Jess Search, a titan of the documentary world and co-founder of the U.K.-headquartered Doc Society, is stepping away after 18 years following a brain tumor diagnosis.
The executive revealed her condition in a newsletter post sent to members on Thursday.
“Today I am sharing that I’m currently under the care of a neurosurgeon because like 300,000 others every year around the world, I’ve been diagnosed with a brain tumour,” Search wrote. “I’m stepping back from Doc Society — after 18 years of nonstop creative collaboration, dedicated craft, joyous partying and fierce camaraderie.”
Search, a well-respected leader and fierce advocate for the doc community, noted that the org has been led for years by six female directors in a “flat, power-sharing model.” “So I can do this, knowing that someone else will step in to be unfeasibly late for meetings and break the printer constantly,” joked Search.
“Whether you know me from a distance or up close and personal, I want to acknowledge that as a newsletter announcement, this is pretty heavy stuff,” said Search. “But know that I am extremely calm and have literally everything I need around me.”
The org will continue to be led by directors Megha Sood, Shanida Scotland, Sandra Whipham, Beadie Finzi and Maxyne Franklin.
Formed in 2005, Doc Society — formerly known as BRITDOC — is a non-profit group based out of the U.K. and New York. The org has funded and executive prodcued 520 film teams from 75 countries in its 18-year history.
Doc Society last week announced the launch of a global Democracy Story Unit to sit alongside its Climate Story Unit. It is also at work on an Independence Project – a co-created global research project that will “fully articulate the unique and vital contribution to society, culture and democracy of independent film” and create a manifesto that details the support required from distributors, funders and commissioners.
“In the course of the last few weeks as dear friends, co-conspirators and forever dance partners, we had to absorb the personal calamity of Jess’s diagnosis,” wrote the five directors in a joint statement.
“But the knowledge that it is not a calamity for the organisation is a source of strength and pride. It’s in these moments that the work is our guiding light. Doc Society’s mission to support independent filmmakers and cultural organisers stands as true now as it did the day we penned it.”
