The Cinema Eye family recognizes the recent passing of Bob Alexander, a co-founder of the online independent film distributor IndiePix and a key, early supporter and sponsor of the Cinema Eye Honors.
“Bob understood the importance of recognizing craft in nonfiction film,” said AJ Schnack, Cinema Eye Founding Director. “He took an impassioned idea and bankrolled it, making it possible for us to host the first awards just four months after the initial spark. Without his enthusiasm, it’s unlikely Cinema Eye would exist in the form that it does today.”
Indiepix, led by Alexander, presented the first two Honors in 2008 and 2009. Since 2010, Cinema Eye has been an independent organization supported by a number of sponsors and community members.
“Bob was an early believer and pioneer of the viability of docs on VOD. He was a risk-taker and Cinema Eye couldn’t have launched without his support,” said Thom Powers, the documentary programmer of the Toronto International Film Festival and co-founder of Cinema Eye.
Writing about the inaugural event in 2008, Alexander said it was his goal to “shine a bright light on the achievements of these filmmakers…and to signal to audiences everywhere that the evolution of nonfiction story-telling continues today as rapidly as the social and technological context of their art.”
Our sincere condolences to Bob’s wife Margo, his family and his co-workers.