Pic: Yann Houlberg Andersen
The Board of Copenhagen Film Festivals (CFF) has appointed Katrine Kiilgaard – former Deputy Director and Head of Industry & Training at CPH:DOX – as new Managing Director for Copenhagen Film Festivals. She replaces Birgitte Fredsby who continues in a new role as a development consultant with a special focus on the children’s film festival BUSTER.
Kiilgaard has more than 20 years of experience within the Danish and international film industry. She joined CPH:DOX in 2015 after several years as CEO of the Nordic organization Filmkontakt Nord where she headed the Nordic Panorama Film Festival and its associated industry sections. At CPH:DOX, she has led and developed the international industry platform and has acted as Deputy Director.
Erik Stephensen, Chairman of the Board of Copenhagen Film Festivals, said: “Katrine Kiilgaard has been an important part of the international growth and success of CPH:DOX in the previous years. She has a broad international network as well as solid managing skills from her previous position as director of the film festival Nordisk Panorama. We are confident that Katrine Kiilgaard and Niklas Engstrøm will be the right team to further develop the festivals.”
New MD Kiilgaard commented: “Like so many other cultural institutions, CPH:DOX, CPH PIX and BUSTER have gone through a turbulent time marked by the global pandemic, and it is by no means a simple task that lies ahead. The world as well as the film industry has changed rapidly over the past few years demanding new ways of running festivals like ours. Together with Niklas Engstrøm and the rest of the competent team, I am excited to strategically develop the festivals and their role for the audience as well as the industry in a totally changed media landscape.”
With Kiilgaard onboard as Managing Director, Copenhagen Film Festivals will be operating with a shared management structure. Artistic Director Niklas Engstrøm commented of his new co-director: “I have already had the pleasure of working closely with Katrine for years, and I know what an amazing capacity she is. With our combined network and experience from many years in the international film business, I am confident that together we can move the festivals forward. I’m looking so much forward to this.”
Copenhagen Film Festivals produces the three biggest film festivals in Denmark: the international documentary film festival CPH:DOX, the feature film festival CPH PIX and the film festival for children, BUSTER. The three festivals were gathered under a new umbrella organization in 2019.
