Theo Kingma
In Memoriam
Theo Kingma was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Henk and Nel Kingma on February 25, 1967. He passed away unexpectedly at home on Friday, March 21, 2025. He is survived by his mother, his sister Tessa and his niece Sveva.
Kingma began his professional film career as a projectionist at cinemas in Amsterdam. He followed this stepping-stone to the world of film by working as a production assistant on several Dutch films and then on Robert Altman’s “Vincent & Theo,” which was filmed in part in the Netherlands. With the inspiration of this experience, Kingma moved to Hollywood in 1989 to further pursue his craft.
In Hollywood, Kingma was a correspondent for the Dutch magazine “Hitkrant.” He joined the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1992 and was active in the organization for many years. Kingma quickly became a well-known photographer at motion picture premieres, press conferences and other Hollywood events. He served on the HFPA Board of Directors multiple times and was elected President twice, serving from 2013 to 2015.
During his time as President, Kingma introduced numerous innovations to the Association. He led the discussions that ended the long-running dispute between HFPA and dick clark productions over production of the Golden Globes. He began the Association’s participation at Comic-Con in San Diego, introduced roundtable interviews with a broad range of non-entertainment subjects such as Lech Walesa, Julian Assange and Niki Lauda, and supported HFPA member attendance at set visits and long lead press conferences.
While he was HFPA President, France suffered the attack at the Charlie Hebdo publication in Paris just days before the 2015 Golden Globes. During the Globes broadcast that year, Kingma spoke out in support of freedom of speech and the protection of journalism: “The freedom of artistic expression… is a beacon across the globe… We stand united everywhere from North Korea to Paris.”
Kingma was also an active supporter of HFPA’s philanthropy program and led efforts for HFPA to make a $2 million donation to Los Angeles City College to support its Cinema and Television program. Kingma went on to serve on the LACC Foundation board of directors for many years.
Since 2017, Kingma served as CEO of Film Expo Group, which organizes ShowEast in Miami, CineEurope in Barcelona, and CineAsia in Bangkok. He also continued to serve as a voter for the Golden Globes and was a founding member of the Golden Globe Foundation.
Kingma continued to be active as a photographer and his pictures appeared regularly in publications in The Netherlands, Germany and Australia. He organized World Press Photo contest exhibitions in Beverly Hills twice. And he loved visiting and photographing Cuba.
Everyone who knew him will remember Theo for his dry sense of humor and his happy demeanor.
In 2014, shortly after the death of Robin Williams, Kingma asked the assembled guests at HFPA’s annual grants dinner not to remember Williams with silence but with applause for the great performances and joy he had brought to so many. So, we ask that all of Theo’s friends and colleagues join us in celebrating his life and accomplishments and share a laugh in memory of the many times he has brought us joy.
Donations in his memory may be made to Pablove Shutterbugs Photography Program, an organization to which Kingma contributed frequently, at https://www.pablove.org/shutterbugs/.
