Cinefamily leadership

The name most associated with Cinefamily in the public imagination is Hadrian Belove, but Belove was technically the hired help. Brothers Dan and Sammy Harkham had effective control over Cinefamily operations, finances, and governance.

Cinefamily listed the 18 members of its board of directors in its final tax filing before it closed. Fine print in the same filing shows 17 of those directors were effectively powerless. Dan Harkham legally controlled the Cinefamily; Sammy was his understudy. It is not clear if either the board or the advisory board played any role beyond window dressing.

Internal board documents indicate Cinefamily problems were long known to some board members. Documents also indicate differential treatment for what seem to be “most favored” directors.

Note documents marked “unpublished” have not been verified as authentic. Even assuming their authenticity, none of these documents necessarily indicates anything improper occurred.

Dan & Sammy Harkham

Board of Directors

Advisory Board

Unpublished Cinefamily Board materials

• Board presentation on financial responsibility
  Several former staff told this website that shortly after giving this presentation to a board subcommittee in January 2013, the staffer was fired.

• Board orientation manual
  This draft reportedly dates to approximately 2012; before that time there had reportedly been no materials for board members.

• Board commitment letters
  These letters outlined directors’ responsibilities, including the annual financial support committed to Cinefamily (“give and get”). Some letters seem to have been modified, effectively granting financial waivers to longtime directors.

  • Waiver 1

  • Waiver 2

  • Waiver 3