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Parallel section modelled on Cannes Directors’ Fortnight marks 17th edition this year.

Giornate degli Autori’s (GdA) new artistic director Gaia Furrer makes Venice Film Festival history this year.

She’s the first woman to take the artistic reins of any of its official or parallel sections across its 70 years of existence.

Furrer admits to having mixed feelings about this achievement, telling Screen: “It’s an enormous honour but alongside a sense of pride, I also feel a certain displeasure. In all honesty, I’d prefer to be the 10th, 15th, 30th female artistic director at Venice not the first.

The Venice Film Festival’s independently-run Venice Days section has promoted longtime chief programmer Gaia Furrer to the role of artistic director of the section modeled on the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Furrer (pictured) will now take the reins and call the shots regarding the lineup of Venice Days, known in Italy as the Giornate Degli Autori. She joins a growing number of women at the helm of film events in Europe such as Lili Hinstin, artistic director of the Locarno Festival in Switzerland, and Eva Sangiorgi who heads the Viennale, Austria’s top film fest.

That said, Furrer will also still be working closely with Venice Days General Delegate Giorgio Gosetti, who launched the section in 2004. Gosetti remains on board in a less hands-on role. Furrer will also continue to collaborate with the rest of the Venice Days programming team comprising Renata Santoro, who now becomes head of programming, and...

Furrer has been head of programming at the sidebar since its 2004 launch.

Giornate degli Autori, the sidebar of Venice Film Festival, has promoted Gaia Furrer to artistic director with immediate effect.

Furrer steps up from her role as head of programming which she has held since Venice Days’ inaugural year in 2004.

“It’s an honor and a challenge, given the exceptional circumstances,” said Furrer. “At the same time, Giornate 2020 is also a golden opportunity to rethink the very role of film festivals and how they reach their audiences.”

She will work with new head of programming Renata Santoro and the programming team of Mazzino Montinari,...

Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori), the independent lineup that runs alongside the Venice Film Festival, has appointed Italian programmer Gaia Furrer as artistic director.

Effective immediately, the decision was made by the event’s board of directors. This year’s edition is set to run September 2-12, during the Venice Film Festival.

Furrer has served as a Venice Days programmer since its inception, and most recently as head of programming. She will be working with Renata Santoro (new head of programming), Mazzino Montinari, Cédric Succivalli and Andrei Tănăsescu.

“It’s an honor and a challenge given the exceptional circumstances,” Furrer said. “At the same time, though, Giornate 2020 is also a golden opportunity to rethink the very role of film festivals and how they reach their audiences. I’m excited about taking on this new role and what it stands for, and grateful for the trust shown in the team...