Herald critic Hannah McGill to Head Ed Film Fest

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."