MVFF welcomes members of the film industry to its board of directors

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The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival (MVFF) announces the addition of Geralyn Dreyfous, Matthew Heineman, Jim Warner, and Mark Cronin to its board of directors. They join current board members Henry Louis Gates Jr., Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte, Anne Evasick, Jasmine McGlade, and Thomas Bena as the festival enters its 20th year. 

Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman and three-time Emmy-winning producer Geralyn Dreyfous have shown many of their respective films at the MVFF. Their new roles on the board will allow them to help the MVFF expand its offerings. According to a press release, Heineman, who showed his first feature-length documentary and short films at the MVFF, is particularly excited to help MVFF Labs support young filmmakers. Versed in both narrative and documentary filmmaking, the MVFF release says, he’ll be an asset to both the board and staff. The second season of his docuseries “The Trade” will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. 

Dreyfous has eight films at Sundance next month, and she had three at the previous festival. She is the founder and board chair of the Utah Film Center, and co-founded Impact Partners Film Fund, which brings together financiers and filmmakers. She is also a founding member of Gamechanger, the first for-profit film fund dedicated exclusively to financing narrative features directed by women. 

Along with Dreyfous and Heineman, Mark Cronin and Jim Warner bring decades of experience to the table. They will help guide and shape the MVFF’s new film production department, MVFF Productions. Cronin is one of the most prolific reality television producers and writers working today. He created and co-created some of the most popular content in reality television history, with such hits as “Flavor of Love” and “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels” on VH1. He also created Bravo’s hit series “Below Deck,” and his most recent show, “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” will premiere in February on Bravo. Warner is the founder of Third Floor Enterprises, an advisory and investment firm focused on advertising and marketing technology and services that he started in 2009. As an operating executive, Warner led Avenue A/Razorfish, a pioneering digital agency, and was president of the CBS Television Network and CBS Enterprises, president of the Primedia Magazine Group, and vice president of HBO Enterprises. 

“As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, I see this as one giant leap forward for our organization. I am grateful and awestruck that Geralyn, Matt, Jim, and Mark have joined our team,” said MVFF founder and creative director Thomas Bena in the release. 

“I am honored to be working with board members and industry influencers of this magnitude, and thrilled that they have signed on to have a meaningful impact on the future of the organization,” said MVFF executive director Hilary Dreyer. 

MVFF staff is currently teaching filmmaking classes Islandwide, making films, and gearing up for the 20th annual MVFF from March 26 to 29, 2020. More information and news about the festival can be found at tmvff.org.