Edinburgh International Film Festival
Festival Director
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is one of the world’s most illustrious film festivals with a legacy of captivating audiences and filmmakers alike for over 75 years. Established in 1947, it is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals, renowned for its commitment to celebrating the art of storytelling through the medium of film, and has presented some of cinema’s most important and exciting moments and played host to the world’s greatest filmmakers. Unfortunately, during Covid, the festival had to close operations, and it is now being revived with a newly appointed Board and new Festival Director.
EIFF has historically provided a showcase for outstanding new films; a meeting place for those who are interested in making, distributing, exhibiting, watching, and discussing films; educational opportunities for those who wish to deepen their involvement with cinema; a foundation for an informed and sophisticated appreciation of cinema among a non-specialist public; and a platform for collaboration among local, UK, and international film communities.
The newly formed EIFF will build its programming around a strong cinephile vision of film culture and history, all hosted in a visitor friendly city, providing an internationally appealing, beautiful and easily navigable home for the festival. There is a huge opportunity for EIFF to position its talent development, industry, education and events programmes at the heart of the wider Edinburgh Festivals, including the Fringe, as well as a developing relationship with academia. The intersection of audiences, talent, industry and academia within a strong programming vision is critical to the future success of the industry and of EIFF itself.
EIFF is now looking to recruit a Festival Director to lead and champion the voice of EIFF by placing film, the filmmaker and audiences at the heart of everything they do. The Festival Director will have shared responsibility for the organisation’s overall strategic direction and sustainability and will work with the Board to develop the strategy and vision and build the team. This person will be capable of creating, developing and running the business and will be confident of implementing a successful fundraising strategy, delivering a budget and multi-year plan, and finally, building a dynamic team to present Edinburgh Film Festival in August 2024.
Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the Edinburgh International Film Festival on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference DBKPA. Alternatively telephone +44 (0)20 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on Monday 9th October 2023.
Throughout its history, EIFF has been a pioneer in various aspects of the film industry.