Anthony Minghella has been appointed chair of UK cinema cultural body the British Film Institute (BFI).

The Academy Award-winning director replaces Joan Bakewell for a three-year term. Minghella, who has just finished shooting Cold Mountain, said he aimed to promote the BFI's accessibility to the public.

"The BFI exists to celebrate the art of film by preserving its past and by providing access to the treasure trove of world cinema," said the director of The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley. "At the heart of its remit is an educational role through which it aims to nourish critically aware, visually literate and more demanding filmgoers and filmmakers.

Alan Parker, chair of BFI parent the Film Council and a former chair of the BFI, praised Minghella as "one of the world's greatest film writers and directors".

"His achievements are truly inspirational, as is his passion for the art of film," Parker said. "Anthony began his career as a teacher, and so I believe his experience will resonate particularly well with the cultural and educational aims of the BFI."

Minghella said that "there is a good deal to be said" for having a practising filmmaker at the centre of the BFI. "I will do my best to listen and learn from those working inside the BFI and from those who contribute to its activities," he added.