SFF: Sydney confidential
With a new CEO and a recent cash injection, the Sydney Film Festival needs to grow. Recently-arrived Leigh Small and festival director Clare Stewart are enthusiastic, but secretive about those plans.
Former Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Opera House executive Leigh Small was appointed CEO of the Sydney Film Festival in March. She arrived late in the production process for the 2010 edition, so Small has been there to oversee the roll-out of a festival which was already planned.
As an outsider coming into the screen industry, Small says that the main two issues she had identified as a member of the audience and the arts community were solved before her arrival.
The first was the need for an independent review – which was undertaken by consultants Booz and Co. in 2009.
Most arts organisations, and community organisations, take care to know and look after their own supporters — people who have already put up their hands. In SFF’s case, you would think that these would primely be people who have put up money as Members, Donors or Friends, or more than one of those.The wonder is why the management of Sydney Film Festival has for so long neglected, indeed affronted, these prime supporters. Best of luck to Leigh Small in trying to re-scale the heights of affection of the seriously film-minded public.