Richard Ross, my mentor and friend of 40 years, who has died aged 84, was a passionate, kind-hearted intellectual and a pre-eminent figure in film education for three decades. A modest man who wore his achievements lightly, he was known by peers and students alike as Dick.
Born in Hokitika,
New Zealand, Dick was the son of Paddy Ross, who owned a cycle shop, and Muriel (nee Bell) a school teacher.