Veteran media leader Wasey takes the helm as President and founding team member, Dan Nuxoll, transitions to a consulting role, marking a strategic evolution for the thriving, 28-year-old New York City organization

Brooklyn, NY - Rooftop Films is excited to announce the appointment of Adnaan Wasey as its new Executive Director, effective immediately. An accomplished leader in media and non-profit organizations, Wasey assumes the role with a track record of innovation and a deep commitment to storytelling that engages and reflects the diversity of communities. In his new role, Wasey's responsibilities will span management, creative direction, partnerships, and organizational development.

He succeeds President and founding team member Dan Nuxoll, who will transition into a consulting role after years of dedicated leadership and oversight of Rooftop Films' transformation from an idea to build community through film into the largest outdoor showcase of new independent cinema in the United States, and a critical supporter of emerging and underrepresented talent.

"I'm honored to join Rooftop Films at a time when the team is only beginning to realize the power of media as a tool for transformation," says Adnaan Wasey. "Our growth means we can deepen our commitment to supporting bold new artists that reflect diverse communities while expanding accessibility to courageous storytelling. Having witnessed firsthand the joy and significance that Rooftop Films screenings can have in community spaces, I'm excited to now lead the creation of more enriching and unforgettable experiences for new audiences."

Wasey's résumé presents a through-line of commitment to artistic innovation and impactful storytelling. He is an Emmy Award winning producer with tenures as an executive producer and artists’ program manager at the PBS television series POV and at the powerhouse public media station GBH, with additional experience at the nascent Opinion Video team at The New York Times, The Gotham Film & Media Institute (formerly IFP), and WNYC New York Public Radio. Wasey launched the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, the largest showcase devoted exclusively to Canadian film, now in its 25th year, and was a board member at The Flaherty, the pioneering nonprofit that since 1954 has been dedicated to fostering critical discourse around creative filmmaking. He is a current co-lead of the Producers Guild of America's Asian American & Pacific Islanders Working Group.

“We are so honored to have Adnaan Wasey joining Rooftop Films," says Jess Jacobs, Chair of Rooftop Films’ Board of Directors, “and our gratitude is boundless for Dan’s decades of service to the organization. Under his expert leadership, Rooftop’s commitment to New York City communities and independent filmmakers shimmered, even and especially during dark times.  With so much hanging in the balance for independent film now, Adnaan’s exceptional qualifications, passion and vision will carry our work forward as we envision a rich future for independent cinema and Rooftop’s critical role in it."

Nuxoll began working with Rooftop Films in 1997 and ascended to full-time Program Director in 2002, Artistic Director in 2011, and President in 2020. Over the course of 28 years, he oversaw the tenfold expansion of Rooftop Films’ acclaimed independent film programming, transforming  Rooftop Films from a small, all-volunteer organization into the largest and longest-running outdoor showcase for new independent films in the country - and one of the most influential and popular cultural nonprofits in New York. During his tenure, Rooftop Films presented more than 1,000 large-scale outdoor film screenings of new independent films and expanded their programming to all corners of the city. He oversaw collaborations with local, national, and international cultural institutions, including the Mayor’s Office of the City of New York, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the New York Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival, and negotiated all sponsorships, strategic partnerships, and relationships with independent and Hollywood studios. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Nuxoll oversaw the rapid construction of Rooftop Films' innovative drive-ins in Queens and Brooklyn, which became the largest operating cinemas in the city, and which hosted nearly every premiere screening in the city during that time. Though stepping away from organizational oversight this spring, Nuxoll will continue as a consultant for Rooftop Films over the coming months, ensuring that the organization will continue to benefit from his expertise.

"Throughout my long tenure at Rooftop Films, our goal was always to create a sustainable support system for independent filmmakers and films, and to transform the ways in which communities engage with independent cinema,” says Nuxoll, “and the value of nonprofit cultural organizations like Rooftop Films has never been more apparent than it is today. Stepping into my new role, I am proud to be passing the baton to someone as thoughtful and forward-looking as Adnaan. His unique blend of creativity, leadership, and dedication to the arts is exactly what Rooftop needs to navigate the ever-evolving independent film landscape.”

Under Wasey's leadership, Rooftop Films is set to launch its 28th annual Summer Series on May 17, 2024. The lineup of premieres, and the awardees of this year's Rooftop Films Filmmaker Fund grants, will be announced over the next month.