Mirja Wester is to step down as CEO of Sweden’s Göteborg Film Festival after its 2026 edition, which runs from January 23-February 1.
Wester leaves after overseeing ten editions of the festival as CEO. In spring 2026, she will take up the position of head of film and performing arts in the cultural administration of the Västra Götaland region.
The Göteborg Film Festival board will now begin the process of recruiting the festival’s next CEO.
The festival has approximately 270,000 visits annually and around 2,500 accredited guests from the film industry and press.
Wester said: “When I first walked into a festival cinema as a 19-year-old volunteer, it was the beginning of a lifelong love story. From shifts at the box office at Draken, through formative years in the festival’s programming department, to now completing my tenth festival as CEO, the decision to hand over to new leadership feels right, even though it has been a difficult one to make.”
Karin Dalborg, chair of the board of the Göteborg Film Festival, said: “Mirja leaves behind an organisation that is stronger than ever. We wish her every success in her continued career.”
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