Rebecca Fons, the Director of Programming at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago, has been hired as the Barbican Centre’s new Head of Cinema.
Fons replaces Cary Sawhney, who was the arts centre’s interim cinema boss after longtime chief Gali Gold left the position last October. Fons will relocate from Chicago to London and assume the post from September. Her role will include overseeing the Barbican’s cinema programme, which includes three screens.
Fons had been at the Siskel since January 2021. Before that, she held Programming Director positions at The Iowa Theater, FilmScene in Iowa City, and was the education director at the Chicago Film Festival. She was co-founder of the Chicago event series Destroy Your Art. Fons holds an MA from Columbia College Chicago.
“I am honoured to join the talented Barbican team, and work alongside my colleagues to uphold the Centre’s revered history of presenting distinct, thoughtfully curated cinema; while shepherding creative collaboration across disciplines at the Barbican, and exploring what we can create together beyond the frame,” Fons said in a statement.
“Film has been my passion and profession for over two decades, and the opportunity to facilitate the coming together of friends, neighbours, and strangers for the collective moviegoing experience is a great privilege.”
She added: “I am eager to connect with our audiences, artists, students, and partners, and, together with the cinema team, look forward to sharing with you seasons that are daring, diverse, and exceptional. The moment the lights go down and the screen begins to glow is as powerful as ever – I’ll see you at the cinema.”
Devyani Saltzman, Director for Arts and Participation at the Barbican, said: “I’m incredibly excited to welcome Rebecca to the Barbican. Her love and knowledge of film, her experience helming the Gene Siskel Film Center, connected to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her passionate and collaborative approach to leadership, will only allow us to build on the amazing work of the Barbican cinema team whilst contributing to realising our renewed artistic vision going forward. I can’t wait for her to join us.”
The news of Fons’ appointment was first reported on by the Chicago Tribune and Screen International.
