Wendy Mitchell to join British Council

Wendy Mitchell, Screen International’s editor, is stepping down from the role to take a position with the British Council film team.

Mitchell, who first started at Screen in 2005 and has been editor for two and a half years, will leave her current role at the end of this year to join the British Council as programme manager.

She will take up the part-time post starting January 5, 2015 for one year, as a maternity cover for Rachel Robey.

At the British Council, her responsibilities will include organising screenings for selectors from festivals including Cannes, Berlin and Sundance; planning programmes and events to support British filmmakers with international film activity. 

Mitchell will step down as editor of Screen International at the end of 2014, but continue to work with Screen on a weekly basis as a Contributing Editor, concentrating on writing and editing for Screen’s print editions and ScreenDaily.com

Mitchell said, “I am thrilled to be joining the inspiring film team at the British Council. One of my career goals is wanting to work more closely supporting filmmakers and this is the perfect role to do that. The British Council does inspiring work, often behind the scenes, that makes a real difference to British filmmakers, and I look forward to learning from the team there led by Briony Hanson.” 

“At the same time, Screen is a big part of my life and I’m thrilled that I will get to continue to write and edit for the magazine and website. After working at Screen for nearly a decade, the team there is like part of my family and I’m proud to continue to call them my colleagues,” she added.

MBI, Screen’s parent company, will start recruiting now for a new editor for Screen International. MBI chief executive Conor Dignam said: “Wendy has done a tremendous job editing Screen - developing the brand’s digital offering and ensuring we remain the number one brand at all major film markets.

“She will be a tough act to follow and we will begin the search now for an editor who will take Screen onto the next stage of its development.”