Los Angeles Film Festival Director Rich Raddon Resigns

Outside the Mann Festival theater in Westwood, CA. at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival. Photo by indieWIRE

After weeks of mounting pressure, Rich Raddon, Festival Director of Film Independent‘s Los Angeles Film Festival, has resigned from the post he has held since 2000. 

While not directly addressing concerns that were raised when it was revealed that Raddon, a Mormon member of the film community, had donated $1500 to the campaign in support of California Proposition 8, he did release a statement apologizing for the “negative attention that my actions have drawn to Film Independent and for the hurt and pain that is being experienced in the GLBT community.” His full statement is below.

The Board of Film Independent has accepted his resignation and also released a statement: “With great reluctance, Film Independent has accepted Richard Raddon’s resignation as Director of the Los Angeles Film Festival. Rich’s service to the independent film community and to Film Independent has been nothing less than extraordinary. He has always shown complete commitment to our core principles of equality and diversity during his long tenure. It was through his leadership that the Los Angeles Film Festival has grown into a formidable and exciting showcase for talented artists and diverse voices. We are sorry to see him go.”

The LA Film Festival is held annually in June. The next edition of the festival will take place June 18-28, 2009.

Los Angeles Film Festival director Rich Raddon with Film independent executive director Dawn Hudson at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival. Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

Text of Rich Raddon’s full statement:

”I feel honored to have worked with such a wonderful group of people at the Los Angeles Film Festival over the last nine years. I am proud of our accomplishments.  And I am proud to have worked at Film Independent, an organization whose principles and values of diversity and artistic integrity I cherish. I have always held the belief that all people, no matter race, religion, or sexual orientation are entitled to equal rights. As many know, I consider myself a devout and faithful Mormon. I prefer to keep the details around my contribution through my church a private matter.  But I am profoundly sorry for the negative attention that my actions have drawn to Film Independent and for the hurt and pain that is being experienced in the GLBT community.”

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posted on November 25, 2008 |Share