Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) has announced its 2025 board led by chair Marnie Gee, of the BC Film Commission in British Colombia.
Sixteen candidates ran for six, two-year term openings, and represented regions in Africa, Canada, Europe, the Oceanic territories, South America, and the United States.
Joining AFCI’s board for the first time are Rochelle Bussey, senior programme manager, New Mexico Film Office, and Henrik JP Akesson Ruben, Film Commissioner, Blekinge Region, Southern Sweden Film Commission, marking the first time Southern Sweden will be represented.
Returning for a fourth term after a two-year hiatus is Donne Dawson, Film Commissioner, Hawaii State Film Office.
Bussey, Ruben and Dawson join re-elected board members Luke Azevedo, VP, creative industries, operations and film commissioner for Calgary Film Commission, Steven Davenport, head of US productions and partnerships at Screen Ireland, and Philippa Mossman, head of international attraction and marketing at New Zealand Film Commission.
Davenport will begin his third consecutive term, while Azevedo and Mossman return for their second.
The newly elected officers join officers currently beginning the second half of their two-year appointment. They include Gina Black (screen industry advisor/film commissioner, Gold Coast Film Commission), Gee of Creative BC, Bega Metzner (film commission director, Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission), Nina Parikh (director, Mississippi Film Office), and Stefan Roesch (film office lead, Film Dunedin.)
During the first board meeting of 2025 on January 25, a vote determined which members would assume an officer role. The board decided to retain last year’s officers in order provide consistency of operations into the year: chair Marnie Gee (BC Film Commission at Creative BC), vice chair Luke Azevedo (Calgary Film Commission), second vice chair Nina Parikh (Mississippi Film Office); secretary Gina Black (Gold Coast Film Commission)’ and treasurer Steven Davenport (Screen Ireland)
AFCI expanded its advisory board with representatives from four additional studios: Amazon MGM Studios, Lionsgate, Netflix and Paramount. The AFCI advisory board comprises executives from major studios and consultancy firms who counsel AFCI’s executive director on industry best practices, engagement, education and development.
New members of the 2025 AFCI advisory board include: Sevan Abrahamian (Paramount Pictures), Melissa Heuer (Amazon MGM Studios), Mike Jean (NBC Universal) and Matt Leonetti (Lionsgate Motion Picture Group).
Andy Weltman returns with a new role at Netflix. They join additional returning members Joe Chianese (Entertainment Partners) Laurence Franks (Apple), Bruce Hendricks (independent producer), MaryAnn Hughes (The Walt Disney Co.) Kristin Larson (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Jay Roewe (HBO/HBO MAX/Warner Media), and Michael Walbrecht (Warner Bros).
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