Since its inception in 1981, CID has worked with hundreds of independent film and video producers to support the production of stories not often told in mainstream media.
CID films have been seen on PBS as part of American Masters, American Experience, Independent Lens and POV, received national cablecasts from HBO, Sundance, Discovery and LOGO channels, and have appeared at every major film festival. They have received Academy Award nominations, Emmys, and the Peabody. They are used by a variety of nonprofit and community organizations, from grassroots groups to schools, around the United States and throughout the world.
CID works with filmmakers from all regions of the country and across the world. The demographics of the filmmakers and the subjects of their films are diverse. The extent of The Center’s engagement with independent producers is unique and includes cooperation at all phases of their projects. Whether it be management of funds, offering creative and technical support, assistance in preparation of funding proposals or devising strategies to maximize a film’s impact upon release, CID works hard to make sure that each filmmaker is supported 100% of the way. Through the fiscal sponsorship program, filmmakers enjoy access to state, federal and institutional funding as well as to tax deductible individual donations. CID also provides professional development programs and collaborates with other organizations on initiatives that strengthen the production environment for independent filmmakers. These programs include workshops, rough cut screenings, and a weeklong retreat for 10 filmmakers held each summer in Vermont. CID is dedicated to promoting diversity and representation in the documentary film industry, and many of the films we support focus on social justice and underrepresented voices. We are committed to fostering the next generation of independent filmmakers and providing them with the tools and resources they need to tell important stories.
The Center has been awarded the “Commonwealth Award” as Outstanding Cultural Organization in Massachusetts by the Massachusetts Cultural Council for excellence, dedication, and vision in giving voice to independent New England documentary filmmakers and for broadening the audience of the medium. CID is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to transparency and to providing our donors with complete information about the use of funds contributed to our organization. To view information related to our tax status or to see our tax returns, please visit our listing on Guidestar. Our Tax ID is 04-2738458.
As part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Universal Participation (UP) Initiative, CID is proud to be an UP Designated Organization. UP Designated Organizations are a growing cohort of leaders and innovators in the field who serve to inspire other organizations. They have demonstrated a commitment to learn, take action, and embrace inclusivity as a core organizational value and possess behaviors that reflect the aspirations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Our Team
Susi Walsh, Executive Director:
With the late Fred Simon, Susi is the co-founder of the Center for Independent Documentary and remains the driving force behind the organization. A filmmaker in her own right, she is also a founding board member of the Massachusetts Production Coalition and has been recognized by Women In Film & Video with an “Image Award” and an “Imaginnaire Award” for her work with independent filmmakers. She holds a degree in Interrelated Media Design from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Mira Simon, Director of Operations:
Mira brings with her a wide range of account management and marketing experience having worked in the music, film, advertising and consumer research fields. She has also been an active participant in the New England arts community, helping to organize the 2009 National Media, Arts and Culture Conference, working at The Massachusetts Film Office, and assisting at the annual Boston Independent Film Festival. She holds a degree in Communications from Clark University.
Board of Directors
Anthony T. Logalbo, President
A graduate of Stuyvesant High School (NYC) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY), Mr. Logalbo received graduate degrees from the John Fitzgerald Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. Mr. Logalbo served as the Director of Finance for the town of Concord, Massachusetts from 1980 until his retirement in 2016. He previously served as Director of Administrative Services for the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Assistant Director of Finance for the City of Oakland, California. Mr. Logalbo is a past president of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Society for Public Administration, and served as president and as a member of the Legislative Committee of the Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Association. He currently serves as the treasurer of the Foundation for Racial, Ethnic, and Religious Harmony (Newton, MA).
Marion Burke, Treasurer
Currently Director of Quality Management, Risk Management and Training for the Department of Psychiatry at the Boston Medical Center, Ms. Burke has more than 30 years experience in hospital and nursing administration. An expert in her field, she has also taught at schools of nursing including Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where she also served as Assistant Vice President for Nursing. Ms. Burke’s administrative skills and her knowledge in the healthcare field have made her an important resource for networking and collaboration for projects, as well as for organizational planning. She serves on the Board of Directors of Womenade Boston, a women’s giving circle.
Leslie Hitch
In her academic career, Dr. Hitch has taught leadership, management communications, organizational change, research methods and higher education administration at Northeastern University, Simmons University, William James College and the University of New England. She has extensive international teaching experience at Swinburne University in Australia, and in Hong Kong and Vietnam. Two cases she wrote for Ivey Publishing-Indian School of Business won top prizes in their international competition –2015 and 2017. She is a volunteer for Newton at Home and a member of the Board of Trustees for Strayer University. A lover of history, Dr. Hitch is keenly interested in documentaries.
Eric Stange
Mr. Stange is a Boston-based independent documentary film producer, director and writer who specializes in cultural and social history. His collaborations with CID began in 1985. Television credits include Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive; The Wall and After the Wall – a two-part series about modern Germany; Unnatural Causes; Is InEquality Making Us Sick?; The War That Made America, a dramatized documentary series about the French and Indian War; and Murder At Harvard, a historical who-dunnit that explores the process of historical inquiry through a compelling murder story. He has been a research fellow at the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History at Harvard University. He is a member of the editorial board of Common-Place, a web journal on early American history and a visiting fellow with the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.
Nancy Kates
Ms. Kates produced and directed the feature-length HBO documentary Regarding Susan Sontag, which premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival, where it received a Special Jury Mention. It has since screened at over 130 film festivals in 35 countries, and received several honors, including a FOCAL International Award. Regarding Susan Sontag received major funding from the NEA, the NEH, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and Sundance. Ms. Magazine named the film one of 2014’s top ten feminist films, while critics called it “compelling” and “perceptive” (NY Times); “a stunning portrait” (Ally Derks, IDFA); and “mesmerizing, thoughtful, provocative” (Times Herald Record), praising its “boldly evocative impressionist strokes” (SF Chronicle). Kates also produced and directed Brother Outsider: the Life of Bayard Rustin, with Bennett Singer. The film premiered in competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and on the PBS series “POV,” winning more than 25 awards worldwide. Critics described it as “a potent piece of historical rediscovery” (LA Times); “beautifully crafted” (Boston Globe); “powerful and startling” (The Advocate); and “poignant” (TIME). Kates studied documentary at Stanford; her master’s thesis, Their Own Vietnam, received the 1995 Student Academy Award. Based in Berkeley, California, Kates also works as a speaker and writer. In 2014, she was included in the OUT 100, the magazine’s list of intriguing LGBT Americans.
Supported by
We are proud to participate in the Card to Culture program, a collaboration between the Mass Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, and the Massachusetts Health Connector, by broadening accessibility to cultural programming. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders automatically qualify for financial aid for workshops and seminars; tuition will vary. See the complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.