Latest news with #BBFI
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Big Bear Film Festival to Launch in September, Led by Former Outfest Director Damien Navarro
The Big Bear Film Festival — formerly known as the Green Jack International Film Festival — is launching September 24-29, the brainchild of the newly inaugurated Big Bear Film Institute. The famed California mountaintop destination, which has been seen in numerous films and television shows dating back a century, will host what the BBFI is calling a 'boundary breaking celebration' that encompasses not just film, but animation, podcasting, gaming, stand-up comedy, Indigenous storytelling, experimental sound design, and AI. CEO Damien S. Navarro, who previously served as the executive director of Outfest, noted that over 400 titles have used Big Bear as a backdrop, including 'Magnolia,' 'The Last of the Mohicans,' 'Creep,' 'Gone with the Wind,' and 'Old Yeller.' More from IndieWire 'Materialists' Review: Celine Song Didn't Make a Rom-Com, She Made a (Pretty Good) Takedown of Them 'Apocalypse in the Tropics' to Open DOC NYC Selects Summer Series - See the Full List 'Its alpine terrain has doubled for the Rockies, Appalachians, and even European forests —making it one of the most versatile and under-celebrated locations in film history,' Navarro said. Festival features include a 'Peak Pitch' marketplace for original projects to connect with potential buyers, a 'Music Village & Audio Pavillion' lakeside retreat, an expo for gaming and animation content, an outdoor and drone cinematography showcase, and plans for a future 5-day 'Alpine Story Lab' residency. 'The Big Bear Film Festival is unapologetically built for the next generation of storytelling,' Navarro told IndieWire. 'Attendees can expect an eclectic mix: elevated genre films, climate-forward documentaries, Indigenous and Latinx voices, immersive experiences, gaming [and] animation showcases, audio storytelling, and outdoor/adventure films. We're especially excited about spotlighting IP across mediums — from podcasts to graphic novels to AI-created narratives.' Navarro added that BBFI wasn't just launching a festival; 'we're launching a movement.' 'Backed by the newly formed Big Bear Film Institute and Film Office, this is a year-round ecosystem for creators and culture-shifters,' he explained. 'With partners like Utopia, we're planting a flag for what a future-forward, community-rooted film culture can look like. Think Sundance-meets-SXSW with boots, brains, and a view.' BBFI's partner Utopia was founded by Robert Schwartzman in 2018. 'Our mission at Utopia has not only been to support how independent films reach audiences through direct acquisitions and full distribution support, but to provide filmmakers with alternative, empowering self-distribution tools and to challenge our industry by providing additional meaningful, viable outlets for monetization,' Schwartzman said in a press release. 'Partnering with the Big Bear Film Institute and Festival allows us to do exactly that — giving a range of creators and distributors a meaningful new environment to engage and launch their work within an energized and thoughtful community.' For information, sponsorships, and submissions, visit the festival's website. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Zeal Capital Partners Promotes Stefanie Thomas-Martin to Partner
WASHINGTON, March 05, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zeal Capital Partners, a leading Washington, D.C.-based venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage technology businesses led by exceptional management teams, today announced Stefanie Thomas-Martin's promotion from Managing Director to Partner. Thomas-Martin will join Zeal's Founder and Managing Partner, Nasir Qadree, in overseeing the execution of the firm's portfolio strategy and will serve on the Investment Committee across all mandates. Additionally, Thomas-Martin has assumed a board of directors role at Stratyfy, a cutting-edge fintech company leveraging AI to enable financial institutions to make fairer decisions in credit risk, fraud detection, and compliance. "Stefanie's promotion to Partner is a testament to her exceptional leadership, investment acumen and track record, and unwavering commitment to our mission and values," said Nasir Qadree, Founder and Managing Partner of Zeal Capital Partners. "Her focus, expertise, and vision have been instrumental in launching the Barclays Black Formation Investment (BBFI) initiative and continuing to drive our Inclusive Investing™ strategy forward. "Stefanie's promotion to Partner underscores her pivotal role in driving Zeal's growth and advancing our founding investment thesis. Her leadership will be instrumental as we continue to build the next-generation investment platform and catalyze mission-driven businesses across healthcare, fintech, and the workforce, shaping an enduring legacy of innovation and impact across the venture capital ecosystem." Since joining Zeal in 2023, Thomas-Martin has been spearheading the Barclays Black Formation Investment (BBFI) vehicle, a $50 million pre-seed investment platform backed by Barclays and managed by Zeal Capital Partners. Built to propel the next generation of diverse-led companies, BBFI provides critical early-stage institutional capital and support to founders building high-growth technology companies primarily across the US and UK. She will continue to lead the BBFI strategy and oversee the firm's expanded commitment to Inclusive Investing™. She also pioneered Zeal's inaugural scout program, a critical initiative designed to train the next generation of diverse venture capitalists. "I am honored to take on this new role as Partner at Zeal Capital Partners," said Stefanie Thomas-Martin. "Our work in sourcing, underwriting, and scaling category-leading businesses and nurturing diverse talent across the venture capital ecosystem is more crucial than ever. I look forward to continuing our mission of driving economic mobility to undercapitalized communities while delivering exceptional returns for our investors." Before joining Zeal, Thomas-Martin was a founding member and investor at Impact America Fund (IAF). She also co-founded the pioneering entrepreneurship platform for women, Women Who Launch, after noticing the lack of startup communities available to support aspiring women founders. Earlier in her career, Thomas served as Vice President in Citigroup's global banking division. She received her M.B.A. from the Ross School at the University of Michigan and her B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. About Zeal Capital Partners: Zeal Capital Partners, based in Washington, DC, partners with high-growth, early-stage, tech-enabled companies led by exceptional management teams that are rethinking the building blocks of wealth. As a category-specific investment firm, Zeal's focus areas include the future of learning and work, financial technology, and health equity. View source version on Contacts Chanel CatheyZeal Capital Partners / CJC InsightsChanel@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
05-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Zeal Capital Partners Promotes Stefanie Thomas-Martin to Partner
Zeal Capital Partners, a leading Washington, D.C.-based venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage technology businesses led by exceptional management teams, today announced Stefanie Thomas-Martin's promotion from Managing Director to Partner. Thomas-Martin will join Zeal's Founder and Managing Partner, Nasir Qadree, in overseeing the execution of the firm's portfolio strategy and will serve on the Investment Committee across all mandates. Additionally, Thomas-Martin has assumed a board of directors role at Stratyfy, a cutting-edge fintech company leveraging AI to enable financial institutions to make fairer decisions in credit risk, fraud detection, and compliance. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Stefanie Thomas-Martin, Partner, Zeal Capital Partners (Photo: Business Wire) 'Stefanie's promotion to Partner is a testament to her exceptional leadership, investment acumen and track record, and unwavering commitment to our mission and values,' said Nasir Qadree, Founder and Managing Partner of Zeal Capital Partners. 'Her focus, expertise, and vision have been instrumental in launching the Barclays Black Formation Investment (BBFI) initiative and continuing to drive our Inclusive Investing™ strategy forward. 'Stefanie's promotion to Partner underscores her pivotal role in driving Zeal's growth and advancing our founding investment thesis. Her leadership will be instrumental as we continue to build the next-generation investment platform and catalyze mission-driven businesses across healthcare, fintech, and the workforce, shaping an enduring legacy of innovation and impact across the venture capital ecosystem.' Since joining Zeal in 2023, Thomas-Martin has been spearheading the Barclays Black Formation Investment (BBFI) vehicle, a $50 million pre-seed investment platform backed by Barclays and managed by Zeal Capital Partners. Built to propel the next generation of diverse-led companies, BBFI provides critical early-stage institutional capital and support to founders building high-growth technology companies primarily across the US and UK. She will continue to lead the BBFI strategy and oversee the firm's expanded commitment to Inclusive Investing™. She also pioneered Zeal's inaugural scout program, a critical initiative designed to train the next generation of diverse venture capitalists. 'I am honored to take on this new role as Partner at Zeal Capital Partners,' said Stefanie Thomas-Martin. 'Our work in sourcing, underwriting, and scaling category-leading businesses and nurturing diverse talent across the venture capital ecosystem is more crucial than ever. I look forward to continuing our mission of driving economic mobility to undercapitalized communities while delivering exceptional returns for our investors.' Before joining Zeal, Thomas-Martin was a founding member and investor at Impact America Fund (IAF). She also co-founded the pioneering entrepreneurship platform for women, Women Who Launch, after noticing the lack of startup communities available to support aspiring women founders. Earlier in her career, Thomas served as Vice President in Citigroup's global banking division. She received her M.B.A. from the Ross School at the University of Michigan and her B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. About Zeal Capital Partners: Zeal Capital Partners, based in Washington, DC, partners with high-growth, early-stage, tech-enabled companies led by exceptional management teams that are rethinking the building blocks of wealth. As a category-specific investment firm, Zeal's focus areas include the future of learning and work, financial technology, and health equity. SOURCE: Zeal Capital Partners Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/05/2025 09:09 AM/DISC: 03/05/2025 09:09 AM
