Vale David Hannay

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David Hannay was always determined to live life to the full. As a friend, colleague and sometimes critic of the NFSA he was invigorating, challenging, encouraging and creative. Larger than life and loving every moment.

The presentation of the NFSA Ken G Hall Film Preservation Award to David in 2011 was a fitting acknowledgement (with his many other lifetime achievement awards) of a man who was driven by his passion for both the art of cinema and the process of film production. This said, David was always the most humane of characters and I am especially remembering dinners and conversations where we talked forever about not only what makes films and archives tick, but what makes life worth living.

Happily much of David’s work is safe and accessible through the NFSA and I know that he took great pride in this acknowledgement of his lifelong contribution to our film experience. Various oral history interviews mean that David’s own views of his history can also be shared:

For now, on behalf of the NFSA and as someone who very much valued my personal friendship with David and his wife Mary Moody, our thoughts and sympathies to Mary and the family.

Meg Labrum
Senior Curator – Film, Documents, Artefacts