Edinburgh Film Festival Parent Company Names Producer Bob Last as Chairman

LONDON – Producer Bob Last, whose resume boasts Terence Davies' House of Mirth and Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist, has been appointed chairman for the Centre of the Moving Image, the parent company of the Filmhouse Cinema complex and the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

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Last has an extensive track record in film production, digital animation and the music industry.

Chomet's The Illusionist opened the 2010 edition of the EIFF in the Scottish capital's Festival Theater.

Last said: "The Centre for the Moving Image and the festival in particular have had a challenging few years and I am grateful to the outgoing chair, Leslie Hills, for navigating the organization back on track, under the artistic direction of Chris Fujiwara (EIFF) and Rod White (Filmhouse)."

He said he looked forward to "doing everything I can to help the whole CMI team in their quest to see Filmhouse build its role in the life of our city and the EIFF build its international significance, continuing to facilitate discovery of cinema's rich culture and inspire the next generation of film makers and audiences."

His appointment will help steady the ship at the long-running festival which, before Fujiwara's appointment, found itself in turmoil amid management changes, key personnel departures and a decision to ax its competition sections.