Toronto’s Inside Out LGBTQ film festival has solidified its leadership, appointing Elie Chivi as the festival and organization’s co-head and executive director, and Andrew Murphy as the co-head and artistic director.

The two were announced as official co-heads in a news release on Wednesday (Feb. 22) after serving in the joint position on an interim basis since the departure of previous executive director Lauren Howes last year. Through the newly announced co-leadership model, Chivi (pictured left) and Murphy (pictured right) will each share leadership, decision-making and responsibilities.

Both will co-lead festival strategy, board governance, human resources and the fiscal and operational management of the organization, said the release, which also announced the promotion of Jenna Dufton to director of festival programming.

Chivi has been director of development at Inside Out since August 2020 and interim co-head since March 2022. Chivi’s more than 12 years of operational and strategic leadership experience includes a focus on work in fundraising, sponsorship and partnership management in the non-profit sector.

As executive director at Inside Out, Chivi will be responsible for its successful operations, set partnerships and work with Murphy to build and grow the brand, profile and reputation “by promoting queer storytelling as a tool for empowerment, education, and social justice,” said the release.

Murphy joined Inside Out as director of programming in 2012 and has more than two decades of festival and curatorial experience, having managed programming at the Atlantic Film Festival for 10 years and co-creating the ViewFinders International Film Festival for Youth.

As Inside Out’s co-head and artistic director, Murphy will have “an increased focus on barrier-free industry development and streaming and studio relations, while building on the success of spearheading the International Finance Forum (ISS), the world’s only 2SLGBTQ+-focused film finance forum now in its seventh year,” according to the release.

Dufton joined Inside Out in 2015 as programming coordinator. As director of festival programming, Dufton will continue to lead the day-to-day management of Inside Out programming and oversee all festival-related content and programming committees.

Dufton also contributes to Inside Out’s creative vision, audience development and guest experience, and manages the RE:Focus program of grants and professional development for women, trans, and non-binary filmmakers.

The new appointments strengthen the Inside Out organization and will support its objectives in its 2023-2025 strategic plan released last December, said the release.

The 33rd Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival will take place in-person and online from May 25 to June 4. ISS will be held as a hybrid event from May 31 to June 3.