Shortly after last years’ edition, the future of EIFF was thrown into jeopardy when their funding company CMI went into administration. Thankfully the show will go on under the umbrella of the Edinburgh International Festival, with an eclectic stripped back schedule showcasing UK and world premieres, rare retrospectives, outdoor screenings, and more. Having perused the programme, I’ve picked out five films to keep an eye on…
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
The latest adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic gothic novella, writer and director Hope Dickson Leach’s version actually started off as a hybrid storytelling stage production at Leith Theatre last year and will now have its big screen premiere. It stars veteran actor David Hayman and Lorn Macdonald, who impressed in rave drama Beats a few years ago.
Passages
Adèle Exarchopoulos is one of the most exciting screen presences around at the moment, on a terrific run of movies including Zero Fucks Given, Smoking Causes Coughing, and The Five Devils. Her latest, directed by Ira Sachs, sees her embroiled in a love triangle with a married gay couple and it’s being billed as ‘the thorniest and horniest film of the year’.
Past Lives
After receiving huge critical acclaim following its Sundance premiere at the beginning of the year, the feature debut of Celine Song will finally be screened in the UK. The romantic drama comes from hipster indie distributors A24 and is already being hotly tipped for success at next years’ award season.
Choose Irvine Welsh
Author of Trainspotting, Filth, Crime, and more, the iconic Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh is the subject of a new documentary by filmmaker Ian Jefferies. Featuring talking heads such as Danny Boyle, Bobby Gillespie, and Iggy Pop, the film will tell the tale of the man behind the hedonistic material.
Scrapper
Part of the ‘Cinema Under the Stars’ strand of the festival, the London-based directorial debut of writer and director Charlotte Regan introduces newcomer Lola Campbell as 12-year-old Georgie, who reconnects with her estranged father Jason played by Harris Dickinson.
Edinburgh International Film Festival will run from 18th-23rd August and tickets are available now! Check out the full programme at the official festival website.
Cinema Perspective 