BFI Hires Former Sydney Film Festival Director for Exhibition Role

LONDON – Former Sydney Film Festival director Clare Stewart has been tasked with heading up the British Film Institute’s exhibition interests.

Her duties include responsibility for the BFI London Film Festival, the BFI IMAX theater and the cultural and commerical performance of BFI Southbank, the org’s base in the British capital.

The BFI created the head of exhibition role and Stewart’s appointment immediately follows BFI LFF artistic director Sandra Hebron’s decision to leave immediately after the conclusion of this year’s event in October.

Stewart stars late August 2011 after spending the last five years leading the Sydney Film Festival programming.

Her final Sydney Film Festival ended June 19. She has also previously served as the inaugural head of film programs at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne.

Stewart said: “This new position provides the opportunity to align the expertise of BFI’s team of programmers and producers with the objective of further enhancing the cultural and business impact of the BFI’s diverse screening programs.