Long before John Singleton hit it big as a writer-director, he was an intern working on the Columbia Pictures lot in Culver City. As he recalled over the weekend at the 2012 Film Independent Forum, he could find no parties of interest for his script Boyz in the Hood until he finally connected with producer Stephanie Allain.

What’s cool about this particular keynote address is that among those in the audience listening to Singleton was – you guessed it – Allain:

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Movie producer and Film Independent Board of Directors member Stephanie Allain has been named the new director of the LA Film Festival. Allain was the producer of Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan among other films and founded the production company Homegrown Pictures.

“My passion for Film Independent has only grown over the years, and I couldn’t be happier to become even more involved in an organization that puts filmmakers first and supports them in specific and tangible ways,” Allain said in a release. “The Los Angeles Film Festival is a unique celebration of cinema and a hub for filmmakers and film lovers, especially for those of us who live and work in the film industry. I can’t wait to dive in and develop creative ways in which we can expand the Festival and its programs.”

Allain takes over for Rebecca Yeldham, who had held the position since 2009.