IFFR ANNOUNCES CLARE STEWART AS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR

International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has appointed former Sydney Film Festival Director Clare Stewart to the post of Managing Director. Most recently Interim CEO at Sheffield DocFest and previously Director of BFI London Film Festival and BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, she commences in the role at IFFR on 21 June.

In addition to her Sydney Film Festival tenure (2006-2011), Stewart had key roles in the Australian film culture sector as the inaugural Head of Film Programmes at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (2002-2006), Events Manager at the Australian Film Institute (1996-2001) and Programmer/Manager of the Melbourne Cinematheque (1995-2002). She will work alongside fellow Australian expat and former Melbourne International Film Festival Director Michelle Carey, now in her fourth year as a senior Selection Committee member at IFFR. 

Korrie Louwes, Chairperson of the Supervisory Board, said: “Clare has an unparalleled breadth of experience in strategically directing and truly championing festivals, with a track record including some of the foremost celebrations of cinema in the world. In previous roles Clare has channelled her unique combination of creative understanding and business acumen to growing audiences, accelerating commercial success, and raising the profile of those events. It’s a great coup to have her join the IFFR team and bring her multifaceted and insightful leadership to our organisation.”

“IFFR is a world-leading institution that creates meaningful, global impact for independent film and filmmakers,” said Stewart, “and it is also dear to my heart as the first international film festival I attended 25 years ago. It shaped my understanding of the interdependencies between cultural activity and industry development, and the importance of engaging a dedicated local audience while positioning a festival as vital for the international, independent film sector.” 

“Rotterdam is a city renowned for innovation, experimentation and discovery – characteristics that IFFR already champions through its artistic and industry programmes,” observes Stewart, who will relocate the Rotterdam from the position. “This emphasis on bold, new ideas provides a strong cultural base to collaborate with Festival Director Vanja Kaludjercic (pictured, left) on her inspiring vision for building a festival that is both agenda-setting and responsive to change.”

“Her passion for IFFR is undeniable,” said Kaludjercic, “Clare brings a deep understanding of the artistic and commercial sides of a festival from her formidable career to date, which is perfectly suited to the dual leadership dynamic we have between our two roles." 

IFFR has a structure where the pairing of the Managing Director and the Festival Director oversee the commercial and creative elements of the organisation respectively, but working closely in partnership. Stewart previously consulted with the IFFR Board of Directors in 2021 in its first phase of re-evaluation prior to her joining DocFest, with a focus on the IFFR programme structure and content strategy.

Since 2020, Stewart is an elected member of the BAFTA Film Committee, where she has participated on the Learning, Inclusion and Talent Committee, and chaired the film selection for the BAFTA Breakthrough programme. She has served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Advisory Council for the Creative Economies (2014-2016), on competition juries at Sundance, Mumbai, Rio, Dubai, Hong Kong and Macau film festivals and the BAFTA Outstanding British Debut jury.

She is a previous recipient of the Queen's Trust Award for Young Australians and a Women and Hollywood Trailblazer Award in 2017 for her work promoting diversity and gender parity in the film industry.