Borges & Me: A Cinematic Journey Through Scotland

Borges and Me, a feature film helmed by director-producer Marc Turtletaub, will be presented at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The movie adapts Jay Parini's memoir, following a University of St Andrews student's expedition across the Scottish Highlands alongside the famed poet Jorge Luis Borges.

Director Marc Turtletaub found the source material unexpectedly in a Hawaii bookstore. Initially, another team had attempted an adaptation, but Turtletaub's vision led to a road movie filmed across 61 locations in Scotland.

The production utilized a four-country co-financing model, involving Holland, Belgium, the UK, and the U.S. This international collaboration facilitated the large-scale shoot, supported by a skilled Scottish crew and acclaimed Scottish actors.

Luis Gnecco delivers a notable performance as Borges, drawing praise for his deep preparation, including learning Anglo-Saxon for a role. Fionn Whitehead stars opposite him. The film also features a cast of well-known Scottish actors, including Alan Cumming and Peter Mullan.

Jay Parini, the author of the memoir, was actively involved during filming, even contributing lyrics for a song. The screenplay, written by Oren Moverman, has been lauded by Parini as a "masterclass in adaptation."

Looking ahead, Turtletaub is developing a new feature based on Ben Reeves' bestseller, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt. His company is also exploring a low-cost 3D animation and a TV pilot titled Worried, directed by Nicole Holofcener, set in New York.