Father Geek here with a report on the lineup for this years Edinburgh Film Fest... Looks Great...
The official launch of the 57th Edinburgh International Film Festival didn’t go off quite as smoothly as was planned. Artistic director Shane Danielson and managing director Ginnie Atkinson were meant to stand outside The Filmhouse cinema in Edinburgh and pull on separate cords to officially unveil the festival.
As Danielson shouted “Are we going to do this? Ok then let’s go” they both pulled their cords and nothing happened. Only after several awkward minutes did the white screens on the building start to unravel to reveal giant posters for Clint Eastwood’s new film Mystic River and Young Adam starring Ewan McGregor.
Despite this technical hitch Danielson was bullish about this year’s line up. He said: “We have a programme that will appeal to anyone breathing and converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. We’ve travelled the world, looked long and hard at hundreds of films, and this is what we’ve found; as diverse and thrilling a selection of work ever assembled for one event.”
The festival’s theme this year is ‘The New Europe’ in response to world events. Danielson was keen to emphasis this isn’t some artsy pretentious notion but something that came out of the films that have been chosen. He said: “It’s not just been tacked on. I’m very suspicious of grand themes but there were certain things that were being explored in these films and they embodied European identity today.”
In his address Danielson also took time to thank Donald Rumsfeld for helping to inspire the title of this year’s festival. He said: “[Rumsfeld] seems very interested in Iran. I don’t know if he is a [Abbas] Kiarostami fan though! I don’t know if he’s ever seen a film without the words ‘yee hah’ in it.”
The festival’s intention to hold up a mirror to the world is shown in the diversity of its films. With more than a hundred films from countries as varied as Lithuania, Iran, Morocco, Poland, Slovenia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan packed into 11 days it does try to give something to everyone.
The opening Gala premier will be of Alexander McKenzie’s adaptation of Scottish beat author Alexander Trocchi’s novel Young Adam. The film was shot in Glasgow and stars Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton and Peter Mullan. Danielson said: “It was the obvious choice, much as Morvern Callar was last year, because it is the best British film of the year.”
This year’s closing film is American Splendour the story of Harvey Pekar the creator of the comic book of the title. Already a hit at Sundance and warmly received wherever it has played this will be its UK premiere.
Edinburgh is often chastised for being a greatest hits festival where viewers can see the best of Sundance, Berlin and Cannes among others. This year there are 8 world premieres, 9 international, 6 European and countless British ones.
The Rosebud section, for first and second time directors, has been significantly expanded with 36 films up from last year’s 17. Hotly tipped include Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake which is described as being Rushmore-esque. Chinese cyber drama from Yu Lik Wai in All Tomorrow’s Parties, Tunisian melodrama The Bookstore which has been hailed by Variety as “One of the unprecedented discoveries of the year.” There’s also Intermission from Irish director John Crowley. A comedy drama starring Hollywood’s favourite Irish lothario Colin Farrell and Scots actress Kelly McDonald. Brazilian film Man of the Year is tipped to follow in the footsteps of City of God and become an international hit. Those looking for controversy and tabloid outrage can look to French films Dans Ma Peau ,which delves into the taboo world of self-mutilation and madness, and New Life which is a Lynchian story of erotic obsession. Rosebud also boasts Royal Bonbon which is the first feature ever to be shot in Haiti.
The Gala section is filled with big hitters like Clint Eastwood’s crime thriller Mystic River with Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Lawrence Fishburne and Kevin Bacon, Heath Ledger in Ned Kelly, Jason Schwartzman, Britany Murphy and Mena Suvari in Spun, Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale and Natascha McElhone in Laurel Canyon and the return of Macauley Culkin in Party Monster.
The traditionally strong documentary section once again has a few interesting morsels. The year’s most talked about documentary Capturing the Friedmans, Seinfeld’s return to stand up in Comedian, the secret life of a world superstar in Traces of a Dragon: Jackie Chan and His Lost Family, the Other Final about the two worst football (soccer) teams in the world, And Along Came a Spider a powerful and shocking Iranian film about a serial killer in the town of Mashad, Oliver Stone’s journey to meet Fidel Castro in Comandante and A Decade Under The Influence which looks at American cinema between 1968 and 1976.
Late Night Romps has the cult classics in the making with horror movie Cabin Fever, futuristic Korean thriller Yesterday, and Tube which is Korea’s answer to Speed, Japanese cyberpunk in Returner and Hong Kong action in So Close.
The unique Mirrorball music video section also returns. The retrospective this year has films from the French New Wave director Henri-Georges Clouzot. There are also tributes to Charlie Chaplin, Hungarian director Miklos Jansco and Belarusian filmmaker Victor Dashuk.
There is also the new Black Box section dedicated to experimental film. Danielson said that this section had given him the most pleasure as he curated it himself. “When you say experimental film most people’s eyes glaze over but it’s not all like that. I want to say to people who like that White Stripes video or Radiohead video you’ll like this. You’ve grown up with this stuff and you are a young visually aware audience.”
Other Scottish films include 16 Years of Alcohol with Trainspotting duo Ewan Bremner and Kevin McKidd, Four Eyes, a low budget story about a downtrodden salesman, and Solid Air from award winning director May Miles Thomas.
British film legend Peter Greenaway is also premiering his new film The Moab Story and will be interviewed at a Reel Life event. Get Carter director Mike Hodges will also be talking about his life in films as well as showing his new work I’ll Sleep when I’m Dead. There will also be a special presentation of his film The Terminal Man in its never before seen full directors cut.
Oscar nominated Irish director Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father and My Left Foot) will also be in attendance and showing In America his new film with Samantha Morton. Terence Davies will also be featured at a Reel Life event and he is currently adapting legendary Scottish novel Sunset Song for the screen.
Though these are the confirmed guests the rumour mill has already started and suggestions that Tim Robbins and Sean Penn, both Edinburgh veterans, will be coming over have started. Others include Jackie Chan, Jason Schwartzman, Oliver Stone, Macauley Culkin, Paul Giammatti, Orlando Bloom and Francois Ozon. Of course an Edinburgh Film Festival wouldn’t be complete if the mighty Ewan McGregor didn’t turn up at some point. Personally I’d like to start the rumour that Clint is coming. How great would that be? Although Oliver Stone and Jackie Chan would be pretty special as well.
Tickets for the festival go on sale on July 11th and the event takes place from August 13th to 24th. Tickets can be bought on the web site www.edfilmfest.org.uk, by post or by calling 0131 6238030. They can also be bought at participating cinemas in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Greig Cameron
