The Gimli Film Festival has appointed Cheryl Ashton as its new festival director.

Ashton returns to Manitoba after two years as CEO and film commissioner of the Nunavut Film Development Corporation. She has previously served as executive director of the National Screen Institute, where she rebranded the organization and introduced the Film Exchange, and as executive director of MMPIA (now OnScreen Manitoba), where she oversaw the creation of Film Training Manitoba.

“Cheryl will be a tremendous asset to the Gimli Film Festival,” said Senator Janis G. Johnson, GFF president and founder. “She is well-respected in the Canadian film industry, and her tenure as a leader and visionary in the Winnipeg film and television industry makes her the ideal candidate to take the GFF into its second decade in 2011.”

Ashton assumes the post in January.