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Following this year's 60th Edinburgh Film Festival (yes, that's the
longest continuosly running film festival in the world), Shetland-born
Hannah McGill - film critic for Scottish newspaper The Herald -
will be taking over, it was announced Wednesday. Australian Shane
Danielson, who has been running the festival for the five years since
Lizzie Franke's departure in 2000 will step down in September.
Born to two writers in 1976, Hannah grew up in Sheltand, Germany,
Lincoln and finally Glasgow. She graduated from Glasgow University with
a first class degree, which she describes as 'some kind of printing
error'. She told IdeasFactory that "I never wanted to be a journalist because I believed you had to
have a real hard-nosed, pushy, foot-in-the-door personality, which I
don’t. I started writing for the Uni newspaper just for something to
do, rather than out of any sense of journalistic ambition”
Having
edited the University paper briefly, she went on to manage the List's
Music pages, before being snapped up as TV critic for the Scotsman (a
'dreadful' experience), leaving in 2001 to become film critic for the
Herald, while keeping up freelance work and consulting on the festival.
Announcing the appointment, EIFF Chair John McCormick
said, "Hannah is passionate about film and will bring that passion to
the post of Artistic Director of the EIFF. As a critic, she is well
known for having a clear point of view and bringing fresh insights to
her readers. Having advised on programming and presented screenings for
the past five years, Hannah knows the Festival inside and out, making
her the perfect choice for this position. She will now begin to stamp
her own personality on the Festival beyond its 60th year."
Hannah
said , "I'm absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to have been
entrusted with this position by a festival for which I have so much
respect. EIFF has a monumental artistic reputation, amazing staff, and
the most engaged and intelligent film audiences I have ever come
across. I can't imagine an organisation with which I would rather be
involved. I hope that I can build upon the legacy of my predecessors,
most recently Shane Danielsen, in honouring Edinburgh's unique history
within British film culture, and consolidating its position as the UK's
foremost showcase for exciting cinema from all over the world."
EIFF
Managing Director Ginnie Atkinson said, "I am delighted that after an
international search the Board have found the perfect person so close
to home. All of the staff look forward to working with Hannah to fulfil
her vision for the Film Festival into the future."
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