EXCLUSIVE: Cannes Film Festival is likely to be Aviva Silver’s final appearance as head of the MEDIA unit before moving to a new position within the European Commission (EC).

Speaking exclusively to Screen ahead of today’s MEDIA Info Day [Feb 11], Silver said that, although not yet confirmed, the date currently being mooted for her move is June 1.

“Before my move, I would like to make sure that the big initiatives I have believed in are underway,” she explained.

“They include the integration of MEDIA Mundus into the new MEDIA strand, the adoption of the Recommendation on digital cinema, the access of financing in the new [Creative Europe] programme, and putting some flesh on what we have done so far for film and media literacy.”

UK-born Silver has been working for the Commission since 1993 and was appointed head of the MEDIA unit in December 2005.

Meanwhile, a Brussels insider has tipped Xavier Troussard, currently head of the Culture Policy and Intercultural Dialogue unit, to be Silver’s successor.

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