Independent Feature Project (IFP)/West is moving the Los Angeles Film Festival away from its April timeslot to June and has earmarked June 21-29 for next year's event. In addition, Rachel Rosen, most recently associate director of the San Francisco International Film Festival, has been named director of programming for the festival as well as the organisation's year-round screening programme.

IFP/West last year took over the running of the festival - previously the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival - and is this year widening its scope to include international films. Rosen's mandate is to cultivate ties between the festival and film-makers around the world.

Till now, the festival has specialised in US independents and has world premiered Kissing Jessica Stein, The Chateau, Dancing At The Blue Iguana and George Washington among others.

' IFP/West has also announced that the award for best feature under $500,000 at the organisation's annual Independent Spirit Awards has been renamed the John Cassavetes Award.