Film Independent Scores Its Biggest Grant Ever (Exclusive)

There’s a new indie czar in town. Quietly, since April 2026, when he was appointed the president of Film Independent after an exhaustive search, Colombia-born ex-KCET executive Juan Devis has been pushing the Los Angeles arts institution into the here and now. Giving a major boost to his efforts is the Perenchio Foundation’s recent grant of $2.55 million, the most substantial sum given to the non-profit in its 45-year history.

“The Perenchio Foundation’s grant is an investment in the future of independent storytelling,” said Devis. “At a time when our industry is undergoing profound change, this support gives Film Independent the opportunity to build a more resilient organization, strengthen our artist ecosystem, expand our role in the creative economy, and ensure that the next generation of filmmakers has the resources, community, and platform to thrive. We are profoundly grateful for their partnership and confidence in our vision.”

The philanthropic investment is to be utilized over the next three years, providing vital support for film and media arts within the city’s nonprofit arts ecosystem. Perenchio Foundation’s General Operating Support Grants provide unrestricted, multi-year funding to arts organizations across Los Angeles County. These grants are designed to strengthen organizational infrastructure, buttress long-term planning, and build financial resilience. Large-scale arts funding has not always flowed through film and media arts organizations at the same level as other cultural institutions.

Film Independent’s work connects artist development with public-facing cultural programming: supporting filmmakers and their careers while also creating screenings, conversations, performances and other experiences for audiences. The organization’s flagship fundraising event is the starry annual Indie Spirit Awards, which returns to the Hollywood Palladium March 6, 2027. During a background conversation at Film Independent’s Wilshire offices this week, Devis promised a totally different experience from last year. The Spirit Awards are voted on by the organization’s over 8,000 members — a number Devis hopes to grow.

Film Independent also collaborates with other Los Angeles arts nonprofits. One example is its partnership with The Wallis on programming including Live Reads, which brings together film and performing-arts audiences and artists for one-night only staging of screenplays. Last month, a live reading of the BDSM romantic comedy “Secretary” was guest-directed by Jane Schoenbrun at the Wallis Annenberg Center, featuring Emmy winners Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder.