Heather Croall

Heather Croall (born 1967) is an international festival director and documentary producer, best known for leading Sheffield Doc/Fest and Adelaide Fringe, and her work on films including The Big Melt and From the Sea to the Land Beyond.

Heather A. Croall
Born1967 (age 53–54)
Blackpool
NationalityAustralian and British[1]
Occupation
Known for

in 2011 Croall was named one of Realscreen's annual trailblazers, and in 2013 the Alliance of Women Film Journalists named Croall Ambassador of Women's Films for the year, for her work "to boost documentary film and open opportunities for women filmmakers". In 2015 she received Sheffield Doc/Fest's Inspiration Award.

From February 2015 she left Sheffield Doc/Fest to take up the position of CEO and artistic director of the Adelaide Fringe, with her contract extended until 2020.

Early life

Croall was born in Blackpool in 1967 and lived in Sheffield until the age of five, when her family emigrated to South Australia.[2]

Career

In 1993 Croall set up a production company, Re Angle Pictures, to produce and direct documentaries. Her 1999 film Paradise Bent: Boys will be Girls in Samoa won the Silver Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival.[3] She continued her career at the South Australian Film Corporation, and also produced digital and documentary strands at the Adelaide Fringe.[3] In 2001, she developed Crossover, an organisation which works with new media and documentaries.

From 2003 Croall worked for the Australian International Documentary Conference, where she became festival director and developed the MeetMarket pitching event.[1]

Sheffield Doc/Fest

In 2006 Croall was invited to become festival director at Sheffield Doc/Fest.[4] When she joined the festival, it was a two-day event attracting 500 delegates and 2000 public attendees. Croall widened it to a five-day event with 3000 delegates and 20,000 public attendees.[5] She found new funding which tripled the budget in two years,[6] and changed the date of the festival from November to June. She brought in the MeetMarket pitching forum, which in 2011 generated £5.6 million worth of business for producers.[7] She also added year-round training and events alongside the festival.[2]

Variety magazine said Croall lifted Doc/Fest "into the premier league of international doc events".[8] In 2012 Croall sat on the US Documentary jury at the Sundance Film Festival,[9] and she was on the 25th anniversary advisory committee for PBS's POV documentary series.[1] In 2015 she was awarded Sheffield Doc/Fest's Inspiration Award.

Adelaide Fringe

In February 2015 Croall left Doc/Fest to become CEO and festival director of the Adelaide Fringe, with her contract extended to 2020 after two successful festivals.[10][11][12]

In August 2016, under Croall's leadership, the Adelaide Fringe began an official partnership with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[13]

Filmography

Croall has co-produced a number of films, in which directors edit together archive footage on a particular theme, soundtracked by original music.

  • In 2013 she co-produced The Big Melt, a documentary by Martin Wallace that similarly fused original music with archive footage. It was made to celebrate 100 years of stainless steel in Sheffield, with a live soundtrack scored by Jarvis Cocker. She also followed up From the Sea to the Land Beyond with its Australian equivalent, Girt by Sea, which was made for the Perth International Arts Festival on the theme of the Australian coast. Shane McNeil directed, with music by The Panics.[16]

Accolades

In 2015 Croall received Sheffield Doc/Fest's Inspiration Award.[23] The Alliance of Women Film Journalists named Croall 2013's Ambassador of Women's Films for her work "to boost documentary film and open opportunities for women filmmakers",[24] and in 2011 Croall was named a trailblazer by Realscreen.[25]

Media appearances

She has appeared on BBC Two's The Review Show[26] and BBC Radio 4's The Media Show.[27]

References
  1. PBS to Celebrate POINT OF VIEW's 25th Anniversary, broadwayworld.com, 19 September 2012, retrieved 9 January 2014
  2. Julie Farmer, 'Centre Stage', First For Business, 1 June 2013
  3. James MacGregor, Sheffield DocsFest Announces Oz Director, netribution.co.uk, 21 March 2006, retrieved 17 January 2014
  4. Michael Rosser, Heather Croall, Sheffield Doc/Fest, screendaily.com, 10 June 2013
  5. Kevin Ritchie, Doc/Fest celebrates its second decade, realscreen.com, 12 June 2013
  6. Adam Dawtrey, Sheffield Doc/Fest stresses quality, Variety, 31 October 2008, retrieved 17 January 2014
  7. Adam Benzine, Heather Croall, festival director, Sheffield Doc/Fest, realscreen.com, 1 January 2012, retrieved 16 January 2014
  8. Croall takes Sheffield to a new level, Variety, 31 October 2008, retrieved 17 January 2014
  9. Parker Posey To Host 2012 Sundance Film Festival Awards Ceremony; Jury Members Announced, moviecitynews.com, 10 January 2012, retrieved 16 January 2014
  10. Sheffield Doc/Fest director Heather Croall to step down, screendaily.com, 5 January 2015, retrieved 1 June 2015
  11. "Adelaide Fringe director to retain role until 2020". InDaily. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  12. Keen, Suzie (29 November 2016). "Fringe call to action for South Australians". InDaily. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  13. "Adelaide partners with world's biggest festival". Inside South Australia. website named Brand South Australia in archived version. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2016.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Barry Walsh, Sheffield Doc/Fest exploring British coastline with interactive doc, 26 April 2012, retrieved 16 January 2014
  15. Sarah Cooper, Sheffield Doc/Fest to produce From the Sea to the Land Beyond, screendaily.com, 23 April 2012, retrieved 17 December 2013
  16. Q&A: Director of 'Girt by Sea', Shane McNeil, weloveperth.net.au, retrieved 12 October 2016
  17. Storyville: Velorama, Radio Times, retrieved 4 August 2014
  18. Love Is All at Doc/Fest Archived 12 August 2014 at Archive.today, veritamag.co.uk, 4 June 2014, retrieved 4 August 2014
  19. Helen Pidd, Pulp to Scorsese: down-to-earth Sheffield Doc/Fest reaches for the stars, The Guardian, 8 June 2014, retrieved 4 August 2014
  20. From Scotland With Love - The Team, fromscotlandwithlovethefilm.com, retrieved 4 June 2015
  21. Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise, bbc.co.uk, retrieved 12 October 2016
  22. 'The Show of Shows' Review: Terrific Circus Doc Appeals and Appalls, variety.com, retrieved 12 October 2016
  23. Ex-Doc/Fest head Heather Croall to receive honour, screendaily.com, 1 June 2015, retrieved 1 June 2015
  24. Jennifer Merin, Sheffield Doc/Fest 2013 – Award Winners Archived 13 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, about.com, retrieved 16 June 2013
  25. Realscreen presents: Trailblazers 2011, realscreen.com, 7 February 2012, retrieved 16 January 2014
  26. Review Show Special: British TV, bbc.co.uk, 19 May 2011, retrieved 17 January 2014
  27. The Media Show, bbc.co.uk, 27 February 2013, retrieved 17 January 2014
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