Metrograph Appoints Inge de Leeuw as Director of Programming to Lead Curatorial Team
Metrograph Appoints Inge de Leeuw as Director of Programming to Lead Curatorial Team
Award-Winning Film Curator Brings International Expertise and Interdisciplinary Approach to Audiences in New York and Metrograph’s Streaming Platform; Announces Metrograph Expanded Initiative.
(New York, NY – March 15, 2023) – Metrograph’s newly appointed Director of Programming Inge de Leeuw comes to New York from Rotterdam to spearhead the New York-based entertainment company’s curatorial vision. With her rich background as a programmer and experience collaborating with major brands and cultural institutions on exhibitions and public programs worldwide, de Leeuw brings an eclectic, well-rounded, and interdisciplinary approach to Metrograph’s programming.
Prior to Metrograph, de Leeuw began working with International Film Festival Rotterdam’s programming department in 2007, and became a programmer there in 2010. She focused on selecting films from the English speaking territories and curating thematic, interdisciplinary programs for the festival. During her tenure, she introduced the first feature films from Kogonada, Eliza Hittman, Terence Nance and others to European audiences, and conceived experiential installations with filmmaking collectives like The Eyeslicer (led by Jane Schoenbrun & Vanessa McDonnell) and The Ummah Chroma. In 2019, Screen International honored de Leeuw as one of the best emerging festival programmers with the Best Emerging Festival Programmer Cinando Award.
Previously, she curated interdisciplinary programs and installations for, among others, Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, The Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow, Singapore International Film Festival, Indie Memphis Film Festival, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, and KinoForum in São Paulo, and Ghetto Film School (NY/LA/London). She has worked with major international brands like Prada and Maison Margiela, whose in-house films she programmed in site-specific installations alongside works by Kenneth Anger, agnès b., and the Quay Brothers for a special fashion program at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
At Metrograph, de Leeuw collaborates closely with Programmer Lydia Ogwang, who joined the curatorial team in 2022. Prior to Metrograph, Ogwang worked in film distribution before joining TIFF’s Cinematheque and Festival Programming teams. In 2019, Ogwang was selected as one of fifteen participants for the fourth annual U.S. edition of Film at Lincoln Center and Locarno International Film Festival's Industry Academy; that same year, she was also named as a programmer to watch in Screen International's Future Leaders feature. Ogwang previously served as Senior Editor at cléo journal, and has also written for Criterion, The Brooklyn Rail, and Cinema Scope Magazine, among other publications.
Inge de Leeuw and Lydia Ogwang
Together, de Leeuw and Ogwang will oversee the launch of Metrograph Expanded, a new programming concept that will integrate multiple aspects of Metrograph’s physical space and its at-home streaming service, providing context to curated film series. From audiovisual art installations in the 7 Ludlow Street lobby to specially crafted menus in its Commissary restaurant and bar to exclusive SVOD selections, the dynamic programming will span multiple disciplines—including visual art, film, and food—in thematic alignment with film curation.
Metrograph Expanded will debut on March 17, 2023, with Botanical Imprints, a plant-themed takeover of Metrograph, with special screenings, Q&As, an audiovisual lobby installation, and plant-based menu concept at Commissary. For more information, please visit the Metrograph website here.
“Inge has built an international reputation on the film festival circuit as an ambitious, innovative programmer,” says Christian Grass, Metrograph CEO. “She has a fresh perspective that treats film curation as a springboard for collaboration and cross-disciplinary exploration. Her work has intersected with architecture, fashion, visual art, digital culture, and social practice, and she has an impressive track record of bringing communities together through public programs. We’re thrilled to welcome her to New York, and to see how she shapes Metrograph with her distinctive vision.”
“Metrograph is a family built around film curation—daring, inspiring, personal programs that have driven our growth since we opened in 2016,” says Alexander Olch, Metrograph Founder. “These countless detailed choices accumulate into our signature cinematic experience, which we are incredibly excited to see Inge lead. I’m thrilled to welcome Inge to our family and see her build her team with Lydia, as they create original, thought-provoking programs that are already inspiring our New York and growing nationwide community.”
“I am honored to have been appointed as Director of Programming at Metrograph,” says Inge de Leeuw, “where I will have the opportunity to focus on my passion for cinema, interdisciplinary curation, and collaborative leadership. I am excited to work together with Lydia and the rest of the exceptional programming team to create cinematic experiences that challenge conventions, inspire our audiences in new and exciting ways, and create a home for the filmmaking community at Metrograph.”
about metrograph
Metrograph is an entertainment company founded in 2016, based in New York City. Metrograph NYC is an independent movie theater at 7 Ludlow Street focusing on rare archival screenings (35mm and digital), special premieres, and Q&As, and includes a restaurant, The Commissary, bookstore, and Candy Store. Metrograph Pictures is an independent distribution company started in 2019 centered around Metrograph’s signature curation. Works acquired and released to date include restorations such as Possession (1981), A Bigger Splash (1973), Downtown 81 (1981/2001), Hyenas (1992), among other titles. Metrograph At Home launched in July 2020, bringing Metrograph’s signature curation to a nationwide audience at metrograph.com.
PRESS CONTACT
Jill Robinson
Cultural Counsel
jill@culturalcounsel.com
Photo Credit: Jeremy Liebman