Cordillera International Film Festival Social Media Responds To August 10th Message from Multiple Board Members Who Said It's Being Canceled
A rebuttal statement from the in crisis Cordillera International Film Festival was sent out via its social media today, not signed but not confirming if the event will take place in October.
This follows a letter signed by six of eight members of its corporate board saying it would be canceled pointing to allegations of possible leadership financial improprieties they wanted to look into.
“The Cordillera International Film Festival is aware of the August 10th, 2026 communication distributed to filmmakers, sponsors, vendors, community partners, and members of the public by six individuals who subsequently resigned from the CIFF Board of Directors,” the post today indicated.
“Many members of the Cordillera International Film Festival Board received the August 10th communication at the same time as the general public and were not consulted in advance regarding its content or release.
We understand the concern, confusion, and uncertainty this communication has caused within a community that has supported Cordillera for nearly a decade.
All issues are being addressed through the appropriate channels. Out of respect for that process, CIFF will not attempt to address those issues through public statements, social media, or the press.”
The Cordillera International Film Festival website remains unchanged even after an email signed by six departing members of its Board of Directors indicated they had voted to cancel the 2026 festival scheduled in October.
The six identified former members, including President Bret Blackhart, remain listed on the website’s board page even though the email said they were resigning as of their letter August 10th.
The five others who signed are Jamie Asmis, Cheryl Lewis, Marcia Lu, Joanna O’Neal and Ted Kelly.
The email alleges they made repeated requests to Emily Skyle-Golden for financial records and documentation for an investigation into allegations of possible financial improprieties but that their efforts “were repeatedly rebuffed, and the Board was ultimately unable to complete its investigation to its satisfaction.”
They made up six of the eight positions on the Corporate Board, along with Skyle-Golden and Dennis Weisgerber.
It says a meeting was convened on August 7th, but Skyle-Golden did not appear then. They said they then voted to remove her as Executive Director and from the festival itself, but that since then they wrote she allegedly attempted to add six new members to the board.
Skyle-Golden’s husband is already on the board listed as Co-Founder, while Skyle-Golden is still listed as founder and executive director. There is another Asmis on the board and another Blackhart, while yet another Blackhart is listed as Social Media Director.
We contacted the film festival’s counsel to find out more about all this but have yet to hear back.
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