VAFF Advisory Board Adds Four

News & Press

by Robert Dunnenberger on August 31, 2023

Four Industry Notables join VAFF Board, including award-winning filmmaker Scott Cooper, writer-director Jai Jamison, actor Catherine Haena Kim and veteran film exec Genevieve Villaflor

Charlottesville, VA, August 14, 2023 – The Virginia Film Festival announced today award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter Scott Cooper, writer-director Jai Jamison, actor Catherine Haena Kim and film executive Genevieve Villaflor have joined the festival Advisory Board. The four join 25 sitting Board members, including Board Chair and Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson (RAINMAN, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), veteran filmmakers Julie Lynn (RAYMOND & RAY, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE), John Lee Hancock (THE BLIND SIDE, THE HIGHWAYMEN), Marc Abraham (CHILDREN OF MEN, I SAW THE LIGHT), actor Jason George (Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19), among other industry heavy-hitters, who provide expertise and oversight for the enduring success of the festival. The new additions supplement the already impressive stature of the Advisory Board which include 8 members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. The Board also includes a robust representation of Producers Guild of America, the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America members.

VAFF, now in its 36th edition, is the largest and most beloved film festival in the state of Virginia. This year’s festival will take place from October 25-29 in Charlottesville.

“We are delighted to welcome Scott, Jai, Catherine and Genevieve to the Advisory Board,” said Jody Kielbasa, Director of the Virginia Film Festival and Vice Provost for the Arts at the University of Virginia. “We are grateful that their passion for film and their love for Virginia can be channeled into our shared commitment: to continue VAFF’s legacy as a preeminent festival destination in the region.”

“For me, the Virginia Film Festival is home,” said VAFF Advisory Board Chair Mark Johnson. “As a UVA alum, this festival and the Charlottesville community are central to who I am as a filmmaker. I have attended film festivals all over the world and I can say without a doubt the Virginia Film Festival is a true, unique gem. I could not be more thrilled to welcome these exceptional film lovers to join us as we continue to share the VAFF experience with the wider world.”

The Virginia Film Festival is the mid-Atlantic’s largest film festival, drawing over 22,000 attendees, and one of the premier cultural events in the region. The five-day festival delivers more than 100 films, including previews of the fall’s buzziest titles, fascinating documentaries, innovative indies and an unparalleled selection of international films. Black Excellence, environmental, Korean, Indigenous and Middle Eastern and North African cinema are among the curated strands singular to VAFF.

The festival’s unique charm as a college town with close proximity to the Nation’s Capital makes for a dynamic mix of international, political, academic and university audiences. Previous festival guests include Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock, Robert Duvall, Jeremy O. Harris, Ethan Hawke, Werner Herzog, Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Wanuri Kahiu, Spike Lee, Danny McBride, Shirley McLaine, Richard Roundtree, Meg Ryan, Live Schreiber, Abderrahmane Sissako, Liv Ullman, Christoph Waltz and Patrick Wilson.

The Virginia Film Festival is a program of the University of Virginia and the Office of the Provost and Vice Provost for the Arts. For more information on VAFF and its year-round programs, visit virginiafilmfestival.org.

Newly Elected Members of VAFF Advisory Board

Scott Cooper – Director, screenwriter, producer

Scott Cooper is an award-winning director, screenwriter, and producer from Virginia who is known his films including the Oscar-nominated CRAZY HEART, OUT OF THE FURNACE, BLACK MASS, HOSTILES, ANTLERS, and most recently THE PALE BLUE EYE.

Catherine Haena Kim – Actor

Catherine Haena Kim is a UVA alum and actress based in L.A. Most recently, Kim has starred as a lead role in ABC’s The Company You Keep. Her work also includes roles in FBI, Ballers, among many others. She is an up-and-coming talent with a large following and is excited about getting more involved and connected with UVA and the VAFF.

Jai Jamison – Writer, director

Jai (“Jay”) Jamison is a writer/director from Richmond, VA. Jamison has worked on Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN, espionage series Turn on AMC, and the Apple+ show Swagger; he is an Executive Story Editor on The CW’s Superman & Lois. He has also written comic books for DC Comics and Boom Studios, including Creed: The Next Round, in collaboration with LaToya Morgan, Michael B Jordan, and Outlier Society.

Genevieve Villaflor – Executive Director, Sag Harbor Cinema

Genevieve Villaflor is the Executive Director of Sag Harbor Cinema. She worked with the VAFF in its early years. She has since been involved with top film festivals, non-profit organizations, and specialty publicity firms, including a 15 year tenure with Film at Lincoln Center (then The Film Society of Lincoln Center). She managed the IFP/HBO New True Stories Funding Initiative for The Gotham; was the Director of PR & Promotion for Film Movement; and has programmed for Film at Lincoln Center, The Tribeca Film Festival, and the Hamptons International Film Festival.

Current VAFF Advisory Board Members

Board Chair Mark Johnson, Producer, Gran Via Productions Marc Abraham, President, Strike Entertainment
Beverly Adams, Assistant Dean, UVA College of Arts and Sciences; Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, UVA
Doro Bachrach, President, dlbfilm
Liz Biber, Partner & Head of Content PR, The Lede Company
Janet Graham Borba, Executive Vice President, HBO
Lee Caplin, Emeritus, CEO, Picture Entertainment Corporation
Perrin Chiles, CEO, Adaptive Studios, Inc
Scott Cooper, Director, Screenwriter, Producer
Jocelyn Diaz, Executive Producer
Andy Edmunds, Director, Virginia Film Office
Temple W. Fennell Jr., Founder and CEO, ATO Pictures, LLC
Jason George, Actor
John Lee Hancock, Writer, Director, Producer
John Harris, Writer and Executive Producer
Pat Hogan, fmr. Executive Vice President and COO
Ron Hohauser, CFO, Legendary Entertainment
Jai Jamison, Writer, Director
Catherine Haena Kim, Actor
Dave Koplan, President of Production, Red Granite Pictures
Steven Kung, Writer, Director
Julie Lynn, Producer, Mockingbird Pictures LLC
Rita McClenny, President and CEO, Virginia Tourism Corporation
John Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Bank
Diane H. Naughton, Executive Producer, Fab’ Films
Marshall Persinger, Producer, Fresh Produce Pictures
Sara Risher, Emeritus, Founder, Chick Flick Productions
Scot Safon, Chief Marketing Officer, Up tv
Linda Stanley, Managing Director, First Citizens Bank
Genevieve Villaflor, Executive Director, Sag Harbor Cinema
Jeff Wadlow, President, Jawline Inc.
Glenn Williamson, President and Producer, Back Lot Pictures