CNN Films has hired Participant Media veteran Courtney Sexton as senior director of its Los Angeles team.
Sexton spent eight years at Participant Media as director of documentary production, managing such films as "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Food, Inc." from development to release.
Her exit was announced a week after Participant announced the hiring of Emmy-wining producer Elise Pearlstein as its SVP of documentary films, reporting to Diane Weyermann, Particpant’s EVP and Sexton's old boss. Pearlstein also worked with Participant on “Food Inc.”
Also read: Participant Hires 'Food Inc.' Filmmaker Elise Pearlstein for Doc Department
Prior to joining Participant Media, Sexton worked for two years with "Truth" director Davis Guggenheim on the HBO series "Deadwood," as well as other TV projects. Before that, she worked in TV and feature film production, starting with FX's "The Shield."
“We’re thrilled to have a film executive with Courtney’s experience and talent join CNN Films,” said Vinnie Malhotra, senior vice president of development and acquisitions for CNN Worldwide, to whom she will report. “Her extensive background in story crafting, and her ability to build strong relationships with filmmakers, will be a major asset to us as we take CNN Films forward.”
CNN Films is in the news lately for its plan to produce a Hillary Clinton documentary. The Republican National Committee voted last week to ban CNN, which is separate from the film division, from hosting any 2016 Republican primary debates because it believes the documentary gives free publicity to the potential Democratic presidential candidate.