14/06/2007

In his appointment yesterday as president of the Cinemathèque française, director-producer Costa Gavras replaces Claude Berri, who resigned "for personal reasons".

The board of management, which comprises 21 members in total (including directors Olivier Assayas, Alain Corneau, Jean-Paul Rappeneau and Nicole Garcia, as well as producer and Unifrance President Margaret Menegoz), paid tribute to the director for his “commitment and devotion since his appointment as Cinemathèque president in September 2003, and decided to give him the title of Honorary President.”

Appointed after what was a particularly stormy episode in the history of the Cinémathèque (see article), Berri was responsible, along with the General Manager Serge Toubiana, for the successful transfer of the institution from Chaillot to 51, rue de Bercy (see news) and its merger with the Bibliothèque du film (BIFI).

The private body, which receives substantial aid from the Ministry of Culture and Communication via the Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC), had a budget of €16.1m and a collection of 40,000 films in 2005.

Other changes in management at leading French film institutions include the promotion of Olivier Wotling to the position of Director of Cinema at the CNC. Appointed by CNC Director General Véronique Cayla, he replaces François Hurard, who will act as Cinema Advisor in the cabinet of the new Minister of Culture, Christine Albanel.

Director Claude Miller last month accepted to take over the presidency of the Fémis (France’s leading third level film training institution). He replaces Patrice Chéreau, who stepped down for professional reasons in March, only two months after he took up duties.

(Translated from French)