THE new artistic director of Edinburgh's film festival has admitted he faces a huge task in addressing its problems.

Chris Fujiwara, a writer, film critic, journalist, editor, and translator, was unveiled yesterday as the man who will lead the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) next year.

The New Yorker, who lives in Japan, told The Herald he wants the annual event to focus on “independent world cinema” and a focus on retrospectives.

“It is a large task and it will require a lot of work,” he said. “I cannot at the moment address all the problems it may have had, all I am working right now on is 2012 and beyond.”

His appointment came as Gavin Miller, who led the merger of the festival with the Filmhouse and oversaw one festival, stepped down.

Mr Fujiwara would not be drawn on whether he thinks the festival -- which staged a much reduced programme in June this year -- should be held in June or August, acknowledging both the “nostalgia” for its former August slot, as well as its practical problems and the benefits of its current slot.

His many writings and philosophy on film place him in the mould of knowledgeable “cineaste” that many festival observers believe the role requires. He recently wrote that “the art form of the 20th century is a minority, and festivals are its ghetto”.

Mr Fujiwara added last night: “Speaking broadly, I want to direct a festival that will bring the excitement of world independent cinema to Edinburgh.

“And I want to bring a lot of the filmmakers of those films to Edinburgh, too.

“This is an amazing time for film, but because of the politics of [film] exhibition all over the world, the only opportunity for many people to look at cinema that is independent, artistic and even experimental is at film festivals.

“I also want to have retrospectives, because I think they are very important, you can see the past and the present in new ways.”

On the sometimes vexed subject of actor’s appearances and “red carpet” galas, which were absent this year, Mr Fujiwara said he had mixed feelings.

“If the stars come, you can get publicity, you can get pictures in the paper and that publicity is very important,” he said.

“But the importance of the red carpet itself is something I need to talk about in the future.

“The most important thing is the programme, and if the stars of any of those films happen to come, that is great.”

Mr Fujiwara’s many writings include a lauded book on Jerry Lewis, and he has taught and lectured on film at a number of universities and institutions.

His appointment seems to end the involvement in the festival of James Mullighan, who was first producer and then director of the festival for this year, but whose contract was for a fixed term.

The festival, through its board of the Centre for Moving Image (CMI), is now looking for a new chief executive to replace Mr Miller.

Mr Fujiwara added: “The festival is still respected internationally: A lot of people don’t know so much about what has been reported as problems and a lot of people still associate it with its great days of the 1970s, when Linda Myles was director, that is very much imprinted on a lot of people today. It still has a very glamorous name.”

Mr Miller said: “It’s been my privilege to serve the CMI over the past 18 months. There is never an easy time to leave a company that you’ve put your heart and soul into redefining and re-engineering, but I feel now is a good moment to step back and to pursue other interests.”