Scott Rowitz is leaving his position as executive director of the Denver Film Society, which presents the Starz Denver Film Festival in November, and moving to the San Francisco Bay Area to become the director of finance and administration at the California Film Institute.
In October each year, the institute presents the highly regarded Mill Valley Film Festival. It also exhibits films year-round at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center and conducts on-going educational programs.
Rowitz, 36, has a long history in arts administration in Denver. Before joining the Denver Film Society, he was director of operations of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, then associate general manager at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. He joined the Denver Film Society staff in 2001 and assumed the executive director position in 2002.
“This is a great opportunity for me, personally and professionally,” said Rowitz. “And I am proud and excited about Denver and what we have done here. The film society is poised to do wonderful things.”
“We’re going to miss him,” said Nina Henderson Moore, chair of the society’s board of directors. “He’s done such a great job over the past six years. So it’s bittersweet. We’re happy for him. On the other hand, he’s been the glue. He’s taken us to where we are today.”
The Denver Film Society has begun a search for a new executive director. Rowitz will leave his position in mid-March.
