Tricia Tuttle will step down as director, BFI Festivals after five years in the role.
She will deliver the 2022 edition of the BFI London Film Festival (LFF), which runs October 5-16, and remain in the post until early 2023 while the BFI recruits a replacement.
Tuttle was appointed permanent festival director of the LFF and the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival In 2018, after leading the LFF as interim artistic director that year during Clare Stewart’s sabbatical. She previously spent five years as deputy head of festivals at the BFI.
Tuttle’s tenure included the LFF’s 2020 edition which ran as a hybrid event due to Covid-19, as well as BFI Flare which pivoted to an online model in March 2020.
She devised the five-year strategy for the LFF, which saw the festival boost attendances, move Gala screenings to the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, and expand programming to venues across the UK. Her tenure also saw the LFF add series television, immersive and XR work to the festival line-up with the LFF Series and Expanded strands.
BFI chief executive Ben Roberts said: “Tricia has been the driving force behind the BFI London Film Festival’s transformation over the last five years and it could not be more vital and important than right now. I want to thank her for her creative leadership in adapting the LFF and BFI Flare in the face of huge external challenges, creating genuine UK-wide access physically and digitally, putting us on the international stage and of course bringing audiences incredible film experiences.”
Tuttle said: “I took the role knowing that I believe in cultural renewal. I came in to make an impact quickly, with an aim to open up our festivals to more people and then pass the baton. And I could not be more proud of what we have achieved in these five years, especially given the absolutely wild challenges we have faced. I am leaving on a high and with so much love for the people and the work of the organisation.”
The line-up for this year’s festival includes world premieres of Matthew Warchus’ Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical (opening film), Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Asif Kapadia’s Creature.
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