Cleveland Film Festival Names New Board Leadership
The festival board has elected Peter Lawson Jones as chair and Cigdem Slankard as vice chair following a period of turnover.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in People
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The Cleveland International Film Festival has appointed Peter Lawson Jones as its new board chair. This change comes as the organization seeks to navigate recent financial instability and management turnover.
Why it matters
The leadership shuffle aims to stabilize the organization after it faced significant financial hurdles. Management is now prioritizing efforts to grow attendance and restore the festival's fiscal health.
The festival organization moved from a $750,979 profit in 2021 to a $700,981 deficit. Expenses have increased 63% while revenue decreased 17% over the same period.
The players
Peter Lawson Jones
He is the newly elected board chair of the Cleveland International Film Festival who joined the organization 18 months ago.
Cigdem Slankard
She is the newly elected vice chair of the board who has previously connected 40,000 women across 90 countries through a documentary project.
Joe Marinucci
He served as the board chair of the festival starting in 2024.
Paul Sloop
He is the director of programming and operations for the festival who was promoted into this role in July 2026.
Hermione Malone
She served as the executive director of the Cleveland International Film Festival for two years.
The details
Following years of internal transition, the board held a meeting to formalize new leadership and address the closure of their West 25th Street office. The organization previously pivoted to a split-venue model in 2026 to manage operations at the Cedar Lee Theatre.
Timeline
1977: The festival held its inaugural event at the Cedar Lee Theatre.
2021: The organization reported a $750,979 profit.
2024: Joe Marinucci assumed the role of board chair.
July 2026: Paul Sloop was promoted to director of programming and operations.
November 2026: The organization plans to release details of a new strategic plan.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition follows the pattern set by the Cleveland International Film Festival's transition to a split-venue format. These organizational changes reflect a broader effort to mitigate the impact of rising operational expenses and declining revenue.
Attendees may see changes in programming and venue accessibility as the board implements its new strategic plan. These efforts aim to reverse attendance trends that have fluctuated since the festival moved from Tower City.
The takeaway
The festival is currently working to overcome years of financial instability through new management and operational adjustments. Readers interested in the event can look forward to upcoming partnership announcements that aim to boost total attendance.
What happens next
The organization plans to announce community partnerships to increase attendance and will release details of a strategic plan in November 2026.
Further reading
For more information on local leadership, visit the Cleveland People section.
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