I am especially saddened by the loss of another colleague, Adrienne Mancia. I worked alongside Adrienne at MoMA for nearly two decades, during which time we forged a life-long friendship that lasted until her very last days in NYC, where she lived until her recent passing in December 2022. During my career at MoMA as a film archivist, Adrienne achieved renown as the premiere film exhibition curator worldwide. Her interest in cinema had no bounds, incorporating animation, experimental films, documentaries, and narratives. Her programming skills flourished during a period before the age of videotape, internet, and niche movie channels so that the recognition for the films that she curated at MoMA garnered an outsized importance in terms of the New York film culture and beyond.

Adrienne’s first job in the field was at Contemporary Films, where she worked alongside Leo Dratfield and was involved in the distribution of many foreign films in the United States. She subsequently worked for nearly 35 years as a film curator at MoMA, then for an edition of the Venice Film Festival, followed by another signature position as the founding Curator of the BAM/Cinematek.

Adrienne’s imprimatur in screening many filmmakers’ nascent works at MoMA helped launch their careers. Adrienne once said, “To discover people who have new ways of saying things with film is thrilling. It keeps the idea alive that there are still surprises out there.” She also revived interest in films of past eras in programming retrospectives of directors, film studios, national cinemas, and film genres.

For me, Adrienne was a major bridge between creation and curation. Early in my career, working at such an august institution as MoMA, Adrienne pulled me aside and reminded me that without filmmakers, none of us would have any jobs. She instilled in me a sense of humility that my mission was to support their creativity in my curatorial work.

Later in my career, Adrienne facilitated my programming work for the Tribeca Film Festival as well as internationally for the festivals in Locarno and Pesaro. I also traveled with Adrienne to festivals in Rotterdam, Bologna, and Pesaro until she was well into her eighties.

Adrienne was a mentor to scores of programmers, filmmakers, and cinephiles. She openly shared her knowledge of and passion for cinema. She was also generous in spirit and a unique human being who valued character above all else. The countless individual lives that she impacted will insure that her monumental legacy, both professionally and personally, will live on in the hearts and minds of others.

Further helping to extend Mancia’s legacy, I collaborated with Curator Ron Magliozzi on the recent In Memoriam screening series at MoMA. I also facilitated the donation of her archive of books, papers, and memorabilia to MoMA so as to be studied and appreciated by future generations of programmers and scholars.

CURATOR'S CORNER

In Memoriam: Adrienne Mancia