Mark Adams steps down from EIFF

Artistic director leaves after five editions

by Amber Wilkinson

Mark Adams is stepping down after five years at the helm of EIFF
Mark Adams is stepping down after five years at the helm of EIFF Photo: Courtesy of EIFF
Edinburgh International Film Festival director artistic director Mark Adams has announced he is stepping down from his role after five editions tomorrow.

The festival will begin recruitment for a replacement in the new year and has announced that Rod White, who is the long-standing director of programming for its parent charity CMI, overseeing Edinburgh Filmhouse and Filmhouse Belmont in Aberdeen, will work with the existing team to deliver the 74th edition next June.

During Adams’ tenure at EIFF overall admissions increased to 70,000 in 2019 and he also developed innovations including the People’s Premiere.

Adams said: “It’s been a real pleasure to work with the team in Edinburgh and help deliver the growth and development of EIFF over the last five festivals and to be instrumental in re-establishing its international profile. I have decided it is time to move on and look to new and exciting opportunities.”

EIFF chief executive Ken Hay added: “Mark has played an important role in developing EIFF over the last five years, introducing innovative programming and reaching new audiences. We are sorry to see him go, but are excited and ambitious for the future of EIFF."

He added: “I’m delighted that Rod has agreed to oversee the curation of the screenings programme of the 2020 EIFF. Rod has led the programming team at Filmhouse for the past 20 years, delivering a hugely rich and diverse programme for an increasingly broad audience, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for our 74th edition.”

The festival will run from June 17 to 28 next year and retrospectives focused on films scores has recently been announced.

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