For Immediate Release

OJAI, Calif. — June 18, 2026 — Ojai Film Festival (OFF) announces two key leadership appointments for its upcoming 27th annual edition, set for Nov. 6–9, 2026 in Ojai, Calif. Richard Sven Shelgren has been named Festival Director, and Theodore Melfi has been appointed Artistic Director, bringing a combined depth of industry experience to one of Southern California’s most celebrated independent film festivals.

Founded in 2000, the Ojai Film Festival grew out of a simple but powerful insight: the same qualities that make Ojai a magnet for artists, healers, and seekers — its mountain beauty, its creative community, its remove from the urban sprawl — could make it an ideal home for independent cinema. What began as a grassroots celebration of global storytelling has grown over more than two decades into a four-day festival that draws filmmakers from more than 40 countries, presenting features, shorts, documentaries, and animation alongside seminars, screenwriting competitions, and a full-day education program serving more than 200 regional high school students annually. As legendary producer Peter Guber once observed: “Ojai is the next Telluride.”

Shelgren is an accomplished executive producer whose decades of global industry experience span top-tier commercial production, feature film, and digital media, with honors at Cannes, the Clios, the Emmys, and MoMA.

“What the Ojai Film Festival has achieved over more than a quarter century is genuinely remarkable. Against every headwind that has buffeted independent cinema — the streaming revolution, the pandemic, the consolidation of distribution — this festival has not only survived but grown in stature and purpose. It endures because it is rooted in something the algorithms cannot replicate: a real community, a singular place, and an unshakable belief that independent voices deserve an audience. I am honored to help carry that forward.” Richard Sven Shelgren, Festival Director

Melfi is the writer, director, and producer of the Academy Award–nominated Hidden Figures and the critically acclaimed St. Vincent, with a career spanning major studio features, global commercial work, and producing through Goldenlight Films.

(Full bios of Shelgren and Melfi are available at OjaiFilmFestival.com/board-members.)

“The Ojai Valley has a character unlike anywhere else. It’s a place shaped by artists, by independent thinkers, by a community that has always valued depth over spectacle. This spirit will be the organizing principle of our programming; films that challenge, that move and inspire, that reflect the curiosity and openness that define life here. We intend for every audience member to leave a screening feeling that they’ve seen something they could not have found anywhere else, and hopefully they’re better for it.” Theodore Melfi, Artistic Director

Submissions for the 2026 festival have been extended six weeks and will be open through July 15 via FilmFreeway. The festival accepts features, shorts, documentaries, and animated works completed after Nov. 1, 2023. For guidelines and deadlines, visit filmfreeway.com/OjaiFilmFestival.

Both Shelgren and Melfi serve on the festival’s Board of Directors. Also announced today were these additional new and returning members of the festival’s board:

• Paul Dektor, Co-Artistic Director — Award-winning commercial and feature film director based in Santa Barbara
• Kimberly Quinn, Co-Artistic Director — Actress, writer, and producer; co-founder of Goldenlight Films
• Joe Sciarrotta, Executive Creative Director — Global deputy Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy, and advertising industry creative leader
• David Ginsberg, Director of Strategic Partnerships — Veteran film and television producer and co-founder of Estuary Films with more than 30 years of experience spanning talent representation and production.
• Tisha Morris, Vice President/Director of Governance — Entertainment attorney, bestselling author, and founder of Legacy Arts Law PC
• Simon Balderas, Board Member — Ojai-raised Native American filmmaker and veteran director-producer-cinematographer
• Greg Ptacek, Board Member — Los Angeles film festival director and Hollywood studio publicist
• Bonnie Bartling, Secretary — Longtime Ojai community leader and festival volunteer since 2008

Media Contact
Greg Ptacek, Ojai Film Festival
gregptacek@me.com  ·  323-841-8002