BFI Appoint Film Fund Director

The British Film Institute has appointed Ben Roberts – current CEO of film sales and financing company Protagonist Pictures – as the new director of the BFI Film Fund.
Roberts will be responsible for deciding how an annual £21m of funding from the National Lottery will be used to bring new British films to the screen.
The thirty six year old is currently CEO of Protagonist Pictures which represents many British films in the international market place. Since 2007 he has overseen a range of releases including recently, Submarine, Kill List, Nativity, Deep Blue Sea, Tyrannosaur, Streetdance 3D and In The Loop.
He takes over from Tanya Seghatchian, who resigned from her post in September last year. Seghatchian oversaw the reorganisation of the UK Film Council into the Film Fund following the government's decision last year to close the council.
Roberts will now join the BFI at a key time for UK film as the organisation prepares to publish its Forward Plan proposals next month.
This newly expanded role will bring together development, production, distribution and exhibition for the first time. As Director of the BFI Film Fund, Roberts will play a key role in shaping the future of British film and film audiences while overseeing the UK’s biggest public film fund.
Commenting on his new role Roberts said: "This is a rare opportunity to make a difference in a really dynamic part of the film sector and I relish the chance to work across the industry, building on the successes of the last few years. This new role offers me the special opportunity to support talented British filmmakers in achieving their potential to make great and memorable films.
"It also means I can play my part in leading the development of a more joined-up approach to public investment in film in the UK by overseeing all of the BFI’s Lottery Film Fund investments - including distribution and exhibition - to better connect films with their audiences."
(LB/GK)