Sydney Film Festival today announces the appointment of Fiona Cameron as its new General Manager.
Fiona Cameron has worked in senior roles advising State and Federal Government Ministers including working as Chief of Staff to the Federal Minister for Communications and the Arts. In 1998, Fiona moved from politics into radio, heading up Corporate Affairs for the Australian Radio Network. In 2001, Fiona was appointed to DMG Radio Australia as the foundation General Manager for the launch of Radio Nova in Melbourne. Fiona has most recently been employed as Chief Executive Officer at pay television station, Aurora. Fiona was a Director of Commercial Radio Australia for eight years and is currently a Director of The Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
SFF President Virginia Gordon said “Fiona’s appointment is a real coup for Sydney Film Festival. She is an extremely well regarded and impressive industry figure, who brings not only her significant business expertise, but great passion, energy and a shared vision for the Festival and its audiences’.
Speaking in Sydney today, Fiona Cameron said ‘I’m very much looking forward to working with the team to make Sydney Film Festival more accessible to Sydneysiders and to ensuring we set the pace for film festivals around Australia and the world’.
The appointment comes at a time of significant repositioning and growth for SFF with the Festival’s inaugural Official Competition being held during 2008. The Official Competition is generously supported by NSW Events with the $60K cash prize provided by SFF’s Principal Sponsor Hunter Hall Investment Management. ‘I welcome the contribution a colleague of Fiona’s standing will make to our much loved event at this vital stage in our development,’ said Executive Director, Clare Stewart.
‘We are focused on producing a Festival that plays a stronger role in the life of the city and the state; that is internationally significant; which works more creatively and closely with our range of partnerships in the industry, business, government, and cultural sectors; and that engages new and existing audiences through a broader range of programs. It is timely to have Fiona join SFF to manage the commercial activities of the company, complementing the artistic and strategic leadership of Executive Director Clare Stewart,’ Virginia Gordon said.
SFF is also pleased to announce the appointment of Tony Sernack as Vice President of the SFF Board at its most recent board meeting. This follows the December board appointment of senior film industry heavy-hitter Stephen Basil-Jones, Managing Director for Sony Pictures Releasing Australia and Executive Vice President for Australia & New Zealand, and social media and technology specialist Rob Antulov, CEO of 3eep Pty Ltd.
Sydney Film Festival screens feature films, documentaries, short films and animations across the city at State Theatre, GU George Street Cinemas, Metro Theatre and Dendy Opera Quays. The Festival is a major event on the New South Wales cultural calendar and is one of the world’s longest running film festivals. In 2008 SFF introduces the inaugural Official International Competition, a FIAPF-accredited competition for ‘new directions in film’, which rewards courageous and audacious filmmaking.
The 55th Sydney Film Festival opens on Wednesday 4 June 2008, with the Official Competition red carpet galas screening for the first twelve days, culminating in an Awards ceremony on Monday 16 June. The Closing Night Gala is on Saturday 21 June with the Festival finishing on Sunday 22 June 2008.
The 55th Sydney Film Festival 4–22 June 2008
For more information visit http://www.sydneyfilmfestival.org/
[release from Next Step Media]
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