CinefestOZ, the premier film festival organisation in Western Australia, today announced the resignation of Malinda Nixon, who has decided to step down from her position as Chief Executive Officer, effective 5 May 2023.
The Board of Directors would like to express its deep gratitude to Malinda for her contributions to CinefestOZ during her 15-year tenure. Under her leadership, Malinda has achieved tremendous growth and success, and she has been instrumental in driving the organisation’s strategy and vision.
Moving forward, the Board of Directors has initiated a search for a new CEO to continue the organisation’s trajectory of growth and success. The search process will commence immediately and the Board is committed to finding a leader with the experience, skills, and vision to take CinefestOZ to the next level.
CinefestOZ is well-positioned for continued growth and success, and the Board is confident in the organisation’s future. CinefestOZ will continue to execute on its strategic initiatives and deliver value to its stakeholders, including partners, staff, students and festival goers.
The Board of Directors would like to assure stakeholders that the CinefestOZ operations will continue as usual during this transition period, and the organisation will provide updates on the CEO search as appropriate.
Margaret Buswell, Chair of the Board, commented, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Malinda for her unwavering dedication and commitment to CinefestOZ over the last 15 years. Malinda’s leadership and hard work have been instrumental in growing an iconic Festival, that is nationally and internationally respected. Malinda has played a key role in delivering an education program for regional school children and a well-regarded First nations program, IndigifestOZ. We acknowledge and are grateful for Malinda’s immense contribution and sincerely wish her the best in her future endeavours.”
Malinda said “I am grateful and humble to have worked with a brilliant team, board and so many filmmakers from throughout Australia and beyond. Being part of the CinefestOZ journey has been an incredible experience. In 2022 we delivered three very different vibrant festivals – CinefestOZ Albany, CinefestOZ Film Festival and CinefestOZ Broome (WA’s First Nations Film Festival with Goolarri Media Enterprises). Each of these festivals were very well received by our communities, audiences and industry.”
“I am incredibly proud of what we have all achieved over the past years. A personal highlight is showcasing industry opportunities for regional young people through our community program (schools) along with our intern program, many of our interns have gone on to secure jobs in the screen, tv, events, tourism and marketing industries.
“The support from so many including our community partners, philanthropists and sponsors has made the role possible. CinefestOZ is well placed to continue to provide wonderful festivals that provide joy to so many audiences.”
About CinefestOZ
Set in the south-west of Western Australia, during the past 15 years, CinefestOZ has become the premier destination Film Festival for Australian features, documentaries and short films. Today, CinefestOZ is a thriving, not-for-profit and sustainable leader in the Australian screen industry committed to promoting remarkable screen content. CinefestOZ brings together artists, storytellers, and audiences to learn from each other and inspire, educate and support the development of the next generation of storytellers. With a talented team and a strong culture of excellence, CinefestOZ is poised for continued success and growth.