The Age
Paul Kalina
February 9, 2010

The Melbourne International Film Festival has begun scouting for a chief executive and a festival director to succeed executive director Richard Moore, who will direct his fourth and final festival this year, it was announced yesterday.

Under a new organisational structure, a chief executive will be appointed to manage the organisation, while the festival director will develop and oversee programming.

MIFF chairwoman Claire Dobbin said the restructure was recommended by a KPMG review started 18 months ago.

With Moore's contract expiring this year, she said, the restructure was timely and would bring MIFF in line with other local and international arts festivals. She said the board was amenable to appointing someone from overseas, but was confident local applicants would be sought.

Moore, a former executive producer at the ABC and a documentary filmmaker, succeeded James Hewison as MIFF director at the end of 2006.

During his tenure a film fund supported by the state government was introduced and the festival's 37° South Market and Accelerator program for emerging filmmakers were expanded.

Last year's festival saw protests over the screening of the Australian-made, Uighur independence film The 10 Conditions of Love, while another three Chinese films withdrew from the festival as a result of pressure from the Chinese government.

British director Ken Loach also pulled his film Looking for Eric in protest over the Israel embassy's sponsorship of a visit by the director of the Israel-Australia co-production $9.99.

Moore's refusal to bow to Chinese pressure or return Israel's sponsorship, as happened at the Edinburgh Film Festival after a similar protest by Loach, was widely praised.

Moore is attending overseas festivals and could not be reached for comment. It is not known what plans he has for the future.