Rehoboth film society announces new leadership
The Rehoboth Beach Film Society recently welcomed Helen M. Chamberlin as its new executive director. The film society is moving forward post-pandemic to broaden its 24-year legacy of providing outstanding indie films through the annual Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival and at the Cinema Art Theater in Lewes.
Under its founding Executive Director Sue Early, the RBFS organized what became the premier independent film festival in the Mid-Atlantic Region. After 22 years of leading the society, Early retired at the end of July.
A Washington, D.C. native and a longtime Dewey Beach summer vacationer, Chamberlin is a broadcast media veteran who joined the National Cable and Television Association in 1995. Career highlights include producing 90 cable original films, indies, documentaries and Hollywood film premieres at NCTA’s 105-seat, state-of-the art theater located in its Capitol Hill headquarters. She was credited with making Washington, D.C., a must-screen stop for premieres for Washington’s elite.
RBFS Board President Ellen Feinberg, reflecting on the society’s executive search, said, “Helen’s full-time move to the area as a result of the pandemic was fortuitous as we prepared for Sue’s retirement and the need to shift our strategy to reconnect and expand our reach to cinema enthusiasts post-COVID.”
More recently, Chamberlin served as executive director of Bowen McCauley Dance Company, a regional professional group based in Washington, D.C.
Chamberlin said, “For decades, I made the drive every weekend between Washington, D.C., and Dewey Beach. I’m thrilled to be able to live here and do the work that is most meaningful to me.”
The Rehoboth Beach Film Society mission is to promote cinematic arts and provide education, cultural enrichment, and opportunities for engagement for its diverse communities and audiences. The film society sponsors film screenings, special events and the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, set for Nov. 7-13 this year. More information is available at rehobothfilm.com.
