After four years as the festival director for Bend’s annual film festival, Orit Schwartz announced publicly today that she will not be returning for he 2014 festival.
Here is the statement the Source received via email this afternoon:
hello everyone,
for those who aren’t hooked on facebook as i am,, sorry for the mass email. after four amazing years with bendfilm and incredible growth which i am so proud of!! the board has decided to restructure the festival. this brings to an end my time with bendfilm.
onwards and upwards to a new adventure!!
happy holidays,
orit
She also posted this announcement on Facebook:
If the reconstruction sounds famillier, re-read our paper’s coverage of a similar ED situation in 2008 for BendFilm.
Stay tuned to the Source for more on BendFilm’s “restructuring” and what Schwartz’s departure could mean for the festival.
This article appears in Dec 12-18, 2013.
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Restructure the festival? What was wrong. The 2013 festival and the events leading up to it were fantastic. Orit did a super job with the festival and with the management of such a complex event was really great. This is a sad loss. ORIT did a really great job. The 10th annual was super. The Bend Film Board should be ashamed of losing such a talent.
The Bend Film Board will be losing their most talented and hardest worker this festival has had in several years! Orit Schwartz has so many times done public speaking, many public appearances and way above and beyond what past directors have ever stretched, to promote
our very own Indy film festival. I am shocked to hear this news. Orit deserves much better. She has truly been the BEST. She brought great talent to us all this past 10th big fest. What are you thinking? Lets not lose this gem of Central OR.
Sounds like BFF’s Board played a small-minded corporate BS move, showing little to no class. Total scrooges!