Dylan Skolnick is returning as Director of the Cinema Arts Center after protests and boycotts following his firing.
In a post announcing Skolnick’s reinstatement, the Long Island cultural institute said its board of directors had sat down for a series of meetings with an independent mediator. “These discussions have led to an agreement to move forward together, and we are pleased to welcome Dylan back to the cinema,” the release read.
In September, Skolnick was expelled by the CAC’s board of directors for “gross misconduct.” In justifying the move, the group blasted Skolnick as a “dysfunctional” and “rude” manager whose freelance work as a film buyer for other independent cinemas was a conflict of interest. Skolnick and his supporters countered that the CAC board was experiencing a “hostile takeover” and said his moonlighting as a film buyer was a common practice in the industry. Skolnick said that he had contacted an earlier statement to the board about his work, but admitted that the current leadership was not aware of his concert.
Skolnick had deep ties to the institution, which his parents founded in Huntington, New York more than 50 years ago, as well as strong ties to the wider filmmaking world. Major figures such as Edie Falco, Kent Jones, and Isabella Rossellini jumped to his support, while donations to the CAC dried up, and box office receipts shook, IndieWire reported last month.
The CAC said that as part of Skolnick’s reinstatement, a new co-director will be hired in the coming months to help lead the agency and its board will invite several new members, “including people with backgrounds and experience in the film world. Skolnick and his co-director and the CAC board will “receive additional training focused on effective management, leadership, accountability and fostering a positive workplace culture. ”
In a statement, the CAC’s leadership acknowledged the cracks created by Skolnick’s ouster, as well as the need to repair relationships and address the nonprofit’s financial challenges.
“We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who spoke, showed their support, and stood by the Cinema during one of the most challenging times in its history,” the theater said in a statement. “Your voices made a difference, and your continued commitment to this institution means more than we can express.”