Film4 appoints Phil Cairns as press and publicity manager

Film4 has appointed Phil Cairns as press and publicity manager. Cairns will take up the newly created post on February 29, the day after the Oscars.

Cairns, who arrives at the company from his position as senior account director (film) at Premier, will oversee Film4’s communications strategy, working closely with distributors, producers and other key partners.

He will jointly report to Film4 head of distribution and brand strategy Sue Bruce-Smith and Channel 4 deputy head of press and publicity Sarah Booth.

Prior to Premier, where he worked for eight years, Cairns held publicity positions at Buena Vista UK, Tartan Films, Electric Pictures and the London Film Festival.

In his 20-year career, he has worked on a multitude of UK release campaigns, including recently The Big Short for Paramount and Brooklyn for Lionsgate UK, and handled festival launches at Berlin, Cannes, Venice and Toronto.