Stewart, who’s full title is BFI Head of Exhibition and Artistic Director of the BFI London Film Festival and BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, joined the BFI from the Sydney Film Festival, which she oversaw for five years.

The 2013 Sundance Film Festival will run from January 17 to 27 in Park City, Utah.

The 2012 Dramatic winner of the Grand Jury prize was Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild, which was also the winner of the BFI London Film Festival Sutherland Award for Best First Feature.

BFI Film Fund backed films in the 2013 Sundance Film Festival include Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, John Akomfrah’sThe Stuart Hall Project, Fyzal Boulifa’s The Curse and Kibwe Tavares’ Jonah.

Clare Stewart said of the invitation to join the jury: ”It is a thrill to be invited to participate on the jury for US Dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival, hot on the tail of a year that saw Beasts of the Southern Wild take out major prizes at both Sundance and BFI London Film Festival and in which Sundance Institute forged closer ties with the UK through Sundance London.

“This year’s line-up is full of promise and I can’t wait to get my eyes on the best in new American independent cinema.”