Indie Memphis Appoints Kimel Fryer as New Executive Director

Indie Memphis Executive Director Kimel Fryer / Photo by Trakela Smalls

Indie Memphis is pleased to announce filmmaker and native Memphian Kimel Fryer as the organization’s new Executive Director, effective October 3rd of this year. Fryer will also oversee this year’s Indie Memphis Film Festival, running from October 19th - 24th, both virtually and on the ground in Memphis, Tennessee.

Indie Memphis is pleased to announce filmmaker and native Memphian Kimel Fryer as the organization’s new Executive Director, effective October 3rd of this year. Fryer will also oversee this year’s Indie Memphis Film Festival, running from October 19th - 24th, both virtually and on the ground in Memphis, Tennessee. 

“As Indie Memphis completes its 25th year, I am honored and excited to come on board as Executive Director,” says Fryer. “With my strong financial background and my passion for independent films and filmmakers, I look forward to leading our organization as we continue our legacy and strengthen the independent film and production environment in Memphis moving forward.”

"It gives me great pleasure to announce Kimel Fryer as the new Executive Director of Indie Memphis," said Anton Mack, Board President. "Kimel possesses an exciting passion for independent film and an unwavering devotion to independent artists along with her own talents as an executive, mentor and filmmaker. Her authenticity, experience and vision will serve her well in leading Indie Memphis forward into the next quarter century."

Fryer comes to Indie Memphis after working in corporate finance, in addition to being a filmmaker. Most recently, she supported the Healthcare Business Unit as a Senior Financial Analyst at FedEx Supply Chain in their new downtown Memphis location. A multi-hyphenate producer-writer-director, Fryer most recently operated as a producer of the feature film, LIFE AIN’T LIKE THE MOVIES, which is currently on the Amazon and Tubi networks. 

Indie Memphis Artistic Director Miriam Bale adds, “We are so pleased to begin this new era of Indie Memphis under Kimel Fryer, a film producer who has shown strong leadership, organization, sensitivity, and enormous curiosity in all of our previous involvements with her.”

The 2022 Indie Memphis Film Festival will run from October 19th through 24th on the ground in Memphis and online. The full festival program will be announced in the coming weeks. More info is available at https://www.indiememphis.org/imff22.

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About Kimel Fryer

Kimel Fryer comes to Indie Memphis after working in corporate finance for nine years. Most recently, she supported the Healthcare Business Unit as a Senior Financial Analyst at FedEx Supply Chain in their new downtown Memphis location. She is also a multi-hyphenate producer-writer-director. Being involved in creative spaces since childhood, Fryer most recently operated as a producer of the feature film, LIFE AIN’T LIKE THE MOVIES, which is currently on the Amazon and Tubi networks.  

Fryer is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Women of Color Unite, Women of Color Filmmakers and serves on the UTK Law Alumni Council. Additionally, she mentored students through the Indie Memphis CrewUp Youth Filmmaking Mentorship in 2022.

Fryer is a Memphis native who graduated with a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Memphis and a J.D. & M.B.A. degree from the University of Tennessee. She has two busy little boys, Michael and Kameron, who run her household but compensate her with cuddles when she’s not working.