I’m saddened to listen to of the passing of Josh Welsh, the longtime president of Movie Unbiased, and on behalf of all of us at RogerEbert.com we provide our deepest condolences to his spouse Bonnie and his daughter Isla. He was solely 62 years previous when he handed away on New Yr’s Eve, December 31, 2024, after a five-year combat with colon most cancers.
Throughout his 21 yr tenure with Movie Unbiased, Josh was keen about giving unbiased filmmakers a a lot wanted enhance by way of grants and particular applications emphasizing each training and hands-on filmmaking expertise. I, and my late husband Roger, collaborated with Josh when Roger was requested over a number of years to emcee what was then known as the Unbiased Spirit Awards.
Josh was universally praised for making vital enhancements to the group. I additionally obtained to see Josh’s dedication to amplifying the voices of unbiased filmmakers by way of Challenge Contain when he requested me to chair its twenty fifth Anniversary the place we celebrated Effie T. Brown, Jon M. Chu, Cherien Dabis and Charles D. King. The mission of Challenge Contain was to offer 30 up-and-coming movie professionals from under-represented communities the chance to hone their abilities and acquire business entry. It was this dedication to inclusion that garnered my biggest admiration.
Movie Unbiased Board of Administrators head Brenda Robinson was laudatory in her reward of Josh and resolved in her dedication to hold on the great work of the group. She instructed me:
“Presently, our ideas are with Josh’s household and family members. We’re profoundly grateful for his three a long time of service to Movie Unbiased, together with his extraordinary tenure as President. Josh reworked the group into a worldwide chief in filmmaker training and tirelessly championed unbiased voices. His passing is a horrible loss, however his legacy is enduring, and we’re assured that the group he constructed will proceed to thrive and encourage.”
Josh Welsh acquired a Ph.D. in philosophy from Johns Hopkins College and a BA in philosophy from Kenyon Faculty. He then began working as an actor in Los Angeles, earlier than volunteering for the annual Movie Unbiased Spirit Awards in 1996. Later, he formally joined the workers.
Previous to turning into co-president in 2012 alongside Sean McManus (then sole president in 2013), Welsh oversaw the general design, strategic planning, and implementation of Movie Unbiased’s Artists Growth applications. He was a tireless ambassador for the group, serving on competition juries and talking at movie colleges. His experience in increasing the funds, programming, and workers of Movie Unbiased was stated to end in a greater than 100% enhance in membership.
On stage, at Movie Unbiased occasions, Josh got here throughout easy and relaxed, so I used to be shocked when he instructed me how nervous he was earlier than strolling on. He had expertise each from his earlier performing and his stint with a band. I used to be personally glad to see him out and about at one of many final large Movie Unbiased occasions a couple of months in the past after we thought his most cancers was in remission. He greeted everybody with an enormous smile and he shared with us his pleasure for future occasions. It jogged my memory of Roger’s sense of objective and the way essential it’s to take care of it for so long as we are able to. Bless you for that braveness Josh.
Gregory Nava, director and co-founder of Movie Unbiased (then referred to as IFP West), stated:
“Welsh was a robust chief at a essential time within the historical past of Movie Unbiased. As one of many founders of Movie Unbiased I used to be all the time deeply impressed along with his vitality and imaginative and prescient in rising the group. He took unbiased filmmaking worldwide with the World Media Makers program, planting the seed of unbiased filmmaking throughout the globe. He might be missed however his legacy will reside on within the lots of of filmmakers each right here and all around the world that he impressed.”
Exterior of his work at Movie Unbiased, Welsh was the lead singer of the alt-country band Meatyard, which can launch a brand new album later this yr. In an Instagram publish, the band paid tribute to Welsh:
“Expensive buddies, Josh put down his guitar and left to sing with the angels on the final day of 2024. With damaged hearts, we rejoice his great life pressure; his generosity and his love of connection. We are going to carry him in our hearts perpetually.”
