The Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) began in 2015 around Founder and Executive Director Dorothy Down’s kitchen table with a group of people dedicated to enhancing local film culture. That same year, Dorothy formed a Board of Directors and the FCFF quickly sought out registered charitable status.
The FCFF was one of the first nonprofit organizations to become co-tenants of Innovation Works, the co-working and event space owned and operated by Pillar Nonprofit Network. They loved having access to meeting rooms for their Board meetings and appreciated the ample opportunities to connect with other arts organizations in the space. It was not long before the FCFF participated in Pillar’s All About Boards series, which new FCFF Board Members continue to participate in every year.
When COVID-19 hit, Dorothy found immense value in the ED/CEO Nonprofit Support Network, designed for Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officers, and Senior Leaders of nonprofit and charitable organizations of any size to connect, share resources, and support one another.
“I want to express sincere gratitude to Pillar for its invaluable role in fostering the growth of our arts organization within this community… Pillar serves as the foundation for organizations like ours to create, grow, and make a lasting impact on London,” says Dorothy.
Nine years later, Dorothy and her team continue to be active Pillar members. Most recently, the Forest City Film Festival hosted their annual Leg Up Lab workshops, an opportunity for emerging filmmakers to connect with industry experts, at Innovation Works. Leg Up Labs have led to many local films being created!
Don’t miss out on this year’s Forest City Film Festival from October 19-27, 2024! Check out the Forest City Film Festival's 2024 event calendar. 