CINEMATHEQUE DIRECTOR ANNOUNCEMENT
The Winnipeg Film Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Jaimz Asmundson as Cinematheque Programming Director effective February 1, 2012. Reporting directly to Executive Director Cecilia Araneda, Asmundson will take on some of the functions previously undertaken by Araneda for the Cinematheque related to artistic and business development for this department of the WFG, as well as managing its staff.
This is a new, 18 month pilot position for the organization, made possible with funding assistance provided by the Winnipeg Foundation. This position was created as a result of the Winnipeg Film Group’s 2010 Strategic Plan objectives. It is intended to support the long term stability and evolution of Cinematheque, the oldest, largest and most respected artistic presenter of independent film and video in Manitoba, as it transitions to connecting independent cinema to audiences in the new digital age.
In this new position, Asmundson’s primary objective will be to expand and develop new programming streams for the Cinematheque, and to develop new marketing strategies to help support its artistic and business development. Asmundson will additionally oversee major special projects, including serving as producer of the Gimme Some Truth documentary forum, developing a major retrospective on the work of Winston Washington Moxam, and overseeing the development of an online presentation portal – the iCinematheque.com project – among others.
Asmundson will additionally oversee the Cinematheque programming and operations staff team, which includes Programming Coordinator Dave Barber and Operations Manager Kristy Muckosky, alongside the staff team that reports directly to Muckosky, including Head Projectionist Alison Davis and Box Office staff Amanda Smart and Darren Young.
About Jaimz Asmundson
Jaimz Asmundson is well known within the Winnipeg and Canadian independent media arts sector, having worked as an independent filmmaker and editor for over ten years. Asmundson has most recently served as Festival Coordinator of the WNDX Film Festival and Associate Producer with Julijette, and has also worked as a shorts programmer for the Gimli Film Festival and as Coordinator Intern for the Independent Media Arts Alliance conference held in Winnipeg in 2006. Asmundson additionally has a long history of board volunteerism within the media arts sector in Winnipeg, having served as a past President of the Winnipeg Film Group and currently serving as a board member for both Video Pool and WNDX.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Winnipeg Film Group acknowledges the support of the Winnipeg Foundation in enabling this pilot position to be created. We also acknowledge the ongoing support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council and the Winnipeg Arts Council.