Dear Film Forum Family,

Writing this Annual Fund letter feels like a moment of bittersweet ceremony: it will be my last outgoing message as NWFF’s Executive Director. Trust me when I say that the past three-and-a-half-years in this role have been a total honor; it’s been a rare and unexpected joy to lead an organization that I once had a “nonprofit crush” on.

Over the next few months, I’ll be helping the board and staff as they hire and onboard NWFF’s next E.D., because continuity is a key to organizational success. It’s important to me to prioritize the relationship-building which has made NWFF such a wonderful place to work.

At the same time, it feels important to note that NWFF is much more than the efforts of a single Director. As on any film set, the combined powers of our entire crew of dedicated individuals are what make this grand project possible. All of us contribute our unique expertise to finding the collaborative, creative solutions that drive NWFF onward, in our important work of serving filmgoers and filmmakers, no matter what changes the world throws at us! I am proud of everything that we – the entire staff, board, and the community that has supported us – have accomplished together during my tenure at the Forum, and especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

So this is it: my final fundraising ask as E.D., where I humbly ask you to contribute to NWFF’s Annual Fund STRETCH GOAL!

Help us raise $3,333 by January 15, so that NWFF can enter its next chapter with extra confidence.

To inspire you, here is a list of things I love about the Forum, in no particular order. If even one description evokes a precious memory or emotion for you, I encourage you to press that CONTRIBUTE button!

FILM FORUM =

• MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE
• A lobby full of surprises, where one can revel in conversation with a stranger, an acquaintance, or a long-lost friend
• A space unlike any other, since “they don’t make them like they used to”
• Films that blur the lines between joy and heartbreak, immediacy and memory, and make us cry Film-Tears™️ for things both familiar and unknowable
• Talkbacks with emerging stars and heroes of the silver screen
• Floating DJ booths and dance parties
• Live music and live film scores
• Karaoke late-nights in the cinema
• Greasy, wonderful, vegan and gluten-free: top contender for best popcorn in Seattle
• Works-in-progress and sneak peeks of local gems the world has yet to see
• Special screenings in honor of cherished community members who have passed
• A sense of pride when filmmakers see their work on-screen for the first time
• A collective breath when an audience has experienced something powerful together
• The joyous cacophony of youth workshops, cascading through the halls
• Film education for all ages and all incomes
• More film festivals than anyone on staff is able to count
• An open door and open mind to new partnerships
• Funding, granting, and fiscal sponsorship for local artists
• Cinema as a tool for social change and empathy
• Demonstrable, actionable steps towards equity
• DIY & grassroots as a nonprofit institution can be
• Audiences and artists willing to take and embrace risks
• 26 vibrant years and counting, witih a bright future to come <3

In solidarity and with respect,

Vivian “Vee” Hua 華婷婷
[ they 🐱 she ]
Executive Director

PS – Though I move on from this role at the end of January, rest assured that I will still wander the halls, assisting with exciting film projects, helping to lead our Filmmaking Fundamentals: Narrative series, and more!

BELOW: Executive Director Vivian Hua, Managing Director Chris Day, and Artistic Director Rana San, sporting our merch (which is for sale, mind you…)