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Stories of Impact: Independent Picture House

As Charlotte’s only nonprofit arthouse cinema, The Independent Picture House (IPH) exists to educate, engage, and enable our community through the power of film. In 2025, that mission has been reflected in both attendance and impact. 

IPH has welcomed 45,000+ ticketed attendees and now serves 1,474 active members, including 311 free student members, expanding access to cinema for young people and emerging creatives. 

A key component of IPH’s public value is post-film dialogue and knowledge sharing.  Between January and November, IPH has hosted 55+ post-screening talkbacks  featuring filmmakers, academics, industry professionals, and community partners — all offered at no additional cost to audiences. This connection extends beyond the cinema through Indie on Wheels, a mobile screening and discussion program that brings film directly into neighborhoods and community spaces. 

This year also marked continued growth of the free Community Impact Film Series (CIFS), which uses cinema as an entry point into community learning and civic engagement. CIFS events engaged 650+ attendees and partnered with 50+ nonprofit and grassroots organizations, connecting audiences with resources related to mental health, environmental stewardship, women’s health, housing, and immigration. 

Alongside regular screenings of foreign, arthouse, and independent films, IPH serves as an accessible community resource. Individuals, nonprofits, filmmakers, and businesses can rent auditorium space for screenings, lectures, and special events, with reduced rates available to ensure affordability and inclusivity. 

Learn more by visiting: IndependentPictureHouse.org

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Janet LaBar

Executive Director​
jlabar@womensimpactfund.org

With more than 25 years of experience, Janet has a proven track record of leading organizations and teams in developing strategies that foster thriving communities. Her career is dedicated to the well-being of the places she serves, and the people and businesses within them, positioning her as a trusted sounding board, critical thinker, and purposeful protagonist across corporate, government, education, entrepreneurial, and civic spheres.
Janet joined Women’s Impact Fund in June 2025 to guide one of Charlotte’s most respected, women-led philanthropic organizations into its next phase of growth and impact. In partnership with the Women’s Impact Fund team, Board, Advisors, members, volunteers, and key community partners, she will continue strengthening communities by maximizing women’s leadership in philanthropy through collective giving, education, and engagement.
Inspired by her family, teams who dare greatly, and people and communities striving to be their best selves, Janet’s impactful career includes leadership roles as President and CEO of Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, President and CEO of Greater Portland Inc, and Chief Performance Officer of Greater Phoenix Economic Council. As a first-generation Filipino American, her lived experience deeply informs her professional drive to create equitable economic growth and opportunity in the metro areas she’s served.
She holds a BA in Communication Arts from the University of West Florida and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Phoenix. Janet and her husband James are proud parents to an older daughter, and a daughter and son who are twins.