MUMBAI: Newsweek film critic David Ansen is set to join Film Independent as artistic director of next year's Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF).

Senior programmer Doug Jones has been promoted as associate director of programming for the event that is set to run from 17 to 27 June next year.

Said Ansen, "LAFF is uniquely positioned to draw on the industry's history and broad range of talent to create a festival that will not only showcase the best new work from around the world but provide unforgettable film-going experiences for the audience."

Averred Film Independent executive director Dawn Hudson, "With one of the most respected tastemakers joining forces with a talented producer like Rebecca, we continue to build a top-notch team that makes the Los Angeles Film Festival a platform for nurturing the diversity of films being made and bringing them to the everyday filmgoer."

Ansen was Newsweek's movie critic from 1977-2008 and continues to write for the publication as a contributing editor. He has written several documentaries for television about film celebrities and was on the selection committee of the New York Film Festival from 1990-98.