Milestone Films, a boutique distribution company devoted to unearthing and restoring forgotten cinematic works, has operated from the New Jersey residence of Amy Heller and Dennis Doros for a quarter-century. Now, the founders are ready to retire.
Acknowledging their own mortality, Heller remarked, "We’ve realized we are not immortal. As the sole operators, it’s just the two of us, and we want the company to continue beyond our tenure."
After a decade of contemplating succession, they have chosen an innovative path: transferring ownership to Maya Cade, the acclaimed curator behind the Black Film Archive.
Last summer, Heller and Doros discussed the possibility of handing over the company with Cade, who had offered herself as a willing successor.
"Meeting Maya felt like finding the perfect fit," Heller explained. "We trust and admire her deeply and are excited to entrust this legacy to her care."
Founded in 1990 in a modest New York apartment shortly after their marriage, Milestone Films has blossomed into a globally recognized distributor. For the past 18 years, the company has concentrated on films by and about Black, Native American, LGBTQ, and women filmmakers—groups historically underrepresented in mainstream cinema.
