Pášmová, a native of Zlin, was head of the programme department and dramaturg of the festival prior to her promotion.

"We would like to give the individual categories a more specific shape, we will introduce two entirely new sections and we've also revived the international competition of student films,” Pášmová said of her plans for the festival, the oldest children’s film festival in the world.

The Executive Director Zdeněk Skaunic said of Pášmová, “She knows absolutely everything about the festival after having worked for so many years in the programme department.”

The 53rd Zlin Film Festival runs 27 May – 1 June 2013. The call for entries is open until 15 March.