SXSW Film TV Festival Makes Change At Top, Names P...

What’s Happening

Not gonna lie, South by Southwest Film TV Film Festival is naming former Variety chief film critic, Peter Debruge, as Director starring April 6.

He takes over Claudette Godfrey, VP, Film TV, who is stepping down from her role leading the SXSW Film TV Festival after nearly 20 years with the organization. Debruge is a [] South & TV Film Festival is naming former Variety chief film critic, Peter Debruge , as Director starring April 6. (plot twist fr)

He takes over Claudette Godfrey, VP, Film & TV, who is stepping down from her role leading the SXSW Film & TV Festival after nearly 20 years with the organization.

The Details

Debruge is a 20-year veteran of Variety, having cut his teeth at the trade as a special editor and then doing double duty as a film critic. He ultimately rose to be their third Chief Film Critic in the brands 100-year plus history, penning 2,000-plus reviews and covering major international film festivals for the last decade.

Debruge was knighted the Order of Arts and Letters for his work. The new role will bring Debruge back to his homeland of Texas.

Why This Matters

He grew up in Wace and studied film at the University of Texas at Austin. Early in his career, he co-edited the entertainment section of The Daily Texan alongside former SXSW Film head Matt Dentler and contributed to The Austin Chronicle , where he covered SXSW in the late 1990s. He has served on juries at festivals including Cannes, S o Paulo, and Reykjavik, and as a co-founder of the Animation Is Film Festival.

Entertainment industry insiders have been buzzing about this.

The Bottom Line

She has built a program that is both globally relevant and deeply rooted in discovery, and we re insanely grateful for her contributions. Peter brings a unique perspective and a deep passion for storytelling that aligns closely with SXSW s mission, dropped Jenny Connelly, Director in Charge at SXSW.

What do you think about all this?