Nicole Guillemet, the former co-director of the Sundance Film Festival who left Sundance early this year, has landed in Florida as the new director of the Miami Film Festival.

Scheduled to start her new job on July 15, Guillemet is charged with revitalizing an event which last year suffered a drop in ticket sales and public criticism as a result of 'organizational difficulties.' A new initiative to turn around the fortunes of the festival was launched by the MFF parent group Florida International University (FIU) in recent weeks under FIU external relations vice president Dale Webb to create a new business plan and seek out a new director.

'Nicole Guillemet has been a central figure in the growth and development of Sundance, and her impressive expertise will help us raise our festival to a new level,' said Modesto A. Maidique, president of FIU, in a statement. 'As we prepare for the 20th anniversary of the Miami Film Festival, we look forward to benefiting from her leadership and vision.'

The festival, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year, will target Spanish-language cinema as its primary focus, befitting its Miami location.

Guillemet was at Sundance for over ten years, first as associate managing director of the event when it was still the Utah/US Film Festival and later as co-director of the festival and vice president of the Sundance Institute.