Home / Arts and Entertainment / Edinburgh Film Fest: 21 New Features, 10 Vie for Top Prize
Edinburgh Film Fest: 21 New Features, 10 Vie for Top Prize
6 Aug
Summary
- Festival debuts 21 feature films, with 10 in official competition.
- Sean Connery Prize contenders include 'Mission' and 'Borges and Me'.
- Kenneth Branagh to receive the inaugural Outstanding Contribution Award.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival will showcase 21 new feature films, with 10 competing for the prestigious Sean Connery Prize from August 13 to 19. The competition lineup includes Paul Wright's 'Mission,' a documentary on Harvey Kurtzman, and 'Borges and Me' from producer Marc Turtletaub.
Festival Director Paul Ridd emphasized the competition strands' strengthened identity, noting a record number of world premieres. He highlighted the festival's success in launching emerging and established filmmakers, citing that seven of last year's ten competition films secured distribution.
Opening the festival is Louis Paxton's 'The Incomer,' starring Domhnall Gleeson, while Louise Lockwood's 'Bel' will close the event. This year also introduces the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award, presented to actor and director Kenneth Branagh.
Additionally, the festival will feature a 30th-anniversary screening of 'Trainspotting' with live cast and crew commentary. Iranian filmmaker Abdolreza Kahani returns with 'Empty Heaven,' funded by his win of the Sean Connery Prize last year.
