Robert Mandel will step down as dean of the AFI Conservatory. The AFI made the announcement in the small hours of Monday morning (December 2).

Robert Mandel will step down as dean of the AFI Conservatory. The AFI made the announcement in the small hours of Monday (December 2) morning.

Mandel has led the graduate-level film school for nine years and will return to directing while remaining on faculty at the Conservatory.

Mandel is also an alumnus of the AFI Conservatory (AFI class of 1979).

“AFI is my home and always will be,” said Mandel. “It’s an educational environment like no other in the world, where young men and women learn to make movies – by making movies. It has been my honour to help see the dreams of the next generation become reality and it is they, in fact, that have inspired me to return to directing. There are more stories to tell.”

“Mandel embodies the ideal of the AFI Conservatory – story-tellers who have enjoyed great acclaim returning to share their trials and triumphs with the story-ntellers of the future,” said AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale. “His contributions to AFI have been extraordinary, and we are proud and honored to know they will continue through his role on the faculty.” 

During Mandel’s time at the AFI Conservatory, he identified and attracted more than a dozen world- class faculty members, most recently James L Brooks as artistic director.