Turmoil at Austria’s Diagonale
With just a few weeks before the start of the 6th edition of the Diagonale 2003 Film Festival ( Graz – 24/30 March 2003), the Austrian Secretary of State for Art and Media, Franz Morak announced he was advertising for a new director and artistic director of this festival.
The positions are currently occupied by Christine Dollhofer and Constantin Wulff whose contracts expire at the end of March. After thanking the current team for their important work in transforming the Diagonale Festival into an important platform for the Austrian film industry, Morak emphasised the need to consider the new international environment that will come with the enlargement of the EU and hence his decision to seek a new direction for the event. The Diagonale advisory committee proposed to extend Christine Dollhofer’s contract last June. Dollhofer indicated that she would stay, as long as a final decision were made by 7 March: in order to plan the forthcoming festival properly. Her co-director Constantin Wulff had already decided not to renew his contract. A new board must be in place before June is out.
In an interview with Austrian daily newspaper, “Der Standard”, Dollhofer expressed the hope that committed and bright professionals would be considered for the job, since “Diagonale is very important for the national industry”.
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