Joana Vicente has been named CEO of the Sundance Institute. She is slated to assume that role on November 1.
Vicente spent the past three years as executive director and co-head of the Toronto International Film Festival. Prior to that, she served for nearly a decade as the executive director of the not-for-profit Independent Filmmaker Project (now the Gotham Film & Media Institute).
The hiring of Vicente caps a comprehensive search by the Sundance Institute to find a successor to Keri Putnam who stepped down as CEO earlier this year after a decade of leading the Institute.
Vicente has firsthand knowledge of the deep commitment Sundance has to independent creators through programs that support artists seeking production, financing, and distribution. As the co-founder and president of Open City Films since 1994, she produced four Sundance Institute–supported lab projects and has had 13 movies debut at the Festival, including the triple-winner Three Seasons and Grand Jury Prize–winner Welcome to the Dollhouse.
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
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