Trevor Groth, Sundance Film Festival Programmer Since 1993, Leaves for 30WEST
After 25 years, Trevor Groth is leaving the Sundance Film Festival to join ambitious financier 30WEST in an undisclosed role. Groth joined Sundance in 1993 and has served as director of programming since 2009; he’d been a senior programmer for the previous six years. He also launched the festival’s NEXT section and its accompanying NEXT Fest in downtown Los Angeles.
A rep for 30WEST told IndieWire that Groth would not have a specific title, and would be involved across all lines of business.
“It’s been a wild and exhilarating ride being in the driver’s seat of a festival that has launched many of our generation’s greatest independent films and filmmakers,” said Groth in a statement. “I look forward to continuing that dynamic journey with a company equally committed to discovering what’s next.
“For over 20 years, Trevor has been one of the film community’s most consistent champions of original creative voices, all while exhibiting a fearless commitment to pushing the boundaries of film creation and distribution,” 30WEST said in its own statement. “We could not be more thrilled that he has chosen to join us.”
30WEST most recently made headlines for buying NEON after partnering with the distributor on “I, Tonya,” which just earned Academy Award nominations for stars Margot Robbie and Allison Janney. It also has the films “Destroyer,” “Ben Is Back,” and “Beast” on the way.
“Every new idea or program that was developed since I became director has been created shoulder to shoulder with Trevor,” festival director John Cooper wrote in a memo that festival staff received today. “I will miss his bright mind and instinctual understanding of our filmmaker community. He’s leaving on a high note, as we close the books on yet another successful SFF — and I know that the amazing team he helped build will continue to build exciting, independent and bold Festivals for years to come.”
According to Cooper, Groth’s replacement has yet to be named.
Jenna Marotta contributed to this report.
