named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Documentary Fund
Supports the presentation of independent documentaries; not a grant-making fund but dedicated to exhibition programming.
Fiscal Sponsorship
Provides 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship to filmmakers for specific projects, enabling tax-deductible donations without providing direct funding.
Independent Film Program
Presents NYC theatrical premieres of American independent films, documentaries, and international features, programmed by Mike Maggiore and Ruth Somalo.
Repertory Film Program
Curates repertory selections including foreign and American classics, genre films, festivals, and director retrospectives, programmed by Bruce Goldstein since 1987.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 2 activities
- Exhibition of independent and repertory filmsExhibits new American independent, documentary, and international films alongside repertory programming featuring classics, genre films, retrospectives, and film festivals. The organization operates year-round with up to 250,000 annual admissions across four screens at its Houston Street cinema, presenting both New York theatrical premieres and curated historical series since 1987.
- Hosting live events and filmmaker engagementsHosts live Q&A sessions, panel discussions, and special events with filmmakers, actors, and cultural figures following film screenings, including events with Kent Jones, Willem Dafoe, Edmund Donovan, and Luis Valdez, as well as open-captioned screenings and podcast recordings of live events.
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Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Digital and physical accessibility servicesProvides comprehensive accessibility services including wheelchair-accessible facilities with ground-level access to all theaters and restrooms, assistive listening devices, personalized closed captioning, open captioned screenings, English subtitles for foreign-language films, and a feedback mechanism for users of assistive technologies to report website access issues.
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Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Initiatives 1 activity
- Land acknowledgment and education on settler colonialismRecognizes the Lenape people as the original stewards of the land where the theater is located and publicly commits to raising awareness about the legacies of settler colonialism, forced migration, and Indigenous displacement through formal land acknowledgments.
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
- Mentorship and educational support in filmmakingProvides mentorship to emerging filmmakers, including students at the City University of Hong Kong, supporting younger directors in developing their craft and advancing within the field of film.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Public advocacy for racial justice and anti-racismPublicly expresses solidarity with movements against racism, violence, oppression, and racial injustice, including explicit affirmation of Black Lives Matter and opposition to systemic inequities affecting Black and marginalized communities.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Support for documentary film presentationFunds and supports the presentation of independent documentaries through the Documentary Fund, including premieres and restored archival works such as Linton Kwesi Johnson’s DREAD BEAT AN BLOOD and Ross McElwee’s SHERMAN’S MARCH and feature-length releases like REMAKE and a tribute film exploring mental illness and addiction.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Infrastructure development and capital investmentUndertakes major capital projects to construct, renovate, and expand screening facilities, including building a twin cinema in 1980, constructing the current Houston Street location in 1990 with a $3.2 million investment, and raising $5 million in 2018 to add a fourth screen and upgrade seating, sightlines, and audience comfort.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$8.59M
Contributions & grants$4.15M48%
Program service revenue$3.45M40%
Investment income$385K4%
Other revenue$609K
expenses
Total expenses$8.55M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$4.54M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$26.90M
Cash$4.68M
Investments$8.75M
Liabilities$7.83M
Net assets$19.07M
Liquid reserves18.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +17.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KAREN COOPER | ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT | 40 | $334K |
| BRUCE GOLDSTEIN | REPERTORY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 40 | $230K |
| MICHAEL J MAGGIORE | PREMIERES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 40 | $215K |
| CHAD BOLTON | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $197K |
| SONYA CHUNG | PRESIDENT | 40 | $190K |
| ADAM GRANT-WALKER | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $167K |
| FRANCINE CRAWFORD | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $158K |
| MARY E OBIAS | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $148K |
board members · 17
- ALAN KLEIN — BOARD MEMBER
- ANDREW FIERBERG — BOARD MEMBER
- ANNA SUI — BOARD MEMBER
- ANNE-VICTOIRE AURIAULT — BOARD MEMBER
- ANNIE THOMAS — BOARD MEMBER
- CARLOS GUTIERREZ — BOARD MEMBER
- CINDY SHERMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- DANIEL PALLADINO — BOARD MEMBER
- ETHAN HAWKE — BOARD MEMBER
- GRAY COLEMAN — CHAIRMAN
- GREGG HOROWITZ — BOARD MEMBER
- HUGO BARRECA — BOARD MEMBER
- JOEL COEN — BOARD MEMBER
- KAREN CRENNAN — BOARD MEMBER
- KEVIN R PARKS — BOARD MEMBER
- KRISTINA DALIO — BOARD MEMBER
- MATT MCCLURE — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- Black Lives Matter Coalition — Expresses solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and joins in opposition to violence, oppression, and racism.
- British Film Institute Partner — Restored the 1979 documentary DREAD BEAT AN BLOOD, enabling its U.S. theatrical premiere at Film Forum.
- Cinema Conservancy Partner — Supported the 4K restoration of SHERMAN’S MARCH.
- CitiBike Partner — Collaborates with CitiBike to inform patrons of nearby bike share stations.
- City University of Hong Kong Partner — Hosts Stanley Kwan's mentorship activities with film students.
- Edmund Donovan Partner — Hosted Edmund Donovan for a post-screening Q&A at a Film Forum event.
- Edmund Donovan Partner — Participated in a Q&A event hosted by Film Forum following a screening of LATE FAME.
- Ford Foundation Funder — Provided a $1.25 million founding gift in 2000 to establish Film Forum's endowment.
- Harvard Film Archive Partner — Supported the 4K restoration of SHERMAN’S MARCH.
- Kent Jones Partner — Collaborated with Film Forum for a Q&A event following a screening of LATE FAME.
- Kent Jones Partner — Collaborated with Kent Jones to present a screening and Q&A for his film LATE FAME.
- Lenape peoples Government — Recognizes the Lenape as the original inhabitants of the land where Film Forum is located.
- MTA Government — Relies on and directs patrons to MTA for public transit information.
- Music Box Films Partner — Distributed SHERMAN’S MARCH in release.
- Music Box Films Partner — Distributes the film REMAKE in partnership with Film Forum.
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder supporting Film Forum's operating income.
- New York State Council for the Arts Government — Public funder supporting Film Forum's operating income.
- Soundcloud Partner — Platform where the Film Forum Presents podcast is hosted and distributed.
- Spotify Partner — Platform where the Film Forum Presents podcast is distributed.
- The Library of Congress Partner — Supported the 4K restoration of SHERMAN’S MARCH.
- The Richard Brick, Geri Ashur, and Sara Bershtel Fund for Social Justice Documentaries Funder — Provided financial support for the presentation of AMERICAN PACHUCO.
- The Richard Brick, Geri Ashur, and Sara Bershtel Fund for Social Justice Documentaries Funder — Provided support for the screening program.
- The Robert E. Appel Fund for Spanish and Portuguese Language Films Funder — Provided financial support for the presentation of AMERICAN PACHUCO.
- The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Fund Funder — Provided financial support for the presentation of AMERICAN PACHUCO.
- The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Fund Funder — Provided support for the screening program.
- Willem Dafoe Partner — Hosted Willem Dafoe for a post-screening Q&A at a Film Forum event.
- Willem Dafoe Partner — Participated in a Q&A event hosted by Film Forum following a screening of LATE FAME.
- iTunes Partner — Platform where the Film Forum Presents podcast is distributed.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Centering Marginalized Artistic Voices and Liberation Movementsmethodology: cultural-documentary_programmingBy programming films rooted in Black liberation, Chicano activism, and reggae/dub poetry cultures, the organization advances underrepresented narratives in cinema, because centering militant and passionate expressions of resistance fosters critical awareness of racial, social, and colonial injustices through art.
- Curated Film Exhibition as Cultural & Historical Engagementmethodology: cinema-of-ideasBy exhibiting contemporary independent and historically significant films, the organization fosters a deeper public understanding of cinema as a cultural and political art form, because film selection grounded in historical relevance and social issues enables audiences to engage critically with broader societal themes.
- Direct Artist-Audience Dialogue to Deepen Cinematic Understandingmethodology: audience-engagement-through-direct-artist-dialogueBy hosting post-screening Q&A sessions and filmmaker engagements, the organization enhances audience interpretation and connection to films, because direct interaction with creators transforms passive viewing into an active, educational experience that reveals artistic intent and process.
- Land Acknowledgment as Institutional Practice for Colonial Awarenessmethodology: land_acknowledgmentBy consistently using land acknowledgment, the organization raises awareness about settler colonialism and forced migration, because integrating this practice into institutional identity fosters ongoing public reflection on historical displacement and Indigenous erasure.