IFC Films Co-President Jonathan Sehring to Exit at Year’s End

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – IFC Films co-president Jonathan Sehring is leaving the company at the end of the year.

The veteran executive announced his plans on Wednesday. He helped launch the Independent Film Channel in 1994 and create in 1999.

IFC Films will be led by a trio of remaining IFC Films executives: Sehring’s co-president Lisa Schwartz; Arianna Bocco, the executive vice president of acquisitions and productions; and John Vanco, senior VP/general manager of the IFC Center.

Sehring noted that he has had two careers at AMC Networks, with 20 years in film and 20 years in television. AMC Networks is IFC Films’ parent company. IFC Films encompasses its sister distribution labels Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight, its production label IFC Productions, and the IFC Center.

Under Sehring’s direction, IFC Films financed Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” for 12 years, leading to six Academy Award nominations, including best picture. Other notable IFC titles include Armando Iannucci’s “The Death of Stalin”: Jennifer Kent’s “The Babadook”; political documentary “Weiner”; “Y Tu Mama Tambien”; “Boys Don’t Cry”; “Monsoon Wedding”; “Touching the Void”: Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11,” the highest-grossing documentary of all time; and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” the second highest-grosser among indie films.

The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.