The appointment, announced on Tuesday, comes just a week before the start of this year’s edition of the annual film event.
“Joana thinks big and thinks globally”
Vicente begins officially on November 1, reporting directly to the TIFF board, along with co-head Cameron Bailey, the festival’s artistic director.
“Cameron’s artistic vision is inspiring and I look forward to working with him and with the passionate team at TIFF to expand the organization,” Vicente said in a statement.
Bailey welcomed Vicente as an ideal partner. “Joana thinks big and thinks globally,” he said.
“She complements strategic thinking with strong relationships built over years in the not-for-profit sector, and as a film producer. Her combined expertise as a leader, a manager, and a creator will be an invaluable asset to TIFF.”
TIFF is getting ready to open its 43rd season, with Joana Vicente, the new executive director and co-head of the festival, in attendance. (Radio-Canada)
Joana Vicenta was born in Macao, the former Portuguese territory on the south coast of China.
She studied in Lisbon and started her career there, beginning with roles as a press attaché at the European Union and a radio news producer at the United Nations.
She eventually moved into film, and produced more than 40 movies with filmmakers such as Alex Gibney (Oscar-nominee Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room), Jim Jarmusch (Coffee and Cigarettes), Nicole Holofcener (Lovely and Amazing) and Brian De Palma (Redacted).
Over that time Vicente established three production companies, including the high-definition production studio HDnet films with tech billionaires Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner.
Since 2009, Vicente served as executive director of the New York-based, not-for-profit, Independent Filmmaker Project.
It is the largest and oldest collective of indie filmmakers in the United States.
TIFF this year begins Thursday September 6 and runs until the 16th.
Joana Vicente will attend the festival while finishing up her work on the Independent Filmmaker Project’s annual Gotham Awards, in New York in November.
Vicente joins TIFF as it restructures and she will replace outgoing director and CEO Piers Handling.
