Draft:Janet Pierson

Janet Pierson
Born1957 (age 68–69)
New Jersey
Occupationsproducer, writer
Notable workSXSW Film Festival

Janet Pierson is a film producer, film festival programmer, and curator. She served as Director of the SXSW Film & TV Festival from 2008 to 2023.[1] She has also worked as a producer and producer’s representative on independent film projects.[2]

Early life and education

Janet Pierson was born in 1957 in New Jersey. She later moved to Westchester County, New York. She studied at Hampshire College from 1973 to 1975 and graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1977.[3]

Career

Pierson has worked in independent film exhibition, producing, and representation. In the late 1970s, she became Director of the Canyon Cinema Distribution Cooperative. She also worked in public relations and served as an assistant director with the San Francisco Repertory Company and Film Forum in New York.[2] From 1985 onward, she collaborated on a range of independent film projects, including work as an investor and producer’s representative on films such as She’s Gotta Have It, Roger & Me, Slacker, and Clerks.[4] In 1994, Pierson became co-president of Grainy Pictures.[5] She was a co-creator and executive producer of the Independent Film Channel (IFC) television series *Split Screen* (1997–2000).[6] From 2002 to 2003, she lived in Taveuni, Fiji, where she assisted in operating a local cinema. This experience was documented in the film *Reel Paradise* (2005).[7]

SXSW Film & TV Festival

In 2008, Pierson was appointed Director of the SXSW Film Festival, succeeding Matt Dentler.[1] During her tenure, SXSW expanded its film and television programming, including the introduction of a dedicated episodic section in 2014.[8] Films that screened at SXSW during this period include *Short Term 12*, *Ex Machina*, *Bridesmaids*, *Booksmart*, and *Everything Everywhere All at Once*.[9] In 2009, the festival screened *Alexander the Last* concurrently with its video-on-demand release.[10]

Awards and recognition

Pierson has been included in The Guardian’s "Film Power 100" list and named among IndieWire’s annual "Influencers".[11] In 2023, the Janet Pierson Champion Award was established by the SXSW Film & TV Festival to recognize contributions to film and television storytelling.[12]

  • Named to The Guardian’s “Film Power 100” list in 2010.[11]
  • Named by IndieWire among the “Influencers” in 2013.[11]
  • The Janet Pierson Champion Award was established by the SXSW Film & TV Festival in 2023.[12]

Membership and advisory roles

Pierson has served on panels and juries for organizations including the British Film Institute, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Creative Capital.[13]

Personal life

Pierson has lived in Austin, Texas, since 2004. She married producer and author John Pierson in 1983. They have two children.[14]

Filmography

  • Split Screen (1997–2000) – Co-creator (episodes 1–20), executive producer (episodes 1–66), segment director (select episodes)
  • Reel Paradise (2005) – Executive producer; self
  • Beeswax (2009) – Actress
  1. ^ a b The SXSW Film & TV Festival has a new head as Janet Pierson passes the baton – Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-10-05/janet-pierson-sxsw-film-festival-director-claudette-godfrey
  2. ^ a b Janet Pierson biography – IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682770/bio/
  3. ^ SXSW Director Pierson Developed Critical Eye as Hampshire Student – Hampshire College. https://www.hampshire.edu/news/sxsw-director-pierson-developed-critical-eye-hampshire-student
  4. ^ A Thirty-Year History of Being Helpful: Janet Pierson and SXSW – Letterboxd Journal. https://letterboxd.com/festiville/story/a-thirty-year-history-of-being-helpful-janet/
  5. ^ Profile: Janet Pierson, SXSW Film Director – Movie City News (archived via Grainy Pictures). http://www.grainypictures.com/john/mcn.html
  6. ^ Split Screen (1997–2000) – IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211603/
  7. ^ Reel Paradise (2005) appearance – IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682770/
  8. ^ Janet Pierson on Curating SXSW and the Importance of Discovery – Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/03/janet-pierson-sxsw-profile
  9. ^ "We're Not Like Other Places": How Janet Pierson Transformed SXSW – Moveable Fest. https://moveablefest.com/how-janet-pierson-cultivated-connectivity/
  10. ^ SXSW 2022 Film & TV Festival press release (mentions *Alexander the Last* showcased) – SXSW. https://sxsw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Press-Release-SXSW-2022-Film-TV-Leadership-Transition-FINAL.pdf
  11. ^ a b c Janet Pierson made The Guardian’s Film Power 100 list and IndieWire Influencers – IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682770/bio/
  12. ^ a b SXSW Film & TV Festival Director Janet Pierson Shifts to Director Emeritus Role – SXSW official site. https://www.sxsw.com/film/2022/sxsw-film-tv-festival-director-janet-pierson-shifts-to-director-emeritus-role/
  13. ^ Janet Pierson panel and jury roles – IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682770/bio/
  14. ^ Love and Cinema: Janet and John Pierson – The Austin Chronicle. https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2023-03-03/love-and-cinema-janet-and-john-pierson/

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