French Directors Guild won't re-appoint Boyer as head of Directors Fortnight

“The French Directors Guild has decided not to reappoint Frédéric Boyer as director general of Directors’ Fortnight. It thanks him for the work he accomplished as artistic director,” La Sociéte des Réalisateurs de Films (SRF) said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The SRF is now recruiting a new director general for the 2012 edition. Candidates can apply until July 8. The interviews will take place in the week of July 18-22,” the statement continued.

Boyer was appointed artistic director in 2009, after six years on the selection committee under the direction of Oliver Pere who left to head the Locarno Film Festival.

Professing the same desire for “variety” and soft-spot for genre films as Pere, Boyer immediately put the accent on first-time directors, selecting 11 debut features in 2010 and eight in 2011.

Boyer, who is also artistic director of Les Arcs European Film Festival in December, was not quoted in the statement.

The SRF created Directors’ Fortnight in 1969, in the wake of the social unrest of May 1968, with the aim of discovering new talent and promoting independent, auteur films.

During its 42-year history, the event has shown the early films of many now internationally renowned directors including George Lucas (Thx 1138), Ken Loach (Family Life) and Martin Scorsese (Mean Streets).