return to producing – Ted will offer his thoughts about the state of streaming for independent film, changes in the landscape of distribution and finance, and the possibilities he envisions for new voices to emerge and connect with globally diverse audiences.
Hope’s 35-year career in the film business is defined by an innovative and inclusive approach, always operating from a deep love of cinema, its history, and recognition of its potential. Whether it’s helping to launch Amazon Studios and their commitment to theatrical releasing, their recent foray into worldwide streaming titles, or introducing new voices and new approaches to new audiences, Hope champions bold voices from the world over.
Prior to joining Amazon, Hope produced over 70 films, as well as co-founding and co-running the production companies Good Machine, This is That, and Double Hope Films. Ted’s eye for directorial talent has helped launch the feature film careers of Ang Lee, Hal Hartley, Michel Gondry, Nicole Holofcener, and many others. His films have received numerous Academy Award nominations and a record three of them have won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. His filmmaking memoir Hope For Film was published in 2014, with a new edition released this year.
Caroline von Kuhn, Director of Catalyst, Sundance Institute
Caroline von Kuhn is the Director of Catalyst, the independent film financing program at the Sundance Institute. Prior to this, von Kuhn was Director of Artist Development at the SFFILM (San Francisco Film Society) where she launched SFFILM Invest. She was a co-Founder of the Points North Institute with Ben Fowlie and Sean Flynn, which produces the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) after coming from Tribeca Film Festival, running the Industry department after four years of Publicity. She has worked extensively in Film Publicity in New York at Tribeca, distributor Apparition and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
