14/09/2011

The troubled Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) finally has a new artistic director. Scotland’s Centre for Moving Image (CMI) has appointed journalist and film critic Chris Fujiwara (pictured) to the position.

CMI Chair Leslie Hills said, “His extraordinary knowledge of, and passion for, film coupled with a fantastic range of contacts, working with the expertise and dedication of EIFF staff is exciting and will no doubt bring unexpected and delightful results.”

Fujiwara said, “It’s an exciting time for film festivals, with so many outstanding films being made in so many countries, so many new audiences to appreciate them, and the ways of distribution and exhibition in flux. At such a time, I’m thrilled to be starting work with the Edinburgh International Film Festival. I’m especially enthusiastic because Edinburgh is a festival that has been known in the past for taking the lead during periods when filmmaking and film criticism were going through major transitions. I look forward to working hard to make Edinburgh central to the transitions that are now under way.”

Fujiwara currently lives in Tokyo and is relocating to Edinburgh. He has authored books on Jerry Lewis, Otto Preminger and Jacques Torneur. He takes over from James Mullighan who oversaw the disastrous 2011 edition of the festival.

Meanwhile, CMI CEO Gavin Miller has tendered his resignation and it has been accepted. It is also understood that EIFF will retain its June slot despite pressure to move it back to its original August dates.