Longtime Film Forum Director to Step Down After 50 Years

January 9, 2023

Announced in The New York Times, longtime Film Forum director Karen Cooper will be stepping down in July, transitioning leadership to Sonya Chung. When Cooper took Film Forum over, it was merely a projector and 50 folding chairs in an Upper West Side loft; today, it has grown into a four-screen space with a $6M a year budget. Chung, who will be taking over leadership, has worked to establish partnerships with creative organizations such as Girls Write Now and ArteEast, and looks forward to continuing expanding Film Forum’s role in the community.