Editor

BigPond Adelaide Film Festival (BAFF) is delighted to announce respected Scottish film identity, David Drummond as its new General Manager.

David comes to BAFF with over ten year's film festival experience with the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) where he worked within both the programming and administration departments. Amongst his many achievements was the co- production of the ‘Mirrorball' music and street culture strand which since its introduction toured extensively to other events and festivals including the Adelaide Film Festival, Sonar Festival, and Austin Texas' SxSW.

David will relocate from Edinburgh and start in his new position in February 2010, working closely with Director Katrina Sedgwick on the 2011 BigPond Adelaide Film Festival which takes place from 24 February to 6 March.

Katrina Sedgwick says: "We are thrilled that David will be joining us in the pivotal role of General Manager for the BigPond Adelaide Film Festival. His formidable skills and breadth of experience with one of the world's finest film festivals across a range of roles, will enrich our team and bring us new opportunities as we continue to develop our own festival into a distinctive and prestigious event."

Meanwhile the eleven films in the 2009 Film Festival Investment Fund continue to win accolades around the world. This week the trailblazing Samson & Delilah dominated the 2009 AFI Awards winning 7 of its 11 nominations including Best Film and Best Director, whilst The Cat Piano took away the Best Short Animation award. Samson & Delilah was also awarded the Camera D'Or for Best First Feature at the Cannes Film Festival and continues to thrill audiences wherever it screens.

This month Michael Angus and Murray Fredericks' documentary Salt was awarded Best Short at the International Documentary Association Awards, the film has already been awarded Best Australian Short at the Melbourne Film Festival in August, Best Documentary Short at the Atlanta Film Festival in April, and winner Grand Prix of Short Documentary Films Competition at 65 Plus Camerimage Festival in Poland; The Last Ride was awarded Best Narrative Feature at the Middle East International Film Festival.

The Cat Piano won the Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film when it premiered at 2009 BigPond Adelaide Film Festival; the film has gone on to win Best Animation Short at The Melbourne International Film Festival 2009, the Yoram Gross Dendy Award for Best Animation Short at the Sydney Film Festival 2009, an IF (Inside Film) Award for Best Animation and has just been shortlisted for Best Animated Short Film in the 2010 Academy Awards; watch this space for more announcements.

From a total of 32 Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund supported projects since the fund's establishment in 2002, there have been 60 AFI and 39 IF nominations and 28 AFIs and 18 IF Awards. This is in addition to BigPond Adelaide Film Festival winning the 2007 IF Award for Best Film Festival and being listed in Variety Magazine's Top 50 Unmissable Film Festivals around the world.

The 2011 BigPond Adelaide Film Festival will take place from 24 February to 6 March 2011.