Participant has hired Emmy Award winner and former SVP of CNN Films Courtney Sexton to serve as EVP of documentary film and television, overseeing all the company’s documentary content.
Sexton will rejoin Participant at the start of 2023, having previously spent eight years as a development executive with the company. She will report to CEO David Linde, who made today’s announcement.
She follows Diane Weyermann, who joined Participant shortly after its creation in 2004 and went on played an integral role in developing the documentary division, overseeing such titles as Oscar winners Citizenfour, The Cove, American Factory, and An Inconvenient Truth. Weyermann died in October 2021.
Linde said, “Courtney is an exceptionally talented, compassionate executive with a track record of top-quality, purpose-driven content that connects with audiences around the world. We will forever be indebted to Diane for her tremendous films and impact, and Courtney’s return to oversee our documentary team ensures our commitment to continue that work.”
Sexton added, “I’ve had the good fortune to work with the brilliant team at CNN Films, and I am incredibly proud of the projects we produced together over the last nine years. The chance to return to Participant and contribute to my mentor Diane’s legacy is a profound honor – I look forward to embarking on this new chapter.”
As SVP of CNN Films, Sexton supervised the production of documentary films for theatrical exhibition and distribution across CNN’s platforms. During her tenure, the company acquired, produced, or commissioned more than 55 original feature and short films, earning six Emmys, three Bafta Award nominations, and four Oscarnominations. She won a Primetime Emmy in 2018 for her work on RBG and was nominated the same year for Love, Gilda. Her credits include Navalny, The Last Movie Stars, Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down, Julia, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, and Three Identical Strangers.
In her first stint at Participant, Sexton supported Weyermann in the development of An Inconvenient Truth, Food, Inc., and Page One: Inside The New York Times, among others.
Participant’s upcoming documentary feature releases include Venice Golden Lion winner All The Beauty And The Bloodshed and Lowndes County And The Road To Black Power.
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