Shane Danielsen has been named as the next artistic director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

A writer and critic for The Australian newspaper, Danielsen will take over from current artistic director Lizzie Francke after she has presided over this year's festival, which runs from 12-16 August.

As well as being a journalist, Danielsen has worked with a number of film festivals. He served as a programme adviser for the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, and as a guest programmer for the Melbourne International Film Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where he programmed the Max Ophuls retrospective in 2000.

Danielsen told Screen International that his primary role would be "to build upon what Lizzie has done, which is to lift the profile of the festival with the film industry, and in the UK and Europe."

He said he wanted Edinburgh "to have a similar presence in Europe as Rotterdam or Locarno as a forum for high quality, adventurous work".

Explaining that he was passionate not just about film but all areas of the arts, he said he wanted the festival to look at "film within a unified artistic framework, not just as an island unto itself." This might mean inviting guest DJ's to provide soundtracks to films and encouraging links with the Fringe, a musical and theatrical event that runs side by side with the film festival every year.

He added: "I want to select the best possible examples of cinema both past and present, and to provide a forum for emerging British talent."

Francke commented: "I am absolutely thrilled to be handing over to Shane. Having had him involved in the festival this year and last and knowing him from the international festival circuit, I am confident that he will bring considerable knowledge and extensive skills to this wonderful festival.