Maya Cade, Creator of the Black Film Archive, Chosen as New Owner of Milestone Films
Just over a month ago, it was announced that Maya Cade will be taking over as the new president and owner of indie film distribution company Milestone Films, as co-owners Amy Heller and Dennis Doros plan for retirement.
What is Milestone Films?
An internationally recognized independent film distributor, Milestone Films was created by husband-and-wife duo Heller and Doros in 1990 from their one-bedroom New York apartment. Nearly 30 years on, the company (still operating out of the Heller-Doros home) has become widely known for their restoration efforts – with a primary focus on renewing and redistributing films lost to history, specifically those by Black, Native American, LGBTQ and women directors whose works had been underrepresented during their time or barred from the purview of the mainstream.
Who is Maya Cade?
Maya Cade wears many hats; she is a writer, a programmer, a scholar-in-residence at the Library of Congress, a former audience editor for The Criterion Collection, creator/curator of the Black Film Archive and, now, the soon-to-be owner and president of a notable film distributor. At just 31, she has a long list of achievements, and by this time next year she will be running two prominent film-focused companies simultaneously.
Black Film Archive?
Cade’s idea for the film archive came in June 2020, at the height of public outcry for George Floyd’s murder. It began as a viral Twitter thread of historic Black films, as a way to provide some solace during trying times, and from there she started assembling a database of influential (but largely obscured) films by Black directors and orientated to Black audiences. Thus, in 2021 the Black Film Archive was born, providing free and easy access to an ever-expanding list of movies from 1898 to 1999. Cade’s efforts with the digital archive mirrors the work of Milestone, making her the perfect fit to carry on its legacy.
What it Means & Why it Matters
While preparing to lead Milestone, Cade isn’t stepping down from the Black Film Archive; instead, she’s hoping to use her new position to build on the work she’s already been doing. “I feel like Black Film Archive raised awareness of filmmakers and Milestone Films gives me the ability to not just have awareness of these filmmakers, but protect, preserve, acquire, ensure funds are in the hands of filmmakers,” Cade said in conversation with the New York Times. Milestone primarily deals in physical versions of film (with limited streaming options), and Black Film Archive is solely streaming, so the union of these two companies under Maya Cade is befitting.
Under Cade, Milestone Films will become part of a small (but consistently growing) list of Black-owned film distributors, joining the likes of Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing, among several others. With this, Cade aspires to establish a community-driven distribution model, and hopes to form relationships with Black filmmakers and continue to cultivate the intimate connections that have made Milestone so unique and successful.
