Red Sea Hires Fionnuala Halligan As Director Of International Programmes
Halligan replaces Kaleem Aftab, who stepped down late last year. Her remit will include working alongside Director of Arab Programs and Film Classics Antoine Khalife to shape and curate the festival's line-up.
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Halligan was a longtime critic at Screen International. She began her career in media working at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. She also served as a consultant to and an international programmer for the Macao International Film Festival for five years. She is a member of the London Film Critics' Circle, BAFTA, and the European Film Academy.
'It's a privilege to be joining the Red Sea Film Foundation in this new role,' Halligan said in a statement. 'As I complete my tenure at Screen, I look forward to fully taking on the role after the Cannes Film Festival and working closely with the team to further shape and expand the festival's international programming.'
Shivani Pandya-Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, added: 'Finn has been a collaborator and supporter of ours from the beginning, and she has both impeccable taste and a deep appreciation for cinema from across the world – particularly in Asia, a region we've increasingly championed as an organisation as our remit broadens. We are so thrilled to have her joining us to head up our international offering, which has been a cornerstone of our festival and continues to gain prestige and stature on the global circuit with each edition.'
This year's Red Sea Film Festival runs from 4–13 December.
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