Tribal film office welcomes Tava Maloy Sofsky
TULSA, Okla. – Cherokee Nation has announced Tava Maloy Sofsky as the tribe’s new film commissioner. In the new position, Sofsky will serve dual roles as both film commissioner for the Cherokee Nation and as the tribe’s film office director.
Sofsky, a Cherokee Nation citizen, brings more than 23 years of industry-leading experience to her new role supporting the mission and strategic growth of the Cherokee Nation Film Office. She will also now oversee the Cherokee Film Incentive, among other initiatives within the tribal film office.
“Tava is among the top film commissioners in the world,” said Jennifer Loren, director of Cherokee Nation Film and Original Content. “The fact that she is a Cherokee Nation citizen who has stood at the forefront of this industry further demonstrates the true breadth of talent inside Indian Country. We are excited for Tava to join us as we continue to grow and diversify the film and television industry in Oklahoma.”
Most recently, Sofsky served as Director of the Oklahoma Film + Music Office. During her tenure at OF+MO, she oversaw Oklahoma’s $30 million annual film incentive program and helped expand the state’s top-rate talent, crew base and infrastructure to include four Oklahoma Certified Sound Stages and more than 25 Film-Friendly Certified Communities statewide.
“It is an honor to be selected for this position working with Jennifer Loren, which leads me to imagine endless possibilities we can accomplish together with our expanding team,” said Sofsky. “We are living in unprecedented times when the global motion picture industry is experiencing an increased demand for leading technology and diverse content. This coupled with CNFO’s innovation and vision to create more opportunities for natives within the industry is ground-breaking.”
Sofsky is an Oklahoma native, who began her film career in Los Angeles after earning a bachelor’s degree in film and media studies from the University of Oklahoma. She has worked on major motion pictures and established an impressive network of filmmakers and talent, including Doug Claybourne, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Anthony Hopkins, John Travolta and Jennifer Lopez.
CNFO’s new film commissioner will serve under Loren’s continued leadership of Cherokee Nation Film and Original Content. Sofsky is currently a Certified Film Commissioner with the Association of Film Commissioners International and has served as a member of the Creative Oklahoma Advisory Board, the Oklahoma City Community College’s Film Advisory Board, deadCenter’s Education Advisory Committee, Metro Technology’s Digital Cinema Advisory Board over the years.
About Cherokee Nation Film Office
The mission of the Cherokee Nation Film Office is to increase the presence of Native Americans in every level of the film and television industries, while creating opportunities for economic development and jobs in the Cherokee Nation. With access to approximately 7,000 square miles throughout northeastern Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation Film Office is your connection to a diverse range of eco-scapes and the first-ever Native talent, crew and business/support services databases.
For more information about the Cherokee Nation Film Office, please visit cherokee.film. Experience all that Cherokee Nation has to offer and follow CNFO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
