The Spanish minister of Culture, Carmen Calvo, has appointed Fernando Lara as a director general of the Institute of Sciences and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), replacing Manuel Perez Estremera. The appointment will be discussed briefly at the Spanish Ministers Council. Fernando Lara was born in Madrid and was a journalist by occupation. Working for a variety of film magazines such as Nuestro Cine, Triunfo, Tiempo de Historia, and La Calle y Guía del Ocio helped him develop a background both in film history and techniques. From 1984 he was the director of the International Week of the Cinema of Valladolid (where he still holds the position). Also, he is a delegate in Spain for the Berlin Film Festival and coordinator of the cinematographic activities of the Summer Courses of Complutense University. In 2002 he coordinated the Encounter with European cinema, an event organised on the election of Salamanca as a European Capital of Culture. In addition, he formed a part of the international juries of Berlin, Cannes (Gold Camera), Karlovy-Vary, Brussels, Florence and various Spanish competitions. Among his publications there are such works as 18 Spaniards of Post-war period, Spain, Front page, Seven basic works on the Spanish cinema, Valle-Inclán, the cinema and Miguel Muhura, In the cinema’s inferno. For more information, (in Spanish), please click Here.