The New Orleans Film Society (NOFS) announces the departure of Executive Director Fallon Young. Young assumed the position of  Executive Director of the organization in 2017. Monika Leska, NOFS Finance and Operations Director, will serve as Interim Executive Director until the position is filled. 

The New Orleans Film Society is working with Appleton Arts Consulting on a national search to fill the position. For information about the opportunity, please visit and direct all inquiries here.

Fallon Young, NOFF2019, Photo by Ashley Lorraine

During Fallon Young’s five year tenure, NOFS:

  • Organizational impact was recognized with first-time five and six-figure programmatic and operating support grants from national funding sources, including Just Films I Ford Foundation, Perspective Fund, Andy Warhol Foundation, a WarnerMedia Arts & Culture grant funded by the AT&T Foundation, and others. 
  • Launched and sustained new programs, including Southern Producers Lab in 2018 and South Summit in 2019
  • Artist awards totaled more than $300,000 and filmmaker lab programming served 70+ independent filmmakers developing projects from the American South 
  • Grew and expanded community access to its flagship event, the Oscar-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival, achieving a record number of film submissions and audience attendance in 2019 for the Oscar-qualifying event. NOFF made the MovieMaker Magazine’s annual list of “Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.” The festival is one of two film festivals named to the list every year since 2012.
  • Continued to thrive and grow despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic; NOFS executed a successful adaptation to hybrid exhibition models with outdoor and virtual screenings and added five full-time positions to NOFS staff. 
  • Developed and embarked on a new five-year organizational strategic plan completed in 2021 with guidance from DeVos Institute of Arts Management and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies 

The Board is appreciative of Young’s contribution and has great enthusiasm for the future. Board President, Donna Santiago stated, “Fallon came to NOFS at a pivotal time in our trajectory and cemented the organization’s reputation as a leader in its field.  I believe we are positioned for growth and we are very excited for the next phase of the organization’s journey.”