27/03/2006

Long live the Queen… 42 year-old television journalist Cissi Elwin will succeed Åse Kleveland as Director General of the Swedish Film Institute (SFI). The much-awaited appointment was announced last Friday during a press conference at the Institute.

Elwin, who will take over on August 1, has no experience in the film business. However, according to the SFI’s Chairman of the Board Håkan Tidlund, she was chosen among some 80 other candidates for her knowledge, experience and personal qualities. Speaking about her new job, Elwin said she would do her best to get to know the local film industry as soon as possible and unveiled some of her new objectives: “I intend to work briskly so that there will be more women making films”, she said. “I also want to bring Swedish films out onto the international scene and help quality films spread throughout Sweden”.

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Cissi Elwin’s current position is Head of Publicity for Forma Publishing Group, where she oversees the launch of new publications and business development. Prior to that, she was head of programming for the children’s TV programme Bullen. Kleveland announced last November that she would go back to her native Norway, which she left in 2000 to take over leadership at the SFI.