Brad McGann MNZM (22 February 1964 – 2 May 2007), was a New Zealand film director and screenwriter.

Brad McGann
Born(1964-02-22)22 February 1964
Auckland, New Zealand
Died2 May 2007(2007-05-02) (aged 43)
Auckland, New Zealand
OccupationFilmmaker
Nationality New Zealand
Alma materUniversity of Otago
Victorian College of the Arts

McGann was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1964. He completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Otago[1] and in 1988 completed a one-year post-graduate course at the Swinburne School of Film and Television (now a part of the Victorian College of the Arts) in Melbourne.[2] He directed the drama It Never Rains in 1996 as well as co-directing the documentary Come As You Are for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and the award-winning short film Possum.[citation needed]

In 2004 and 2005 McGann won international acclaim for his first full-length feature film, In My Father's Den, which was based on Maurice Gee's novel. McGann wrote the screenplay and directed the film.[citation needed]

The film won the Fipresci Prize at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival and the Mercedes Benz Youth Jury Prize at the 52nd San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain in the same year, and the Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2005. It became one of the top 10 grossing New Zealand films.[3]

McGann was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2006 New Years Honours List. He died on 2 May 2007[4] after a long battle with bowel cancer, having first been diagnosed in 1998.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Possum: data on the film and director". P.O.V. March 1998. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  2. ^ Grant, Nick (September 2004). "Reel Authenticity - Brad McGann". Onfilm. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  3. ^ "Biography: Trevor Haysom". Signature Television. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  4. ^ "Cancer claims director of In My Father's Den". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
  5. ^ Middleton, Julie (26 January 2006). "Brad McGann's treacherous journey to self discovery". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
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