Film festival names chief

NAPLES — The Naples International Film Festival appointed Jon Fitzgerald as the new director.

Fitzgerald, a filmmaker who has been involved with the festival's advisory board since 2009, replaces Shannon Franklin who resigned for an undisclosed reason.

Under Franklin's direction from 2011 to 2015, the festival increased ticket sales by 60% and increased the number of films submitted for judging by 95%. The event takes place in early November and brings visitors to Naples during the slower tourism season.

“Shannon passionately committed herself to the development of this festival over the last seven years and inspired a gifted team to build NIFF into the organization it is today,” says Bill Hoffman, president of the festival board, in a statement.

“Jon has been involved with the festival since 2009 as a filmmaker and through his service on NIFF's advisory board and is perfectly suited to take the festival to the next level,” Hoffman says in the statement.