Following several months of upheaval, France's Cinematheque has elected renowned director/producer Claude Berri as its new president.

The Cinematheque plays a similar role as the AFI in the US and holds France's national film archives.

The Cinematheque has been on shaky ground this year thanks to administrative differences between culture minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the National Cinema Centre and the Cinematheque's board.

Jean-Charles Tacchella resigned earlier this year over the difficulties and was replaced by Martine Offroy and producer Humbert Balsan who acted in an interim capacity. Serge Toubiana had also been named managing director.

The Cinematheque announced it had voted Berri in unanimously and had made Offroy and Balsan vice-presidents.

Plans for the Cinematheque to move to new headquarters in the eastern part of Paris are underway and should be completed in 2005.