Bill Gosden

For more than 30 years, Bill Gosden led the NZ International Film Festival. Gosden was the public face of Aotearoa's annual round of festivals, and his programming choices saw it grow markedly in size and popularity. He also showed a keen eye for spotting local filmmakers whose work could stand beside the best from around the globe. Gosden passed away on 6 November 2020 — just five days shy of turning 67. 
Image: Photo by Rebecca McMillan 

He was an amazing negotiator, and that's one of the most important skills you need in that job. Especially when you come from a tiny country on the other side of the world. He built fantastic networks, and quietly and firmly made a good case as to why the festival should show their films. Richard King (who programmed the 2007 NZ International Film Festival) on Bill Gosden