BFI Close To Naming New London Film Festival Head
EXCLUSIVE: The British Film Institute is close to appointing a new Festivals Director, with an announcement expected imminently, Deadline understands.
The incoming candidate will replace Tricia Tuttle, who announced she would step down from the role on the eve of last year’s London Film Festival.
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The Festivals Director role was listed by the BFI late last year with an £85,000 ($102,000) annual salary. The prestigious job includes stewardship of the BFI’s flagship London Film Festival as well as the body’s LGBTQIA-focused festival BFI Flare, which runs this month from March 15-26.
“We are looking for candidates who have significant senior management experience in managing a festival, developing the program, and managing key stakeholders,” the application read.
The closing date for applications was January 16. Two rounds of interviews were held, with the last on February 8. The job is set under a fixed-term, three-year contract, with the potential to extend for a further one to two years.
Tuttle was in post for five years, following a stint as deputy Head of Festivals from 2013-17. She has since joined the National Film And Television School as Acting Head of Department for the school’s directing fiction course.
Tuttle’s role at the NFTS will be part-time until she completes her duties at the BFI following BFI Flare, at which point she will join the film school on a full-time basis. Her role is currently set to run through September.
London Film Festival’s prominence as a global showcase has grown in recent years with plenty of awards movies and studio fare heading to the capital.
We understand the BFI was keen at some point in the hiring process to make a splash with an international name, but from speaking to a handful of the rumored candidates we also know that the advertised salary was a sticking point for some. The successful candidate for the job should be unveiled soon enough.
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