Caroline von Kuhn, former director of the Sundance Institute, joins Greek-initiated Oxbelly film and television lab

Caroline von Kuhn, former director of the Sundance Institute, has been appointed executive director of the Greece-based non-profit film and television lab Oxbelly, founded by producer and Faliro House founder Christos V. Konstantakopoulos.

Von Kuhn will lead Oxbelly as it expands its business to bring together international storytellers in a collaborative atmosphere.

“Oxbelly began with a vision to build an international community of world builders based on the values ​​of generosity and inclusiveness inherent in Greek hospitality,” said Konstantakopoulos.

“I can’t think of a better person than Caroline to lead Oxbelly into our next chapter as we expand our programs to serve and empower storytellers on their own terms in the ever-evolving creative industry.”

Since its inception in 2015, it has supported more than 60 projects by around 80 filmmakers and screenwriters around the world as a non-profit organization focused on film and television education. The initiative takes its name from a beach in Oxbelly, after a beach near Pylos, Greece.

“I had the pleasure of attending Oxbelly in 2019. The warm, inclusive hospitality so characteristically Greek, where the most talented but untried guys and some of our movie heroes can share ideas as colleagues, is something I have never experienced before. seen so successfully. realized,” said von Kuhn.

“It is a privilege to be a part of this movement with Christos, built on the foundation of ancient and contemporary Greek culture based on generosity, inclusiveness and a deep commitment to storytelling and craft,” said von Kuhn.

A film industry veteran, Von Kuhn most recently served as director of industry and catalyst at the Sundance Institute, where she expanded Sundance’s independent film financing from an annual three-day forum to an annual investor curriculum for seasoned and new financiers.

Prior to Sundance, she was director of artist development at the Francisco Film Society, where she managed grants, residencies and artist programs and founded SFFILM Invest, an ethical film financing initiative in partnership with Cinereach.

Prior to SFFILM, Von Kuhn co-founded the Points North Institute with Ben Fowlie and Sean Flynn, transforming the four-day Camden International Film Festival into an internationally recognized institution for documentaries. She continues to chair the board of Points North Institute and serves on the board of the Catapult Film Fund. She will now divide her time between Athens and Los Angeles.

Known for its screenwriting and directing labs under the artistic direction of Athina Rachel Tsangari, past mentors have been involved including Maren Ade, Michael Almereyda, Paul Thomas Anderson, Willem Dafoe, Dee Rees and Lulu Wang.

Next week, Oxbelly will unveil the first of its new programs for 2023, both for writers.