LeonardSchrader, who wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for Kiss Of The SpiderWoman, has been namedhead of the graduate screenwriting programme at the American Film Institute(AFI) Conservatory.

In his newposition as senior film-maker-in-residence: screenwriting, Schrader willoversee the AFI Conservatory's screenwriting faculty and tuition of firstand second year fellows.

"We are thrilled to have such an outstanding memberof the film-making and higher education community as a member of the Conservatory'score faculty," Sam Grogg, AFI Conservatory dean, said in a statement.

"Len is a master of his art form and screenwritingfellows will learn much under his tutelage."

Schrader's credits include The Yakuza (which he co-wrote with his brother, the celebratedfilm-maker Paul Schrader) Kiss of The Spider Woman, for which he received an Oscar nomination for bestadapted screenplay in 1986, and Naked Tango.