Let's Talk Industry Sustainability at ITVS Independents Summit

By Zoe Stahl
Posted on July 11, 2019

Fill 54 Created with Sketch. PDF Download

Congratulations to the ITVS Independent Summit participants. We are thrilled to announce the visionary filmmakers who will be attending this summer's ITVS Independents Summit.

Ryah Aqel 

Phil Bertelsen 

Margaret Byrne

Christa Cassano

Lauren Cioffi 

Chico Colvard

Reilly Dowd 

Alejandro Flores

Robie Flores

Reed Harkness

Su Kim

Daresha Kyi

Marianela Maldonado

Madison O’Leary

Tony Patrick 

Katherine Patterson

Kellen Quinn

Jason Reid

Rodrigo Reyes

Laura Tatham

Juli Vizza

Lise Yasui

Eliyannah Amirah Yisrael 

Patricia Zagarella 

This summer’s ITVS Independent Summit will be a week-long gathering for filmmakers and industry leaders to explore the opportunities and roadblocks that shape the contemporary documentary industry. We will come together to reimagine what sustainable filmmaking could look like, and what role public media can play in supporting filmmakers from ideation to distribution. ITVS staff and industry experts will lead discussions and workshops that examine some of the major questions and challenges in documentary filmmaking. Nanfu Wang, director of the ITVS-funded and Sundance-winning One Child Nation, will discuss her experience working on international films, especially while navigating a government that is hostile to political dissent. Simon Kilmurry, Emmy Award-winning executive director of the International Documentary Association (IDA), will discuss how—and to what degree—filmmakers should consider their audience. 

And, of course, there’ll be time for us to gab—and also gripe—about documentary filmmaking. How do you strategically time your submission of a rough cut to a pitch panel or festival? How do you show footage to subjects that present them unfavorably without alienating them as collaborators? With an inclusive group of participants from different corners of the film industry, we’ll pool our knowledge and consider ways to support each other in our ongoing projects (check out the agenda here or download it from this page). 

For those following along at #ITVSIndieSummit and on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, too.

From our blog

  1. ITVS Responds to Rescission Vote

    July 18, 2025

    [July 18, 2025] Carrie Lozano, President and CEO of the Independent Television Service (ITVS), issued the following statement in response to Congress' vote clawing back congressional approved funding for public media.Congress’ decision to pass the rescission package that removes the $1.1B of previously approved federal funds for the Corporation of…

  2. Protecting Our Future and Charting the Course Ahead

    June 4, 2025

    We are sharing the sad and difficult news that ITVS is reducing its staff by 13 individuals across the organization. For a staff so committed to our mission and to each other, this 20% staff reduction is a painful moment. Our dedicated staff have made important contributions that are part of ITVS' legacy and success story. In the past few months, ITVS has…

  3. ITVS Documentary "Greener Pastures" Honored by the Television Academy

    May 1, 2025

    The Television Academy announced that the ITVS-supported, Independent Lens documentary Greener Pastures will be celebrated at the 18th Television Academy Honors. Established in 2008, the Television Academy Honors Award recognizes “Television with a Conscience” and seeks to celebrate programs that inspire, motivate, and harness the power of…