Q&A: Richard Pena

After 25 years as program director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center and head of the selection committee of its annual New York Film Festival, Richard Pena, 58, is stepping down, having left his mark on the country's preeminent festival, which kicks off its 50th edition Sept. 28. (He'll continue to be involved at the Film Society, designing a new educational initiative while teaching at Columbia University.) First, though, he reflects on how the fest has changed and recalls some of the moments he'll never forget in a chat with THR chief film critic Todd McCarthy, a member of the festival's selection committee.